Comedor de Niños ´Etta Turner´

Greetings from Montero, Boilivia, where we have now been for four days. We've been lucky to be the guests of six wonderful women, the director and staff of Etta Projects. Etta Projects is a nonprofit that helps to operate two Comedors (literally, dining rooms) for kids at risk for malnutrition and their families. During the week, kids come in either before or after school for a nutritious meal. Meanwile their mothers can receive vocational training and a chance to start a home business. There is also school assistance and health programs for the kids. Here's Jenny, one of the wonderful kitchen staff, preparing the noon meal today:



There is fun and energy everywhere. Today as lunch was being made, it was time for baseball class. Fabi, the teacher, asked me if I could tell them the rules "mas o menos". I don't think my elementary spanish was up to the task, but it was fun. Here's the baseball class in the park across the road from the Comedor.



After a while, when lunch is ready, everyone lines up to go into the dining room. (It's kind of like Holden Village in the olden days!) Fabi (in pink) is stationed at the front door checking off names (kids have to apply to enrol in the program) and handing out the daily vitamins, making sure that each one takes the pill.



Finally when everyone is seated, there are a series of prayers and spirit-raising chants, and then the eating begins. Both of us feel really honored to be even a small part of this program for the few weeks we will be here. Today Matt L did the rounds in the neighborhood in an effort to try to screen peoples' houses for lead contamination. Matt P helped with some computer stuff around the Comedor. But we have surely received much much more than the little we've given, in fact, being here for these days the one thing we've probably already learned is that we will leave this place very much the way we found it. But it's us that will be changed -- we've already received the hospitality of our housemates, the trust of so many in the community and the overwhelming warmth and love of over 100 kids, who like to ride on our backs, call our names, play soccer with us and generally just be alive. We will try to add more regularly here during the next 3 weeks or so .... until next time peace!



-MP ML