Stories. I intended for these stories to be included in the
last post, but didn’t want to bore you with an overly lengthy post. I didn’t
realize how much I had come to have a relationship with several of the
prestatarios until it came time to say goodbye to two of the women’s groups. Of
the five loan groups that meet every 15 days (not on the same day), I have come
to know several women from two of those groups pretty well. And even though
it’s only been a few weeks, these women have come to hold a special place in my
heart (There are men’s groups too, but as their meetings are later in the
evening, I have not had the pleasure of participating in those meetings, so I
haven’t gotten to know many of the men who have loans with SI…By the way. I
don’t know that I’ve actually mentioned the meetings…each person who has a
loan, and anyone who is looking to receive a new loan is required to attend one
of five group meetings. For those looking to receive a loan for the first time,
they are required to attend for three months before they can apply for a loan.
These are a time for the prestatarios to learn about finances through classes
called capacitación, and also a time for the Bible to be shared and the word of
God spoken. Around 40% of the prestatarios do not know Christ, and beyond the
home visits talked about in the last post, they are exposed to His Word at
these meetings.). These are [some of] the stories of several women who have
impacted me over the last several weeks.
this is the women's group that I became closest with at their first capacitación
Doña Elida
I’m not sure how old she is, but probably not much older
than me, maybe younger. Saber (who knows.). She’s married, has two sweet
children, lives at the bottom of the hill in Magdalena, and uses her loan to
invest in the small tienda (store) she runs out of her house. Through a few
visitas, several group meetings, and one project I have come to know her and
her family fairly well. With my last group of students we did a project (projects
serve to do something physical that helps to grow the business at no cost to
the prestatario) with Doña Elida to paint her storefront. Most houses and
buildings here are made of cinder blocks, and the front of Doña Elida’s house
had never been painted one of the bright colors that fill this country. It was
just gray. The front half of her house is where she has her tienda, serving
people out of a small window, but because of the lack of color and advertising
on the front, you couldn't tell it was anything different than any other house. So SI
bought paint, and we spent a day painting the house bright blue to
[hopefully] grab the attention of the people who attend soccer games at the
neighboring cancha (soccer field/stadium). This will [hopefully] grow the business. Through the visits we did with her,
and also through this project I was able to talk with her and her husband, just
sharing life. Nothing profound, though there is something profoundly beautiful
in just sharing life. Her husband told me (after we spent the whole afternoon
talking, painting, and taking pictures with his kids) that he will tell the
baby that he has an aunt in the U.S. (me) and they both told me that whenever I
come back here to be sure to visit them. She greets me at the meetings, and
welcomes me into her home for agua (not water…soda.), and we have come to be
friends.
Doña Elida's youngest. Her husband calls him El Gordito. (Endearing term, but means fat...)
Doña Susana
Doña Susana is a much older woman, but from the same area of
Magda, and also part of the same women’s group as Doña Elida. Actually, I think
she may be her mother-in-law? Some familial relationship? Saber. She has used
her loan to invest in her business of making bags and tablecloths. Her house is
one that takes you back at first, because the American in you wonders at the
dirt floors, wooden walls with large spaces where the sky shines through, and
smoky fire in a dark room. But she quickly wins you over with her big smile and
bigger laugh. She’s open to suggestions on how to sell/make her products
better, but her family struggles financially, and her income from the bags is
little. She’s got a lot of kids. Six maybe? Four? Maybe some are grandkids? The
oldest boy is trying to pay his way through school, but has been out of work
for some time. Unfortunately, this is an all too common problem here in
Guatemala. I’ve met Doña Susana at the meetings and talked with her at several
home visits. She watched us paint Doña Elida’s house, and joked that when we
finished we should just come over to her house and keep going. One day, she
came to Don Mario’s house to try to sell her bags to the students from the last
group (they have a “market” day once during each group where various women come
to sell bags, greeting cards, aprons, etc.), and I think she was nervous. It
was her first time at the mercadito (little market). Normally she tries to sell
by going door to door in Magdalena, and showing off what she’s made, which is tough. So I sat
with her, helped translate, and talked. Sharing life. Asking about her kids.
Telling her about my family. Making her feel more comfortable. She sold a few things, not much, but it was nice to be able to talk with her one-on-one. Now when I see her in the streets she gives me a
big hug and says “¡Hola Seño!” Sweet woman. Struggling, but fighting. Fighting
for a better life for her family and herself. She hopes that she can buy her
own sewing machine some day, so that she can continue to expand her business.
Doña Santiaga
I just met Doña Santiaga today (when I’m writing this, who
knows when it will get posted…), but I feel like we’re friends. She’s in her
sixties, has diabetes I’m not sure what her business is. Or was. She’s actually
behind in her payments. But here’s the thing. Today she shared with us that her
husband has been an alcoholic for the last 20 years. They’ve been married for
40 years, and she said the first 20 were great. But then he took a different
job, and poco a poco (little by little) started to drink. Now he’s an alcoholic,
and physically abusive towards her and their children. Most of me wanted to be
mad. How can a man treat his family that way? Beating his daughters? Spending
nearly all their money on alcohol? Not caring about anyone but himself? But
that’s not how Doña Santiaga responds. She’s obviously affected and hurt by
him, and wants to protect her children. But she’s strong in the Lord. I mean I
have rarely seen such faith. Today as she relayed all these horrible stories
about what they’ve gone through, she still would say that God is good, that God
will provide. She has friends say “just go get a new husband who will give you
money,” but she says “I don’t want to be known as that. God doesn’t want that
for me.” She has other friends say “just go steal some fruit from someone’s
land and quick sell it in the market,” but she says “that’s not how God wants
us to go about this. He will provide. He will provide for this loan.” She’s
part of a cuchual (I don’t know the translation. But it tends to be a group
that supports each other financially. One of the women’s groups is set up this
way. Each week they all pay in some set amount, and each week one or two women
receive all that money. So you pay in most weeks, but then you receive others.)
and knows that her turn is coming up to receive the money from the other people
in the group. She told us that they’re not going to spend one centavo (cent) of
the cuchual money, but rather put all of it towards paying off the SI loan. This
was amazing to me, as she had just got done telling us how her husband drinks
nearly all their money, and how they’ve had large medical expenses. But she
believes that God will provide, and so they should use this money for the loan.
My site leader asked me to share something with her, part of my testimony or a
Bible verse, and I almost felt that nothing I could say would benefit this
warrior of faith. I told her about the spiritual example my parents and
grandparents set for me, and told her that she can be that for her children in
the midst of this struggle. We continued to talk for awhile, just about
ordinary things after that, but when my site leader told her it was my last day
(of sites) she jumped up and started praying over my life. I know, I thought
that’s what I had come to do for her, too. But I think one thing I’m learning
bout missions is that yes, God can use me to share his word, or encourage his
followers. But he also cares about what is happening in my own life. And at
that moment he used a fellow sister in Christ to encourage and strengthen me.
Someone I thought I had come to serve, served me. And maybe I her. But that’s
the beauty of the family of God. As you give towards others, others give
towards you. And in all of this we push each other towards the One who gives
all. And hopefully those who don’t know Him, will see Him in us. Not just us
gringos, because we’re not spiritually special for being from America. But all
believers, from every nation, tribe, language and tongue. It’s pretty amazing.
just look at this precious woman.
I could tell you countless stories of the beautiful people
I’ve met here. I can tell you of Marie who realized she could pay off her loan
in one payment, and did so, so that she could get a new one to put towards a
new business, and how that’s encouraging because it shows the program works. I
could tell you of Doña Paulina who’s too ashamed to go to the meetings, because
she received a loan from SI for her husband’s business, but he’s also an
alcoholic (another serious, and unfortunate problem plaguing a huge population in Magda, but also something that has changed drastically in the time SI has been involved in the community) and drinks away every cent they take in. I could tell you of Doña
Angelica who asked if she could put more than Q50 (less than $10, but the
amount SI requires to be added to a savings account each month) into her
savings account, because she wants to be ready for her daughter’s schooling (Um, YES!). I could tell you about several women who are unable to read and write,
and so my site leader instructs their children to read the capacitación to them
once each day so they understand the financial lessons. I could tell you about the women who don’t
pay, because they didn’t understand the agreements they had signed. I could
tell you about the women who’s businesses are growing, who get it, who
understand the importance of managing their money well. I don’t know that I can
tell you about the spiritual lives that are being changed, because that’s the
part of the story that is most difficult to measure. But I do know that lives
are being changed. That God is at work. That His Word is going out. That hearts
are becoming receptive. That people are seeking to follow Him. Maybe someday
I’ll know, or will be able to see seeds I’ve been a part of planting, grow to
fruition. Maybe not. All I know is that I am called to love, and I have been
shown love here. And the love God has for the people of this community will
continue after I am gone. It’s encouraging. He’s at work here, and that’s beautiful.
And the work I’ve done is part of a much larger story, which goes on and on. I
didn’t know I would come away from these weeks with friendships with the people
who are a part of the loan program, but I am amazed how my life has been
touched by people’s stories. And I’m amazed by the fight I find in the people
of these communities. Please continue to pray for the word of God to go out as
the people of Magdalena and El Gorrion fight to better their situations. He is
at work, folks. Here, home, everywhere.
