Back to school / A brief history

The past few days have only confirmed my suspicions that nothing will ever go like I think it will and living in Mexico is quite an adjustment. I am back in school to study Spanish for two weeks at a language school in Cuernavaca. It is amazing how only six months after graduating, I have already forgotten how to be a student. I am in level three out of five and it is incredibly frustrating. On my first day of class, it felt like I had forgotten all the Spanish I know. I haven't studied Spanish since my junior year of college and it is very evident. It is even more frustrating communicating in Spanish outside of the home. There are times when I am completly lost. I only hope that my language ability won't hurt my abiltiy to be an effective volunteer in Miacatlan.

We take a bus to and from school and today was the first day we got on the right bus. In the afternoon we translate letters from Spanish to English. The past two nights we have lost electricity in the whole neighborhood. We rarely have internet and the showers are usually luke warm, although occasionally they are just cold. I feel like I have no idea what is going on. But mostly I am just enjoying the experience of it all. Text messages and e-mails are always welcome and they really brighten my days.

This Sunday we will be going to the house in Miacatlan (where the younger kids live) for visitor's day. Visitor's day happens twice per year and it is an opportunity for the kids' families to visit. Many of the kids have aunts, uncles grandparents or other relatives that come to visit. It is an emotional day and I really don't know what to expect. I will be sure to write more after Sunday.

Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos (NPH) is the name of the organization I will be working with. NPH was founded in 1954 by a Catholic priest from Arizona, Father Wasson. Father Wasson was working in a church in Cuernavaca when a small boy stole from the collection box. Instead of testifying against the boy, Father Wasson was given custody of him. By the end of the year Father Wasson had 32 boys in his care.

Since that first child NPH has grown to have homes in nine Latin American countries. The house in Mexico has around 800 children. Our children are never adopted out. This is done for several reasons. We keep our kids close to thier culture, close to their existing family including brothers and sisters and we offer them stabilty that they may never have had in their young lives.

The younger children live in Miacatlan and when they begin high school they move into Cuernavaca. After high school graduation our children give a year of service back to NPH often working as encargados (caretakers). If the pequeno wants to go onto college he or she gives another year of service back to the home. NPH will then provide for education as high as the pequno wants to go. Many of our children have gone onto become doctors, lawyers, dentists as well as tortilla makers and taxi drivers. The most important thing is that the children are now able to support themselves and their families.

I hope that gives a brief explanation of where I am working. If there is anything I can clarify or anything I should elaborate on, let me know and I will include it in the next post.

Peace