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2018 Orphanage Christmas Preparations
Thanks to generous donors and volunteers like you, the 2018 orphanage Christmas preparations are just about complete! Friends of Santa Maria Orphanage (FOSMO) has gifts ready for 72 children plus their mamitas (caregivers), who live at the orphanage in Olon, Ecuador.
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A Little Night Music on the Beach
“I cried through the entire thing!” — Sophie, a concert attendee, March 10, 2018 Opera music filled the warm beach night air. Three sopranos amazed throughout the performance. Their voices floated down to us as if angels singing from above. Nadia Neiazy, Anjali Caillat and Anica Lazin shared their heavenly voices with us Performers Anjali Caillat and Nadia Neiazy were visiting from Canada. Their former voice coach, Anica Lazin, now lives in Coastal Ecuador. Together with pianist Cyndy Wergin, they provided a magical night to more than 120 guests. Concert The night began with a social hour at The Sea Garden House, a lovely hotel on the beach.…
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Christmas at the Orphanage in Olon, Ecuador, the Happiest Place on Earth
This blog has a guest writer today for the first time ever! Erwin Musper lives with his wife Danielle near the orphanage in Olon, Ecuador. He spends most of his days at the orphanage – teaching guitar and providing a positive male role model for the kids. When not at the orphanage, he is fundraising to benefit it. He is an internationally acclaimed music producer, mixer and engineer who worked with acts like Metallica, Elton John, Anouk, and Van Halen. See the full list here. Take it away, Erwin! ————————————————————- One two three FOUR! Just like the famous first Beatles album, the YOKO band counted off their annual concert for the…
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Fundraiser Recap – Christmas Gifts for 70 at the Olon Orphanage
On December 24, Papa Noel will hand out Christmas gifts to 70 children and mamitas living at the Olon Orphanage. The gifts are purchased with money from fundraisers, primarily an October dinner and silent auction held in a nearby town. Fundraiser host – Arena Guadua Ecolodge Surfcamp Montanita is a surf and party destination town along the Ecuador coast, hosting international surf competitions and full moon parties throughout the year. Montanita’s Arena Guadua Ecolodge Surfcamp was kind enough to host 2017’s orphanage fundraiser. Located in the quiet north end of the beach with an open floor plan, Arena Guadua was a great spot for the event. Volunteers and silent auction…
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Dutch Band Donating Album Proceeds To Benefit Ecuador Orphanage #WATWB
It is the last Friday of the month, which means it is time for the We Are The World Blogfest when we bring you positive stories from around the world. Thank you to this month’s co-hosts Shilpa Garg, Sylvia McGrath, Mary Giese, Belinda Witzenhausen, and Guilie Castillo for all you do! Please visit their blogs for more positive news. VANDERLINDE Live Trails Album Proceeds To Benefit Ecuador Orphanage This is the story of an incredibly generous gift to the orphanage in Olon, Ecuador by Dutch band VANDERLINDE. All band members, the producer, the recording and mixing engineers, and the studio are donating all proceeds from their latest album, Live Trails, to benefit…
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Orphanage Teens Learn to Express Themselves Through DJing #WATWB
Welcome to July’s installment of the We Are The World Blogfest, where we share positive stories on the last Friday of each month. The basic rules are: Keep the post below 500 words. Link to a human news story that shows love, humanity, and brotherhood and share an excerpt. No story is too big or small as long as it goes beyond religion and politics. Thank you to this month’s WATWB co-hosts:  Simon Falk, Roshan Radhakrishnan, Inderpreet Uppal, Damyanti Biswas and Sylvia Stein. The Olon Orphanage makes regular appearances on this site (see all posts here). It is one of the happiest places I know. I love spending time there. I was thrilled to see this…
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Zoo – I live in one! #AtoZChallenge
Someone told me it’s all happening at the zoo. — Paul Simon When I wrote my first post for the A to Z Challenge, I did not know the what the remaining posts were going to be about. While blogging about my life in Ecuador for the past month, I realized that I live in a zoo. A natural, wild, amazing zoo! Let’s recap what is in my zoo. Wildlife in my zoo Throughout the month, I introduced the following zoo residents: (click link to open post) Blue-footed boobies Humpback whales Iguanas In a park At my home A Monkey Owls A Frog Sea Turtles Rounding out my zoo…
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Yuletide at the Olon Orphanage #AtoZChallenge
The joy of brightening other lives, bearing each others’ burdens, easing others’ loads and supplanting empty hearts and lives with generous gifts becomes for us the magic of the holidays. — W. C. Jones December 24 is my favorite day of the year. I spend it at the Fundación Santa Maria de la Esperanza Orphanage, or Olon Orphanage, as it is called. The children give a performance for donors and volunteers who have assisted them throughout the year. It is their beautiful way of saying thank you. Here are some highlights from the 2016 performance.  Nativity Reenactment  Mary and Joseph, seeking accommodation Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus are…
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Water. Clean Drinking Water #AtoZChallenge
Drinking tap water in coastal Ecuador is a great way to get parasites. Or worse. — EJB A few weeks after the April 16, 2016 7.8 Ecuador earthquake, Tennessee pastor Gary Vance arrived in Puerto Lopez. He had a suitcase full of water filters and a plan – provide clean drinking water for those who needed it. Clean water welcomed in a tent camp Photo courtesy of Gary Vance He offered to install a water filter for the Olon orphanage. We went there the next morning. Gary installed a filter and trained a thrilled staff on maintaining it. Water filter installed at the Olon Orphanage Photo courtesy of Gary…
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Olon Orphanage #AtoZChallenge
“If you want to celebrate a happy occasion, do it by helping those who are in need” – Mohith Agadi Fatima greets us with hugs at the entrance while shifting the young boy she is holding to her other arm. We make our way to the boys’ dormitory. Fatima gathers all of the boys together and explains that they are about to receive a special performance. My friend Dori-Ann’s 14 year old daughter, Catie, pulls out her violin and plays Disney songs. The boys are all silent, listening raptly to every chord. When the concert ends, the boys all gather to give Catie hugs and thank her for playing. Boy’s…
