Arms of Jesus Children’s Mission
If I tell you I cried the day out you won’t be surprised!!!
We left beautiful Antigua and the farther up the mountains we went the poorer it got. It’s hard to put it in words. I hope the following words will show a bit of the way of life.
Think of the worst housing situation you have ever imagined and it’s worse. Anyone who says they are not really that poor or that people are just as poor home are truly out of touch with the real world. Everyone needs to understand this.
Cooking Area Inside a House
We arrived at the school and when they opened the gate it was unreal. It was like a happy safe haven from the poverty outside. Even the 3 Team members from last year were shocked at how much the school had been remodeled and improved. Those of you who have donated money rest assured it has been well spent but there is still much to do!! The library is about 1/10 the size of what our kids have in their bedroom book collection. There were happy children everywhere!!! They greeted us with hugs and smiles.
Happy Children
The first class we went into was the Special Ed and I spotted Joan’s child Mayra. I told her who I was and then I cried and cried. Next ,we went to Kindergarten and there was my little Evelyn. Tears in buckets by now!! They call us ‘Madrina’ meaning Godmother and I know now how the fairy godmother felt in Cinderella. They look at us with awe and wonder as if we had arrived with the wave of a magic wand!!
We had children’s church and she sat in my arms the whole while. Then we said goodbye and went to lunch. The new staff room is a big improvement over last year from eating outside. The new extension has a little Staff room (every room is little) and we enjoyed sandwiches and fruit. After lunch we went out the gate and on to build houses.
Little Helper
We built a house for a family of a father mother and 2 daughters and 1 baby on the way. The father looks very young guy. WHEN THEY SAW THE TRUCK PULL UP THE DAUGHTER (12 YEARS OLD) SCREAMED FOR HER PARENTS AND THEY CAME RUNNING OUT LIKE EXTREME MAKE OVER.
They never left for the whole time and the father worked very hard. The neighbourhood children took the 3 women for a walk and showed us their houses. One took us through the cornstalks and we came upon a house. They called out and a woman came running with her arms open. This was an Arms of Jesus house built 2 years ago. She wanted us to come in as if we were long lost Family. To her we were friends back that had built her house. The house was exactly as it was built in excellent condition and they had 4 beds, table and chairs and a dresser. She was so proud. In one bed was her teenage son who had been in a motorcycle accident. His leg was bandaged but I could see blood so I got Paul. We explained to the Mom as best we could that he was a nurse. Paul dressed the wound (I was so proud) but he thinks it is broken. He reported to the Mission and the Social worker will check on him. They walk miles to do their rounds and check on children. If a child misses 3 days school in a week they go to the home. We rode to the other house building site in the back of the Mission pick up truck!!
They also had a rewarding day building a house for a family of 6 kids and a Mother and Father. Tomorrow we will build 4 houses. We will again be split in 2 Teams and build 2 each. One will be for Joan’s child Vilma and the other (I found out since I got here) will be for my little Evelyn. More tears tomorrow!!!
Pam's Son Paul
I didn’t cry ALL day. There comes a point when tears can’t express how you feel. First thing today we built my sister Joan Kohler`s sponsored child’s house. The child is a living doll. Dressed in her best and neat as a pin. What a contrast to the living conditions around her. Deplorable is not the word. The worst shed home is a palace. How do they get themselves clean and have clothes spotless!!
Rev Shirley said the grandmother that her child lives with had the same pretty dress on last year in the same neat condition so they must have a special dress they keep for these visits. We thought yesterday was shocking to go in the middle of the cornstalks and built them a house next to their leanto but today was unbelievable.
Vilma’s house is built in what we would class as an alley between two concrete buildings. Again we were welcomed with open arms. I explained to the mom that my sister was Vilma’s benefactor. She tried to tell me something and I could sense the urgency. After the house was built I got the Mission Director’s son who is bilingual to come help her talk to me. Her problem is the land we built the house on is rented to them in a rent-to-buy situation and she was afraid they would not meet the payments!!! I told her not to worry. It may only be $1000-2000 but her husband only makes $2 per day-a lifetime mortgage for them. I called Joan and she’s going to look after it for them. I am so happy. This week has been such a rollercoaster ride.
Despair to joy in ever turn. We went back to the school for lunch. We thought Vilma’s house was the worst it could get until we went to do Melvin’s (Rev. Shirley’s sponsored child) and his cousins’. The two houses are built across from each other. Since this whole neighbourhood block are relatives. They have a sink outside in the middle of the common yard. They all use this sink to wash selves and clothes. They have dogs and chickens running everywhere – two babies in arms and wee ones all about. We didn’t see any outhouse at all so I don’t dare wonder where that is!!!
Water That Everyone Uses
One lady with babe in arms so sad looking and I thought may be was in great need. When she was alone, I gave her $10 (against the rules) but she was so thin. She looked at the money and she grabbed me and she SOBBED!! She clung and we both cried. Paul came in and said “Mom what did you give her?” I guess he figured I wouldn’t be eating for the rest of the week. When I told him $10, he was overwhelmed too. Imagine the reaction for the little gift, but it’s a week’s wages for her husband. We don’t often see the men since most of them work in the fields.
Building Homes
We completed the two houses and when we went to leave they told use to wait. They had made sandwiches with bought bread, boiled ham and mayo. They had them wrapped in serviettes and had bought a bottle of Pepsi and plastic cups for a lunch for us to take with us. We had seen the coming and goings with bags and figured they were getting their supper. The whole neighbourhood must have pitched in and spent probably their savings (Prices are same as home). We were overwhelmed!!! What we’ve come to realize is that they work so hard and are so willing to give what they have even if it’s a smile.
Most people home are disillusioned by wasted Federal money on people. It’s not like that here. They have no handouts. You sweat in the fields for what you get. The houses built over the years are in excellent condition and immaculate. When the Mission gives them a house the neighbours come along congratulating them. It’s like they’ve got a big promotion or graduated. They see it as chosen by God to be rewarded and they treasure their rewards. Their sincerity is evident all the while we are with them. Tomorrow we paint the houses, pack food bags and meet the families of our sponsored children. Wow that’s all I can say.
You would imagine by now we’re running out of wow but not so. It just gets more and more amazing. We finished painting the houses this morning.
Buildng Homes
Before we left though, Paul had a medical emergency. The Social worker who has fainted a couple of days ago fainted again. Paul and the nurse rushed her to the clinic. Paul was shocked by the clinic. First there was discussion on where she could afford to go for help. Then they went to the nearest clinic and it was almost an empty room except for the flies. Almost no supplies to be seen. The doctor borrowed Paul`s blood pressure pump to do her blood pressure!!! Then they sent her to another place for EKG and Xray which she has to pay for!! Paul was frustrated and upset. Then she was simply released and although she was told to stay home she was back at work in the afternoon!!! Paul said she would be in ICU for 3 days at home with a battery of tests done. We are looking in to getting a follow up done for her. We have a lot to be thankful for in our health care system. Then we were off to the painting. My Team painted my sponsored child`s house. When we arrived she was standing outside with the clothes on I gave her and she was hugging a box. It was new the shoes I gave her!! Seemed like she hasn’t let them go!! The whole family pitched in to paint even baby strapped to Mom’s back!!
This family is beautiful. They have the old cornstalk house tidied and the father got some tin and made a roof joining the old house to the new so now it’s like double the size. The yard was neat with a chicken pen, orange tree and little garden.
New Bed!
After we went back to the school for lunch and Nelson met his beautiful child that couldn’t come yesterday. He couldn’t believe a tiny might could squeeze his 240 lbs so tight!! Then we went to bless the houses. No words can describe the beauty of the simple but touching ceremonies Rev. Shirley and Rev. Jonathan performed!!! We came home emotionally drained and ecstatically happy!! We all enjoyed a beautiful supper with the Mission director`s family. Tomorrow we finish the blessing of the last two houses and go to the Mission school in the village of Pompay atop the mountains!! None of us are ready to leave the work here. Although we miss our families we will hate to leave!!
We’re nearing the end. I can’t believe the bags are packed!!! What a journey. Today was another full day of emotional roller coaster. We went to the last 2 houses for blessing. These 2 ladies were model housekeepers showing what you can do with so little. They had their houses tidied and their neat little gardens and their chicken coops. No chickens running in their houses! The second last one has 9 girls. Wilson brought the crocks that his little niece Maggie had bought with her own money and put on the 2 smallest ones feet. She had beautiful flowers and a banana tree in her garden.
The final house was my sweet little Evelyn. To Paul and my surprise his sponsored child was there with his family. The mothers are sisters-in-law, so our sponsored kids are first cousins!! How special is that!!! That’s why she had kept asking Paul and I to her house and waited at the school one whole morning to see if we would come. She knew we were at her sister-in-laws and wanted to show us hospitality too!!
She asked Steve again if I would visit her in April for about the tenth time. Evelyn’s family is deeply religious and did not have one thing moved into the house before it was blessed. The father was also there. He probably missed a day’s work for the blessing.
We left the houses and went to the school where the children put off their Independence Day(a National holiday) presentation. Dressed in their best they did a great little ceremony. We bought some of their handmade crafts at their school market and headed for the village of Pompay. What a trip up the mountains!! Off roading in a van!! This is a school the government has asked AOJ to take over about a month ago. There are about 60 kids there. School was out for the day and we where there to distribute clothes. This was the first time for this program at the school.
Boys Play Tidley! Photo:Serving in Guatemala
Boys Enjoy Game of Tidley. Serving in Guatemala
These are native people and very traditional. They were to come in to the school and spent 10 minutes choosing 8 items from the tables of clothes-like a cashless flea market. One woman cried as she went through the items and another would only take 4 items because she felt it was enough!! We gave out the baby’s, women’s and men’s kits. While we were doing that some of the men on our Team played outside with the kids. Nelson and Rev Jonathan taught them how to play….Tidley!! They loved it. After that we gathered them all in and showed them how to make one of the crafts we had bought. We all loved that also!! We left and headed back to Parromas.
I finally saw Blanca this afternoon-last thing!! She is sponsored by Holy Redeemer Bible study group in Spaniard`s Bay. They hadn’t been able to locate her. They finally had found her and the social worker went and got her. The Mom came later in our visit. Blanca is sweet and adorable. I was devastated by the condition she was in. She was dirty. Her socks were grimy and her shoes were filthy and worn out. I tried to be happy with her but the stark difference between her and the other children was shocking. The other kids, what clothes they have, are clean and their hair is put up or gelled. Everywhere we went no matter how meager the clothes was in the outdoor sinks or strung on trees or even hooked on barbed wire. Her clothes were never washed. The social worker was livid. She said they were trying to track her down ever since I got there. The Mom came back after abandoning the 3 children and now has a new man and didn’t notify them where she was living.
The Social worker loves all the children. This stress is probably why she is fainting. She said she has warned the Mother that they will be visiting the family regularly and will be taking them to an orphanage if Blanca’s living conditions do not improve. She told me that when she went to visit the family before the Mother abandoned them Blanca was cooking for the 2 and 4 year old while the Mother was at work. She said the aunt took them to Pompay for a week after the Mother left. The social worker had gone up there and brought them clothes. She told the Mother while I was there that she must keep the children clean or they will be taken. From our money she bought an extra hamper of food for them (other people had one but they had two). She was going to buy her shoes but because she couldn’t locate her to get the size she will have them by Tuesday. We got 3 kits of each size of clothes that we had bought and I opened Blanca’s and put a clean sweater on her before her Mom came.
Sandra said this is the Mother`s last chance but she said they are thankful she is sponsored. If she wasn`t sponsored no one would be checking on her. She said there are thousands here like her. But because of our Bible study group they have the right to have a court order and take Blanca and her siblings. She said the orphanage is really good and the AOJ Mission works closely with them and she will still come to their school. I told the mother that I would be back in April and that we would help the family and that we wanted Blanca in school. As Rev Jonathan said “She probably grew up that way herself and doesn’t know the difference.” It was a sad end to my beautiful day. The image of her dirty sweet face will stay with me for a long time!!!
We came back and finally grabbed a few minutes at the market. We went to supper and met with the Director, Rafael and Steve and Sandra. We’re all packed!!
Off to TO. Then home on Sunday. I won’t have any news you’ve read it all!! That was my intent. I wanted to share the experience while it was fresh.
My final word- I can’t wait until April. Are you busy between now and then??
Group of 14 persons from Newfoundland. Photo:Serving in Guatemala
We need lots of help!!!
Filed under: Guatemala - September 2008 | Tagged: Anglican Church, Arms of Jesus Mission, Bay Roberts, Guatemala, Volunteer Work | 7 Comments »
Dream of a Lifetime 