Day in the life

Everyday as I walk to the paroquia more and more people greet me by name or call out “Hola Gringa” smiles and waves are constant.  It is really pretty funny.  I was super tired this morning (everyone just so happens to comment on that too) and was heading into the paroquia as I passed two young kids probably 3 and 4 skipping to school laughing and singing.  Before I knew it I had two new friends one clinging to each hand and we ran and sang all the way to their classrooms in the parish.  Mind you these kids live in homes made of straw with no running water yet they were some of the happiest cutest kids I’d ever seen.  It was the perfect way to start my day.

(Some of the excited kids as the gringos entered the library)

Well it was another 24 hours without Internet this time unintentionally- there was no electricity from 7:00 am – 6:00 pm… but a nice break again nonetheless.  Imagine what a day in the U.S. would be like without electricity- many places function because of generators- but for others their lives are on hold because they can’t watch t.v, check email or face book.  Here you can barely tell the difference unless you reach to turn on a light switch or need to use a computer.  My job is somewhat computer oriented so I found other things to do.  I spent the morning in the “cuna.”  It is the daycare at the parish.  It is nothing like the daycare in the U.S.  It is a big open room and in one corner there is a toilet and sink that the few potty-trained kids would use with no shame.  In the other corner there was the snack table- not exactly sanitary…  But the kids know no different and were happy to have another person to cling to.  After the morning in la cuna I headed to English classes at one of the parish libraries.  Don’t get the wrong idea- the library couldn’t have had more than 100 books.  I didn’t teach the class, I participated, but mostly I observed.  One of my responsibilities with my position is checking in weekly with each volunteer at all of the different locations.  I like this because I get to see all of the areas of the community that are receiving support from Los Amigos.  All in all the lack of power made for a good morning. 

Once back at the parish I headed to the gringo room- it is a room for volunteers there is filtered water, a bathroom with running water, a book exchange, and sometimes treats for the volunteers.  It is also the room where short-term volunteers eat their meals.  A woman called Maruja cooks their meals.  She is an excellent cook and makes enough for tons of volunteers, her hand are contorted with severe arthritis and she is blind.  And she speaks 5 languages.  Pretty amazing.  I speak to her in Spanish and she replies to me in English.  Today as I was on my way into the gringo room I stopped to chat with a few of the short-term volunteers.  Maruja came out of her kitchen and I greeted her with a “Hola Maruja Como estas? (hello, how are you)” and she responded with her thick accent, “will you rub my feet please?”  Ha how do you say no to a woman who does so much- so sure enough she took my chair (because she likes sitting in the sun) and had her feet on my lap within seconds.  Her feet are just as bad with arthritis as her hands. I guess this is probably one of the only times I’ll say I’m glad dad always made us rub his feet because Maruja thoroughly enjoyed her foot massage and showered me with thanks- she also made sure that I know she is selling purses in her kitchen.  So needless to say some of you will be getting Maruja purses for souvenirs… 

(This is Maruja and me- we are in the courtyard between her kitchen and the "gingo room.")

Everyday I meet someone new and am amazed by the extreme circumstances they are living in.  Not a day passes here without realizing how blessed and privileged my life is.