Love his look, don't you?

A blistering-hot, smokin’-productive final day here in Guayaquil. Real, tangible ideas for getting people closer to Good. But, as always, it’s the kids that impact you the most, that brand their faces into your heart as you get ready to leave.

We heard a rumor that the sun is closer to the equator today than it has been in hundreds of years. And since we are in the country named for the equator, I can tell you from personal experience, I believe, I believe! It is hot here. Very hot. We put in a good, hard day in meetings with the key people here today. We discussed an exciting possibility for starting up a cottage industry that could meet real needs in this community, supply jobs and income to poor families, AND potentially be a fair trade opportunity to the north. Really promising discussion, and we’re excited to see how the first steps go.

We also talked more about writing the Story and possible themes for creating an educational Space. It’s nice to see how things begin to come together after a few days of observing and interacting. And Heidi got a surprise birthday party from 40 of her closest, newest friends. After sharing the cake with the kids, believe me, they are her friends. For life.

In closing, I’ve chosen to include a few pictures, not of our strategic meetings, but of a couple children. We theorize and strategize and analyze, wrestling with the big picture of poverty, of globalization, politics, international trade, and on and on…til my head spins. At the end of the trip, I look at these two pictures, and somehow, they comfort me. Maybe these two kids are a little better off today for having some cake and some smiles from people who came to see them from half a world away.

That’s what I’m thinking.