The village and a fiesta

Politically things seem quiet. When we drove into town yesterday there was a crowd of peaceful demonstrators supporting the VP and opposing the former President. A group of three volunteers arrived here yesterday. They flew into San Pedro and took the bus to La Ceiba, without any trouble. The former President was supposed to return today but has again postponed until Sunday. Our hope is that we won’t need to change any plans..just take the bus to San Pedro on Wednesday.

Yesterday, Maria (aka Mama Jones) took Pam and I to the village of Corozal. It is a place of poverty. Mama and others in her famkly have been ministering here for years. She works with the young, single moms. Most of the women and men there don’t work. There isn’t any work to be had and many of those who could work have been taught to be lazy so they are poor workers. Men and women often do not marry. They co-habitate, have babies and then the man leaves for some other women. One the girls I met yesterday had four babies: 4 1/2, 3, 1 1/2, and 5 months. She is 19-years-old. Mama brought her back to the orphanage so she could join in the fiesta we were having for Marlon’s 5^th birthday. She came, but brought nothing—no diapers, no milk for the baby, no snacks. She didn’t have anything to bring. Many of the houses in the village are cement, but many are mud and stick with cement floors. They are two room huts with old plastic lawn chairs for furniture and camping stoves for cooking. Most of the huts are home to 10-12 people. They ask Marie if she knows anyone who will build them a cement house since the recent earthquakes scare them. She tells them to keep praying that a church will come and build. Marie and her family minister to the single moms and their kids—providing clothing, diapers simple medicines like Tylenol or diaper rash cream, and sharing about Christ in all ways. They try to teach these women about the consequences of sleeping with so many men who are not committed to raising a family. They try to teach the women to speak to their Bibles, to stimulate them. The whole village knows Marie and ask about her children. They ask when the next Bible study will be and they peered curiously at my red-headed children, wondering who they belonged to since neither Pam nor I have red hair. Hadley, able to make friends at the drop of dime, stood back cautiously for a time, taking it all in. But with a little nudge she quickly engaged in a game of keep away with some boys. Kassy clung to my leg most of the time, unsure and unwilling to leave the safety of my shadow. I pray that the images from that day will stick in their minds.

As I mentioned, yesterday was Marlon’s 5^th birthday. Thanks to donations from thoughtful people, each child receives a stuffed animal from Build-a-Bear workshop and a party with a cake and piñata. A mother of a volunteer sends themed bags of party goods for birthdays. For this party, the cake, piñata, napkins, cups, plates, table cloth were all from Disney’s Cars movie. The party included dancing, hitting the piñata, lots of candy and cake. Fun was had by all. I love how this ministry doesn’t view itself as an institution. It’s a family, a generous family. They plan each birthday with as much care and detail as I do a party for my girls—except the guest list is always larger and there is a a lovely simplicity in receiving only one gift. Tom and Del (the son-in-law) and my girls played soccer with some of the boys to end the party.

Feliz Cumpleanos Marlon!