Today was our last day in Machala.  We began our day by saying good bye to our hosts at Hotel Miramar.  On route back to Guayaquil, we came upon a motor vehicle accident wherein a 31 y/o man named Mario had been ejected from his car and was lying on the side on the road.  His injuries were severe and included an almost completely amputated right thumb, flail chest and pneumothorax as well as internal injuries.  Our team assisted in stabilizing this man until the ambulance arrived at which time he was transported to Guayaquil.  This is yet another example of how God has placed us in the right place and the right time.  Quite possibly, if we had not come across this man, he may not have survived his injuries.  After checking into the hotel Hampton Inn in Guayaquil, the team embarked upon a shopping trip to the local authentic market. 

For our final meal in Ecuador, our team met up with Dr. Ruth and Dr. Fausto who live here in the city on the weekends.  Unfortunately prior to Dr. Ruth`s arrival this evening, she was mugged at knife point by 2 guys while waiting for a cab.  They stole her money, phone and other important papers.  This incident  was a sobering reminder for our team to strictly adhere to safety precautions at all times.  Luckily no real physical harm came to Dr. Ruth.  We finished the evening on a happier note enjoying a great meal at a nice restaurant which served authentic Ecuadorian cuisine. 

This is a bitter sweet time for the team as we are excited to be returning home to our loved ones and co-workers, however, we are leaving behind our family here in Ecuador. 

Linda Misko and the Mission team