What Does Your Eye See...???

Its 92 degrees hot as the family and I sit on the bench perched on the corner waiting our turn for the next taxi.  There are three people sitting in front of us, but only two of them appear to be together.  The spent timeworn woman that sat beside me held two sacks full of groceries between her legs, and another of what appeared to be books and school supplies on her lap.  As the next taxi pulls up to pick up its next two passengers, my friend decides its too hot to wait without water, and the store behind the bench where we sit should have some.  He returned with four sandwich sized plastic bags filled with water and four straws.  My Spanish is not the greatest so I wasn't able to fully comprehend the writing on the bag. I said a prayer as I stabbed my bag with my straw and took a sip. My sip was interrupted by a new taxi pulling in to pick up the exhausted old woman, but the driver insisted that me must have a full car before he will pull away from the curb.  The family and I get passed over for the couple in love, just behind us. They just appeared, but we are too many and will not fit with old woman and her many packages so we are forced to sit and wait. It’s another twenty minutes before we are saved from the heat.

It’s another thirty minutes through the large city in the valley and up the mountain sides long winding dusty roads before we were let out at the rusted 1980’s version of Chevrolet pick up dumped at the fork in the road. Laughing neighborhood children with well worn clothing run to greet us as they chase their soccer ball into the rusted truck. Not a care in the world for those children, oh so it seems. At this moment they appear happy and healthy. It’s another five hundred yards before we come across what appears to be a vibrant garden oasis contained by iron fencing.  Entering the gate, this oasis is hovering over plywood walls suspended over a corrugated metal roof.  It’s the family home.  


It’s interior was neat and clean, warm but sparely furnished. Having both front and rear doors open made it easy to see through the entire home.  A small yellow sofa had lacey placemats draped over its arms to cover up its holes.   An oversized upholstered chair covered in a light blue damask fabric and a pink and yellow floral pillow sat beside the front door.  A makeshift shelving unit made of pressed board and cement blocks held the families only TV, few books, and lots of family photos proudly displayed.  A 1950’s version of a vintage “diner- style” dining table with four matching shiny cream-colored vinyl chairs , sat on the wall opposite the sofa, below an open window.  The table had to be shoved up against the wall to allow traffic by, the room was too small to accommodate four to share a meal at the table at the same time.


Although we had never met, Grandmother greeted me with a warm hug, then reached down my arms to grab my hands and squeezed:


¡Es tal bendición de tenerle en nuestro hogar! ¡Bienvenida!  
(It is such a blessing to have you in our home! Welcome!)


I certainly felt welcomed.  I apologized in advance for not having the best Spanish skills, but was able to thank her properly.  We spent the next couple of hours talking, laughing and trying to understand each other.  As my pocket-sized Spanish-English dictionary made it’s way around the room, from hand to hand, the hillside breeze made its way through each open window and doorway.  During the quiet phases of page turning to gather our thoughts…the music of birds singing and children playing filled the home. The interactions between Grandmother, Mom, Daughter and Son were filled with love, warmth and respect.  It didn’t matter that we were in a third world country and surrounded with poverty.  It didn’t matter that the village only had running water three days out of the week.  No plumbing for a toilet…just a cement stool with a hole in the center that opened up to a deep hole in the hillside.  No washer and dryer. Not even cable TV.  Yet they live happily. They live off the land, grow their own chickens and store their water during the rainy season. They adapt.


They also have one thing that isn’t present in a lot of homes… even in the US.  LOVE!


Many might visit this tiny little village and look down on the poverty that is so prevalent in this third world country.  Truth be told, It may not have been my choice of residences, or even my chosen lifestyle.  But the one thing I did know…I could do this too, and be very happy.  They had everything they needed…and so did I! It’s all in how you see it.  I guess beauty is in the eye’s of the beholder…huh???


Happy 2012 Everyone!