Last night I finished my report just after 2 a.m. My finger is still not right. It's all bulgy below the second joint and doesn't want to bend or straighten all of the way. Typing is not fun
This morning Erika called to see if I still wanted help cleaning the house. I had mentioned that I was feeling overwhelmed and could use some help if she felt like it. Really, I wanted to put a little bit of $ into her pocket and have her earn some things for the baby when I go to the US, where everything is cheaper.
I was proud of her for taking the initiative to call. Not too many 16 year olds would. She didn't wait around to see if I would call her. Add that to my list of reasons why Erika is awesome.
As I picked her up there was a big bus parked up by her house, off the main road. All of her family and neighbors were there. We drove past to turn around and everyone said hello. Turned out they are all getting paid by the president to go to one of the Friday marches. No other party is paying people to march. But the people in Los Pinos are being told if they don't march they will lose the little bit of government support that they do get. Erika explained that her family went mostly because they are afraid to lose government aid.
She seemed kind of against the idea of the march. She said her mother invited her, but she declined. I asked her if she understood why they were marching. She doesn't have a tv or access to a newspaper, so I wondered. She didn't know. I said that some people have found evidence that the president stole medicine from hospitals and there is other evidence that he stole social security money. Basically there is evidence of lots of skimming. (Although I don't know if you could call it skimming when they stole so much medicine that there was none left and people are dying because of it. That's not really "skimming" to me.)
Erika was interested to hear that. I told her that everyone is entitled to their own point of view, and I don't know what is really going on. But that is what the news is reporting. I also told her that there are a lot of other parties marching against the president. And none of them are paid to march.
Erika had to bring baby Marjory since her Mom was marching. To be honest, we didn't get much done. But we did all of the dirty work that I have been dreading, so I am satisfied.
Part way through Marjory started crying. She wouldn't stop. It was a new cry I hadn't heard before. I asked if she needed a clean diaper. Erika was clearly uncomfortable when she told me the baby hadn't eaten yet. It was 3 p.m.
So we all sat down and ate. I made a bunch of scrambled eggs and toast. It was North American style with milk in the eggs and butter on the toast. And the eggs were not deep fried. Marjorie loves North American butter. Erika had never had it before either. When the food was eaten we went back to cleaning.
Throughout the afternoon I learned that Erika is out of prenatal vitamins and daily vitamins. (She is still nursing.) None of her brothers have a toothbrush. (God magically placed 3 toothbrushes in my stash of stuff that I get cheap in the US and bring here! Now the boys have toothbrushes, although one is pink and one is slightly used.)
As we passed the factory on the way home Erika told me that she might work there. I know she has been looking for work, but this seems like a hopeful lead. Her Aunt is getting the paperwork for her parents to fill out because she is still a minor. I asked about the long lines of people I always see waiting for jobs outside the factory. Erika said that because her Aunt already works there, she has an in. Wow! That would be great! I am going to pray for this job.
We called INFOP about the English class. Actually, Erika called. The guy said he still has no information. No more classes are starting at all. But when they do he said he will call her. I told Erika she can call him again in two weeks. She is so anxious to study or work. I admire this young woman. She has a plan to attend school on weekends, which is common here, if she does get this job.
After I dropped her off I headed straight to prayer group. Lots of people were walking in the same direction I drove, carrying torches. We all went outside and checked it out. Dr. Gustavo was there with his wife and a friend of his daughter's. Pastor Paysen if I could go over there and talk to Dr. Gustavo. He said sure. So for a few minutes I was standing in the parade route. But they were not moving yet.
They were busy holding up a large space because another group came and marched in front of his group. The group in front only had a few people - like maybe 200 or 300. They were trying to appear bigger than they really were by leading the Anti-Corruption march. I don't know how many were in the Anti-corruption march. We were guessing around 3000. They waited until dark, then lit their torches and marched. There was some jumping up and down, which was cool. It was all peaceful, organized and respectful of people's property.
The marches of 2009 used to leave mass destruction in their path. But this is not at all like that. My Mom is worried that things are going to end up like they did in 2009. I am too busy being proud of the people and they way they are making their voices heard in an honorable way. People are being jailed, so they are seeing results. Time will tell what happens with the president.
Prayer time was nice. It always is. We had a new member in our group today. He is a church member whom I have always liked but don't know very well. He is a little bit older and appears to be well educated. Apparently he is going through something really tough. I was happy to talk to him outside of church, where normally we just say hello. He and his wife would both consistently win the "Best Dressed" award if there were one. They both have beautiful, well tailored clothes.
While we were praying my phone rang. I never get phone calls, so it struck me as odd. Then I realized that as I left I yelled, "Good bye Fany!" But she didn't answer as she usually does. I told Erika that Fany and Laura were probably sleeping. When I leave I always shout good bye. Fany answers and I tell her where I am going and what time I will be back. When Fany didn't answer today, I didn't get the chance to tell her that I had prayer group right after I dropped Erika off. So as it got to be 6 p.m. and I was an hour late getting home, Fany was worried that I never came back from dropping off Erika in Los Pinos.
As that whole scenario ran through my mind I realized I had to text Fany so she would know I was at prayer group and stop worrying. I called as soon as prayer was over. Just as I thought, Fany didn't realize it was Friday prayer group night. She had catrachas waiting for me when I got home. Yummy!!! It's good to have good friends who worry if they think you are in Los Pinos too long and who make you catrachas at the end of the day. Today I feel very blessed overall, but God especially blessed me by placing a friend like Fany and a girl like Erika in my life.
