New Workers, part 2

[Amigas del Señor]

From Sister Alegria

When I last left you on this topic, it was on a Saturday.  The family had visited the previous Monday.  All the arrangements had been made.  They would come over on Sunday.  This was quite a disappointment since the conversation had clearly included OUR needs as well as THEIR needs.  Now that theirs were met, they seemed unable to even remember ours.  That Saturday, May 7, our nice neighbor came over and cut some firewood for Sister Confianza.

May 8, Sunday, was Mother's Day.  We had all forgotten that during our negotiations.  Of course, they didn't show up.  They actually showed up Monday afternoon.  They brought the two younger children, the one and a half year old and 8-yr-old Nain, who has epilepsy and hemiplegia.  The 9 and 11 year olds were left in the care of their aunt.

Mom, Rosa Isabel, says that she is not diagnosed, but thinks she has depression or something similar.  She seems to be accurate on that.  Nothing that they had agreed upon was OK anymore and she wanted to renegotiate everything.  She didn't want to sleep in Santos' house (too far away).  Instead, they should sleep on our porch floor (packed clay)!  That's just an example.

Well, time has passed and issues are worked out.  Mom and the kids stay home in La Fortuna.  Sometimes Sister Confianza sends laundry for her to wash (and pays her).  Martìn, (I have finally learned that's what he is usually called) works most days over here.  Much physical work has been done in the last two weeks--not to a high standard, but done.  The debt has been worked off and now he works for cash.

Martin and his able-bodied 9-year-old son Edwin come together most days, catching a lift down from La Fortuna.  One day they were able to mark new lines along the contour and plant pineapple sprouts.  Another day they planted the 30 tree seedlings that were ready.  Martin has also cleaned along the path to the road and cut and split firewood (some green, making space for fruit trees, some dry for immediate use). Yesterday, Sister Confianza helped Martin reroof the chicken coop.  He replaced more rotten beams than she had expected.  When he put in new perches, they came out quite tilted.  At least the hens won't get soaked when it rains anymore!

Dad and Nain will go to a special medical consult in Tegucigalpa later next week. Clinica Carolina is setting it up, paying transportation, hotels, and medicosts.  He needs to take a little cash for food, which he asked us to provide.  We confirmed all of this with Doña Gladys, who works for Clinica Carolina.

Profe Sixto, who is in charge of the municipal tree-planting projects, has apologized a few times for not managing to get over here.  We're sort of on hold.  It would be much better to coordinate our planting with his.  Supposedly, he'll visit us Monday morning.  We'll see.

We are very grateful for the work done and for Martin's willingness to do it.  It is very unclear whether it is in everyone's best interest if this becomes a long-term relationship.

Blessings,

Sister Alegria

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