Fundación Niños con Valor

Monday, December 21, 2009

Gifts and Questions

This afternoon, we got back from our much anticipated trip to Misque, to visit the communities of Patawasi and Mina Asientos for our annual 'One Child at a Time' Christmas giving. Tyson wrote about our first trip back in October, when we first got to know these two communities and began planning for this event.

We left early Friday morning and what was only a 3 day trip felt much longer. It was very full, and very overhwhelming. I had a lot of fun, there were some hilarious moments and also some challenging moments. Now, back in Cochabamba, I feel tired, grateful, inspired, saddened, confused... I am left with a lot of memories and also a lot of questions.

Hopefully you'll hear various reflections from other volunteers who went on this trip. One thing I really want to share is how proud I am of our girls, seeing them in a new place out of their comfort zone, totally giving of themselves with joy, totally in their element. 10 of our oldest girls from CDP came along and really were the core of our operation when we visited the communities. Organizing the food baskets, handing out gifts to the kids, playing with the kids, staying outside on the back of a truck on a cold morning to give out gifts along the road to those who couldn't make it to the big gatherings. They worked hard, they saw a lot of new things, got a lot of sun and not enough sleep, and really showed their capabilities. I know how much they can give, but I don't think they get this opportunity often enough. People who don't know them see them as poor girls without a family. The truth is, they are a family. Creating a perfect family is impossible - but they have each other and an amazing group of tias and volunteers who love them to bits. And this weekend they were able to share much of the care they receive daily.

This weekend meant a lot more than giving toys and food to a bunch of poor families. Those kids, too, have a lot to offer and so do those communities. Yes, they have needs but they also have a lot of strengths that deserve to be recognized. Being such an isolated community as Patawasi, farming at a high altitude and surviving over generations, is pretty incredible. On the bus ride back to Misque, I kept thinking about how their lives make many material-oriented, individualistic, technology-dependent lives in North America seem pathetic. The community members of Mina Asientos, which is bigger and has a much different feel to it than Patawasi, are very proud of their mine and with reason. It's tough, because we visit these two places, we can see their poverty and struggles within families and within the broader community, but are we valuing their strengths and thanking them for welcoming us, strangers, to their home place?

The kids in both communities look out for each other and are amazing soccer players! We played 'futbol' with the kids at both places and I think that was the best part, beyond the food and toys. Laughing and spending time with them while they are doing something they love, with our girls joining in. We also brought out our parachute and played some incredible parachute games which totally lit up the faces of everyone. We laughed and pumped the parachute to exhaustion.

I think I was also served more food in 3 days then ever in my life, delicious, traditional food prepared with care. As full as I was, I was also amazed at the hospitality everywhere we visited.

I go to bed tonight with beautiful images in my mind, also swamped with questions to which I don't know the answer. I do hope these visits are only the starting point, and that further relationships with these communities can be built with care, where each party gives and receives and learns from the other.

The girls in Mina Asientos following Kelley to the face paints, through the GIANT soccer field.

Mothers and their kids enjoying breakfast in Mina Asientos.

This boy from Patawasi has such a great smile - showing off his gift.

The wonder of the parachute - all the kids and our girls together in Patawasi.

These three boys had a lot of fun ringing the bell before breakfast.

Not quite sure what to make of the camera, but willing to be in a photo nonetheless.

Have a wonderful, peaceful Christmas.

Paz y amor,

Jeanette

Monday, December 14, 2009

Beautiful Moments

It's hard to believe that World AIDS Day was almost two weeks ago... since then, we've gone into Christmas and vacation mode - shopping, preparing for our Mizque trip this upcoming weekend, practicing the 'teatro' that the girls will be performing for Christmas at CDP, making thankyou and update videos for the various churches that support us...

Amidst the non-stop preparation, I am so grateful for the days where I just get to spend time with the kids. Last night a bunch of the tias and volunteers from PDC took the little ones out at night to see the Christmas lights in the city. They all had their Santa hats on, and were in awe of all the lights and people. It was way too cute.

We've also had a lot of fun times with the girls. On Friday, we went to 'Tobogan', which is a city park which is really just a GIANT, terrifying slide. It was hilarious seeing the girls' sheer joy going down (and sometimes total terror). I've also started teaching the girls piano, since we got a piano donated a while ago, and it's been great. It's really interesting getting to know the girls' learning styles, and I love being able to spend that one-on-one time with them.

I thought I would share some of my favourite photos of the past week - I'm learning that 'showing' is often more powerful than 'telling', if that makes sense. Enjoy the photos, and enjoy the next week and a half in anticipation of Christmas day.

The mix of joy and terror going down the 'tobogan'.

Lucas is very happy and excited about the lights. What a smile :-)

Manolo was in complete awe during that whole outing.

A gorgeous photo of Jhoselin that one of the girls took when I lent them the camera today.

Another beautiful portrait of Jhoselin's twin sister, Diana, taken by one of the girls.

Hanging out after lunch.

Peace and love,

Jeanette

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Hey, you've got something in your eye.

Hi, I'm Nic. So far, I've been the quiet volunteer, not once having blogged. This is because I don't blog. I just don't, for whatever reason, and had anyone bothered to ask me, I would have told them so. Yet no one did, and so here I am, feeling almost compelled, criticised and a disappointment, but only almost compelled to blog.

The question of whether or not to blog being wrapped up, I'm left only with the question of what to blog about. You see, that's where the problem of why I do not blog comes into play. I don't journal, diary, take pictures, scrap book or express my subconscious in abstract art in any way, really. I never have. I've tried, and I've the embarrassing art projects to prove it, but I've never succeeded, or at least with any consistency. So I'm just going to start writing from an approach of writing rather than journaling, and see where that gets me. I'll exercise some restraint, though, so hopefully the result won't be the nonsensical poppycock that I usually get when I start writing. Let's try it out.

Something that has been on my mind recently has been a statement that I heard earlier this week. Spurred on by the study on Paul Farmer that our volunteer group is doing, someone said that, "A preference for the poor is the best mindset for a doctor or aid worker to have." This is a statement that bothered me, and I wasn't sure why. It sounds good, right? What's wrong with it? Why doesn't it sit well with me? Well, it's not just enough for me to say, "I don't like it," and give it no more thought. I have to come up with a better generalised statement for me to be satisfied. Well, here's my problem with it.

It's not just the poor that get sick. Not just the poor who need help. Everyone gets tumors. Everyone gets tuberculosis. Everyone gets orphaned. Everyone has needs. I say this in full knowledge that TB has historically spread more prolifically among the poorer classes of the world. I say this in full knowledge that there's no reason why a member of the upper class should die of TB. I say this in full knowledge that to condemn someone for having chosen to focus on the upper class is offensive and is pure bigotry.

To think in terms of poor and rich is what leads to class wars in the first place. Maybe that's wishful thinking, and I'm sure it goes against the fundamentals of this objectivism of which I am supposedly an advocate, but it is destructive for a doctor or aid worker to think in terms of class. So let's change the statement that lead me to all of this thinking.

"A preference for the needy is the best mindset for a doctor or aid worker to have." I like that quite a bit more. I'm almost satisfied, comfortable and fine with, but only almost satisfied with this new rendition. The problem that this change poses, the difference between these two statements, is a primal issue of mankind. Judgment, and the fact that none of us are fit to pass it on others. Everyone is needy, and everyone is quite a lot, therefore every doctor and aid worker must pick a part of the needy to work with. Some might be more glamourous, some might be harder, some might be more glamourous in different ways. After all, when was the last time a volunteer group in South America did a study on a foot therapist in Beverly Hills?

We all have different needs, we all have different callings, and most importantly, we are all not one of us fit to judge another. So one more adjustment to the statement.

"A preference for each other is the best mindset for anyone to have."

That satisfies me. Travesty has no preference, so neither can we.

Ephesians 5:21 - And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

-Nic

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Christmas is just two weeks away and Tia Evelin has been getting the PdC kids into the Christmas spirit with afternoon activity time. :)

A visiting parent and Tia Evelin helped the smaller ones with sequins.

Concentrating...

All finished!

Raeka proudly showing me her creation.

Amber

Friday, December 11, 2009

The most wonderful time of the year

The girls have been on vacation for about a month now, and things are relaxed and fun. They still have study time and only watch movies on the weekend, but the pool is filled and the house is decorated for Christmas. The Tias and I are busy making crafts to finish the decorations and keep the girls busy and creative .

The comedor at CDP decorated for Navidad!

After the whirlwind week of dance that was amazing and really fun, we are trying to focus on the photo project. Jeanette and I want to have an exhibition up by the end of the year, so the girls have been out and about taking pictures of the city. This week I got to take them all out and it was so absolutely fantastic. It is so important for the girls to get out of the home and experience the city. Their reactions to people who live on the street, different stores and cafes, transportation, food, and tourist attractions are all so interesting. I just can't help but feel that's it's good for their world to be expanded a bit beyond the walls of CDP. The little girls love taking photos of the babies at Pedacito and I got to take the older girls to some art galleries this week. We ate lots of ice cream, and took many great photos, their eyes are really opening to the idea of photography. It's been so fun, I can't wait to edit and have the girls see all of their photos next week when we work on the computer and decide which to use. Stay tuned for some great pictures!

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Smart Cookies

We've got plenty of them at CDP, but now we've got the stats to prove it! We're very proud of Lourdes for making the equivalent of Honor Roll here. We were also thrilled to find out that Valeria is the top student in her school! Both of these girls are incredibly hard workers, and are rather humble about what good students they are.

I wanted to post some photos of these girls, but they are notoriously camera shy, so it was slim pickings when it came to my choices. They are such beautiful girls, but every time they know a camera is near, I get hands in front of the face, turned heads, or ducking behind other girls. So I present to you two candid photos of our lovely girls:)

Olivia and Valeria looking out over the rainforest in the Chapare region of Cochabamba.

Lourdes walking along a riverbed in the Chapare.

I'd also like to recognize Olivia for her achievement too, she missed making honor roll by just a few tenths of a point but because of the stiff competition in her class this year, she wasn't able to qualify, but we're proud of how well has done this year. Congratulations to these girls who have put in so much hard work and dedication this past school year!

Labels: academics, Corazón del Pastor

Day of Solidarity

It’s been exactly one week since the big World AIDS Day event in the Plaza Principal. I can’t believe how fast time passes... we didn’t have much time to breathe and reflect on the event, because now that we’ve entered into December we are full speed ahead with Christmas preparation for our kids and the two communities we will be visiting at the end of next week. Crazy!!!

So it feels weird to look back on that special day, when there is so much we’re moving forward with. The day was absolutely wonderful and chaotic as I thought it would be. We started the day by going to a special mass at the beautiful cathedral in honour of World AIDS Day, and it was great to have our girls there. The rest of the morning was preparation for the performance, and then the big show!

It was a beautiful, HOT sunny day. The girls looked beautiful, and their dances were very well-received. It was over so fast, but the girls were happy and we were so proud of them. It takes guts to go infront of a city and do something like that! We have lots of great video captured of the performances which I’m hoping to get up on Youtube some time soon. Also, two of our girls, Angela and Evelyn, were winners of an art contest they took part in a while back as an awareness-raising, solidarity-building event and they got presented with their prizes on the big stage.

Something that meant the most to me through it all was that our girls from CDP got to share this dance experience with some girls from a government-run home. They were totally shy and wouldn’t talk to each other at the first rehearsal, but by performance day they were old friends and now our girls want to visit the other home and stay in touch. It’s important to connect beyond who they usually see and interact with, and seeing those new friendships bud, seeing them break out of their comfort zone, was a huge reward for me.

A HUGE thanks to Amanda for becoming part of these girls’ lives, even for such a short time. We hope you will be able to return J And congratulations to ALL our kids for representing the voices of children – the girls who danced, and those from CDP and PDC who came out to watch and show their support.

Peace and Love,

Jeanette

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Pedacito at World AIDS Day event...

Yesterday, December the 1st, was World AIDS day and in solidarity with the other groups who are working to promote awareness, Niño con Valor played their part. The girls from Corazon del Pastor danced absolutely beautifully, as did Amanda, but i shall leave one of the volunteers from CdP to write about that, while I will just boast in how cute our kids from Pedacito were yesterday as they behaved so well in the blistering heat. My goodness, they were just adorable! The tias did such a wonderful job of getting the kids all dressed up, and I think the kids enjoyed being in their costumes. They also had a great time being out and about, although one or two were a little overwhelmed by the amount of people and heat. I was very proud of how well they behaved. Here are just a few pics of our little cuties.