This afternoon we drove to the canton of San Isidro to deliver food packets that were a gift from their sister church Covenant Presbyterian. Inside the packets were oil, rice, sugar, coffee, salt, soup mixes, lye for corn, spaghetti, soap, and detergent for washing clothes. All of these things were inside a medium-sized guacal, which is a plastic tub. There are 48 families in San Isidro so 48 packets were made and loaded up into the pickup truck. The packets were really heavy but we managed to get them all into the truck.
The drive to San Isidro is about 45 minutes. I was excited to be going back to the community since I was really sick when we went to deliver fertilizer in March so I didn’t get to meet anyone. When we arrived several people in the community were having a meeting with a non-governmental organization so we waited for a short while. It gave us a chance to talk to some families in the community. One of the women had an adorable baby girl named Alejandra that Kathy and I both had to hold. And she wasn’t afraid of us, which happens sometimes because we’re gringas. Of course, there was another child later on that cried when she saw me.
Then it was time to hand out packets. The president of the Directiva took the list of everyone in the community and they were called to the pickup to receive their packet. Two guys from the community helped to unload the packets from the truck. It’s great to see people helping out and being a part of the process. I watched for a while as packets were being handed out. Then I wandered over to say hi to some kids. They were a little shy at first but warmed up quickly when I took their picture and showed it to them. One of the little boys had his arm in a sling. Well, it was actually a bandana. Here, you have to use what you’ve got.
After handing out the packets we had a short meeting with the Directiva and some members of the women’s group. We talked about some projects that they might like to get started in their community to help them provide for themselves in the future. They discussed growing yucca, making bread and pan dulce, making natural medicines, and other thoughts. The group seemed to have a lot of great ideas. I hope something good can come out of them.
Soon it was time to say goodbye to the community. Even though I’ve only met them once, I left with a good feeling. Sometimes you can just tell.
Packets loaded in the truck
Talking to the community
Gathered around
Lots of kiddos
Listening to Kathy talk
Giving a fingerprint instead of a signature
Signing for the packet
Smile!
Arm in a "sling"
Picking up their packets
Got to love those faces
Returning home
Members of the women's group
Chatting with the group
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