It was an adventure we would never forget.
On July 23, 2008, a group of thirty-one volunteers traveled to Ecuador in a program called Causes for International Change. Most came from the Chicago area, but others ventured from Ohio, Michigan, California, Jamaica, and even Australia. For many, this was a first time experience. Our purpose was to provide free medical and dental services to impoverished children who had never received help before. For those who were not health professionals, we offered to do what we could.
It was a life transforming experience, filled with the joy of giving. My husband, Joel Sanders, a holistic dentist in Highland Park, couldn’t resist. Soon our intrepid teenage son, Andrew, decided to join, along with his friend Jack Fuller from Winnetka. Others from the North Shore included Highland Park college student Anne Bartels, Evanston/Lincolnshire Dr. Ricardo Senno and Wilmette photographer George Pfoertner.
As my son Andrew recommended, sometimes you have to “get out of the box.”
So although nervous, I decided to go too. The trip pushed me beyond my preconceived limitations and offered me much more than we all expected. Causes For Change International showed us a broader perspective of the needs beyond “our box” and the value of giving. After all, the deepest connections are the internal ones.
When he was given the task of collecting 1,000 small stuffed animals for Ecuadorian children, it seemed impossible. However, with faith and effort, we were able to exceed that goal. Through the generosity of North Shore locals, nearly 1,800 toys were donated that were prized by children. Dental supplies were also donated, and with monetary contributions, 1,700 new toothbrushes and 250 solar calculators were purchased for schools that lacked electricity.
It was amazing to realize that these children do not have toys. The stuffed animals encouraged the children to sit up for dental treatment. Dentistry consisted of a checkup and, if necessary, tooth extractions. (They were more afraid of shooting than extraction!) There was no electricity. No fancy equipment. And no X-rays. A flashlight illuminated the mouth of each child.
From our base hotel in Naranjal, Ecuador, a bus took us to different remote schools. Every day, some 500 children waited in a school yard, accompanied by a parent. They arrived by bus, canoe or on foot, often traveling for hours. An armed guard stayed with us for added protection.
We were a handful of people serving 2,300 children in a week. Three dentists. Two general practitioners. An ophthalmologist. An occupational therapist. And everyone else, both young and old from different professions. Using five separate rooms, we set up stations in each school: an education room: teaching children to brush their teeth, a dental room, a medical room, an ophthalmology room, and a pharmacy, rationing vitamins, deworming pills, and 10 children’s aspirin. .
The children sat on a plastic seat, next to a garbage can with a plastic spit bag. With plenty of sugar cane and no toothbrushes, toothpaste, or dental checkups, children in the past had died of tooth abscesses. Before the treatment began, some children screamed. Some cried. And some refused to open their mouths, even with their desperate mothers urging them on. There was no other healthcare option for them. Most of the children in need lost their milk teeth. Some had their permanent teeth extracted to avoid major problems in the future.
In 90-degree heat, as kids waited hours in the schoolyard for their turn, we distracted them with activities. Everyone pitched in, doing what they could. You could tell by the grateful looks that we were appreciated.
As Mayor Naranjal said in an inspiring speech, “you are the causes of change.” I learned that I was right. Yes, each of us can create change. All it takes is belief.