rainy quito

Hi,

Work is starting to roll and the conflicts with the sisters are actually quite helpful as they give an opportunity to complain about a lot more.
I´m trying to find out more about the children and why they are at the home etc. its difficult to ask them straight as some of them speak a little unclearly and also the topics are obviously quite difficult to address. There are two mentally retarded children that just haven´t been diagnosed at all, whilst they obviously need some help, when they leave the project they will be left with nothing as they can not learn, work etc.
Another child which I adore is given the diagnosis of "down syndrome" although I´m sure he has nothing of the kind, I think in the project people just want to put the children into quick neat boxes, but this child is smart, is only just a little hyperactive, but if anything has a little bit of ADD.
I don´t think the sisters know much about each child and the teacher is sick who I would ask about them. It is so important to know such things as each child is an individual with its own needs. If the children are aggressive, they are just disciplined, maybe we suspect also with hitting, and often their behaviour has very good reasons. A little girl for instance told me today that she was on the streets because her father murdered her mother and is in the prison now, and obviously that child has its own individual needs.
Maria, a child that always cries and is really quiet opened up a little to me today and is starting to play with the other children and approach me, today it was impossible to leave the project as all the children were hanging on my neck again, I think I took about an hour, they really don´t have any adults around them that give them true affection, listen to them and let them be children.
We are a bit in a vacuum of where to start, and that will probably just be practical assertive demands of clear lesson times, groups etc. as some children are discriminated and always forced to work and we always have to search for them in the beginning of lesson times and that takes time. Afterwards we will try to change more of the fundamental things. Dela is going to live in the project for a week, I might join her as well, so we can see how things really work all the time.
theres a little boy called Wagner, quite a grandiose name for a child that always cries as well and it is just obvious that they don´t feel well in the home which is such a shame.
I think the best way to donate money is to put a little bit on my mastercard account, and I will buy school supplies and underwear and shoes which are in horrible conditions or nonexistent and meanwhile I will talk to the organisation and discuss where the money is best sent and donated as surely not to the project directly.
Today a group of nuns came to the project and sang and played with the children, it is a shame that we don´t have those kinds in the project.
Today I am going out with two Austrian girls, who work in another project. I know a bit of individual people here in quito, but not so many that I really get along with and can spend time with.
Most people in Quito don´t earn very well, not enough to afford insurance etc. then there is the very poor class which is big, but much bigger outside the city, outside the city you see shacks in the middle of nowhere, we haven´t really seen the rich people here, only buisness men in the modern city, but their residential area is outside the main city, there are private fenced schools around, but I think the middle low class is the biggest here.

I finally remembered to get my phone number,
00593(Ec.)2(Quito)2547737
There is a six hour time difference, behind, it´s 4 here now, 10 in Vienna or Berlin too.
The best time to call me is I guess between 3-5 my time, as I usually get home at around 3 or 4, Monday to Friday,
Saturday I won´t be in Quito , but Sunday yes.

Besitos
Laura