Mikayala

I love when people connect with my stories, and the people that are in them. I've received posts asking "have you found your mono?" or asking about the mother who lost her kids. Your interest motivates me to keep writing, and about them, because really, it's the people who make an experience.

Kenia hasn't been back to the shelter in a week. I think that's a good sign though, as she must be working and getting her place in order in hopes of getting her kids back (including my little mono). I wish I could find out what happened, but unfortunately in these parts, one can't just do a surprise home visit to check on them. I have no idea where they are but hope they are together once again.

I'm a little worried about Henry, the guy who once lived in Canada, as he hasn't been around for more than a week, which is not like him. His appearance varies greatly each time I see him, sometimes with him looking really ill, likely mentally ill, so I hope he is okay. I want to have the opportunity to call his mother as he requested of me, to find out more of his story, and as well as to see whether his family will help him. Unfortunately, I suspect that they have given up on him.

Blanca has been MIA for about a week as well but I don't worry about her really, as she most likely has a new boyfriend. She's also quite a spunky girl, and resourceful as well, going from place to place where people feed and take care of her. So I'm sure she will be alright.

Unfortunately though, Blanca and Maria Esperanza (my favourite) got into a little spat a couple weeks ago and haven't talked since. So that could be apart of it too. Women are so funny!! The spat was over Maria's shoes going missing at the shelter. How that was Blanca's fault I have no idea, but I sure saw another side of Maria that night. Boy was she mad! Lying on her mat with her arms crossed, refusing to eat and saying she wasn't coming back. It wasn't nice but the staff and I kinda chuckled about her snit given that she probably didn't even lose her shoes as she forgets things all the time due to her illness. Thankfully she did come back to the shelter though and seems to have forgotten all about her lost shoes. But she and Blanca are no longer best buddies which means that Maria is on her own in the park these days. I jokingly told her I would join her, but I know that I don't have anywhere near the strength that she has.

This week Monday was the most interesting night at the shelter. Normally there are between 20-25 people, with most being regulars. Well early into the night, a big group of about 9 people (with 7 being children) showed up with lots of burlap bags, filled with what, I'm not sure. The younger boys were helping carry them, and bent over from the weight as they brought them inside. Well then another group showed up and before long we had I believe 3 families with about 18 kids in total!! As one man said as he entered, it's like a party of children!  

Well as it turns out, a whole slew of families came from Huehuetenango that day, and it took the whole day as it is super far. The purpose was to look for work, most likely in the coffee farms as the area surrounding Antigua is a big coffee area. Unfortunately there was no work to be found though, and no way for them to go back home until Wednesday (2 days away) as that was when their bus was returning. They had no money to return any other way, which meant they had to wait, with no place to stay.

Thankfully someone told them about the shelter and so in they came. The kids were pretty grubby looking but took advantage of the showers and came out happily, looking much better. The adults looked old and worn, certainly not the parents you would expect of such young children.

There were lots of little ones, pretty shy and well behaved just like I like 'em :) Well there was a little girl that I fell in love with from the get go. Her name was Mikayala, about 3 years old, with hair in pigtails, a big elf-like grin with a couple teeth missing, chubby cheeks, and oh just the cutest thing! She got a little braver with me as the night went on and so we played around, her always with that big grin as she looked at me. I wanted to eat her she was so cute!

The people just continued to come, and come and come like no other night. Some regulars, some new. Then I started to get worried that there wouldn't be enough food! We never know how many people are going to come but the amount of food is always the same, so there is always a risk, like this night, that we would run out. So the big tub of soup arrived, as well as atol de platano (a thick plantain filled warm drink), but no bread. Well if you've spent any time in Latin America you will know how important bread is here. There are bakeries on ever corner and everyone eats bread (if not tortillas) with their meals, especially in the evening it seems. So the thought of all these people eating soup without bread...well I just couldn't handle it.

So off I went to the panaderia (bakery) to buy bread (or rather buns because really that's what they eat here rather than loaves of the kind we do). So for 40 quetzales (about $5) I was able to get bread for over 40 people, with them being able to have seconds. Gotta love Guatemala for that! Everyone happily ate their soup, bread and atol, with even the little kids coming back for seconds. You could tell everyone was content. They've probably never had a free meal in their lives! And I say this because the parents had sent the older kids out to buy tortillas, thinking that there wasn't going to be a meal. That's all they were going to eat, tortillas, which sadly is very common in the poorest parts of Guatemala. 

After dinner the kids got braver and all crowded around me, with one of the older girls taking advantage of the opportunity to practice her English. I was really impressed as she knew all her colours and some body parts. It may not seem like a lot, but here, having a command of English, or even just some, could mean a much better future for her. So before I left I encouraged her to keep learning.

I just had to take a picture with my little Mikayala, and then the rest of the crew joined in as well. I sure didn't want to leave that night, especially when as I was leaving many of the kids came up and gave me a kiss on the cheek or a hug. How sweet is that!

Well the next day all I could think about were these children who would be sleeping in the park. The youngest child was only 2 months old and it's so cold to be outside at night. Many of you probably saw my Facebook post about this as it bothered me greatly.

I have to say it again..we all think that we have it bad at times, and with my infamous Debbie Downer nature I am certainly guilty of this as well. But everyday that I am here I think about how lucky I am, and how the rest of you are as well (you all know who you are!!). As we really have no idea just how bad it can be...

If you care to see a picture of my sweet Mikayala, please like my Facebook page "Karuna in Guatemala" which I created in honour of the shelter in Antigua :)