Partera (midwife) Training - Colta, Ecuador

Partera´s with their new blue medical bags and equipment. We think it will be interesting someday when a missionary calls on a small house in the hills and finds this blue bag with the church logo on it.



Our dear new friends removed their hats and thanked heaven for sending us to teach them.



These hands have now been given new skills and can better help a baby breath if needed.



This sweet women is 77 years old and still delivering babies.



Practicing the skills they have learned.





So many wanted their picture taken with us, I would love to get some of these pictures to them.



Dr Flake and our interpreter Dr. Juan Naula Guacho, he did such a fantastic job and is helping to improve the midwifes status.



They payed close attention and were so excited to learn.



Dad and Ana, she was one of the Public Health Workers, they were so organized and helpful, it was awesome to work with them.



Ready to begin class.

Friday January 21, 2011
By far our finest and best experience was teaching a Basic Helping Babies Breath course to 44 native parteras (midwives). They were the most awesome sight and so loving. This was the first time the revised course had been presented in Spanish and we had to have the Spanish translated to Quichua as many did not speak Spanish. These participates, some men attended as well, came from all over the area many having to travel by bus, several walked. They asked why we would help them. When we told them that they were our brothers and sisters and that their babies are important they seemed amazed and taken aback. After a short time into the training they indicated that this was good training but they did not have access to the equipment we were teaching them to use. When they found out we would be giving them the equipment they clapped and were so excited. It was so humbling to teach these natives. Dad said he would never read about the people of Ammon without thinking of these humble, beautiful people. At the conclusion of the training they presented each of us with a gift and we had dancing and lunch. They also honored us by removing their hats in respect. They felt God had sent us to help them and they were so grateful. This experience alone makes the whole mission worthwhile. We are hoping to do at least one more of these basic courses.