My morning was spent in a meeting with Omar Carcamo Matute who is the local coordinator of our Highway Feeding Program. We walked through a small portion of the barrio, neighborhood, which is named " Tejeras".
There are about 40 homes from which the children come to be fed every Friday. The homes line the highway and are built on municipality land and many have been there for over 30 years. Most of the people are brick makers having built their ovens on the municipality land as well. When questioned regarding what water the people use, Omar stated that he has city water at the home he rents and that many get water from his house and the river.
There are about 40 homes from which the children come to be fed every Friday. The homes line the highway and are built on municipality land and many have been there for over 30 years. Most of the people are brick makers having built their ovens on the municipality land as well. When questioned regarding what water the people use, Omar stated that he has city water at the home he rents and that many get water from his house and the river.
Some of the houses on the right side past the bridge have water, but none on the left b/c the municipality “refused” to give it. (There is not enough water pressure to pump the water if they had the pipes.)
The children attend the Luz de Valle Escuela and Kinder which thankfully is one of the schools we have in our Fluoride/Anti-parasite program.
This house contains 12 people –
5 adults and 7 children and is typical construction.
Many of the homes are made of adobe and sticks.
Only the first two homes on the right just past the bridge have electricity as they own the land upon which they built. These families seem to have better economic resources.
We drove to the land field which was rather ‘clean’. There was one family there scavenging. I gave them the only thing I had that was edible…crackers. The municipality has a worker who sets the fire and watches over it. Omar reported that any attempt to remove the children from seeking food and recyclables would not be supported by the parents.
On the way back, we stopped at a spot three lots away from where the feeding is currently occurring each Friday. The parents have built a shelter…cement floor with a tin roof; approx. 16 yards square. It seems a lady donated the land to be used for the gatherings….although, it is municipality land. There is an additional area approx. 20 yards square available for use. When asked, he states they will carry the chairs, etc. to this lot for the Friday feedings and for the Sunday morning program during which he teaches the children from the Bible.
How great is our God! It is exciting to see how a gift from donors in the US inspires our friends here to work together and create a place to worship our Lord.
Enjoy the Sabbath.
In Christ, Roxanne
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