Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, they got 100% better.
Two Fridays ago, around 3:30pm, I was finishing up washing my dishes outside in the pila. I was going to make myself a nice, fresh salad from groceries recently purchased at the market. I had some romaine lettuce with tomatoes, onions and avocado in mind and in my eagerness to get chopping I lifted the large chopping knife out of my guacal of dishes. Overly ambitious, as always, I thought I should start multi-tasking, so I used my left hand to hold the bucket, right foot to start walking, my right hand to grab for the cutting board and cooking utensils, my left foot to shut the door behind me and, running out of usable appendages and just as any right-minded individual would do, stuck the large chopping knife under my right armpit, point down.
Everything was going smoothly until my phone rang. Not wanting to miss the call and waste any of my precious saldo, I reached for it without thinking. The ringing continued, although this time it was in my head, as I stood there in shock wondering what the throbbing was my foot. It was then that I looked down and saw the knife on its side on the floor, blood spurting from a hole in my goal-maker. I had forgotten the knife was there and just as carelessly as I had placed it, I released it- into my foot. Just kidding about the spurting, it wasn’t that bad…but it hurt and I wanted my Mommy. Actually, I wasn’t all that concerned, except for the little piece of meat (as my neighbor described it, carne) popping out. I called the Peace Corps doctors.
A few minutes later a driver was on the way from the capital to pick me up, where we would turn around 4 hours later to head to the San Salvador hospital. A little bit of digging, cleaning, cutting out the bit of meat that was protruding, 2 teeny stitches (embarrassing I know) and some bruised toes later, I was fine. But, being its summer and my site now consists of walking through a daily cloud of dust aaaand I have also been prone to skin infections, the doctors wanted me to stay in the capital a week until the stitches were out and wound closed.
Gracias a Dios, I did stay, because what for the next 3 days I thought was heartburn, turned out to be Amoebas and the little eggs they laid growing in my stomach; A parasite infection from dirty food/water. Once again, I felt my pride in eating everything pisotear’ed upon as I learned my all-ingestive diet had failed me, yet again. But with 3 pills a day, I am slowly recovering. I’ll spare you the details but lets just say my digestive and excretory systems are being to display their proper functions.
Anyway, the point of this story is that things are better! Right… Okay…
So Tuesday, oh aquel beautiful Tuesday, 2 vans pulled into La Montanita: 1 was an ambulance full of Salvadoran workers of Comandos en Salvamento carrying 10 brand-new, bike-tire bearing wheel chairs. The other was a micro-bus overflowing with “White People” carrying regalitos, but more importantly love and smiles.
You see, maybe 3 months ago, I started working with a group of people in my community in economic development. A dear lady of the group introduced me to Angel, a 4 year old boy who can’t walk but wears a smile that is highly contagious. They asked me if I could help him. I felt sorry that I didn’t work in health and could think of little I could do. Time passed. I worked more with the group and I saw Angel more often. He giggled as I took a sip of my juice every time he did and afterwards we raced to see who could finish our cookies first. He got over his pena to give me a hug and showed me how he can swing in his chair. Needless to say, I fell in love and added one more child to my ever-growing list of adoptee candidates.
I carry a list of NGOs in my notebook and one day at the cyber I came across the Free Wheelchair Mission. I filled out an inquiry and sent an email and 3 weeks later I had a response. I thought it was all too good to be true. 10 free wheelchairs, they could offer me! I immediately contacted the Health Promoter of my community and asked if there were others in La Montanita that needed a wheelchair. He knew of 6: 4 kids and 2 elderly. So I opened up the offer to my fellow PCVs. 3 wheelchairs were sent to neighboring communities in Morazan and the final wheelchair was given to a last lady in my community who recently turned 92!
We spent a day working with members of my community to assemble the wheelchairs. I went around the community, seeing parts I have never seen before, taking pictures of the wheelchair recipients, talking to the families, filling out paperwork and inviting them to the ceremony. I walked deep into the outskirts of La Montanita, coming across houses barely standing with bed springs as walls and rooms solely bearing a hammock. I met Ovidio, a 10 year old who’s cuteness gives Angel a tough run for his money; His biceps put me to shame and it was clearly evident he would be the wheelchair master.
And then Tuesday, the vans arrived. The people disembarked and Paraiso descended upon us. We gave the families their wheelchairs and little gifts. There were teeth I had never seen before between widespread lips. Warm embraces. Sweet words. And unforgettable eyes. I am so thankful for the help of these organizations and for the people who came to visit. It’s not often you get an opportunity like that. The 7 Americans were wonderful and it was so exciting for us to host them in our community. I am also very grateful to have a community like mine, to have met Angel and the rest of the gang. I look forward to visiting the wheelchair recipients next week with my little sister, and you will surely hear updates!
What a blessing it is that I was able to join the Peace Corps. And I don’t think Ill ever forget that day or stop smiling when I think about it. The chills I got looking out over everyone in their wheelchairs and their family. It’s those moments that make 75 mosquito bites below my ankles bearable and waking up everyday to roosters worthwhile. It’s the same as I felt when Fidel paid me back $10 I lent him 3 months ago (without me ever asking), or when I saw my soccer team practicing without my lead, my jewelry group making a new design, Lucinda freaking out that I only have 1 year left!!
And just went things couldnt possibly make me any happier. I got one of the best phone calls of my life last night.
I was sleeping because I had to wake up really early to head to the airport to pick up my lil sis (so excited). But I saw the name on my caller ID...low and behold-Fidel. The same kid who just paid me back $10. "He ganado la beca, he ganado!" HE WON. He told me he won the scholarship to study in the states.
Peace Corps emailed me about this opportunity 5 months. I ask aruond my community and came across Fidel. A smart kid who has studied his whole life receiving top grades, working 4am mornings cutting coffee, beans and corn in the fields and spends his evenings with a Youth Group, playing guitar for the church.
He made it to the interview level, but it required traveling to San Salvador. A 4 hour trip to a scary place he has never been. He couldnt even afford the transportation. Reluctantly, I lent him $10, assuming I'd never see it again (but he proved me wrong and proudly paid me back) and knowing its a bad precendent to set, but knowing it was for a good cause.
On Monday, he will have a passport. In months he will be in the US studying Business at the University level. He didn't have $10 and now he will have a formal education. And in 2 years he will return to beautiful El Salvador and do amazing things for his community, I am sure. I am so proud of him!!!
…Help me find a job like this one the rest of my life…
Special Thanks to:
Free Wheelchair Mission
World Emergency Relief
Rescue Task Force
Comandons en Salvamento
And to my beautiful and wonderful community. My angelitos and tan lindo jovenes. Te quiero mucho!!!
