Rachel's Rhythm

At what point do I stop calling it "quarantine"? I'm not sure. Most jobs across the country have opened back up (under stricter restrictions on capacity levels etc.). Sundays are a no-travel day nation-wide and while some travel restrictions are lifted, we are still limited to 3 days a week being able to use our car. So, it still feels very much like quarantine for me. The highlight this month was that for the first time since this all began, I did the grocery shopping. The new normal mixed with the old normal. My hands were sprayed with antibacterial gel outside the door, my shoes cleaned on a mat, and someone took my temperature before I was allowed inside (wearing a mask of course) and given a freshly wiped down grocery cart. Arrows guided all shoppers, like a snake, winding up and down each aisle and check out had clearly marked spots for you to stand 6-feet apart. In a way, that marks the end of my quarantine. Although, the rest of the week(s), I remain at home.

The first week of June, our 9-year-old nephew came from Shell via private taxi to our home. He is in summer vacation, he adores Ivan, and so we decided to have him come spend some (or all) of the summer with us. In the same taxi, came an old friend of Ivan's who is without work right now. Helen is a physical therapist and has several contacts in Quito, so decided to try to find work in the big city. She is living on the "compound" in one of the suites that our landlord has available. It's possible that she will set up "shop" here but in the meantime we are helping her out with meals and such until she can establish an income. A few days after their arrival, a former YL kid, Aladino, also made his way to our home. Since the quarantine began, he was in a difficult living situation and we offered him a place to stay. Once travel was feasible between cities, he was able to start making his way here. He is staying in a room next to our house on the compound. He is helping us with some projects around the property and general upkeep and he now joins our table for meals. I felt a bit nervous to go from no one coming in and going out, to suddenly doubling the number of people here. We did our best to take precautionary measures and thankfully we have seen no questionable symptoms and everyone seems to be healthy and safe. Needless to say, it has been a big adjustment for me. While Benji is thrilled to have his cousin around, a 9-year-old doesn't necessarily want to hang with a toddler all day. It is a learning curve for all of us. We all "walk for hope" each morning, looking like an odd little parade as we walk the perimeter of the compound. Benji usually bounding ahead full of energy, Ivan and I somewhere in the middle and our nephew, dragging his feet behind. Sometimes even Helen and Aladino join us!

We really don't know what the next few months will look like. There has been an increase in the number of COVID cases with more people out and about. YL activities are still suspended indefinitely. Our guests could still be here. So, I try not to look too far forward. Because the uncertainty scares me. The inability to plan effectively rattles me. Instead, I try to stay in today. One step in front of the other.

"It was you who opened up springs and streams; you dried up the ever-flowing rivers.
The day is yours, and yours also the night; you established the sun and moon. It was you who set all the boundaries of the earth; you made both summer and winter." Psalm 74:15-17