Since being stationed in the town of Mindo for my service portion of SST, I’ve noticed a big cultural difference between U.S. Mennonites and Ecuadorian “Mindo-nites” – pun intended 🙂 approaches to life. There’s a palpable sense of serenity and…
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Visit with the Basquitay Community and Ingapirca ruins
Jul 14 2025
We were so fortunate to meet Maria Virginia Farinango, the author of The Queen of Water. Students read this book together for class discussions. She writes of her experiences as an indigenous child forced into domestic service. Her path to forgiveness and reconciliation with her family is deeply moving.
We were also warmly welcomed by Julian Guaman’s community, the Basquitay. Their hospitality included food and special dances, and the students talked about the beauty of culture, and the meaning of gratitude. Goshen College has been involved in this community previously, and has contributed to the solar panel which powered the light in the building.
Following the gathering with the Basquitay community, students visited Riobamba, the city in the foothills of Chimburzo, the tallest mountain in Ecuador. On returning to Quito, we toured Ingapirca, the Inca ruins which are considered the most important Pre-Columbian archaeological site in Ecuador.
What Mindo Taught Me to See
A Day in the Life: Working on a Flower Farm
For my service, I work in Cayambe with an organization called FACE. Under FACE there are other organizations; Casa Hogar, Sumak, Centro Medico Emmanuel, and Forever Flowers. They work together to help break the cycle of abuse and neglect in…