iBlock: El barrio

Greetings,

Yesterday (Monday, February 25) four students taught at Nueva Creacion, a school in the barrio of Bienvenidos. We have taught at this school for the past two years. Last year we started a rotation at a Compassion International program and we built a house in this same community. This is a community this program is familiar with.

On siesta, a break in the day between 12 and 2, the students (Joel, Evan, Brooke and Teresa) and Erica (the chaperone) took a walk through this barrio to see where their Nueva Creacion students and the "Compassion" kids live. Well, on this Monday, day four of the trip, on the first day of rotation, many of the student's hearts were broken. Already. It was really tough on these five. Erica recognized many people from her experience last year and saw how one of her "peeps" from last year (Julianna) has regressed. In conversations with Julianna's friends Erica was told that this girl no longer believed in Jesus and instead has been involved in dark, spiritual stuff.

As the five walked through the barrio they, the students especially, were confronted with the crazy first and third/majority world realities. It often takes time for folks to process what they see and then "compare" it to back home. Well, these four are "insta-processors" and were hit with the stark differences almost immediately. As one of the students picked up a four month old, they wept. They wept at the reality that this shack, this house made out of garbage, is this child's future. Children walked on the glass and wire covered path in bare feet. The students started their walk with three local kids and ended up with over 30. Each of the 30 just wanted to be in contact with any of our five students. And as they walked as a group, the TD students took it all in: the stench, the garbage-filled streams, the houses, the heat (it is SO hot here...), the lack of things to do as parents stood in doorways, the freedom the local children experienced...and the smiles and appeared-happiness that accompanied all of it. One of the hardest parts for one of the four students was when the local kids asked for water and, as our rule, we were not allowed to give it to the local children. That was hard and real.

Although only four experienced it first hand, it impacted the entire group. The four shared their stories in the time after coming home and before dinner. As those stories were shared, others began to ask their own questions even though the realities were "second-hand". The hour and a half before dinner was intense for some as they continued to process what they saw, what this meant the world was really like, and how this relates to them as individuals here and how it relates to their lives back in Canada. Big questions were asked. Few answers were reached. Struggle abounded. It was only day four. This is going to be quite the ride, folks.

Circle time last night was authentic. It was a beautiful mix of laughter and tears. People couldn't finish their stories and others couldn't stop telling them for as deeply moving as the day was for Evan, Joel, Teresa, Brooke and Erica, the rest of the group had a party at their rotations. Some were at the shop (Angela, Vicki, Seth, Amanda, Lauren, Hannah, Katie, Nick and Will) sweating and working away as they loaded a bunch of wood into a truck and hauled buckets up to a second floor of a building. Some were at a different barrio (Nick, Adam, Mark, Jason, Allyson, Addy, Kristen, Val, Peter and Miraya) for the first day of a pre-school that this group is starting (STARTING...no school exists...yesterday was the first day!) so they had great stories from a morning of teaching/starting a school and an afternoon of constructing a playground. Yesterday's circle time was a beautiful way to learn how to be: if you had a great day, enjoy your great day. If you had a rough day, process it as you need to. Give each person the space and time to do what they need. Rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn. The support they gave to each other would make any parent proud!

It is good here. Very good. Life is happening and they are soaking it all in!

We had three people "out" (Ben, Elliot and Brad) for the day yesterday because of illness. They are all back on site today, but not quite 100%. Pray that we remain healthy.

Until next time,
rachael