How to Escape

February 3, 2011

The Coffee Farm I went to(una Finca de Cafe)

    Saturday, I had the opportunity to go out to tiny village in the countryside with one of the sisters to set up a new chapter of the Education by Radio.  Its amazing the lengths people are going to get an education! Before we came, the kids would walk about an hour down the mountain, to catch the bus, and go to school!  They were great people!  I'll tell you about "Jose."  He had gone to the US and worked (legally) for ten years in construction.  Then he came back and the whole tiny village was not doing so well, so he bought up the land and turned it into coffee farms which the villagers work on and earn a  living, and now though he has no children, he helped build this school building and helps fund the new education system to teach various trades so that the villagers can get a step up. I still can hardly believe this man's generosity after working so hard, he comes back and works his own farms, and basically helps sustain the village, its pretty awesome. However, even he know that education is their only way up, they all know it, and the sisters are helping them alot setting up this new chapter of education by radio, so that they don't have to keep living on people's generosity.  
    Then, Monday evening our bishop came and said mass at our school, and the four religious communities from around the area came to join a few even brang their orphans.  Then our girls put on an act, and everyone feasted together on tamales, beans, bread, and cheese!  Que Rico! ( = how yummy)

Coffee berries ready to be picked.

   For those who don't know Dons Bosco the founder of the Salesian order (who I am with now).  He lived in the Industrial Revolution, and was pained to see youth running around and ruining their lives before they had a chance to live them.  Hence he created places for youth to play and while they were playing he would teach them about God, and teach them a trade, to prevent the cycle of poverty from repeating itself. He dreamed of creating centers like these all over the world. 

Another view of the farmland of Jose

A view of the campo!

Some of the girls before the play.

Another view of the Campo

     Here we are the fruit of his dreams, and the feast came in perfect timing to corresponding to the new arrival of all these girls who come to live the dream.  These girls come great lengths to receive this education.  One of the girls' family moved 20 hours away(two days travel), to another city to live with an aunt or something, because they lost their home.  Others don't tell me how they're family's are, but merely mentioning it and they begin to tear up.  They carry so much "tristeza" (sadness), yet still they come to study!  Yes I think its awesome and beautiful here, but compared to the campo (countryside) its nada que ver( nothing to see).  The girls tell me all the time, that they hate the city; but still they come.

    The school is big, but when you can never leave it, it gets pretty enclosed.  On top of this, living as an interna, isn't super comfortable, you can never escape your classmates, you have to follow a rigorous schedule, and right now there isn't much water, so they have to haul water from the well on the other side of the school to bathe, use the toilet, and wash clothes!  Life is hard here, but still, the girls come.  Hence, its not for the environment, but because nowhere else can they find this opportunity to study and not be a burden on their family.  The sacfrice they make to come here, in order to recieve an education is great, but they know only with an education can they escape the poverty that plagues their families. 

One of the girls acting as a nun welcoming new internas. hehe

John Bosco and God from the play of John Bosco's life.

   The celebration of Don Bosco was really funny, and best of all, it was so great to see the girls who before had been crying inconsolably, up on stage dancing and laughing backstage as they prepared the little play of Don Bosco's life.

     ---St. John Bosco, you the man!
     ---Pray for us!