Humbling

This is a short entry, no pictures (sorry ahead of time), but definitely worth reading. 

These afternoons I try to grab some internet (on a lucky day) and finish some e-mailing, updating, etc. Today our accountant, with whom I share an office, ran out to do a quick errand. While she was gone I received a visit from a sweet lady who worked just for today at JEC. She was covering for one of the cooks who had to run to the doctor last minute. 

Martha, who I would guess is about mid 30's, rode the first bus out of her town (more than an hour away) to arrive at Jovenes at 5 AM to work in the kitchen. 

The cooks here (we have three on staff at all times) get here early enough to prepare breakfast to serve at 6 AM. Lunch is served for the older boys at 11, then for everyone else at 12:30. After cleaning up for everyone and cooking a huge lunch (our most important meal of the day in Honduras) for 80ish people, they prepare dinner and send it to the houses ready to serve that night. This is normally around 2 in the afternoon.

All of that is just to say how not easy their days are.

This afternoon I had to take on the duty of paying Martha. So after seeing (and living it myself) the job the cooks do daily, my jaw HIT THE FLOOR when our director told me how much to pay her - $10. 

She woke up at the crack of dawn, worked over a hot stove, cleaned on her hands and knees, and served 80+ people two meals... and all she earned was $10!!!!

I have literally made double that in one hour babysitting before. 

The saddest part is that Martha couldn’t even sign the receipt saying we had paid her for her services that day, because she never had never learned to write.

Talk about a humbling experience. 

Especially as I was sitting in the office typing away on my Macbook, using internet, and e-mailing sponsors. 

And Martha never even learned to write. 

Can you even imagine not being able to sign your own name???

And she’s one of many in Honduras who never had anyone to teach them to read/write. 

So what do I take from this seriously humbling experience? 

Five main things.

One. God has been so extremely good to me.

Two. I need to thank Jesus more each day for my parents and the sacrifices they made for my education.

Three. Be grateful. Always.

Four. I am more thankful now than ever the boys at Jovenes en Camino are in school, learning, and have dedicated houseparents who pray for their academic success. 

Five. Humility is the most attractive quality a person can have. 

So to all those with kids who might read this, thank you for believing in your children enough to teach them to read and write.

And although it seems Martha’s parents never taught her those things, someone/something along the way taught her about humility - a trait, in my opinion, more precious than being able to read and write.