Hiking with 20 children, phew!

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Sun, March 12, 2006

It has been quite a day today. I volunteered to help take 20 or so kids from a poor neighborhood, just outside the city, on an all day hike/outing. I got my first good look at real poverty. First, we had to cook a lunch for all of them to bring. The center, kind of an after school/weekend program, is a tiny adobe shed, about 12 by 8 feet, with a little yard, about 6 by 8 where the cooking is done. There were 2 firepits, one had a big kettle of rice going, and the other was for cooking small quantities of chicken, eggs, and a few vegetables to mix in with the rice. They all had to bring a bowl and a spoon from home, and an empty soda bottle. Each child got a bowl of the rice mixture, and their soda bottle was filled with some sort of watered down kool aid mixture. The rice and spoon were tied up in a plastic grocery bag. For the day’s trip and lunch each child had to pay about 15 cents, or contribute a piece of firewood for the cooking. The director told me they feel it is important that the children don’t get the idea that it is free- each child has to contribute something. The fire wood is not hard for the kids to get who don’t have 15 cents.

So, off we went on a hike-straight down, slipping and sliding down a dirt path, climbing down over big boulders- you get the idea. The whole time I was thinking, you know, what goes down must come up!! Worry about that later, I guess! When we reached the floor of the valley, the kids played games like soccer, and played in the river. It was a hot day, so the river was fun for them. Actually about half of them sat right down and ate their rice, even though we kept telling them there wouldn’t be anything for later if they did that. I took quite a few pictures. The scenery was quite spectacular-mountains all around. The gorgeous views were such a contrast to the tiny adobe tin-roofed huts that the families live in, and the dirt roads/paths, and the litter everywhere. Some of the children were filthy, with dirty, tattered clothing, and holes in their shoes. A few had flip flops worn so thin their feet were on the ground at the balls and heels of their feet. If you wanted to help these kids, it would be tough to know where to start!

Anyway, they played, and ate, and back up we went. It was a tough climb for everybody. I was quite pleased with myself because I hiked back up without lagging behind. I finally got to the point where I said to myself-this is it, I go no farther, but then I looked up and I was almost to the top! My broken leg gave me some trouble at the end-when I get really tired the good leg really does double duty.

We saw a money making project that the kids have going- they raise guinea pigs for meat to raise money for their program. Guinea pig is apparently a delicacy over here, though I haven’t tried it. It can’t be much different from the bunnies Jim and I used to raise for meat!

So it was a pretty interesting day. I am a little sun burnt, though I kept slathering on the sunscreen. I didn’t have a hat, and the top of my head is burned. When the sun shines here, it is really fierce, even if it’s not hot out. I guess I’d better get a hat.

Check out the photos - I hope you can get an idea of some of the conditions people live with here.

Love to all, Kathy

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Comments

[Doris Sheets]

Hello
Hi Kathy Just a note to say hi. And I enjoy the blog. Hope you our well and having some fun. As we do here in the sunny south. Take care Love Doris