Story of a Family...

We recently took this off of our website since it is from a previous year, so I thought I would post it on my blog: 

Below is the story of one of the many families you can help through sponsoring a student:
 

This is Lilia (right) along with as many family members as we could round up for the photo during this house visit, and one neighbor. She and her family are originally from Haiti but live in the community of Padre Granero, Puerto Plata. Project Esperanza has run a grassroots school for Haitian immigrant children in the Padre Granero community since December 2006. Lilia’s family has been involved in some capacity over the years. One of her nine children, a daughter, was a student in the school this past school year (2010-2011) and a few of her sons have also participated with our soccer team Supesta.

Although we both knew of each other previously, we officially met this past April when, while visiting others, she called me over to her front porch. She presented her two youngest daughters to me and asked how she could get them into the school. I talked to her about the procedures for registering that year and also invited her to an Easter egg dying event we would soon be putting on with some visiting volunteers. She was thankful and planned on attending.

Not long after this, within a few weeks, a missionary named Brad stopped by the Searching for Life School for Haitian Immigrant Boys who are in a program transitioning from a lonely and defeating life on the streets where they shine shoes and sell sweets to a life with more opportunity where they are part of a residential program with responsibilities and education. I was sitting out front keeping track of attendance, tardiness, and playing with my son who was a year and eight months at the time. Teachers were inside with the students running class.

Brad and I caught up with each other’s work in the Puerto Plata community and he then told me about a Norwegian couple that was vacationing on a beach neighboring the community of Padre Granero who, during their three week trip, had met and formed relationships with about 9 boys. These boys explained to the couple that they rented a small room together having no parental figures around and sold shells on the beach to get by. Many, if not all of them claimed to have come over from Port-au-Prince after the earthquake. The ages they gave ranged between 10 and 16 years old.

I asked Brad the names the boys had given, knowing that Haitians often give fake names when coming to the Dominican Republic. I told him that I would ask the boys in our program about this as many of them are from Padre Granero and there are, indeed, many boys who live in the area without family who split rent on small rooms and live together. I had never heard of nine in one room, but I said I would ask around and see what I could find out. The boys had really captured the hearts of the Norwegian couple and they were looking for the best way to help these boys, which is why they had contacted Brad, knowing he was a missionary in the area. However, Brad was not really involved in the Padre Granero community or the Haitian street vending, shoe shining kids community, which is why it was good that we met up. After giving all of the details, Brad went on his way and we planned to be in touch.

Within the hour, class was dismissed and the boys came outside. I told a few of them what Brad had said and they quickly knew who I was talking about, giving me real names, some of whom had been part of the residential program before, some whom had been part of a day program in town we used to run and have stayed involved in the soccer team, and then others I didn’t know.  They mentioned that Lilia had five or six of these boys staying at her house and that her own children often beg on the beach as well or sell shells to tourists.

I wrote an e-mail to Brad relaying this information and sending pictures of a few of the boys they mentioned who have been involved in our programs so that he could verify that they were the same, including the fake names the boys had confirmed that these boys give.  It seemed as though the fake names of some had changed throughout the years so I was out of the loop. Brad confirmed the photos and names and was thankful for the insight I was able to provide. I suggested that we speak to Lilia to find out her involvement in these boys’ lives and perhaps suggest that the Norwegian couple give her some support rather than trying to do something through anyone else or directly through the boys while they are away in their home country. Brad also wanted to this, as well as to have me see the group of boys in front of him to tell what I knew of each of their histories.

So we set out to do this. I knew that I would come off as a bad guy to some if I were to have to reveal lies but I also know that “Honesty is the best policy” and generally don’t care about being the bad guy when necessary.

We arrived at the section of Padre Granero where Lilia lives and found three of the boys sitting on the street. One of them I knew well and his brother is actually a member of our residential program and had been one of the ones who provided me with information. The other two I had seen around, I believe one used to come to soccer practice, but I did not know their names. I informed them the reason for my presence and told them that I had heard that many members of the group they were a part of lived with Lilia. So we were going to talk to Lilia. They looked a little uncomfortable or perhaps “busted” at this and quickly went on their way. There were about 20 young male bystanders, some who began making statements such as, “Ooohh, they’re going to talk to your mother.”

We quickly arrived at Lilia’s house. I greeted her and introduced her to Brad and company. She greeted everyone warmly and invited us to sit inside. I explained her the reason for our presence and she quickly explained that she had just found out that morning that the kids had found some foreigners who wanted to help them but they were being very secretive about it and didn’t really want her to know. I asked her what her relationship was to these boys. She said that three of them are her own children, biologically, three are her husband’s sons who she cares for, and the other under her care is a boy that her husband picked up on the streets of Port-au-Prince five years ago, brought him to her, and he had lived with her ever since, with the exception of leaving the house for a few months before returning. Three of her children, a mix of female and male, had been living with her mother, their grandmother, in Port-au-Prince before the 2010 earthquake but came to live with her shortly afterwards. There were neighbors and other family members in the house confirming everything she said. Her husband is a passer which means that he travels back and forth to Haiti each week, showing people the route through the woods on foot when they don’t have money to pay off guards and delivering items family members living in the Dominican Republic want to send to family members in Haiti. This means that he is present for just a few days each week, and sometimes not even that. However, he is able to provide for his family through this work to some extent.

Brad was surprised to learn what she had to say. He asked her to go to the beach with us to confront them and point out which boys are hers. With some coercion, she got in Brad’s vehicle and went along with us. Brad took a route to a part of the beach that I had never been before. We ended up on the edge of the barren beach where Padre Granero basically collides with the first hotel complex. We quickly ran into several boys. Lilia began calling them over, using their real names as she was unfamiliar with the fake names they use. Three sat on the other side of a canal, refusing to come over, one hiding his face. Little by little we collected a group of nine boys who sat together on a stone wall lining the canal that led water from other sources into the ocean. Seven confirmed what Lilia had said: they were either her biological children, her stepchildren, and one was a boy she had cared for for five years. Some of the boys had found the husband of the Norwegian couple and come over with him as well. Brad ran ahead to prep him for the truth, as he was shocked, disappointed, and even in disbelief at first. He and his wife had already bought lots of cooking items and food items for the boys, as well as given the deposit to rent a new house and trusted one of them with it.

We had a conversation with the boys about telling the truth and the right way to seek aid. Brad preached in English and I translated into Creole. I also threw in some of my own input, especially about respecting Lilia, understanding the role that she has in their lives, and not ever wanting to cut her out of that role but to support her in it. The Norwegian man took away to get over his surprise and at one point asked them one by one, “Who washes your clothes? You look clean.” One by one they pointed to Lilia or answered, “My mom.” By the end, it was a comfortable group that I think had been successfully corrected along with bystanders that were pleased with the justice of the situation. The boy who had the money for the other house to rent returned it to the man, in response to his request. Two other boys in the group who were not Lilia’s children had their own situations and actually do lack caregivers in the area. But the core of the group had been deceptive as they had led Brad and the couple to a room, saying that all nine lived there, when in reality seven live with Lilia.

Lilia continually stated that she would not allow the boys to even come to the beach except that it’s hard because they are distracted as she sometimes lacks money to give them proper meals and they have nothing to entertain themselves with at home. Some who had been in the school no longer wanted to go but preferred to go to the beach and she had little support there. There are some Haitian mothers who send their children out to beg, but this is generally looked down upon in the overall Haitian community. I saw that Lilia was overwhelmed and understandingly so with caring for so many children, a large majority that are boys of similar ages, primarily by herself. We declared the importance of education to the boys and argued that it is the best pathway out of poverty. Of course this situation just wrenched my heart further to improve the school, to have meals available as many people request, to have more extra-curricular activities, etc. However, our resources have been limited to do anything more than maintain rent and teacher salaries, which has been difficult.

The Norwegian couple returned to their country the next day, a bit confused as to how they could help this family in the future. Brad and I have stayed in contact as he is immersed in other projects he has going on. And I have stayed in contact with Lilia and her family, as she has with me. When volunteers came and went door to door to homes that had students enrolled in the school this past year in order to register and create student profiles, we first visited Lilia’s house. I spoke to her about posting her family on the website in order to represent all of the families that need support for the education of their children. She agreed.

This is just one story of one struggling parent. Unfortunately, amongst the families involved in our grassroots schools, there are so many more stories. Luckily these boys fell into the hands of well-intentioned tourists. Many kids who walk the streets in this way run into pedophiles, who seem to come to this country in search of vulnerable and unprotected children, and other people who would rather use them for their own twisted interest than support them in a healthy life. The parents don’t deny that life is tough. They ask for your assistance. Will you consider supporting just one student by donating $100?

This testimony is written by Caitlin McHale, Executive Director & Co-Founder of Project Esperanza. To read more personal accounts, thoughts, and lessons, check out these three sites:

http://lavidaidealist.org/author/camchale
http://caitlinmchale.blogspot.com
www.factoidz.com/profile/camchale

Hard Stuff...

Okay.. so a lot as been going on. I talked to Crystal on Skype the other day and we caught up on things we had talked about through e-mail but then she asked me what else was going on. I didn't feel as though I could say anything because as is often the case, if I open my mouth to tell the situations that are flying through my mind... I'll be explaining details about the distribution of a few donated laptops and the parts that were not working and the hurt that each recipient, who are both teachers, felt over the idea of receiving the one with the problem and the love that I have for them as Haitian women who have such hard and brave lives and have been such role models in the community of Muñoz. But it wouldn't have come out that way.. it would've come out as so and so asked me to ask so and so for a laptop for her and she said she maybe could find one and then I found one from so and so.. and Crystal would have had a hard time following and I would've gotten lost as I was telling it.. And then there are about five things like this that I could've told... so I just froze and didn't say anything.

But here are a few updates. I'll just blurt. I need to do law school stuff but also feel the need to purge this first:  

1. I started online law school. I especially like criminal law. It is hard to keep up with and keep up with Project Esperanza stuff. I long for a day when we are sustainable and have one or a few paid folks to take care of things like giving reports.. although I don't mind the mindless activity of copying from a spreadsheet to a Word doc. the names and amounts given for the year, then sending them to Kristin who will print them and send them out. If the kids are up then I can do this sort of work since I can't really concentrate on doing much law school reading while they are up. One reason why those giving reports aren't sent out yet though is because we want to send the 2013 Winchester restaurant night calendar out with the ones going to Winchester and we are still waiting to hear back a confirmation from a restaurant.

2. The giving reports show that our income for 2012 was more than in years past which is great and I know we are moving in the right direction. Although there is still debt to teachers, it has closed a lot and they have continued getting their raises over the past few years. However, a lot has been invested in things like art shop and volunteer housing and I just feel sick over the thought of having to defend decisions to invest in those things and just want them to pay off already so that I wouldn't even have to defend decisions..or think about defending them. Jireste has been opening the art shop in the absence of an art shop manager and we put the colmado on hold for a bit. No one wants 7% commission it seems.. I am burnt out on doing HR stuff too.. posting on idealist.org, receiving all these applications and resumes, contacting references, trying to find out who will even come soon enough and who will even come with the compensation we can offer.. and it turns out this time, after talking with, I believe, more than 10 people and contacting references of many, no one has come to serve. In offering to one person and waiting on another, the other took another job, etc. One woman still says she is coming but seems to have been having problem after problem that has kept her from booking her flight, and while she may be completely telling the truth, after someone who was supposed to come in Oct. had us looking for apartments for her, had concrete plans as to when she would come, when she would start working with us, where she would stay the first week before she found an apartment... well she never showed up and never answered any e-mails or calls afterwards. Anyway, the monster truck place is letting Jireste go by every day at 1 (starting tomorrow) to make sales and give out brochures so hopefully something starts rolling and we went and offered 15% to some guides who say they will stop...

Here is what I want to say to anyone who would say stop trying to do business ventures - we can't just sit here and beg!!! But balancing providing the services the organization has been committed to since the beginning and investing in these businesses... it's hard... So anyone who is in our FB group has seen posts I have been making about a hole (debt) now to landlords and a lack of hope for the future of the schools.. but we have downsized the school in Muñoz to finish the school year and then will reassess at the end of the year, depending on how things are going (and if the guides would just stop I am sure there would be a huge turnaround), and a few new monthly sponsors have come on board as well. So I am very grateful for that. 

3. Some people have asked for an update on Elisenia lately. She is doing fine although I'll admit with my schedule and my own kids, although she is right across the street, I don't get to spend much time with her. I pay Adeline each month (or Project Esperanza does, rather), get her daipers, her milk, Adeline gets a little food money for her as well to include her in on her family's meals, and Adeline sometimes goes to the doctor with her and gives me perscriptions to get her the meds. But she is talking a little and trying to crawl. We have been giving her peanut butter in her milk but I will admit that she still looks malnourished. I could take a picture but honestly feel sheepish to do it, even though I have every right to. But I am just so used to comments people make when people take pictures and the accusations that they make. And for other people it may be true. Maybe people do go and sell photos and make a profit and the model stays here unpaid. Or maybe they go and show people and it doesn't generate any support or they don't even use the pictures to try to generate support. Maybe it does generate support but the person having his or her picture taken still feels crappy about it. UUuggghhhh there are just all of these negative comments I feel people could say about me for taking a picture in the house that she is in and I want to avoid that. I'll do it at some point. Not Adeline.. she wouldn't say anything, but she has ignorant neighbors who likely would. Ahh, I'll get over it and do it and post it soon. :) Sorry about that rant.

Now I can't write much about Elisenia but I could write a book about Junior, Elisenia's brother. If you haven't read this blog since its beginning, if you read the first posts, you'll read about a malnourished baby we took in and the situation with her father who died, then her mom who took off after we took her in as she was close to death and took in her brother as he was 12, not wanting to go to school, fit into our boys home nicely although unlike the others, he had never been on the streets, but was at risk with the recent family situation. Shortly after we took them in, the mom took off and her three other kids by themselves in Muñoz. Since then, other families in the area (also impoverished) have taken them in but they are still at risk for sure...not that all kids in extreme poverty aren't at risk, but when you don't have your family, I think the risks are just that much higher. 

While I don't get to spend much time with Elisenia, I spend a lot of time with Junior, and he spends a lot of time with our family. I wrote to my mom to tell her that something has changed in my relationship with Junior to where I used to have my heart guarded and he was one of the boys in the home but over the past month or so something has happened to where he is now my son and I think about him and worry about him the same way that I do my biological kids. And I am admittedly scared to death about this. I am scared to death for his future. And I'm scared to death over the thought of growing attached to him and something happening to where he would no longer be with us. And I'm also scared to death over the thought that he might not want me as his mother the same way I now want him as my son, and we've had lots of awkward and emotional conversations lately and I now understand a lot of what I have read about adoption.

We have cared for boys from the streets ever since the street census in 2006, and even though they have often stayed on mattresses on our living room floor when there was no appropriate home for them at the time or room for them in the home, I have always guarded my heart to the point where my attachment wasn't the same as my attachment to my own kids. I will say that I had a very strong attachment to Chinaider and Jireste and I both still do now that he is back, but he went into the streets and went to Haiti for awhile and my heart was broken and I got over it, I guess. This is likely why I am scared to death over what is happening here with Junior. Something else dangerous that seems to be happening, I never have bad feelings about boys' biological mothers. The normal story is an absent or dead father and mother in Haiti who is very poor and not able to take care of her kids. This is how they end up in the Dominican Republic. They normally maintain a relationship with their mothers but know that their mother cannot care for them and they can't presently care for their mothers either. I am not saying that I have bad feelings about Junior's mother... I don't..not bad necessarily, but probably just the same feelings as anyone who has adopted would feel about a biological mother who has abandoned the child you are raising and mothering...especially if the adoption is not finalized and the future there is uncertain and your heart is on the line. Ouch. So the way I see it, there are two reasonable choices... to make him go away and not be near us so our hearts won't be at risk of breaking over him one day, or to adopt him and protect him and build him up so that he can be a strong member of the family. And after writing it out... making him go away doesn't seem reasonable at all... so that leaves us with only one choice really.

I told my mom this and mentioned that I had learned that some people who adopt hold fundraisers to pay for the adoptions. I had told her before about a need I feel I have to adopt kids. Not a ton of kids... but just in reference to going to the US for any length of time. I just would/do feel absolutely sick about it without having a family.. our family with the current members, and then some adopted kids. Something would not be in balance and healthy for me if I were to do that. She said she would pray about it and asked for details and... I haven't had the chance to send her any yet because I am still praying and mulling over it, talking to Jireste, observing these family dynamics, having awkward conversations as I said.. wow. Oh, not to mention, I don't know how Jireste would survive without having some fellow Haitians around.

Also with the news of these kids, the 6-year-old, Jennylove, is now living with a teacher in Padre Granero and his partner. Actually, his partner is teaching in Muñoz and it was after hearing about the way the little girl was being treated and seeing some evidence, she took her home. They have asked for help with her on several occasions and the brother Elideau's student sponsor, Sarah, sent some help and some gifts, as she did last year, but the partner is one of the teachers who has just lost her job in Muñoz, the teacher in Padre Granero is... well I'll just say I give him preferential treatment when it comes to paying teachers based on need to the point that some teachers are owed quite a bit but now he is not and has been needing to borrow quite a bit and it's really not fair to the other teachers. And they have not put her in school. I am not trying to criticize them and am glad that they took her in, responding to what they judged as an abusive situation, but am just explaining the situation that she is in now as far as her future is concerned, etc. So this is her situation. And the point is, I feel led to take her in too. And I would love for her to be an addition to our family as well. And I told my mom that too. 

Lastly, I have mentioned here a few times a certain organization I like, International Justice Mission, and I think they now don't mind that I share that they are coming for a visit very soon and I hope and pray they will see that our missions align and want to partner! (They are investigating the possibility of working in the Dominican Republic.) I have also been thinking a lot about the boys' home and program in the future (whether near or quite far) and so much want to buy a piece of land for sale nearby here and build a house and have a complete program with the soccer team as the primary outreach to boys on the streets. But I want to have a different role than in the past. I want there to be paid staff (Willy and Enso along with a woman to cook and clean and then regular and vocational teachers) who I support and stay in contact with, but as far as interaction with the members of the home and program, I want to be the person who talks to boys when they are either being really problematic or really struggling and maybe come and do bible study once a week... but not be their family member as I have been up to this point. I have quite enough family members in extreme need as it is and I need to stop right there, although I love them so much, but realistically speaking. There needs to be very specific qualifications for someone to enter the home and a cut off as to when they must leave. It has felt cruel having this before with 1. seeing members of the home as family members and 2. not having been able to give the proper vocational training prior to an appropriate cut off time so that they would have a fair shot upon moving out - although anyone who came of age who didn't want to help and didn't want to listen and go to school got the boot. But the point being, I have learned so much and feel like I know what needs to happen to create a successful and lasting program for the future. Again, I hope and pray that IJM will see this work as valuable and alligning with their mission and want to partner.

Oh, and lastly, my conclusion on adoption after caring for other people's kids now is this: If the mother or family is going to raise the child, then get your stuff together and raise the child. Through our organization, we have been able to help mothers in Padre Granero and Muñoz where we have the schools and in Muñoz have been providing meals, artist training, and the fair trade art shop. In both communities we have, on several occasions, when funds are available, helped out widowed or abandoned mothers who were struggling with rent, food, and start up money for street vending. But I resent this idea some seem to have of a free child raising service that allows one to be released of the dutied of motherhood and return when it is convenient. However, I sure am not judging... I'm just one quite honestly beaten down individual trying to protect myself from another. We won't even get started on the fathers, although what can you say if someone is passed away as is the case often, but many abandon as well. I would say that the battle to create healthy families and avoid unhealthy ones from forming better begin when the parents are 12 at the latest... thus the need for the boys' home and the grassroots schools.  But wait, I didn't finish my conclusion on adoption. If the family is going to raise the child, then raise it and minimize the abandonment time and hurt to the child. If the family is not going to raise it..and I think this decision should be made within the course of a year and would be interested in learning more about U.S. law and procedure here but in the DR things are often a free for all... if the family is not taking the responsibility, then quick! Get the child in a family! Give the child a chance at a secure and lasting attachment. Take away the rights from the family and protect the caregiver/adopting parents whose hearts are on the line. My heart is breaking thinking of kids growing up with no secure attachment. Teenage years is hard enough for those of us with loving parents... good God. 

Thank you for reading. Thank you for your support. I feel better after writing. Amen. 

No More Mrs.Nice Guy!

Well, no more Mrs. Nice Guy! Christmas is over and I'd like to talk about making some New Year's resolutions. :) If you are just checking out the organization or have struggles with guilt, please don't take this message for much. All of the rest of you reading this, please take it for much!

I always ask people here, especially teachers who, over the past few years, have had months pass where pay was late and has gotten backed up, to not pressure me. I am doing all that I can. I communicate the cause to everyone I have the opportunity to. I write hundreds of blog posts explaining life here so even those who don't come can have the chance to gain insight and understand, and those who do come can continue to gain the insight and understanding. I network. I create fundraising opportunities from afar and try to get people in the land of plenty (Yes, the US is the land of plenty! No complaining!) to execute the fundraisers. We have worked hard to create a volunteer program that allows anyone willing to come and volunteer to take part in the work and see with their own eyes. I try to make sure those we work with here who are from a different culture and have lived different lives than our volunteers understand where our volunteers and visitors are coming from and treat them with respect and love. I can't do anything more than that to make people give or lead fundraisers. I can't force people. I can't steal from them. I can't trick them. I can't lie to them. I won't and I can't.

But through all of this endless pressuring, I have learned something. I have told them over and over that I have done all that I can and I have nothing else to do or give. I, as leader of the organization, am the giving tree who remains nothing but a stump. When they continue to pressure, I ask them why they don't trust me. Why they treat me as though I am withholding money from them. What evidence do they have of this? It is not true! They say, "We didn't say that." I say, "Well if you keep pressuring then you must think that is true. I'm doing all that I can! I don't know what else to do!" They say, "Well you are the leader! Who else are we supposed to tell!?"

Hmmm...caring sure has inadvertendly turned me into a leader. So all of this pressuring has gotten to me and they have taught me something about my leadership position. PRESSURE. It is necessary. Some people are motivated by love and in seeing the dire need, their hearts are touched and they want to give. But let's admit it, what do you respond to on a daily basis? College students - You likely respond to the deadlines that your professors give you. You respond to the social pressure to attend certain events and behave in a certain way. Non-college students - You likely respond to the needs and wants of your kids and spouses... societal norms, trends, etc. I haven't pressured anyone since... well since selling raffle tickets and face painting at Virginia Tech in our early days, I don't believe. People would walk by the table and I would call loudly to them, pressuring them to donate or get their face painted or buy a raffle ticket. I have tried to be as respectful as possible and invite, invite, invite. And then there have been times where there has been no other choice but to beg. 

Now I don't have much pressuring leverage... For one, I am a woman. I don't think people find me very intimidating. For two, my husband is a pennyless minority. For three, I am far away and can't physically go knocking on doors! The only thing I have is my mouth. It has been the thing, by far, that has gotten me into the most trouble in life. I have been told, on occasion, that if I lived in Haiti (rather than the DR), I would be killed. Because I tend to say things that people don't like to hear. But I boldly speak the truth for a good purpose and I appreciate when others do the same.

Now, I'll just get to the point. The amount of funds Project Esperanza brings in each year is too little. I contribute this to the fact that most people put the organization and its needs low on their priority list. Rather than appreciating the fact that we don't pressure (usually), trick or use any tricky tactics, put on guilt, etc... rather than appreciating and rewarding that, I feel as though we are punished. People seem to respond to everything else around them rather than the needs of our organization. And I think people agree that the work we provide is valuable and we can make a penny or a peso go a long way, as was expressed in the 10 positive reviews given on GreatNonprofits. But nonetheless, we still fall short of meeting our most basic monthly budget. How short? You can read the details and the progress over time here on our website.

I think it is important to note that in the land of plenty, there are money making opportunities ALL AROUND! You can find things of value easily on the side of the road whereas here they would be picked up in a matter of minutes. Raffles, donation jars on store counters, benefit dinners, thrift sales, yard sales, dunking booths, donated zumba classes.... the possibilities are endless!!! Additionally, it is important to note that with some focus and intention, most people can reduce expenses to be able to donate monthly. I began doing this early on in the life of Project Esperanza when I realized that if it was going to work...if I was going to respond to the serious, urgent, life or death requests of the beautiful and valuable people I had met, then I would have to send money...not just prayers or thoughts or school supplies, although all are still necessary, but money, the green stuff, and I would have to reduce my expenses. From what I learned in doing this, I wrote this.

This New Year's, I would like to suggest the following New Year's Resolutions:

1. Think about Project Esperanza on a daily basis. Think of creative ways to generate income and advocate. The possibilities are truly endless if we really think about it.

2. If you are not yet a monthly sponsor, consider examining your monthly expenses and seeing if there are things you can cut out, for a purpose.

3. If you can, come and volunteer! And then when you go back, don't forget!

4. Don't let other pressures in life and priorities skew reality and make you push Project Esperanza to the absolute bottom of your priority list, even after things like TV shows.

5. Be passionate! Don't be sheepish or ashamed to talk about Project Esperanza and the work we are doing! 

  

Please don't put any more blame or responsibility on the teachers here, parents, students, or myself. No matter what unacceptable behavior has ever been displayed doesn't excuse the fact that our teachers are making about a 20th of what a teacher in the US would make for example and the size of their houses are at most a 20th of what most sizes are in the US... And as for me, ask me any questions you want. I will be happy to answer. I want this to be an organization and not a personal thing. I want there to be shared responsibility and not be alone in that. It is not my desire to have no running water, no savings, no vehicle, no time to generate personal income, etc., but it is a choice I have made for a purpose. I say this not to bring glory to myself but to encourage others to not be afraid to make sacrifices for a purpose as well.

Please, instead of placing blame, if you are reading this, which you are, please just examine your own self and feel free to examine me (not my family, but me, the one with the big mouth), through e-mailing me and asking respectful questions or reading my blogs:
caitlinmchale.blogspot.com
lavidaidealist.org/author/camchale
tilimyesa.blogspot.com

Now, I'll share a few photos I just snapped as I assume that is what we do at Christmas time - share photos on Facebook of the presents we received and our beautiful houses:

My sleeping family. Jireste may not be happy with me about that... but I hope he will understand the purpose. Sheets were washed yesterday and not yet dry so yes, we were sleeping on the mattress. You have noticed that we have no linen closet to store spare sheets. And yes, we all 4 sleep sideways on a queen sized bed and wouldn't have it any other way! Oh, and lastly, that is the clothes line strung across the bedroom. If we hang clothes to dry outside, they sometimes get stolen, as did a pair of jeans of mine a few weeks ago!

This is the bulk of our house/apartment. Isn't the kitchen nice? Want me to put close ups of the cabinets...the countertops? Believe me, you don't. The fridge is a new addition this year.
We lived for years without one. You can also see a few items of clothes hanging to dry on nails.

Our bathroom. The black tub is our bathtub with the kids' bath toys. You see the pink trash can in the shower? This is where we store water since it only comes through the tap for about 8 hours once a week. Yes, we have a tinaco (tank) on the roof to store water throughout the week but the valve to turn it off and on is in our mean..or should I say complicated landlord's apartment upstairs and he always shuts it down as a form of power control. But with the water situation being what it is, we have to bucket bathe and flush the toilet by pouring a bucket of water into the toilet bowl.

Our "spare" room/office/storage room. This is where most Project Esperanza donations are stored before the time has come to use them. You can also notice trash bags as there is no other place to store them before the trash truck comes.

Our son Ilayas' Christmas gift. You may think this is abusive if you are a parent in the U.S., but on our street, it is the norm.

I will just say that the teachers who work hard to run our schools usually live in houses much smaller than ours. The management of space really amazes me at times and I am always learning and being disciplined to best utilize our space, which is quite small in comparison, likely, to mose people reading this. I am sharing pictures of our house on behalf of them who, like me, believe in the schools, the power of education to change the lives and communities that are in most need. I am also sharing pictures of our house so that you, again, can have a clear perspective when considering the New Year's resolutions I have requested. If you think I am doing this for any other reason, please, try me. But don't harbor your thoughts in your heart or say them behind my back, but say them to me. I assure you, I have had everything under the sun said to me as we primarily work with youth who have been through hell on earth and the extreme poor and disadvantaged who are angry about that, so nothing surprises me. However, I have a mouth too and I use it to put things back into reality.

Okay, I'm almost done. Let me just say that I don't like sharing pictures of my family like that and I hope that I don't ever have to again. I believe the same is true for the mothers of the kids in the schools we run whose kids have their pictures taken over and over again by volunteers and visitors who return and show them to friends and family and whose houses are gawked at but money is never sent to help and they are eventually forgotten. A day volunteer a few months ago was taking pictures of my son within minutes of arriving... really, we are not a zoo!

I do want to highlight a few exemplary members of our team who continuously do practical things that make a difference, whether they want me to or not! And there are really many people I could highlight who have made huge impacts in the life of Project Esperanza, but these two have been consistently doing what is most needed to practically support the organization in all aspects of the word and I just want to highlight them. They have been true team players, among many others, but again, just these two for today to make some points:

Larissa Mihalisko. Larissa is, by far, our most generous donor. After volunteering in 2008 for two weeks, she has continued to increase her monthly sponsorship as well as give large one time donations when needs are present. She has also consistently advocated Project Esperanza to her friends and family and recruited several other monthly sponsors as well. We would be one less school, if not more, if it weren't for Larissa. And I am not quite sure how she does it but I think she just doesn't do a lot of empty talk, puts her money where her mouth is, asks people to follow her example, and talks boldly and clearly about the matters at hand.

I also want to highlight Crystal Fox. Crystal first came almost 3 years ago, while on vacation with her family, and was extremely conscientious right away. She asked us to take her around and explain the programs, and without being asked, gave money for gas and the time. At the end of the visit she said that she had seen enough and could make comparisons with other organizations she had been involved in, and she would become a monthly sponsor. She immediately became a monthly sponsor. She gives on top of her monthly when she can, but the biggest thing I appreciate is that she thinks of Project Esperanza every day. She reads blog posts, shares links, comments, carries on conversations with people she sees daily, asks questions, networks, shares fundraising ideas, looks for such opportunities, etc.

Thank you sooo much Larissa and Crystal! I only pray that your examples will be followed! Thank you so much Alexis Wells Carpenter, Kristin Donohue, Kathy McHale, Cole Salvitti-Gucwa, Adam Salvitti-Gucwa, Sara Lamb, John Misselwitz, Katie Matthews, Stacy Boyer, and I'm sorry if I am forgetting you, but thank you for your support and for giving this work the value that you do. Thank you Jireste Floreal because you have so much patience with a wife who is very occupied with a large first born child that needs endles attention (the organization) and mesi Willy Pierre paske ou gen yon ke tankou Jezi e mesi Willy Previl paske menm le ou gen pwoblem pa ou, ou pran swen lot moun, e mesi Fernise avek Garry paske nou fe anpil sakrifis pou yon ka ke nou kwe landan e se Bondye ki konnen tout sa yo menm si okenn lot moun pa konnen e se nan men li tout rekonpans pral soti.

Amen. Happy New Year. Please don't forget. Please be intentional over what you give value and what you make a priority because in dedicating to one thing, you are saying no to another, so be careful about the choices you make. Again, not trying to cripple anyone with guilt but share a different perspective then you may hear on a daily basis.

I'm a Grandmother!

I have been wanting to write this blog post for awhile. But after having this young couple in our house over the past few days and caring for the baby while they worked out their relationship problems. I realized that I HAD to write this post. I'll change the names of the actual people to respect their privacy.

Ewode began coming to the Project Esperanza house we first began renting in Puerto Plata at the end of 2006. I can't remember if we met him during the street census of the summer of 2006 or not, but do remember him from November 2006. During January 2007, he was one of my students for the two week tutoring program we ran. He became a member of the residential program we started at this point a few months later as he was familyless, essentially homeless, and receiving schooling for the first time in his life. 

He did well although he was very headstrong, didn't want to get up and go to school some mornings, and fought with other boys on some occasions. But he was also very sweet and willing to please at other times. I remember him often using his money he had earned shining shoes to make juice and carefully divide it among others. 

He stayed in the home until December 2007, so about a year. At this point, the home had moved into the country, and although he enjoyed searching for crayfish in the creek with the other boys and did well in school, he missed city life and he especially, apparently, missed a girl in Padre Granero, the community where he had lived before entering the home. He, like Willy, had spent years working in someone's home and being a part of our residential program broke him away from that and showed the possibility of a different life and future. But in December 2007, he made the decision to go live in Padre Granero, which many people attributed tothe girl he missed there. 

Supesta 2007 with "Ewode" present.

 

After leaving the home, he often asked me for help with rent and food but I, of course, had to refuse since he had voluntarily left the program where those things were provided, along with schooling. But he did stay a part of the soccer team that included boys in the home, boys in the streets, and boys doing their best to rent a room among others, usually in Padre Granero. Some boys who were working in homes as, what truly can be called a slave, in a system called "restavek", engaged in the soccer team. So I continued to know him and see him grow through the soccer team. On an athletic note, Ewode was always a key player on the team as he is a very agressive defender. Also, we began doing timed mile runs which, the distance may be off slightly, but he was one of the fastest, always finishing in less than 5 minutes!

Ewode was in a relationship with the one girl for a number of years. At some point they broke up and I'm not even sure if she is still around. Then about two years ago, I would say, I started always seeing him in Montellano in the barrio Saman where we partner with a grassroots community development organization and have some good friends. He told me that he had a girlfriend there and had left Padre Granero to live there. I should mention that both of his parents are deceased. I also began always seeing him not far from our house at a gomeria where he found a job. This is where they repair tires that have been punctured by a nail, etc. He was always there working and I was very happy for him. 

Then one day he came by our house and let me know that his girlfriend was pregnant. He began coming by to update me and then let me know that he had lost his job. I don't remember why he said he had lost it at the time but I recently asked why again and will share later on in the post what he said. He began worrying with the baby coming and having difficulties paying for the ultrasounds, etc. I began helping him a little with this. He updated me on his search for work but he hadn't found anything yet. 

He brought his girlfriend by a few times before the baby came. She was a bit quiet and reserved but I enjoyed talking with her and them together a bit. They let me know that her mother had started to really discourage their relationship.She had, initially, encouraged her daughter to live with Ewode at age 15 and Ewode was 19. This was when he had his job. Now that he had lost his job, she was always talking bad about him, etc. This also upset him. 

When Jilande, his girlfriend, went into labor, he called me to let me know that they were at the hospital. He later called me and asked me to go as he was worried that the docors weren't properly attending her and there were communication problems. So I did go. Her mother was there as well and I met her. I talked to the doctor and he said he would check Jilande soon. He did and then explained to me her dilation, which I explained to Ewode. Things were progressing fine and he felt better. I gave him some daipers and some of Maraya's 3-month clothes for the baby girl, who they named Angelina. 

They brought her over to our house shortly after the birth and she was, and is, of course, adorable with a full head of hair. I, (or Project Esperanza, rather), continued to help them a little and thoroughly enjoyed sharing what I had learned through motherhood as far as breastfeeding, the best products to use for skin irritations, and all of that. In all things, Jilande was a bit reserved and Ewode was more vocal and encouraging and directing Jilande, although at times he was also playfully mean in an immature way and when I saw this, I advised him not to do that. 

Before I went to the U.S. and Canada on November 1st of this year, he came by frequently to tell me that Jilande's mother was giving her lots of advice to leave him and he could not find work. She had actually had him arrested, along with the partner of her oldest daughter who was also unemployed, as many Haitian men are. He was not given the reason of his arrest and this country is quite ridiculous and corrupt in that way. Police are easily paid off to serve people's personal wishes. Many people who work in the justice system are, of course, frustrated with this, but I think they think that it is a problem that is bigger than them and they wouldn't know where to start to combat it. 

When both Ewode and Jilande visited and talked to me about this, I confirmed that it was Jilande's mother who wanted Jilande to live with Ewode in the first place. They confirmed. I also learned from our friends in Saman that Jilande's father had quite a good job working with a mission or non-profit organization in Haiti, but was also not around much for that reason. Ewode and Jilande wanted to live somehwere else and asked me to help them with the deposit money they lacked to rent another house/room they had found in another neighborhood. Had it been only Ewode who had come to me, I don't know if I would have helped in this way, although I would have definitely felt bad for him. But since they both came seeking help, I wanted them to have the freedom to have their family without Jilande's mother who I had determined to be quite the fine feathered friend and really had lost any respect for. So I helped them with the deposit money they lacked, which was about $25 US. An ultrasound here, by the way, costs about $6 or $7 US. 

Then, days later, Ewode came to tell me that someone had broken into the new home and stolen the bed, while they were not there. People had told him that Jilande's mom had sent someone to do this. Such continued persecution caused them to come back to the easiest and cheapest place they could rent, which was back in their old neighborhood. Ewode pleaded for help to get a new bed. He would sleep on the floor but wanted Jilande and the baby to be on a bed. I could not help at this point and went on our trip to the US and Canada. He talked the owner of a used bed into selling it to him with the promise to complete the money at a later date. I helped him complete it when I came back. 

When I came back from the 26 day trip, Ewode visited and let me know that he had been arrested again while I was gone. This time there was a judgment where Jilande's mother was present as the accuser, although she wasn't accusing him of a crime, but was just trying to get the police to force the two to break up. I had never heard of such a thing but didn't doubt it for a minute. People here who have never seen a justice system that is more... just... will threaten each other with the police as though the police are their employees. Ewode went on to tell that when the police questioned Jilande, she pleaded for them to release him and said that she did not want to split up with Ewode. The police then, told her mother that they could not hold him any longer, and let him go. 

I was pretty shocked upon hearing this. Again, the big factor is that Jilande pleaded on his behalf. I realized that her mother felt she could do this because he didn't have family to defend him and this made me feel quite defensive. It was especially sensitive since the two have a baby together and Jilande's mother gave Ewode no value in that. She thought he should be thrown out and disposed of because he was not able to bring in money at the moment.

I talked to Ewode again about living further away from Jilande's mother. I asked him again about searching for work. He updated me and told me who he had talked to and what they had told him. It sounded like he did have some leads, but nothing had come of them yet. I encouraged him to look for a house in the community where we live or somewhere else far away from Jilande's mother. She was entering too far into their relationship. He agreed. 

From this point on, Jilande's mother did not let up on Ewode. She was obviously paying the police. He became afraid to go to his house as whenever she would see him, she would immediately call the police and come after him, at which point he would run away. He mentioned at this point that he may just move on with his life and give Jilande to help with the baby when he had it. I asked if that was really what he wanted to do. Wouldn't it be difficult later on when she may end up with another man? I knew that this critical point would have an effect on his future as well. If he did not stay with her, he may likely get into a relationship with someone else quickly, out of the desire to have family, and that would get him more used to the get togther, then break up, rather than the stay together and work through. This get together, break up, would be harder on himself and the kids that would come out of it, for sure. He said no, this was not what he wanted to do, but he felt as though he had no choice with her mother and the police intervention. I, again, encouraged him to do all that he could to move away from the mother.

 He slept in Padre Granero for one week and found a house..or more so a room, to rent, but had not given the deposit money yet. He kept trying to get in contact with Jilande to tell her that she could come with the baby and they could live in Padre Granero. An owner of a gomeria in the next town over was going to give him a shot at a job. Things were looking better. He got in touch with Jilande and she came with the baby to Padre Granero to meet him. 

That evening, he showed up at our house with baby Angelina. He said that Jilande told him that she was splitting up with him and that she was now into prostitution. He was heart broken. His friend had confirmed that she had spent the night out the night before and left the baby with her mother. He then went on to let me know of the difficulties they had had over the past month. Jilande's mother had been encouraging her to go after a "blan". "Blan" means white in Haitian Creole and this is how many Haitians here refer to foreigners. The community where Jilande is from is just a few miles away from a town called Sosua, the town to the east of Puerto Plata, and although Puerto Plata has its fair share of prostitution as well, in Sosua you will often see a 60-year-old white foreign male with a 20-year-old, (give or take 5 years), local female. When I travel from Puerto Plata to the US, I often overhear conversation between such men coming home from vacation about the beautiful women they have interacted with on their trips. But I could go on for pages about what I have seen this do to families and the absolute threat and insecurity this causes among couples. 

So Ewode told me about the past month and how Jilande's mother had given her transportation money on many occasions to go to Sosua. They had a physical fight over it one day and Jilande had started to become estranged. Now she was telling him that she no longer wanted to be with him, when just a month before, she had pleaded to the police to let him go and that she wanted to be with him, despite the weather vane will of her mother. He had told her that if she was in prostitution and didn't want to be with him, that was her choice, but he was taking his baby. This night, he told me that he would go with the baby to his brother's in Santiago. Or he would go with the baby to find family in Haiti. I told him that he couldn't travel with her without any source of income and not knowing if he would even find a place to stay. He asked me if I would take her. 

Now, I felt a bit like Gandalph in the Lord of the Rings when Frodo first had possession of the ring and tried to hand it to Gandalph. Okay, so this is quite a bit different but there are some similarities. People living in extreme poverty sometimes offer you their babies. This has always made me sad because I see that they are in defeated positions in life and the opportunities they should have available to them are just non-existent. I always tell these mothers that the baby will miss his or her mother and vice versa, and the baby needs his or her mother, trying to show them their value despite being in extreme need. But I will admit that in more recent years, after having my own babies and getting into the mothering groove, when someone offers me a baby, I really want to accept. I really want the little gift to be a part of our family and to live life alongside our biological children. Of course I learned with Ebo, who I never did dedicate a post to, that it is hard to foster a child and have him as a part of your family, and then have him move back in with his mom or grandmother. It is hard on your family. I would prefer that if the situation comes up again, that everything is arranged from the beginning for an adoption, rather than me being a free five month long babysitter, also supplying food, daipers, and all of that, for a child who often has dysfunctions due to the lifestyle of the mother, absence of the father but presence of various men, as was the case with Ebo. Anyway, we did it for God.    

So when Ewode asked me to take his baby, it was tempting, and had that been the right solution, I would've done it. I did talk to Jireste about it, but the best solution, I knew, was to try to help repair the family. Ewode ended up having Jilande come over. They spent three days, I believe, in our house. They came over early and stayed until late but slept in Padre Granero. These are the day that I referred to in the first paragraph of this post, which were more recent when I began writing, but now a few weeks have passed and I am just now able to complete the post. 

 Jilande's mom had obviously strongly influenced her and sent her down a path that was quite disruptive to her life with Ewode. They needed time to get back on track. Ewode forgave her but just wanted her to stay with him through good times and bad. She didn't agree to get back together at first and was fearful of threats from her mother. She was acting quite off as well. First of all, her clothes were much more revealing and she had an attitude that she didn't have before. Over the few days her attitude faded away a bit as she saw that we were trying to help. But I think she was very frustrated and confused. She even hit the baby once and was saying hateful things. She also had believed things her mother had told her. She believed that her mother had caught Ewode kissing her cousin. Ewode said that these accusations were ridiculous and I assumed that they were further attempts to estrange Jilande from him, as she obviously didn't want them together. She left the baby with Ewode and returned to her mother's house. 

Ewode brought me the baby while he went to work as the man had called him and asked him to start. When he arrived at work, he was told that the police had come looking for him. When he returned, telling me this, I had a feeling that that job opportunity was lost and realized that Jilande's mom was really doing him a huge injustice. The boss told him to come back next week when he resolved his family issues, but I had a feeling that he would no longer give him the job. Meanwhile, Jilande's mom was calling Ewode, saying that she and Jilande were waiting for him and the baby at our house. I was at the English immersion pre-school which is where Ewode had left the baby when he went to work. Before returning to my house, we set a court date at the proper facility. 

I wasn't planning on talking much to Jilande's mom when I saw her. She and Jilande were waiting behind our house. Ewode held the baby but let Jilande's mother hold her for a bit. I thought that he should not have done that, as I assumed it would result in some sort of struggle where the baby was involved. And I was right. She smiled at me and waited for me to speak to her but I just looked at her sternly. I forgot who spoke first but she quickly began asking what she had ever done to Ewode. I reminded her that she had him arrested and had the police after him. She denied it. I then asked Jilande if she had not, herself, told me about that. She replied that that had happened a long time ago. Her mother then stated that yes, that was something of the past. I mentioned that the police were still after him. She blamed that on Jilande, saying that Jilande was sending them after him. She said that she did not have anything against him but he does not listen to her. He needs to listen. I didn't ask for examples, because I didn't want to talk to her too long, as I had already seen that she was not respectful of the truth. She went on to say that the baby is for her, for Jilande, and for Ewode. I let her know that the baby is not for her. It is for the mother and father. She enters too much in their relationship. Had she not sent Jilande to live with Ewode willingly.? She then said, "I can't support Jilande!" 

I said, "She's your child. You can't support her?"I could only imagine Jilande's confusion in all of this. 

She said to Ewode, "Look what you've done! You did this! Look what you've made ´blan´ think." I let her know that he is allowed and encouraged to tell the truth. She approached me and tried to hold my face and shoulders to look into my eyes as she spoke. I stepped back and asked her not to do that. I had seen a woman recently do this to a man in an argument where she spouted out lies concerning her receival of pay, trying to convince him that I was not paying her for a time she spent teaching rather than she was not paying him for transporting her. As I said the truth, she continually grabbed his face to look at her as she counteracted my truth with lies. If I was him, I would have slapped her. Words should be enough and people should have limits. Anyway, I wasn't about to let her try to hold my face and shoulders in that way. So I stepped back and headed inside. She yelled at Ewode more, blaming him. 

She then said she was leaving, called to her daughter, and started heading toward the road with the baby. Ewode ran after her and they struggled over the baby. He came out of the struggle with her. Jiland cried and punched Ewode in the back a few times. I let them know about the court date. In the two days before the court date, there was lots of continued discussion between Ewode, Jilande, and her mom, but by the time of the court date, Jilande had decided to live with Ewode and she seemed to be less influenced by her mother. She told the judge that she wished to live with Ewode so he did not grant either one custody. He said if they are not to live together, then they should return so that he can grant custody to one party. He confirmed that Jilande's mother has no right over the baby, but the two parents do. He also advised her to not live too closely to her mother or spend too much time at her house if it was affecting her relationship with Ewode. While Ewode was telling the judge what had happened, he was asked why he had lost his first gomero job. He replied by saying that Jilande's mom had called his boss... Jilande cut him off and said, "Because you were with my cousin!" A discussion broke out and the judge asked him to move on but I realized that this brainwashing and intervention was the reason for him losing his first job as well! Then again I can't say I know all of the truths of everything, but it seemed quite fishy to me. And through my observations, it appeared as though Ewode cared for Jilande more than her own mother, but on top of extreme unemployment, especially for Haitians, was facing persecution from her mother, who seemed to have issues of her own. 

I/Project Esperanza helped them out with deposit money for a new place (two months rent which was about $40 US) and then helped Ewode out a little to repair a motorcycle so that he could start working as a moto taxi. The owner would let him use it if he would repair it and maintain it. As I had predicted the boss who had asked him to come and work had already given the position to someone else by the time he returned and things were settled. So with the moto, things are looking better for them now and I am hoping that he will be able to generate enough income, Jilande will have patience for that, they will be wise, etc. 

He calls me sometimes to update me or just to check in. The other day, before he had the moto, he called me several times before I could call him back. When I did call him back, he let me know that Jilande had been crying all day. She didn't even want to breastfeed the baby. He asked if they could come over tomorrow. I agreed and we set a time. 

When I came home around noon, the little family was there waiting. Ewode often is the one holding Angelina and the main reason why I have helped him so much rather than saying, "You left the program where you could've received housing and schooling. Look at Willy. He's learning and helping a lot and not running around and making babies!" is because he has shown quite a lot of love, committment, and effort. I have been concerned about setting the wrong example to someone like Willy and younger boys in the home so that they aren't encouraged to bail out on education early and start families before they are prepared, but have also wanted to give them a chance, as I don't judge him for leaving the home and program when he did, and do believe that babies are gifts from God. We can only work to build a better program for the future where needs are more fully met and boys are more engaged to stay where they are receiving an education until they are good and prepared. 

When they visited that day, I talked to Jilande a little about why she was crying, but I knew it was just because she was transitioning. Her mom had apparently been telling her she would give her x, y, z if she would leave Ewode and also had been advising her to go after a "blan" where if she were successful in that, she would've imagined being more pampered. So she was just transitioning and being emotional. We ate lunch and then after lunch, I observed that they were uncomfortable and talked quietly between the two of them. I imagined that they were thinking of whether they should stay or go. When would they come again? How welcome were they? 

At this point I decided to ask Ewode if he still played soccer. He said that he sometimes does. I asked if we started Gro Supesta again, would he be involved. He replied with a strong yes. I asked Chinaider, who was sitting nearby, what he thought. He also was excited about that. I asked Jireste what he thought. He was still at first. Ewode said, "She's asking you what you think, man." He gave a stern nod where he hides his smile under a stern face. I am all too used to this face. 

So it was decided. Gro Supesta hasn't been fully functioning since the summe/fall of 2011. "Gro" means "big" in Creole. When it comes up, I let them know that they are now old and can play on different teams, but I would like to focus more on Ti Supesta ("ti" means "small") where we invite boys from the streets to get involved so that they have that community, at least. I would like for them to help with Ti Supesta, but don't think Project Esperanza can still be responsible for Gro Supesta. I saw that there was sadness over the end of Supesta, as they saw it. I didn't say it had to end, but felt spread thin to take much responsibility over it. But after going through this battle with Ewode and Jilande and observing them after lunch, after a day where Jilande couldn't stop crying, and knowing how that feels myself as things can be depressing with so many stressors that life with kids and a husband with so little opportunity brings, I realized that it was too early to let go of Gro Supesta. Gro Supesta is a family that all of us need. So it must continue. Viv Supesta!       
        
Thank you for reading, God bless, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year! We ask for prayers for this new year for Ewode, Jilande and their baby Angelina, as well as for our family - Mommy (Caitlin), Daddy (Jireste), Ilayas, and Maraya. And the boys in the home who are out back doing a sewing lesson right now - Willy, Enso, Chinaider, and Junior.  Here is a Christmas joy video where Ilayas, Maraya, and Junior share their Christmas joy, despite a lack of presents and tree.