Last But Certainly Not Least: La Guardaria

Oh yes, the Guadaria. Another one cerca de mi corazon (close to my heart). This is the nursery! You gotta love the Nursery. Look at all of those kids. The idea of the Guadaria is a place for the kids to go freeing up the mothers and fathers to go to work and earn money. See how something so small can be so big?

I don't know why I try to act like I don't like kids lol. I'm always coming up with a reason why I need to go peek at the kids at the Guadaria. They are sholl nuff all over the place, but it's always a lot of fun. It needs A LOT of help though! 

There are diapers that need to be changed, there is only one crib, we are always scrapping to have enough food for them for breakfast, lunch and snacks throughout the day. 

It would also help if we had more toys, books, art supplies etc. 

Right now there is a program similar to the Padrino program for the Guadaria. A person pays $5 a week to provide the meals for a child in the Guadaria. A great cause right? Let me know if you are interested in this program as well!!! (CovingtonJennifer@Gmail.Com)

I also have visions of fixing up the place so that it's has a cheerful, hopeful upbeat feeling to it. 

They also have some land in the back of the Guadaria that I would think would be Perfect for a jardin. That way the Mujeres could start growing their own food and it doesn't get more sustainable than that!

Second to Last: El Gabienete

The Gabienete De Belleza is the Beauty Shop! Hey now! You can get your hair done..excuse me, hair did, nails right, and get all lined up.... Well you could... right now the Gabiente doors are not open. All of the work had fallen on one individual who could only work on the weekends from what I understand. The Mujeres never knew when she was coming in and where the money she was earning was going...sooo... We have closed the doors as of right now.

We would need to find a couple of people who can work all week and the weekends to make the Gabienete a more thriving business for the Mujeres. That shouldn't be too hard to find since the Gabienete was also a location where these wonderful courses were held to train people. In my opinion we have our hands full, so we can focus getting some of these other projects off of the ground first. It's really awesome though that the Mujeres have all these locations that great things are being done. They have the space and some of the necessary equipment so that's a huge hurdle we are already over once we are able to open the doors again. Hopefully you will be getting a post one of these days about the doors opening again to the Gabienete! 

Comin Up Next: La Costura

The Costura is actually located in Lilly's living room. It's amazing. There are a ton of machines just waiting to be used. Pictured here the people who took advantage of the course that was held for sewing class.  Just recently we opened the doors again to the Costura. There are people in the community trained to sew and tailor and the machines are there so anything that we made would be nothing but profit. Right now we are working with just finding where to get the clothes. We have some ideas of what we can do. One, we are going to have the ladies sew the uniformes for the Colegio I'm working with at the beginning of next year. Also, the ladies are asking for people's old clothes and they are fixing them up and selling them on Saturday at discounted prices. We are hoping that once we are up and running for awhile people in the barrio will catch on and start bringing their clothes there. I'm sure one of my tasks will be to look for more outside business, but we are just taking it one step at a time. The Costura is another service that we provide that can help bring money INto the barrio and is a possible way another one of the other projects can be sustained. Ah, I just love possibility!

Third Micro Empresa: La Panaderia

The Panaderia is located right next to the Comedor. The Ladies wake up bright and early and make the bread fresh everyday. In these pictures the Panaderia along with some of the other micro empresas had actual courses where they trained the people in the community skills so that they could go out and get work in these fields. Que Bueno! 

 Right now I am working with the Director of a Colegio here on making the projects of the Mujeres De Lucha more sustainable (your gonna hear that word a lot...at least if I'm doing a good job you will...) We were thinking that if we can get sales of the bread up and maybe sell it in other places besides the barrio, then the Panaderia can be a source of funds that sustain, the Comedor for example. That would be such a shining moment, if we no longer had to look outside of the barrio for a way to make sure the kids eat! But all of that takes time and planning, so that's another thing on this hot and full plate of mine :) I think it is very possible to see that happen in the two years I'm here. Vamos a ver! :)

Next Stop:El Comedor

Ah the Comedor, what could be better than feeding the community? The Comedor doesn't turn anyone away and they feed over 150 people from what I understand. That's only counts the people I have down of paper. Rose in the picture to the left is the boss of the Comedor. She cooks, decides what is going to be made and just all things Comedor.

I'm going to be working with her to get an exact head count of home many children are eating at the Comedor and how many elderly people. Also, working getting a process in play of how we decide what is going to be served everyday and what is being taken out of the Tienda. That way we will have an exact dollar amount of what we either need on of the micro

 empresas to earn each month or how much we need to secure in donations each month.

The children not only are given nourishment daily, but they are taught manners (like saying buenas tardes and saying thank you when they get served) and etiquette as well at the Comedor. It's a really great experience. 

Right now we have the Padrino system that anyone can be a part of. For just $2 a week you can feed a child! How great is that! I just became a Madrina (the female version of Padrino or God father) and I couldn't be happier. However we need a TON more! It's $2 a week or $96 a a year for a child to get a serving of soup, rice, meat and vegetables or fruit, for a whole year! Let me know if you want to sponsor a child! I can't think of a better cause!!!  

Hit me up at CovingtonJennifer@Gmail.Com and we can get the ball rollin! 

Close up on The Projects, First Stop: La Tienda

To me the Tienda is the heart of it all. The Tienda is the community store where the Mujeres De Lucha provide everyday goods and affordable prices for the community. 

There is also the yard in front of the Tienda where special events are held, where we eat lunch, where the ladies make bolones for extra income and more. There is a stove and a table and always a good time there. 

 The challenge with the Tienda are many... but I'll just list a few things...we take inventory on notebooks so it's kind of unofficial and hard to keep track of the items. Also since the tienda feeds the Mujeres, our lunch, the Comedor AND the community...there is a lot that is taken out of it, but the tracking is mas o menos. That's one thing I'm trying work on right now, keeping track of what is leaving and how much it is costing the Tienda. Another huge challenge is keeping things in stock. In these pictures the Tienda looks full and thriving! Right now however, the shelves are getting bare, and we just went to the market and got a ton of food! We rely heavily on the kindness of others and donations.   My Focus while being here is sustainability of all of these projects. So while donations are great, it's not guaranteed and it's not consistent. Sometimes, often, we have to turn customers away because we don't have something in stock. We also don't like the venders come by looking for there money! Hooo Wee! We all go running. We have to keep our lights on, the phone on, the electricity for the refrigerators so the food doesn't go bad on. It's a struggle for sure. I'm currently looking for grants and more people to donate but it's still a challenge. Foundations that give you money also want to see that they are giving to a sustainable project. People who donate want to know Exactly where there money is going. 

The Mujeres Always land on their feet. I see that. I just want them to not have to be Women of Struggle (Mujeres de Lucha) I looked up "Lucha" in my Span/Eng Dictionary and it means :Struggle, Fight or Strive For...So I want them to be Women who are just Striving...Striving & " Working for a Better Tomorrow" (their slogan). 

Get This....!

I haven't actually sat down and written in awhile... I love pre posting!

I have a close up look of all of the micro empresas (micro enterprises) coming up, I have posted the pictures but I need to put some words it...Maybe I will today...

Okay, do I give you the long or short version of this story...

I'm so tired and have been sick con gripe, all weekend. Still hacking up a lung and blowing my nose incessantly...that is when I'm not uber stopped up and can't breathe..Ugh...

Other than that it's been quite nice spending the ENTIRE weekend in bed :)

This was going to be a fun weekend full of friends coming to visit for they mental health :) and a race, but since there are people protesting everywhere right now, we have been put on a travel restriction :-X boo hiss. Ah well... next time...

Let me just dive right into the story...(we are going with the long version) 

Get This!!

So at the beginning of the week (can't remember if it was Monday or Tuesday)

It was the end of the day and I was eating lunch minding my business. Usually there are about 6 of there, but today it was only myself, Ms. E and Lottie (I'm giving the alias names cause I'm going to have pictures and I don't want to just have them all out there on the internet ya'mean?) Ms. E makes the us lunch and Lottie is the boss lady :) So per usual I was sitting near the entrance of the gate that you go through to approach the tienda (community store).

When someone walks in we always greet them with a Buenas Dias/Tardes (depending on the time of day) cause that's just the proper Ecuadorian way. So as I slurp my scolding hot soup in the scolding hot sun, like every other day...a gentleman walk through the steel gate doors. I begin my saludo (greeting) only to stop mid sentence as I look at him... Same thing happened to him...he was bout to saludo until he looked at me....and then just kept walking forward to the Tienda....

The guy was unsettling familiar..*I KNOW him* I thought to myself...Of course the memory he conjured up I did NOT want to remember so I just kept on slurpin my soup. Even if it was the worst case scenario, all he's going to do is go to the tienda, buy some eggs or something from Lottie and then be on his way. It's good, now he knows I work with the Mujeres and that'll be that on that. Oooor not.

Instead of leaving like every other customer we have...he sits and is talking to Lottie while she eats her lunch in the tienda. From afar we are both eyeing each other. I was just trying to see what he was doing and what his interaction was with Lottie. Why was he watching ME!? Mmm-hmmm I know why. But I don't wanna be right...

So with out trying to sound suspicious I ask Ms E. what was his affiliation with Lottie. She said he's a guy from the barrio whose fallen on some really hard times and wants to work at one of our establishments. Ooookay. So he goes kinda way back with the Mujeres and he's trying to stay around. That's a concern. We start wrapping up lunch. As usual I have to go into the tienda and get some items to take my food to go because I cannot ever finish all the of the food that Ms E. Gives me. I mean a HUGE bowl of soup (think small punch bowl) and then a moutain of rice with some other side and usually meat (which I also don't want to eat everyday, but that's been an up hill battle) so I gotta walk past this guy to get my tarina (what we put our food in to take home). 

So When I walk up I'm thinking, let me get a better look and I'm sure he's going to do the same... Well I got a good look at him but he was desperately trying to look every which way but at me. Suspect. When I enter the tienda I hear him talking to Lottie. *shudder* Ugh that voice. I know that voice. At this point I'm pretty sure this guy is my ladron (translation: theif/robber..etc) 

Ughhhh no way! What to do NOW? Do I say something? 

I'm not sure, how can I be sure? I know that when people are in traumatic situations their memory recall is less than reliable. It's been proven that eye witnesses to a, say, a car accident, report completely different stories. Color of the car, people who around, what the people involved looked like etc. I KNOW this. But, man, not only that gut feeling, but I know that voice, that jaw line....and why is he actin so shifty? Plus if I say something, I could be talking about one of the Mujeres, cousins, sons, so-in-so-in-law....Do I wanna do that? The ladies have known me for a month. They probably have known him for most of his life...

Also, I've recovered my items. I just got a new phone (way jank, the phone that got jacked was better, but whatever) I got a new Dictionary, I drew myself a planner and then Ms Edie sent me a planner (thanks Mom!) I have re written all of the planning notes the Mujeres and I had written. I got my IDs..well sort of...Soooo It's not like I want to pin him up against the wall and shake him loose of all my stuff. There is no reason. 

Great...so maybe I just won't say anything. Suffer in silence. But is that the way to be when you are trying to create trust and confianza with the Mujeres. No matter what I say I know they wouldn't judge me, and I know if I thought this they would want to know....hmmm...let me just observe more....

So we are closing up the store now, the guy leaves...watching me from afar then averting his eyes when he gets close up (maybe he's shy?) I REally didn't wanna probe more, but I ask Lottie..."So he wants to work in the bakery?" She's like yeah, he's really poor (the Mujeres always talk about how poor they are so for them to call someone else Really Poor is saying something...) I think she said his mom is either sick or just passed away and he wants to work in the bakery. Great a sob story. I have made up my mind. Not saying anything. He's got it rough and if he is my ladron I totally get why he would rob me. THEN Ms. E says.... Ooooh so he's poor, but he doesn't rob people right? 

Lottie raises her eyebrows and is like "SI!" I was like really? She's like yeah, I know he does, a lot people here do when they don't have another way. The door was swinging wide open and it was just us three girls....what's the harm in.... "Sooo I didn't want to say anything but I think that guy is my ladron" Ooooh snap the cats out of the bag now! 

Lottie is like "Are you sure!? Seguro?" I'm like NO I' not sure at all...but I just got the feeling, and his voice is familiar and he won't saludo me and he was watching me from afar and he won't even face me though when I am up close. I thought he was shy, but he was quite chatty with everyone else. 

Oh the other thing I didn't want to do. Is make up my mind he was my ladron and then just see him through those lenses ya know? Like then everything he did would be a "yep see! I knew it!" even if it was really nothing. So I tried not to do that...

Anyway, Lottie was like...well it's possible and he needs to know you work here. I was like well he just saw me here with you all, so no big deal. Happy day, just had to get that out there, let's keep this just between us.

I guess they thought US meant the entire Mujeres de Lucha caaaause when I came in the next day.... It was the topic of discussion. Great! I sure hope he isn't someone's cousin! Everyone is all "You are sure? It's him? Really" No no not sure, just maybe...either way it doesn't matter...I have everything I need and I didn't take it personally. 

Lottie informs me that he's coming back today to see what the answer is about the bakery. I have never known anyone outside of the Mujeres work at any of the micro enterprises. Por supuesto (of course) this guy is getting special treatment...but it's all good. I'm usually at the tienda and the bakery is on a different street and the people that make the bread do it at like 4-6 am or something, so I won't have to see him right? So great.

So Lottie starts telling me that we three need to have a meeting. Please understand also that these are the times that I wish I understood EVERY single word in Spanish, because this is getting to be a sticky situation and it would be difficult in English, but it's a bunch of us ladies, gossip, a clueless gringa, and a possible thief we are dealing with here. It would be the perfect situational comedy. Why don't I have a reality show so my agony and discomfort could actually be fun and entertaining to someone! But alas, this is just a Thursday in mi vida ahora. 

So Lottie is hitting her fist in her hand saying, we need to have a meeting, and we are going to ask him to his face what's the deal and then we are going to tell him that he needs to respect you because you are a Mujeres de Lucha now. You are one of us and he needs to respect you as such. Eeeemmm I'm not confortable with that. Can't we just keep it between us? It's reaaallly not that serious. I wasn't harmed in anyway (except for my own stupidity resisting resulting in an arm bruise and jammed ankle) and I have my stuff now. Plus I get why it happened. I got it back when it happened. When people are in desperate situations, things like this happen.

I'm trying to express this with my horrible spanish. All the other ladies are just co-signing Lottie. Ahhh such an nightmare!!! They are like, so great, when he gets here we'll have the face to face. Has no one understood what I said? I don't want that. It's just going to make us Forever uncomfortable. Cause if he's not my ladron Then, I just accused an innocent guy and no he really isn't going to like me. If it is...is he going admit it to the ladies who can possibly employ him? Not to mention at that face to face I would want to know what everyone is saying, and I know I wouldn't. Pass!

So I'm in the office that's linked to the tienda making phone calls and organizing stuff for the comedor (cafeteria)...and Lottie comes up to me and is like, he's here let's go. I guess I never Really say no to her (i.e. working 6 days a week...I'mma work on that Ya'll!!!) the nice Jen, doormat me, was like you just gotta go, they aren't understanding you, and it's time. but the Me ME was like I.Don't.Want.To....so in fact, I don't know how I'm going to express it, but No means No in Spanish and English so start there!!

I was like I don't want to! I really don't want to! I'm not going to do it, No. I went through the list again. I'm not 100% positive it is him. Either way I don't want to offend him. It's not important to me. I have all the things I need, I wasn't hurt and I didn't take it personally. If we have a standoff it's only going to make it hard for both of us. I also said if it IS him..is it NOt enough from him to have to walk up in here and see that the girl he jacked is actually in his barrio because I'm working with the Mujeres De Lucha, the most respected org on that side of town? I was like it's bastante! He's got his lesson if its for him to get...

After all that ...she's like Bueno...I get it...but then he can't work he can he? Its up to you. I say he can't work here. GREAT another freakin decision on my shoulders. I said that he can. At the time I was like Of course he can! I explained that if he is the ladron, the reason why he is, is not because he's a bad person, it's cause he's poor and desperate and has no other choice. Who ever that guy is outside, is trying to to better with his life and do an honest days work. If we the Mujeres de Lucha are about making this community better wouldn't it be doing the opposite denying him work, based off of a guess......

Lottie just looked at me...and I was like ooohkaaay that didn't make sense...then she says something about my heart and maybe being of gold? And then gives me a big bear hug and says something about what Dios is going to do in my life. So I guess she got it?

(Dad are you reading this and not pleased right now? lol I just had that though. Don't be mad dad!)

So she goes out side...and is like "She said No" I don't know WHO she said that too, I look at one of the ladies....yikes are we good...and she just gives the same crazy face back and just shrugs.

So I'm thinking, bueno, he's going to go off to the panaderia (bakery) and I'll never see that guy again.

Ummmmmmmm no. Why was he hanging out all day. He was running errands for the Mujeres, going to fetch milk, cooking food with Ms. E....and every time he wasn't around...the topic was him being my ladron. So uncomfortable! He never spoke to me and was acting way shady. At one point we were both in the (Comedor) Cafateria. I was talking to Rose about sponsoring a child to eat at the Comedor (you can too but details on that in the comedor post!) then up rolls...Frank we'll call him. He was carrying a bunch of stuff...and me on auto pilot asked did he need help. His reaction was clearly like...Um I'm trying to act like you don't exist and you talking to me has really thrown me off. Me and Rose just look at each other like...weird. 

So then I call my girl to tell her about the maddness...and I'm just hiding out in the office which I never do. It's almost lunch time so I'm like well I'll probably gotta get off the phone to go out and eat by the entrance. Case I know he's hanging out more than any one has ever hung out before, but when it comes to lunch ONLY the Mujeres Eat at the table. Lottie eats in the store to hold down the fort, but NO one eats with us. If they want a lunch they go to the Comedor. So I peak out of the door to see if the coast is clear. Why is THIS dude sitting where I usually sit sippin HIS soup. Awwwww Nawwww. So I just go back in the office asking my girl what do I do NOW... During that time Lily (not to be confused for Lottie) comes and brings me my soup segundos (seconds, i.e. the rice, and that day fried egg) ....soooo everyone is clear. He and I don't want to be near each other. I NEVER eat in the tienda...but I did that day. 

It's way awkward cause usually I'm like hey,I can eat here with Lottie and the Mujeres are like NO you sit at the table. But not that day. Also I know that HE knows I eat there cause he was watching me that first day. So it's obvious the change happened JUST cause he was there. When me and Clementine (one of the ladies I walk with) were leaving we both said Chao and he was saying Bye until he turned around and saw me and then got all weird. ARG! It's sooo weird.

Of course the whole walk Clementine was like your sure right? I'm like NO.I'm.not. And it doesn't matter! She was asking is he the guy with my bolsa...Oh that's another story and another thing (welcome to my stream of consciousness, I love blog writing, no rules)

Okay first off, my main girl Mary hasn't been there all week. I really feel like she's a level headed thinking and maybe could have aided all of us during this maddness but she had thangs to do this week. Anyway, the same week I got robbed (Cause was on a monday) Mary and I were taking the bus somewhere and a guy got on the bus selling milk! My eyes got huge and I was like that's my bag! It was the little bag that Peace Corps had given us that had my IDs and flash drive and 30 cents in it. The same knot the same dirty, the same bag I looked at everyday since I had been in Ecuador. She's like oh that's the guy!? I was like m I don't thnk so he seemed, shorter, lighter, jaw not so defined. I was like maybe his friend or something, but I don't think that's the guy, but that is So my bag. 

So the Mujeres keep asking. Is Frank the guy I saw on the bus with my bag? I'm like no it's not him...cause logically he got the stuff to sell not to keep. One of us being fluent in either Spanish or English would REALLY help right now, but that would be tooooo easy.

Friday I had a meeting and Saturday I was sick so I didn't go to the barrio...so I have some decisions to make about this week coming up.

I thought the guy would be gone out of my hair and someone I never saw. I also was hoping it was my imagination and he would treat me normal, like speak, allow me to speak to him and not be shifty acting. None of these wishes have come true. So. We Do need to have a talk (as usual Lottie is right...that woman is always right...) now I dont know if I should just catch him maybe when a ton of people aren't around and try with my horible Espanol make amends? Or have Lottie do the talking and have an awkward 3 way convo? Do those ever work? Ugh that really sounds uncomfortable to me.

I think I'm going to prepare something short and simple to say, make amends and hope we can just moooooove forward....

Thanks for sticking with this post.... I was just writing as I thought...lol as usual.

Don't be worried for my safety. It really is an advantage any way you look at it that he knows I work with the Mujeres. That is the whole point of people walking me in and out of the barrio, so people see me with them and know that I am one of them. He's going to spread the word either way. I'm safer now than I have ever been. He also knows or whoever my ladron is, knows I don't have money so what's the point. I go to my barrio with next to nothing...and all that I have is stuff in various places that you can't see. I don't feel as though I'm in any danger, but I do feel that I'm missing a opportunity to build a relationship if I continue to have this staticky relationship with this guy. 

The point of Peace Corps is to have an exchange, so that's what we should be doing. I KNEW this story wasn't over and I knew that I was going to see this guy again. Why do EYE have to be right even when I don't want to!? 

So wish me luck all....Here goes nuthin....

Operation: Back to Me

As we all know the first month here was a rough transition, but being Sunshine Builder I am determined to not let anything get me down. Look at things as opportunities, not obstacles right? So I I'm launching a back to me plan. 

And it goes little something like this (I of course have it all spelled out in my journal but I won't bore you all with that) 

-Prayer/Meditation time cada dia (I've way off of my routine...can't be missing my appointments for annointment (ha, just made that up))

-Find My Piece of Heaven  (you know a place I can always go and feel safe and happy)

-Find some dance (having trouble finding safe, dance spots for adults...this one is major for me)

-Fitness (I eat all the time and luckily I walk a lot as a part of life...but no working out, a lot of PCV's here are Really into working out. Think I should jump on board...Endorphines anyone?) 

-Set some boundries (tough one!! I work 6 sometimes 7 days a week. I'm no good by day 3...we'll see if and when I do this one...) 

-Focus on the positive ( be smart but don't be scared all the time..it's no way to live...)

-Travel (I'm sure getting out of this place now and then will be good for me...just gotta get some off time...)

That's the gist...and by the time This posts hopefully I have put most of these action items into...well...action :)

Wish me luck!