It was the rainy season in Ecuador, and that meant heat, bugs, and lots of standing water. The dirt roads in our little town flooded to varying degrees from about January to April. Sometimes, cane houses fell down as the ground softened.

GSR Today - Readers like you help Global Sisters Report achieve its mission: to serve as a forum that focuses on the social justice mission of Catholic women religious and explores theology, spirituality, identity, community and other aspects of consecrated life.

See for Yourself - In today's world of "political correctness," sometimes a rainbow is just a rainbow, but it's a shame that something as simple as an umbrella can alter a friendship for good.

On Earth Day the sun seems to shine brighter. The songs of the finch, meadowlark and red winged black bird ring more boldly upon the air. All creation seems to celebrate Earth Day. But, Earth Day this year seems different. The joyful rays and songs are still there, however, they feel tempered. A bittersweetness rests upon my heart.

Founded in France in 1973 by two married couples, the Community of the Beatitudes has three branches, for brothers, sisters and the laity. Its members share a common vocation of prayer and fraternal communion, combining a marked contemplative dimension with numerous apostolic and missionary activities in places such as parishes, hospitals, Marian sanctuaries, and retreat centers.

"People can feel isolated and alone dealing with the big picture. . . . See this work as a great project of healing our relations with other living beings, with one another for the sake of future generations and to see us doing that together as communities."

A signing ceremony at the United Nations will mark this year's Earth Day, and religious leaders, including a number of prominent Catholic women religious, are urging leaders of nations not to renege on their promise to sign the landmark Paris Agreement.

Notes from the Field - The cornerstone of the Cristo Rey model is the Corporate Work Study Program. Since Cristo Rey schools are private but exclusively serve students from low-income families, the Corporate Work Study Program is a way for students to earn money to cover most of their tuition.

Three Stats and a Map - Police brutality in the United States is an ongoing issue that has been gaining more and more media attention, and media organizations have stepped in to keep record of the killings, in absence of an official record.

"When I see polluted waters, I hear, 'This is my blood, and it's your blood that's being given up here.'"