Many of you may not know Maritza Yanez Navarrete.
A few years ago, while travelling on business, I gave up my seat to a young newlywed couple so they could sit together. There was only one seat left on the airplane… a middle seat. I sat down next to a nice lady that I guessed must be from Guatemala. In less than five minutes, this nice lady, Maritza Yanez, explained that she was actually from Ecuador, and by the way, “is there any way you could come to Ecuador to help our poor people? And, oh, by the way, I do water purification research at Kansas University.”
This was the beginning of a wonderful God-honored relationship with my friend, Maritza. Since that chance meeting, we have completed three installations in Ecuador and we have nurtured dozens of new important relationships with the Quichue people.
Maritza is a very unusual person. Maritza is an advocate for the poor. I liken her to Martin Luther King, Jr. She has a wonderful and realistic perspective on the disadvantaged people of the world. She is humble, and has no need for affluence. She has declined money and at the same time she keeps volunteering to assist us.
She works as a lab technician (Técnico de Laboratorio) for ESPOCH… Escuela Superior Politécnica de Chimborazo. Even though her time is precious, she has been a very reliable and trustworthy source of information and she remains our most trusted “boots on the ground” in Ecuador.
