Only two kids forgot to bring the books they borrowed last week. I thought that was pretty good. They were really timid, as though they expected me to yell at them or punish them. I just asked them to remember the books for next week and they relaxed.
This week I made the mistake of letting them choose new books before the club started. At one point I looked around the classroom and everyone was reading. The only problem was that my coworker was trying to teach the class.
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| These boys are reading "The Best Nest", a book for much younger children. I love that one boy read aloud to the other. |
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| A children's bible made comic strip style and full of action The kids LOVE this |
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| Our Library! |
Next week they will be allowed to borrow the books before class (because they eat after class and I don't want them to get food all over the books) but we will keep the books on a shelf by the door where they can pick up their books on the way out.
It was fun to watch them leave with their books this week. It's been pouring for days. They shoved their books inside of their shirts or sweaters and ran out into the rain. Some made a point to show me how they protected the books under their clothes.
They have also started to say please and thank you with no prompting! This is a big step. I'm super proud of them.
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| I saw the boys duck into a back room after the club They discovered guitars which were just donated |
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| Enchiladas |
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| She brings her 7 year old brother every week. At first he was shy, but now he fits right in. |
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| Rain doesn't stop these boys from a game of soccer |
Tuesday we started a new "Strong Families" class. We are training a group of church ladies to teach the class within their church, so there is a new dynamic to this group. Strong Families is such a special program. Parenting skills are not often spoken of here. Verbal communication in general is lacking in this culture, so most of what we talk about is new to the parents.
This week in Familias Fuertes (Strong Families) we talked about the different styles of parenting. (Authoritarian, Permissive, Negligent, and Democratic) Then we discussed the effects of the different styles on the kids. The ladies always start out quiet and kind of awkward with each other. By the end of the class they were laughing and bonding as if they had known one another for years.
Erika called tonight to say that the Alcaldia can't help her. Her home is falling off the side of the mountain. The house below added on a room and excavated the ground under Erika's house. The first rain made Erika's retaining wall fall. It is only a matter of time before the whole house falls. It's been raining non-stop since Sunday evening.
Erika and her family were hoping for help from the Alcaldia (like a mayor's office). Today was their hearing. The neighbor said he will not help pay for the damages because Erika's wall had been on his land, so he had a right to excavate there. Erika has to prove it is her land. She says the family has the paperwork, but is concerned her house will fall down before they get this worked out. She asked me if I could pay for the wall.
Just yesterday she began a beauty school through the Madres Fuertes (Strong Mothers) program through Impacto Juvenil, where I serve. Erika, her mother, her sister, her Aunt, her neighbor and my friend Ana are all signed up for beauty school. Erika and her family all qualify for this program because Erika's younger brother, Lorenzo, is in a club like my club of kids. In addition they qualify for legal assistance and, on occasion, financial help.
I called the leader of the program in Los Pinos and set up a meeting for Erika. It is possible that there may be money available for an emergency such as Erika's house. If there is not money to fix it immediately, it is probable that our lawyer can check into the property papers and see if the neighbor should be held responsible for the costs.
That's what we are praying for now. I can't build the wall for Erika. But I told her I will do everything possible to help. This is the best I can do. Walls are falling in the community where my club is held. This morning coworkers took photos in hopes to get funding for the families through our club. I saw three walls that had fallen on the way to literacy class today. And the rain continues.
This morning one of the literacy students called. They rarely have money for phone calls so I was surprised. All she said was, "Profe (short for professor), you need to bring your umbrella today!" I assured her I would. I asked if it was safe for me to come up. She assured me it is, as long as I have an umbrella.
It stopped raining long enough for us to walk up. Then it poured as soon as we got inside the classroom. Rain dripped down through holes in the tin roof, but nobody paid attention to the leaks. We had a special celebration today with brownies and Coca Cola. We are 2/3 done with 1st grade!
Then the rain stopped and we hiked back down the mountain. As soon as I got home it started raining again and it has been raining ever since. Yesterday both Pastora Ruth and a coworker compared this weather to Hurricane Mitch. They said it started raining just like this and it never stopped. We are thankful there is not any wind. To me, it feels like the worst has past, although I thought that two days ago too. The rain is constant but it's not as heavy as it was 24 hours ago.
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| Brownies! But the biggest hit was the green plastic cups. One family took the plates, declaring they were still clean. Another lady was excited to take the green plastic cups. |
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| Lots of clouds but they weren't so dark in this direction |
