Blog for Bolivia 16th May 06

Yesterday was a challenge in many ways. My heart breaks for some of these kids here and there is not much I can do for them except love them with all my might while they are in my class.

My latest newsletter introduces, 2 little ones named Coco and Josie. I don’t really know how many are in the family as Bolivians sometimes have extended family living with them. But this family run a local pub so the parents are often drinking a lot and the kids are left to wander the streets and care for them selves. They are only 4 and 3 yrs old and their 2 year- old brother some times visits my class but he always comes without any pants or shoes. His name is Francisco.

Yesterday I had problems with the whole three of them!
Francisco had pants that kept falling down and all I could see was where he hadn’t been cleaned after going to the bathroom and he kept playing with his rear end.
This is not very hygienic for my class, as I don’t want the other kids in my class to get sick. Then Josie doesn’t like you to touch her as maybe she gets abused at home but yesterday she had a running nose and is always tired in my class and doesn’t want to participate except for sleep. I discovered that she had hit another child so I sent her home. I am aware as they wander the streets they have to defend for them selves so they think this normal.

Then Coco was in my class with a cold and blood shot eyes. I told him that we didn’t want all the kids to be sick so could he please go home and rest! I knew that he wouldn’t like this, as he would miss out on his drink and biscuit. He disappeared for a while and when he returned his eyes weren’t red at all so I don’t know what he did. He still came to class and coughed and sneezed on everyone but at least he was somewhere where people care for him and pay attention. Before class started I patted his back to break down his congestion.
When our classes had finished Josie returned with another little one as I guess she wanted her biscuit and drink. The little one that was with her looked only 2 years old also and none of the kids had had a wash for days and didn’t like it when I washed their hands and face but this new little one had the BIGGGEST knot of hair that I have ever seen! I would guess that you would have to shave his head to remove.
WHAT DOES ONE DO?
If I give money, they expect it all the time and I have to be seen doing it fairly for all not just one. Several weeks ago a little girl came and said that she couldn’t go to school because her mother didn’t have any money to buy schoolbooks etc. I don’t know if her mother received any assistance for the centre but I privately gave her two schoolbooks and she left contented but often doesn’t come back as they have received what they came for! When I saw her next time, I asked how school was going and she said “Good Thanks” so then I was happy that she is going.

Bolivia with no “Change”
It’s a crazy system here as no one has change. When you withdraw your money from the ATM machine it only comes in larger notes. Normally back home you buy something and then get change but here no one has it, they all borrow from each other. Many times I go to buy something small so I can have change for transport but of course they don’t have change so you can’t buy what you wanted. I’ve even heard of someone going to a BANK to pay a bill and the bank didn’t have change also. When I visited Potosi I discovered that money here stopped printing many years ago so our money if very ancient. There are many people forging money so now at many shops they have a special machine to see if its real money or not. Some times you end up with money that you can’t use.

Glenda