In the hour of need

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Amigas del Señor

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May 7, 2022, 11:52:36 AM5/7/22
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From Sister Alegría 

On Saturday, April 30, we hopped off the bus at the La Fortuna road to wait for a lift.  There was a family already waiting, so we had a nice conversation.
Perhaps we have soft-pedaled a little bit how tired Sister Confianza usually is nowadays.  In some ways it's sort of a joke.  We took extra time in Tocoa, just so that we could both rest.  I rested; she kept thinking of errands to run and then ran them.  But she is overworked, or we could say that she is very efficient with her use of time.  Moreover, we want to be planting trees in our neighborhood.  In fact, we have about 30 seedlings ready to be transplanted immediately.

The family we met is sort of from La Fortuna.  But they had been working south of Bonito Oriental in an unsatisfactory situation.  They have left and are looking for a new situation.  Well, we need help and they need work.  They show the necessary flexibility for working for us.  Sister Confianza had half-way made a contract with them within 15 minutes.  But there were lots of details.  

Point: They own a house in La Fortuna, but that is too far away to walk to the monastery to work every day, or even several days a week.  W-e-l-l, our friend, Santos, had let us put our sojourners in his house in January and February.  Wooden houses get eaten quickly by termites if they are not lived in and attended to.  Letting someone live in an empty house is a win-win situation.  Sister C. called Santos.  Sure, they can stay in his house, at least as a trial.  After all, we're good friends.

Then a guy we know well from Bonito Oriental came alone and chatted cheerfully with Juan Martìn.  He even promised to do a favor if certain criteria could be met.  This is a relief.  Up until now Juan had no references (and I did catch him telling a little white lie--I was just not as enthused as Sister Confianza about this family).

Point:  They had left the house near Bonito carrying nothing but a small suitcase.  All of their household goods needed to be moved, hopefully the very next day.  This would not be my usual way to plan a move.  Later they learned that the owner of that house would just remove everything outside Tuesday morning if it isn't gone yet.  Nothing is packed in plastic; in fact, I get the impression that nothing is packed at all.  It would cost 2,000 lempiras to hire a truck to move everything.  They don't have 2,000 lempiras.  I am reminded again that poor Hondurans do not think like middle-class Americans.  Only 16 years of living as a poor Honduran hasn't changed some things.

Then along came Nelson Trujillo, our friend Doña Marina's son.  I didn't recognize him, since he has grown a short gray beard since the last time I saw him.  His route would not go as far as La Fortuna, but he could go past the monastery, so we left with him.  The family stayed behind to catch another car all the way up.  Nelson suggested that we visit his family and he would take us home later.  Deal!  

The new family came to the monastery on Monday morning to discuss more details.  It took a lot of discussion (Sister Confianza's responsibility).  I was called in occasionally.  We called the new mayor.  After hearing the story, he agreed to help with the moving cost.  We actually had the impression that he would cover it, but time revealed that he would pay half.  Sister Confianza really, really wants help and these folks really need help.  So we decided to forward the other half of the moving expenses ($40) which they could work off.  They really liked the house at Santos' place.  It was a house built for the owner, not for a caretaker, so it is much nicer than ours.

Tuesday morning they went to the mayor's office to get the money (no small task--lots of red tape).  By noon they were in Bonito and on their way to get their stuff--they called us.

At about 7 pm Juan showed up asking for the money.  They would take everything to their house in La Fortuna, sorting out what they would want at Santos' house.  And they would come to Santos' house on Sunday!  This was not my negotiation, so I tried to stay apart.  I simply asked Sister Confianza if she was OK with that plan.  Her conflict avoidance had kicked in so strongly, that she had actually backed about 3 feet inside the house at that point.

So, off they went.  We hope to see them on Sunday.

We are well aware that we don't tell episodes of the Bobbsie twins, with nice little endings here and there.  This is real life.  Our kind neighbor came over last evening and hauled some firewood for Sister Confianza.

We also made a date with Profe. Sixto Pastor, who is the county ecologist right now. We hope to collaborate with him on the tree-planting project. He planned to come yesterday, but didn't have transportation.  You know, when you are an officer of the mayor's office, you don't just hitch rides.  Besides, he's not so young anymore.  Now he hopes to come on Monday morning.  

To be continued.

Blessings,
SisterAlegrìa

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