I really wanted to take the time to talk about so much, but the internet café is so limiting. So being the genius I am I finally figured out I can type it on a Project Esperanza laptop and then save it to my flash drive and post it. I hope this works…
The boys are the first thing I really want to talk about. As I have mentioned before Caitlin and Kristen are really taking the time to build a strong foundation. A strong foundation is the best idea, but not the quickest. This is fine, but daily tasks can be more chaotic in the beginning in the process. However, I really feel like all the volunteers have collaborated and had great discussions about how to improve things such as meals and cleaning the boys’ house. One of the ideas is the rotation of chores using the little brother/big brother system. The rotation is posted for the entire week. There are seven chores, seven groups, and conveniently seven days in a week. The boys have to have a volunteer sign off that they have complete there chore for the day. The boys fought a bit about the system, but once they realize there was no getting out of it they have stepped up and done beautifully. If you expect good things from the boys they are better and vice-versa. We have also revamped the point system from January. Since the boys attend school we do not do as much one on one tutoring, so now the point count towards other things they are expect to do. Expectations include going to school, completing chores, behaving nicely with one another, etc. Points can also be taken away for misbehavior- fighting, begging for points, not attending school, etc. The donation store is them opened to them on Saturday mornings to buy things with there points. The point system has the potential for several things: first, encouraging good behavior and providing an opportunity for consequences for bad behavior. Without points we don’t have enough rewards for consequences. Their rewards previously were a home and food, we can’t take those away without violating human rights. Secondly, the boys learn how to save. They do not have to spend their points each week, so they can save up for more expensive items. Thirdly, it is an avenue to give the boys the donations. If there is an immediate need then we obviously meet that need right away. But things such as playing cards are not a necessity, therefore the boys can work to earn them. I love this because then we are not just Americans with donations, the point system works to eliminate that and allow us to be family.
Within the boys there are definitely leaders emerging. Project Esperanza is nurturing those natural leaders and providing times for them to step up. For example, Steve and Jerace lead the soccer team. Steve is the coach. As coach, he plans soccer practice each day and coaches during the games. Jerace is the captain of the team. The team is developing into quite the successful endeavor. Not only is the team playing well and winning, rules and structure are emerging. It is so awesome to see it grow and transform. The team name is super stars. The fans are pretty into it as well. People from the community will watch as well and get into the game- it is just so incredible.
I feel like I am growing just as much if not more than the boys. I am of course developing critical skills such as carrying food on my head and how to free style rap. Seriously, I do feel like I am going. I have been to the Dominican Republic with Project Esperanza before, but that does not mean it is a comfortable situation. I really feel like God is providing opportunities for me to use my gifts and refine them. I work daily on the boys nutrition and with a baby who is very malnourished. I am paying for the baby’s food out of pocket, so I don’t know if it can be a full summer project, but right now it is great. I am learning to take baby steps with the parents and their misconceptions and cultural preferences. The mother made the choice not to breastfeed, but then they were giving this child regular powered milk. They are on a tight budget and so am I so now we collectively come up with creative methods to better the little girl’s nutritional intake. I am so excited. The little girl, she is 6 months, was very comfortable around me and is just generally a happy little girl. The father and I talk about other things as well, which is really great. The casual conversation builds trust, so they trust me more when I suggest a new change. I have only met with the father several times, but I am hopeful that God is just going to turn this into an awesome opportunity. Personally, I feel like I am realizing how things that I thought were barriers are being used to help me in other ways. I guess hindsight is 20/20 but I think my hindsight is encourage my uneasiness to be put to rest. Often I feel like I am too young to be useful. I am realize that in this environment in able to make a change one must not be jaded by failure. My youth allows me to be that way, just because I haven’t been beaten with the “reality stick yet.” Everyday I see how Project Esperanza receives support form the most unexpected places. When an opportunity arises sometimes you just have to take it and have faith that the means will be provided. I feel like this philosophy is constantly reaffirmed here. I hope I can transfer it out of this environment into my American environment.
One example, is the school/community center that we are working on build. For the folks at First Presbyterian this is a project you all are helping support. We didn’t know how we would staff it, but a local church body has stepped up and taken some serious interest in providing support for manning and making this happen. The project is also supported by First Presbyterian in Winchester. It is just amazing the places we find help. Also, it has carried over into the boys’ home. A prominent man in the community was impressed with the work we have accomplished and is now looking at providing a place for the boys’ to live. We already have a place, but he would provide a place for free until we build a house to suite. This would be awesome because it would eliminate some large costs. Also, the lot is an acre in size, so the boys would have even more space to play and be boys. So many other community members have come into the picture to help Project Esperanza find land to build. We want to build so that the house is ours and so that we have a house that best suites the boys. We may also include a school building, so we can provide an even stronger education for the boys. We also need more space. We have sixteen boys living in the boys’ home, so we are renting another apartment for the volunteers. The volunteer apt. is full of suitcases and mattresses on the floor. Long term volunteers sleep in the living room, and then we have 3 bedrooms for the short term volunteers. The volunteers who are here all summer are generally the last to go to bed so that is why they are in one room. But we are really just one hodgepodge, very open family. In the volunteer apt. there is no real furniture, but it is great. I love it! I love it because beside our family with the boys we are building our own mini gringo family. Lots of good times already and I know more are coming.
So in summary, I am growing, the boys are growing, relationships are being built and as a consequence the world is being changed for the better, even if only in small ways. I feel like this summer is going to be one of the greatest experiences in my life and will go by way to fast. Please continue to pray for the welfare of those here, the growth of the boys’ and the enduring strength and support for Project Esperanza. God is all powerful, but each day I am, like the rest of us, faced with choices. Pray that I choose wisely and make the choice in love.
Bring on tomorrow!!!
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