Poverty!

I would first like to apologize for not having any pictures to share, but I lost my camera with my 16 GB memory card in it. So there goes that.

It has been a lot easier than I thought it was going to be, to leave the Internet. Not because I am not curious or interested in knowing how everyone is doing; but because of all the other things I could accomplish. I didn’t realize how much time it took away from me. I am so happy I did it. Since Ash Wednesday I have finished 3 books.

It is safe to say that C.S. Lewis is my favorite author. I have finished A Grief Observed and The Great Divorce. I also finished The Fulfillment of All Desire. I strongly recommend these books to everyone. I loved them.

All this reading, writing, and soul searching are exactly what I needed. I can feel how much I needed this. Plus 3 days before lent we have to lock ourselves in our places because going outside is too dangerous. Kids play with paint and water. I know that sounds fun, but they also get really nasty and throw balloons filled with urine, bleach, gasoline, oil, mud, dirty water, and many other foul things. So staying inside is always safer.

It was also a nice time to reflect on some of the emotions and events that we are exposed to every day. For example one of the days Sor Nora asked the volunteers to help move some beds into a place where two girls were going to move into. We were excited. It was at night that we did all of this. The two girls showed up excited and nervous. They helped us load some stuff. It was so dark I could only see their eyes and smile.

We got to their new place, which is 4 blocks away from the school. I was shocked. It was literally a shack. It was made of dirt bricks and straw roof. They were going to be moving into a better place. It made me wonder what conditions they were living under before. They were so happy and grateful that I was deeply humbled. They had no electricity and their room was also the kitchen that was shared by chickens. The floor was just dirt. If Sor Nora had not taken beds for them they would have slept on the floor with no sheets or blankets.

Their grandma slept in another room with her two sons. She did not have a bed so she did sleep on the floor. I felt so bad because I knew rainy season was going to come very soon, and having a straw roof is almost the same thing as having no roof at all. Sor had also taken the girls dinner. Who knows how long those girls had gone without a meal.

Those girls were coming from the “Campo” and lacked education. The 13 year old was in fourth grade. She had to walk two hours to and from school every day. The 8 year old was in first grade. Their two younger brothers who were going to be also living with them in the same room had never been to school. Sor Nora convinced the mom to send them to their grandma so they could have an education.

I know that the road away from poverty is through education, but when you see it with your own eyes, let me just say it adds more passion to what we do. My mind and eyes began to be open to see the poverty all around me. It just takes one stroll down the streets of the “Barrio” to see why Bolivia is the poorest country in South America. You don’t even need to go out into the communities.

I came home that night to my very nice room and could not sleep, knowing how blind I had been to all of it before. I decided to also do something more drastic for lent. I decided to not spend a single cent of money on food during lent. I want to instead gather that money and give it to those who are starving. This is really hard for me. One because most of the food in Bolivia is unsatisfying and going to restaurants is both fun and pleasing. But I really want to do this and I wanted to share with all of you, incase any of you is moved to do the same.

Poverty is all around us all the time. Some not so extreme as the cases here, but it is still poverty. If you feel better donating your money to the people I serve than to anyone else then after Lent I will be more than happy to give you all the information.

If you do not feel comfortable giving money or can’t then I ask for you to pray for these people and if you can’t or don’t want to help, to at least not judge them. This for some people is harder than to give money. Whatever we give has to be with our hearts pure and praying that God takes care of the rest. Trust me He will.

We are all called in some way or another to give to the poor. Whether through service, prayer, or gift. Don’t let your own comfort and pride keep you from thinking of others who need you. If humans stop loving and caring for other humans what is next?