Saying Goodbye to Azogues

In January, after much deliberation, we decided to say goodbye to our good friends in the wonderful community of Azogues and spend a couple of months traveling southward on the Panamerican Highway to Argentina where we will spend the remainder of the year.  We were so fortunate to have been accepted with such open arms by the people of Azogues and will cherish the friendships we developed there. 

Leaving the kids’ school community was especially difficult.  The teachers were so supportive of Hans and Annalise and many of the children in the school became special pals.  A few of us were quite teary-eyed on the last day of school.  A Smurf cake and a dance music celebration eased the blow however.

Working with the medical community in Azogues and Cuenca was incredibly rewarding for Patricia and me.  We will miss the friends/colleagues we worked with, as well as the  overwhelming gratitude from the patients we saw.

During the last couple of weeks in Ecuador, we were able to get together with nearly all of our family friends for numerous going away celebrations.  After all of the Christmas holiday celebrating that people did in December, I think everyone was ready for a rest after we left!