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Service in Ibarra, Otavalo, and Pujilí
Mar 09 2026
At the end of week 2, we began our trips to visit students in their service assignments. This week took us north of Quito to Imbabura province to visit Ray and Izzy in Ibarra and Micah and Alina in Otavalo. We also made a trip south of Quito to Cotopaxi province to see Alex in Pujilí.
Ray and Izzy are supporting classes at the 3 de Diciembre school in San Antonio near Ibarra. This small, public school supports 35 children with hearing or sight impairments by teaching lengua de señas, providing material in braille, and offering individualized attention to students. Ray works with Darwin in his class to teach lengua de señas, while Izzy supports classes in history and natural sciences by providing lengua de señas interpretation, as well as teaching both the teacher and students American Sign Language signs for scientific terms that do not exist in LSEC (Lengua de Señas Ecuatoriana).
Micah works at the Instituto Otavaleño Antropología, an institute in Otavalo that focuses on anthropological research and preservation of cultural heritage in northern Ecuador. Micah is supporting the work of the researchers by organizing and deploying the database system to house the institute’s inventory and archives.
Alina supports Cocha Escena, a fine arts community program for children and adults focusing on art, theater, and dance classes. Alina supports classes in English, dance, and art.
Alex serves in Pujlí with an organization called Mision Scalabriniana, which works to empower women through skills development and community support, as well as a program that provides financial education in communities to promote self-sufficiency at home and within local businesses.
We were also able to celebrate Alex with a belated birthday meal that her mamá, Consuelito, generously provided.
As each student continues to learn the mission of their unique organizations and discover how they fit into that mission, new insights about service are taking shape. Izzy writes about language and service this way:
“The rewards are already clear: the student’s humor, their expressiveness, the small breakthroughs when we understand each other without hesitation. The challenges are real too: not always understanding each other, worrying about cultural missteps, and feeling the limits of my signing knowledge. But I think the biggest learning for me will be about presence. Slowing down and letting go of urgency. Trusting that small moments matter. This experience is teaching me to listen with my eyes, to be patient, and to let the community shape me rather than the other way around. About understanding that service is not about what I accomplish, but about how I show up. I am learning that relationships take time and that being truly present is its own kind of offering.”
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