So, my family is normal and actually takes care of their children. However, this is a snapshot of the children that live on my street.
In one house, there is a 4-year-old and a 11-year-old. Their parents abandoned them and went to live in Olancho, on the other side of Honduras. They live with an older brother and sister who look like they are about 14 and 16. No one has heard from the parents and the younger children are not really taken care of. They don’t go to school, either.
In another house, there is a woman who has one son in 6th grade and a daughter who is a little older than me. The daughter has a 5-year-old son who is about the most obnoxious and clingy kid you’ve ever met. He enjoys throwing Chiquitin and kicking Lassie. There’s also a 2-year-old girl and an 8-year-old girl who live there. Their parents, who are somehow related to the women, are in Spain. They send them money, which usually gets used, not for food and clothes for the girls, but for designer clothes for the woman’s biological son. Also, there is a 10-year-old boy that lives with him. When he was a toddler, his dad killed his mom. His dad was in jail for a while, but has evidently been released. He is the sweetest kid, but he is not taken care of well. He has slept on a small mattress in the living room floor for most of his life and only wears hand-me-down clothes. He rarely gets new clothes. The woman sends him on errands and makes him work and doesn’t even pay him. My mom sends him on errands, but pays him so that at least he’ll have some money of his own.
This is just what takes place on my street. Who knows what happens in the rest of Honduras. Maybe this isn´t typical.
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3 comments:
Mother Goose,
I bet that is hard for you to watch when the children aren't taken care of well. No wonder they all follow you around like Mother Goose. You have so much warmth in you that it will make all of their lives better just to be close to you! Sometimes seeing how normal behavior is supposed to be(hugs, caring, nurturing) is all anyone needs to decide they want to be the same way...no matter what they've already been thru. You are an awesome example to follow! Keep it up mother goose! (I'll have to find some mother goose books to send you)!
Love
Mama Retta Rhodus
You totally need to check the news. Someone in Mexico found a dead El Chupacabra!!! A scientist says it was either El Chupacabra or a mutated dog with thirst for blood. He sucked 28 chickens dry before he died! I know...real news! I got a "real" job finally and am gonna get a laptop next week. Have fun...peace.
Hey Beth, this is Marcela from TCU! I heard you were in Honduras through Dr. Dietz and was quite interested to hear your experiences. I spent last summer with my grandmother in a colonia near Choloma. I'm enjoying your blogs. Keep them coming!
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