Project Montecristi Clinic

Montecristi is a city of about 70,000 people about 30 minutes inland from Manta.  The church donated medical equipment to a small private clinic.  Once a year there is a pilgrimage to the church in Montecristi, where thousands of Ecuadorians pay their respects to the saint of the town. It's not recommended to visit during that week.
All along the streets are shops selling Panama hats, knick-knacks, keychains, hammocks, shawls, baked goods, furniture, and nearly anything else they can think of to sell.
Panama hats of the best quality are made here. Montecristi is famous for them, and for good reason. They ought to be re-named "Montecristi hats", but the hats were originally shipped around the world via ports in Panama and thus became known as "Panama hats". You can still see them making these hats in some of the shops.  It is very slow tedious work and the hats can be very expensive.

Street scene near the clinic.

Grandma with our taxi driver.  Some of the people here are REALLY short!

Interesting motorcyclist

Just across the street from the clinic.  The men are carrying gas tanks.

Someone trying to earn a living from his bicycle cart.

Mayor, congress woman, first counselor stake presidency and clinic director.  The stake president of Portoviejo and the district president from Jipijapa were also in attendance.  Grandpa had to sit at the head table while I took the pictures.

Ceremony with attendees.

Street scene in Montecristi.

Stake president from Portoviejo with member of high council.

First customer on newly donated balance.