To be completely honest, I feel kind of weird writing about
this afternoon.
You all have nieces, nephews, grandkids that you sit for
from time to time.
Because I have always been a billion miles away from my
family, I haven’t ever been that person you call when you need a night off from
the kids.
I have not escaped that communal society here, and I
couldn’t avoid kidnapping some little ones for the evening.
One of the girls that I have posted pictures of before, is
my favorite. I can’t lie. She is adorable, and her voice is inaudible it is so
cute and high pitched.
Her older sister is one of my most faithful students and
best helpers. She always stays after to clean the library.
Milady is 5, and looks to be about three. But, mentally she
is all five-years-old. Her older sister is Elizabeth, she is 10 and, like
Roxana, is responsible beyond her years. The two girls are generally in dirty
clothes, but with pristine hair in perfect, beautiful French braids. I ran into
Elizabeth on the street yesterday and her hair was a mess. I talked to her a
little about her vacation and she just seemed tired.
I didn’t think anything of it until the girls arrived at the
library today, no dirtier than usual, but their hair hadn’t been braided in
probably a week, and the littlest one reeked of urine. Old urine. Something was up.
“Elizabeth, how is your mom?”
“My mom? Bad. She is not well.”
I decided to check out the living situation, and after we closed the library for the day I walked the
girls home.
Sweet grandma answered the door and insisted I come in and
have a seat. Grandpa was next of me trembling. Looked like Parkinson’s.
Grandma had a large rash across her face.
I asked about mom who was still in the chacra. She was
having stomach pains, and had sores in her mouth. The entire adult portion of
the family was obviously stressed, tired and sick.
We chatted for a while while Milady climbed all over me.
They had gone to the health post but the post didn’t have the medication any of
them needed. Apparently grandpa is having trouble peeing, and grandma’s knees
hurt as well.
“Once, when Elizabeth had a cough, she said you were a nurse
and gave her a pill that made her cough go away, is that true?”
“I am not a nurse,” I gave Elizabeth a cough drop “But I do
know the body pretty well and have medications that might be able to help.”
All of these things seemed so simple to me
Grandma- antihistomine, and ibuprophen
Grandpa- uranox for UTI and I taught them some tricks for
the parkinson's brain to help him walk easier
Mom- paracetemol (Tylenol) and chapstick. I really think her
symptoms are stress related, so the Tylenol should help with the irritation and
pain of the soars, and chapstick will placebo and keep her from licking the
soares on her lips so much and dry them out. Mom probably just needs rest. She
is obviously taking care of 4 people on her own and our water and electricity
has been going out the past 2 months.
I emphasized that if the meds don’t help in less than a week
then they need to make a trip to chivay to see a doctor there.
“Can the girls come with me tonight, give you guys a break?
I will bathe and feed them, and they will be back at bedtime.”
Grandma was all for it. I insisted that the clothes they
pack be clean clothes, and this was a struggle. The clothes had been washed and
put on the line, but it had rained this afternoon and wet them all over again.
I said we would figure it out. Then we went to the library to get them new
toothbrushes.
I put on the lion king, pulled the tire tub into my room and
we heated water for the two girls to bathe. After Milady was done and suited up
in a clean pair of my new underwear tied at the waste, I ran to get chicken
while Elizabeth bathed herself. 10 minutes later I knocked, “Are you dressed?”
“No… 5 more minutes?”
“Elizabeth, are you clean?”
“Yes.”
“Just feels good, huh?”
“Yes, profesora.”
“Ok, 5 more minutes.”
I braided both girls’ hair while the noodles my grandmother,
brother and I made together over Christmas break simmered with nothing but
chicken, salt, and pepper. Such deliciously magical noodles. The girls loved it.
Just as they pulled out their new toothbrushes, their mom
showed up at the door, very happy and appreciative.
I used to say that I can’t be a parent to all the kids here
for parents who can not provide for them. It is too stressful to even think
about sometimes. But, what I can do is fight for Elvis to get an education and
change his parent’s mindset. I can give this overly worked woman one night off
here and there.
I can’t be the caregiver they all need, and the workshops I
do can help in the long run, but right now, it is such a pleasure to be able to
kidnap children whenever I feel like it.
“Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth
the curtains of thine habitations” Isaiah 54.
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