Love this place...

So things at the academy have been moving at a different pace this week because Kelly, from Cause For Hope is in town. He has been evaluating the program, seeing where it needs improvement and possible changes. It’s been fun to hear his perspective and see the potential of the academy. Kelly took us out to lunch yesterday. It was delicious and a great view! We went to a restaurant that overlooks Central Park. It was awesome watching the hustle and bustle of the people.

It is hard to be in a place like this and not have a heavy heart. The people here live such a different life than we do. Ben and I were observing today that most of the people work 6 days a week, 12 hours a day.  Every two weeks they earn what we could every two days (yes, things are cheaper here but imagine paying a mortgage and feeding your family on two days salary). Most of the families here have a lot of kids because they also cannot afford birth control. The kids start working at a young age here (selling Chiclets, suckers, shining shoes, etc.) because if they don’t, then they don´t eat.
At the academy, there is a 21 year old we work with, named Edwin. I love him. Not in a wrong way, of course. His family received a microloan from Cause For Hope in which they bought three looms. His family made amazing colorful blankets with the looms and sold them at the markets. When Edwin was on his mission (he returned home 2 months ago) his father came home in a drunken rage one night and smashed all of the looms. His father is now in jail for what he did, but because of it, the family now has no income. Edwin starting working at the academy a month and a half ago. Edwin´s family (all seven of them) relies solely on his income. A new loom costs about a hundred bucks but they can´t afford it. They also can´t get another microloan because they still owe money for the other looms that were bought. It is such a bad situation. Talk about the pressure and responsibility he must feel to take care of his family. You would NEVER know this has happened to Edwin. He always has a smile on his face... always! On his break at work, he watches church conference talks on youtube. It´s cases like this that breaks my heart. At the same time, its cases like this that shows how strong the people are. Some of them live in horrible conditions, but you would never know it by the way they treat you. There are people here that would sacrifice everything just to have us over for dinner. It´s crazy to me.
On a totally different topic, today Ben and I splurged by going to lunch at the Wendy´s. We went there for two reasons. 1) American food rocks. 2) I miss carpet so much and that is the only place in town that has it. Weird, I know. I never thought I could miss carpet so much, but I do. The carpet at the Wendy´s is the flat, casino kind, but it´s carpet! I am already looking forward to when I get home, I am going to do a full on carpet swim and roll. I love carpet.
On that note, have a great day!