9am and the only students in class are Rafael (our son), Billy (our foster son), Brian (a kid living with us) and Oliver (Brian's brother, who also lives with us). "Golly-gosh, they sure are a p-time culture..." I ponder.
The kids arrive in dribs and drabs but within half an hour the classroom (our patio) swells from 4 students to nearly 40. Things are running like clockwork. (but on a very, VERY malfunctioning clock) :"We have no fruit and we need salt" the cook commands. "Oh good, thanks for leaving that until I am in the middle of class to let me know.
There are a few kinks in this well oiled machine, but there are also mountains of love and the commitment trail never ends...
I fly off on my moto with such force that my clothes are nearly left behind. I swerve, I accelerate, I am Brien, Jed Brien - licensed to thrill!
"Yes please, 80 bananas and 40 oranges..." The locals think I'm nuts but they love the business so that keeps them laughing along and chatting incessantly about how wondrous we are and how there should be more people like us in this World... Blah, blah, blah, blah "Yes, we'll keep buying fruit and car oil from you..."
As I return home, and I'm approaching the gate, I see Alondra's Mum walking along the road. I cannot make out her face, but I recognise the walk. Alondra's Mum is tough, but then she has to be with the conditions she is subjected to.
When she enrolled Alondra in our school, she was happy to volunteer her services as a bike mechanic. She was willing and able to fix my moto. How many women can do that in high heels and pink lippy?
I cannot wait to greet her because I have a class to attend to. Our guard, Yader, opens the gate. I fly through the porton, my wheels barely touching the ground and leaving Yader in a swirling, whirling cloud of dust.
I'm happily singing along with my students when I notice Ivania, the school's director, rounding the bend with a concerned look upon her face. She's a magnificent woman, Ivania, but I cannot get her to put the cleaning products/implements down.
She's a servant hearted woman and I couldn't do what I do without her firm support.
She comes over and whispers something in my ear. Of course I don't have the greatest grasp on the Spanish language when spoken loudly, let alone at a level that spits out the harshest parts of each syllable. "Oooooof course" I say, not understanding a word of what she has said, but understanding that I need to follow her to wherever she is going.
"Valeria, cantar en Espanol por favor" I say to the Spanish teacher. She faithfully steps in.
I am trying to have Ivania explain herself a second time when, as we walk along, I look up to see Alondra's Mum crying. She is sitting on our old concrete park bench with a hanky held to her nose.
"Oh boy" I think to myself. "This is awkward. Something's happened, what could it be? I should maintain a professional distance as there are lots of eyes on me at present." I fling my arms around the sobbing woman and she places her head on my shoulder. She cries like a baby for several minutes.
I sit there thinking "What, what, what, what, what..." When she finally finishes crying she gives me a big squeeze, like I'm the one who's being comforted. She sits up straight. Her posture commands respect, this, the woman who lives in a 4m x 4m hut featuring dirt floor.
She takes a deep breath, looking like a professional at a multinational about to direct a board meeting. She is strong, she is woman. She again throws her arms around me and cries for a long, looooooooooong while.
The time arrives, once again, when Alondra's Mum finishes crying and sits up straight. This time she doesn't look as strong. Her eyes are now bloodshot, her cheeks are stained with tears, the hair around her face is damp and messy, her figure looks deflated.
"Cual es tu problema?" I enquire. She tells me the story of Alondra. At two years old Alondra has always been beautiful, healthy, and strong. I must admit, I'd usually think to myself "yes, yes, please go on...", whilst not really believing. However, in this instance I knew what she was saying was true.
I have met Alondra before. In the first days of our school's operations, she was the only 2 year old who cried when leaving our house, and not the other way around. (whilst our house is like Disneyland for the kids of our poor barrio, we operate as a school, and the children have to say "adios" to mum and dad for the day. Initially, they're a wee bit nervous...)
Yet the other night Alondra was rushed to hospital. Her condition was critical. There was a blockage to her heart, restricting the flow of blood. She was being held in intensive care. The doctors were not able to operate as they did not have experience with this type of problem, and the condition was even more precarious because of Alondra's young age.
A specialist would be needed. This would cost money. Alondra's mother had $80 saved (equivalently a month's wage), but the surgery would cost $180. Alondra's mum had begged family members but was not able to raise the required fee.
Alondra's mum turned to the only option available to her, Capital Edge Community Centre.
Now whilst we have full enrolment and things are humming along nicely, it has been a difficult road to traverse. I have to tell you that every kind of malicious rumour has been spread around the community by several of the local schools.(There are other schools in the area, some work with Compassion, an aide agency. One school is public, whilst the other schools are Catholic, Seventh Day Adventist, Baptist, Pentecostal, etc.)
Alondra's mother has been very supportive of Capital on the Edge, speaking out publicly about the rumours which have spread like wild fire throughout the countryside. Rumours include that we're narco's, we are a hub for child trafficking, we prostitute children, and other rumours, some of which are even worse than those just mentioned.
Alondra's mother initially enrolled her eldest daughter in our school, but took her out at the insistence of her husband. She later re-enrolled her daughter, stating that she didn't care what her husband thought, but several days later Alondra's older sister stopped attending the school. That was the last I'd seen of Alondra's mother until this day.
There was no embarrassment to be found in her eyes. The woman was clearly distraught. She hadn't defamed me and there was no shame in coming to us for assistance.
She looked me dead in the eyes and asked in Spanish "Will you please help me?" My response? "Of course we will!" More hugs and more tears. Alondra's mother was still deeply concerned by her daughter's condition, but comfortable with the fact that she had done all that was possible. We said a prayer and she went on her way.
Later that day I went and visited Alondra. We took fruit and pastries for the parents, who seemed to be very shocked by this gesture. (so shocked, I don't think they'd ever eaten pastries in their lives)
Our team had prayed for her, we were believing for a full recovery. I had shared this prayer request on the World Wide Web, people from around the World were praying.
Alondra seemed unbelievably strong and alert, though her condition was still critical.
The day of the surgery arrived. I went in with Alondra's mother and our youth pastor, Eduardo, to visit Alondra, pray for her and pay the bill for the surgery. However, something remarkable had happened. Before surgery the specialist had run some tests on Alondra's heart and it appeared that the blockage had been completely dissolved!
It took several days and many tests, but Alondra had been completely healed and her release from hospital, with a clean bill of health, was the best news we've heard in a long time.
Alondra's mother keeps brining us gifts. (eggs, nuts, coffee, anything she can get her hands on) She is extremely grateful. She wants it to be known to the World how grateful she is for the prayers offered for her adorable baby-girl, Alondra.
News of the healing has spread throughout our community and there is a general respect for our efforts amongst the people. Through our payment of bills, small gifts, prayer and friendship, we have proved ourselves faithful to our harshest critics. Alondra's dad has even spoken openly about the awesome power of God. He is teary when he talks about the love of this divine being.
God wants a relationship with everyone of us. Ultimately, he is our father. We cannot fathom the why's of this World, but when we turn to Jesus he brings us a comfort, healing and the deepest sense of peace.
After these events transpired we have become a sort of healing house, or halfway clinic. We have several more prayer requests for you:
Fabiola
I asked them why her eyes were darting back-and-forth like she was experiencing some kind of seizure. They said her eyes spasm because she needs glasses. "Why haven't you gotten her some?" Their response - they simply can't afford the testing and cost of spectacles.
Praise God we are able to help in this small way and create a World of difference to darling Fabiola...
Luisita
This sweetheart is in our school and her condition is treatable. Luisita suffers from chronic malnutrition. Whilst Luisita seems to be of normal height, her weight is worryingly low. She is the weight of a 2-year-old.
I love Luisita, she is a very bright button. However, her face is gaunt, her hair is falling out, and unless we act fast, her growth will be stunted, in addition to other physical side-effects.
Thanks Lord for an opportunity to show your love for this little dear.
Arturo (name changed for privacy)
This dude needs help. He is a true champion and won an award at our Fiesta Fabulosa for having the best attitude. Well, the other day something snapped inside of him and he went on a Columbine style rampage. He was hitting and kicking everyone. I was in another class but saw him being whisked away by his older sister.
After Arturo left the school, everyone was talking and nobody had answers. Nobody knew what triggered the incident and nobody could coherently retell the sequence of events.
I went to Arturo's house to enquire. Arturo screamed at me and his mother laughed. "He has a demon", she said. "Oh, right..." I didn't know what to say. I explained that his departure in such a state was to never happen again, and that we needed to resolve any issues before leaving school for the day. She agreed.
I asked her to visit the next day whilst her son attended school, she said that she would.
One sleep later and there was no Arturo to be seen. He wasn't going to come. I had Valeria take-over the class at 10am and went to visit Arturo. The little champion was already clinging to the bed, screaming at everyone who looked on. (mother, grandmother and myself)
I explained that everything was going to be okay, but that we needed to keep with routine and he needed to come to school so that the situation wouldn't escalate, eventually resulting in Arturo dropping out. The mother agreed. She was giggling the entire time. (I began to wonder if someone in the room really was possessed with demons, but no, my thought was that it probably wasn't Arturo)
She pulled Arturo from the bedpost and started screaming at him. Suddenly, she had a belt in her hand and was whipping him with it, all-the-while laughing to herself. (possibly nerves I'm guessing) If that wasn't enough, gran came over and starting slapping him too.
I didn't know what to do. I asked them to stop. I pried Arturo from their arms and insisted that they stay in their house as they clearly needed a "day off".
I held Arturo tight as he bit me. Blood gushed from my arm. At that moment I could have joined mum and gran but thought better of it. I bent over to look at my arm and at that exact moment Arturo flung around and CRACK!
I felt like I had fainted for a moment and then come to quickly. The sensation made very real the moments in movies when the tough guy receives a right hook to the face - he quickly shakes his head as his vision slowly returns and his eyes centre. I instantly felt nauseous. Arturo had head butted me.
"Oh, he sure is a spirited young chap!" I called out in English. I held Arturo out in front of me and received a kick to no-mans-land... Ouch!!! I was nearly in tears. (ummm... No, I was in tears...)
I turned Arturo horizontally, with his body facing forwards and my arms carrying him around his waist and shoulders. He was stuck. He screamed and cried. I arrived back to the school within seconds for I was on a mission.
Looooooooooooooooong story short, normality resumed within minutes. Even still, we do need to get this boy tested. I do believe he has Aspergers Syndrome and hence I will be able to purchase the necessary medicines and give him a routine that he can work within.
Prayer is needed for this fantastic little fella, a real trooper who will one day be fighting for the cause of Jesus Christ, and my bruises and scars will be testament to the distance he has come for the glory of God.
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