Today when I got to the Breakfast Program Marlin was alone in the kitchen making her famous soup. It was her first day back, so I was surprised to see her cooking, but as soon as we said our hellos I found out why. She was alone because nobody was choosing to help. So I washed my hands and started making cheese balls that she deep fries and puts in the soup.
While we were cooking I watched the kids out the window. Christofer pushed a new boy so the new boy picked up a handful of rocks and threw them at Cristopher. I told them they were "castigado" (punished) for 15 minutes because we do not push or throw rocks at the church. I went back to making cheese balls, but that unfortunately that was just the beginning. Daniel came running up holding male genitalia made of clay. The artist was very detailed in their art work. Eunice ended up speaking to those boys - that is beyond my Spanish abilities with three of them arguing that the other was the creator. Eunice had those three boys take the place of my boys, whose 15 minutes were up. She was thinking Belinda would probably expel them for the week. Then they started throwing stones at the little kids. I talked to them once, twice, and the third time I saw two of the three throwing stones I told those two they had to leave. It breaks my heart to ask any child to leave before we eat because I worry they will go hungry for the day. But the food was not ready yet and they had been told clearly not to throw stones at the little kids. I felt like I had no choice. The third one left too, although he knew he didn't have to. I was sad.
Finally the soup was ready and we sat down to eat. Belinda still hadn't arrived so I asked two boys who have already graduated high school to watch the older kids. Belinda was very specific that she wants the younger kids to eat in the classroom because Milagro almost got scalded by soup last time we served it. I went to the classroom but kept the door open so I could hear what was going on outside. The whole time kids were running up to me tattling on each other. It was not a fun morning. At least the little ones were safe and all but three were well fed. I don't know what got into them today, but when we prayed we prayed that tomorrow would be better. They are always so well behaved, I guess they are due an off day.
I am still working with Lorenzo every afternoon. He didn't have school today so in the middle of the chaos he wrapped himself around my legs and said he really wanted his class to be right now. I hugged him back and told him that I wanted his class to be right now too, but we have to wait until everyone has eaten. Today Lorenzo easily identified numbers and was able to write them and count them out as well. He's not as far behind as I thought. But he is so inconsistent. I am trying to figure out if there is a pattern to his inconsistency, or if he really just doesn't know as much some days as he does others. It is confusing to me. I think it has to be confusing to him too. After we worked on numbers he played with the clay. He made butterflies and trees and cowboys. It was a nice switch from the artwork the boys made in the morning.
Remember when I was praying and begging for prayer for rain? Well, if you are still praying you can stop now. It has rained almost every afternoon since June and most nights. Last night it rained from 8 p.m. until 8 a.m. plus the late afternoon downpour which turned the roads into rivers. I'm over it. But very thankful that the fires are gone.
