I know I promised this post three days after the event took place, and as it is now almost two weeks since the eventful day, I do heartily apologize. I'm finding it more and more difficult to sit down and write. I thought this part would be easy as I love to write and I knew that this year was going to be full of adventure. Well, as I was warned, and either I didn't believe or didn't listen, I have become very busy. But this should not deter me from my job to keep those supporting me here from knowing of my work and the going ons of my stay here during this year of God's work. If some of my fellow YASCers can make a new post every week, not mentioning any names in particular...Ann! (you're killing me by the way), I should certainly hold up to the same expectations as well.
Although things have settled down significantly, the country of Ecuador remains in a delicate balance. The people have completely lost faith in their system of public protection and they don't know how they will ever regain their trust. It's a scary feeling to think that the people whose job is to protect you from crime and other dangers of civilization, can become the very people they're supposed to protect you from. Quito, being the capital of Ecuador, remains in a State of Exception for an additional sixty (60) days which means that both the military and the police force are in charge of law enforcement authority.
The day began like any other. Thursday, September 30th, I awoke at six a.m. to begin my day of teaching at the cathedral and work at the diocese. When I arrived at school all was well, classes ran normally, but by the time recess came around, I left my class to see my fellow professors talking in hushed voices with somber looks on their faces as they ushered for me to join them. I walked over and the first of the news of the riots breaking out has reached our school. It was not long thereafter until the first student heard the news and it spread like wildfire. Classes were unable to continue due to the concern and worry of every student and the professors became occupied with settling and comforting the students, some of which were in tears, fearing the noises and news of violence in their own city and throughout their country. Parents began to arrive and within no time, all students had returned home with their families before noon. School normally ends at 1:20 in the afternoon here. When the last student left, the professors, myself included, began looking for ways to get home safely.
On this particular day, of all days, I had forgotten my cell phone at home and was unable to reach my host family on their whereabouts and what their plans were for the current situation. I wanted to call my host father to meet me at the church and walk home with me in case I may have come across trouble on my way home for who knows what reason: being a gringo, wrong place wrong time type thing, or what, but without my cell, I could not do this. I braved walking home, only living four blocks from the school and made it safely home.
My family was all perched around the television and I joined them, eager to learn of what was going on. I had checked my cell phone, and I had numerous missed calls; one from the diocese of Central Ecuador, the bishop personally, calling to check on my well being, the permanent placed Episcopal missionary from the U.S. and his family called to see how I was, and of course, the National Church, my boss, calling me to see about the situation and my well being. I was surprised by the concern of everyone and thankful for their checking in. I returned all the calls, and rejoined my host family watching the news.
As I sat with my family I learned of the terror unwinding within the country of Ecuador.
All branches of police had gone on strike after receiving word that their benefits were being cut or even diminished in some way by a new government bill. This began the rioting, and here in Ecuador, the riots began like all others, the statement of buring tires in the streets. Early in the morning, the President had left his home to address the rioters, explain the situation and the bill to the rioters in the streets. It was there he was attacked by the very police guarding him, his gas masked removed, and was exposed to various gases. He was taken to the hospital to be treated for the various gases. Throughout the day, the police continued to riot, taking control of the Quito airport shutting it down, and closing all major highways and roads throughout Ecuador. Thre was no entering or leaving by any means. With the police force on strike, public citizens took it upon themselves to begin looting and robbing major banks and stores, especially in the major cities of Quito, Guayaquil, Latacunga, and Cuenca saw the most violent string of robberies and crime with no police force to keep it in check or enforce. The police throughout the day continued to riot and take over various public locations, including the President's personal broadcast station to prevent him from communicating with the country.
Later in the evening, the police force attempted to kidnap the president from his hospital room, but was safely evacuated by the Ecuadorian military which had taken place of law enforcement within the country, and returned the president safely to his residence in Centro Quito. During the attempted kidnapping of the President, the streets of Quito near the hospital and Centro had become a warzone where the police, armed to the teeth, were exchanging fire with the Ecaudorian military force. It was a frightening day for everyone and for me. When the president returned to his residence, he immediately addressed the people of Ecuador and the protestors, with a vow to meet with their representatives and discuss a solution to the situation.
The U.S. Embassy sent out warnings and postings of advice throughout the day to registered U.S. Citizens within the country, and advised sitting tight in our homes and not explore for trouble. I did just that and maintained my distance until the situation was over.
Miracle upon miracles, the major parts of the riots ended the following day, and the Chief of the National Police force submitted his resignation to the president of Quito. Ten percent of the police force returned to work on Friday, October 1st, the following day, with the promise of the return of the rest slowly throughout the weekend as negotiations began with the police forces and the government.
That weekend of the first of October, I was due a visit from my boss at the National Church in NY and was wondering if he would be able to make it in. Surprisingly, the airport reopened Friday, and my boss, David Copley arrived. The reason for his visit was not only his check in with me, but for the next part of this blog post: an ordination service of three new priests to the diocese of Central Ecuador!
On Saturday, October 2nd, amongst the ugliness of the political situation in Ecuador, the Episcopal Church was able to celebrate the ordination of Chris Morck, and two other deacons of the diocese to the priesthood. Chris, who is the other American Episcopal missionary here in Quito, but a permanent missionary, was ordained a priest and celebrated his first communion that Saturday amongst a gathered faithful of three hundred or more at the Catedral de El Senor, in Quito, also the location of the school where I teach English. The bishop of Central Ecuador, Louise Restreppo, presided the service and was joied with two visiting bishops who also presided in the service. One was from Nicaragua, the other from a nearby diocese. Many of Chris's friends and relatives flew in for the ceremony, before the airport was shut down, including Chris' and my boss, the Reverend David Copley, from 815 in New York. It was an amazing celebration and a gift from God to allow the ceremony to continue amongst the current ugliness going on in surrounding Quito and Ecuador. What a momentous day it was and I was so glad to have been able to share the happy day with Chris and his family, as we have become fast friends during my time here in Ecuador. The family and I have become such fast friends and I have gained their trust, that they call on me to babysit their two young daughters when Chris and his wife Trish need a date night or have to work late. I have become like an older brother to the girls and we have such a great time.
Candidate Chris Morck with fellow candidate...Chris is the Gringo if you're wondering!
Candidates kneeling before the three bishops, taking their consecration vows.
Chris' wife Trish and their two daughters vesting the newly ordained Reverend Chris Morck
The Reverend Chris Morck with his wife and two daughters...Isabel, 4 and Claire, 8
The Reverend Chris Morck with Family and our Boss from NY the Reverend David Copley
The weekend with my boss was enjoyable. It was nice to catch up and visit and express my concerns, happiness, and overall well being with the YASC program in Ecuador. After Chris' ordination, we all went out and celbrated that night, Chris' closes friends, family, and our boss, and saw no problems amidst the unrest going on in the city. We were robbed after dinner saturday night, but God was looking out for us on that blessed day, and security at the hotel were able to recover our belongings, my wallet, with twenty dollars, (thank God I emptied it before we left for dinner of my credit/debit cards and $300 cash (rent was due), a friend's camera, and the other's wallets.
I joined my boss for church Sunday morning where we celebrated Chris' first solo Eucharist at his home church where he had been working as a deacon, and he said his goodbye's as the bishop of the diocese has assigned him to the Cathedral as the new rector. I will be seeing Chris a lot more!! It was no secret that my boss at the school, the Reverend Eduardo has more of a love for the children and the school than he does being the rector of the Cathedral, has asked to be assigned full time to the school as the administrator and Padre of the school and leave the care of the church in the hands of Chris. Padre Eduardo is getting old after all and cannot both manage both the cathedral and the school.
After church, David visited with me and my host family for a short while where my host family was anxious to meet him. They wanted to know what kind of man my boss was and thank him for his generousity and work with the church and for allowing me to stay with them. David inquired about my stay with the family, if there were any problems and generally wanted to know about my host family. It was a great visit, brief, and satisfying. My family reported how happy they were to have me and that they had no problems. I said my good-bye's to David after the visit, as he was returning to the U.S. that night, Sunday, October 3rd.
Well, that about wraps up this entry. It was an exciting weekend, with a brief government coup, an ordination, and an old reunion, I was blessed to be able to have experienced it all, and it has only enlightened me further on the extent of the situation of the country I now call home, and the ability to celebrate the blessing and consecration of new priest and close friend Chris Morck, just makes my time here all the more memorable. Until the next post, may the blessings and peace of God be with you all.
Saludos Jonathan!
ReplyDeleteFirst, of course I remember! How could I not? There are plenty of things that I struggle to remember about the EYE week, like did we have a nickname for ourselves as a group? What was the name of the Hip-Hop Eucharist Group? But the other PMs, our Fireside, doing that dancey thing with the paint on our face, no, I'll never forget that.
How are you? It's great to hear from you, and I appreciate the fact that I can respond in kind on your South American blog. It sounds like you are doing amazing things and have really found your vocation, at least for the next two years! :) For me, it's really refreshing to be in South America after endless years of school in the States. It makes a nice buffer between academia and work life.
If I get the chance, I'd love to travel and see more of the immense, varied and consistently beautiful South American landscape. Good luck with your travels, and let's keep our eyes out for possible overlaps! Good luck with your work, and watch out for coup d'états!