Hello!

Have you ever really felt all dressed up and no place to go?  That’s kind of what I’m feeling right now.  As many of you have heard, we’ve postponed our trip to Ecuador.  There was a strike led by the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (COANIE) against the Ecuadorian government’s termination of subsidies for indigenous people and poor access to healthcare and education. The government was repressing these protests with significant force.  While the strike was officially called off by CONAIE on October 22, some people are still protesting.  We think it prudent to wait until things have calmed down a bit.  We’ll revisit our dates soon.

 

We were so ready!  Dorinda Rife, with support from Chris Rife, is going to train local indigenous members to screen for vision acuity.  Additionally, we have water treatment supplies from WaterStep for four communities which Lori and Steve Sargent are thoroughly involved in.  We’ll not only bring the equipment to treat water, but give presentations on water purification, hand washing, and surface cleaning – all of which should decrease illness due to pathogens significantly.  Additionally, we’re taking 40 more Days for Girls kits down (washable period products for girls and women), five large backpacks for the Park Guard program, and 75 pairs of reading glasses!  It’s all in place for when we rebook our flights.  We look forward to telling you about it when we return.

Photo:  From Left to Right:  Chris Rife, Dorinda Rife, Tanja Geis, Lily LaCosta Ignacio, Serena Himmelfarb, Deborah Novgorodoff, Danica Novgorodoff

Carlos – our healthcare navigator – continues to work his magic, networking with doctors in various communities.  In fact, he is involving two volunteer ophthalmologists in our vision screening work – which should facilitate getting glasses for the Cofan.  The most striking case he has now is an infant with osteosarcoma in his left humerus.  I am glad that the family has Carlos to help them through this difficult time.

 

There is good news regarding Cofan leadership.  Three highly educated Cofan individuals – with university degrees and beyond — have been elected to serve in leadership positions of NOA’IKE, the organization overseeing the Cofan nation.  One of them is Felipe Borman, Randy’s eldest son.  These three men all are comfortable living life in the rainforest while being able to navigate western cultures. 

 

We thank you so very much for your support this year.  If you haven’t sent your donation for our Cofan effort, you can do so by writing a check to All Peoples and putting Cofan in the memo section.  A gift of $250 supports an entire family for the year and, of course, gifts of any amount are welcome and appreciated.

 

All the best as we head into the holiday season,

Deborah Novgorodoff, for the International Justice Committee of All Peoples