by Trish Krider
October 17, 2011
What a surprise! The sun was shining brightly this morning as we sat to breakfast. Notice the past tense – “was shining”. We knew it would be only temporary. This seems to be how it happens in the rainy season here. There are occasional moments when the sun peeks out and there are periodic downpours while the rest of the day the clouds threaten. Yes, we are aware that those of you in Tampa are preparing at this moment for some dousing weather of your own. Imagine how you would feel if that lasted for an entire “season” or, worse yet, if your house was made of cardboard and plastic and your floors were dirt. Gives one a reason to pause and be grateful for the blessings in their lives.
Our first order of business today was our Bible lesson at La Estación school. As we arrived at the school it was obvious that the rain was no deterrent to outdoor activities as the children were involved in a spirited game of soccer in the courtyard. Our 52 students today were elementary aged and eager to see what we had brought. Our theme this week, based on Matthew 18:21-22, began with a skit teaching the importance of forgiveness. Mike and Jim gave an Oscar-winning performance as two friends who learn that there should be no limit to the number of times we are willing to forgive each other. And Glenn and Steve did a stellar job as stewards of the scenery.
Our education component always involves doing a craft. This year we had the children make a “necklace” made from a paper plate on which was written, “Dios Perdóname” – God Forgive Me. The children’s task was to write their names, color the background, and glue colored macaroni around the perimeter. We
worked our assembly line of construction efficiently and had only one little blip when some of the older boys tried to eat the supplies. You see, our macaroni wasn’t colored because it was flavored with spinach and tomato, but because Debbie had spent hours spray painting it. In our exuberance to begin the craft we had neglected to tell the translator to make it clear to the children that this macaroni was not, in fact, edible.
Along with the students there were other local children who wandered in, or just peered into the classrooms through the windows. I do use that term “windows” loosely, as there is no glass – just bars. It allows some air to flow through the school and provides a level of security while the deep overhang keeps the rain outside. Since we were prepared with a limited number of supplies, most could merely watch. But occasionally one of the children on the inside would pass their snack out to a child on the outside. You see, this often happens here. The older children take care of the younger ones, usually putting the youngest children’s needs first. It is a lesson in caring for our brothers that we could all afford to learn.
This afternoon we headed out for our first work project at the Special Needs School in León. We did a Bible lesson in this school last year – the only one in the area that provides education for children with all levels of disability, both physical and mental – but this year we were sent for some physical labor. It appears that our job this week will be to paint the iron grate doors and the rebar that is used in the “windows”. Using a smelly, oil based paint and small brushes we set about our task. Those painting the door soon realized that working from both sides was a mistake. Rather than speeding up the work, it caused a splatter effect on the person on the other side. So in teams of two, we worked together on one side of each door before moving, together, to the other side. And we ended the day looking a lot like a speckled egg.
Those of us who were painting the rebar were under a tree and grateful that the rain had stopped – at least for a while – and that the clouds provided some shade. We worked along with our translator, Mario, practicing our Spanish conversational skills and sharing stories of our families back home. We had a schedule to keep and, once again, God was good with the timing of the cloudbursts as we had almost completed our goal of a dozen bars before the rain began. It lasted long enough for us to clean our hands of the odorous black paint and cleared in time for us to walk to the bus without getting wet.
We learned today another lesson on how the people here make do with what they have. For our tedious chore we were provided paint brushes, but in order to provide each of us with a small supply of paint, they had taken plastic soda bottles (with the cap on) and cut them in half horizontally. It filled the bill, was totally disposable, and the only challenge was to be cautious if you had the bottle-neck end and wanted to put it down. The other clever improvisation was the drop cloths. Those who painted the bars did so over an old concrete slab and there was no consideration to avoid dripping. However, this was not acceptable for those who were painting the doors. With no drop cloths available, they spread a layer of dirt under the door. The dirt would absorb the paint and, once the painting was done, the dirt was just swept away.
For those of you who have been here before you would be surprised at how cool it is in the rainy season. In the evenings it is so cool in the rocking chairs that some nights we choose to sit near the kitchen where there is no breeze and it is slightly warmer. It also seems to keep the bug population at bay which is a great blessing. And sleeping is a joy – no need for the fans unless one wants to drown out a noisy sleeper! The one drawback, however, of the cooler weather is that since we do not arrive back at the house drenched in sweat, a cold shower does not feel refreshing, it just feels, well… COLD!
Tonight we are putting on a light jacket and sitting in the rocking chairs. We have not yet spent an evening playing games, but rather engaged in deep conversations. I do not know if games are on the agenda for this evening, but if not, the week is still young.
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