That time I spent a whole day in the park...

It was hard to anticipate the weather that day, but I settled on a scarf to accompany my jacket because it is usually chilly in the morning and I was gonna be outside all day. I wanted to keep it simple so I filled my water bottle, emptied my wallet of all but a few bills and coins, left my phone and packed a notebook in a used plastic grocery bag. I ate breakfast not knowing if that would be all I ate that day, but I should've known better. I arrived to the park just after 9am when it was still cloudy and my friend who is 12 was already there making the little baggies of bird seed for the pigeons. This is the livelihood of her and her family, everyday they sit in the park, selling food to people who want to feed the pigeons for Q1 each, about 15 cents. She started to show me how to fill the bags and tie them properly at the top. I was extremely slow at filling my little bags and finished 1 while she finished 3 or 4. When we finished, she set up a little jenga pile between us and the pigeons and then we sat on the concrete bench as people approached buying one bag at time.

Her mom Gloria, arrived a couple hours later, but her brother who is 10 and usually with them wasn't coming that day. Gloria and shall I say, her man-friend set up another pile of bird seed down aways from us and if her brother had come he would've manned a third one. The granddaughter of Gloria who is 5 or 6 years old also came along, mostly to play with friends that she quickly found. Shortly after Gloria arrived a women who was selling cut fruit and who had passed us several times stopped to tell me Gloria had bought her daughter and I some fruit to eat and choose what we would like. I realized then that I was being treated like their guest and by guest I mean like family. People come first here and you don't want your people to be hungry.  For lunch she bought me a hot chicken tamale that I shared and it quickly calmed by hunger panes. By late afternoon it is customary here to have coffee with some bread/rolls and sure enough like clockwork I was offered both, hot coffee and some bread to share.

I noticed the families that would come and go, who were enjoying a stroll through the park and those like us, that were set up for the whole day selling a variety of things from toys, to jewelry, gum and chocolates. I met two young sisters whose mom was selling toys in the park and we became fast friends probably because a pen and paper could've entertained them for hours. As the time passed the shade left us and the sun which feels quite warm here was beating down on us as we sheltered under umbrellas propped up in a variety ways. By the late afternoon the girls had to leave with Gloria for a party, but I told her I would stay and keep selling for her and her family because I wanted to experience a full day. I also thought it was the least I could do since they so graciously "hosted" me for the day. If I was able to sell a little more for them I figured it couldn't hurt.  Gloria didn't want me to be alone, which is thoughtful,  so she had a friend of hers sit with me for the rest of time. I packed up their things and mine about 5:45pm.

I didn't get bored, but I did get a little sleepy. My clothes felt really dirty because every time the flock of pigeons were startled they would create a gust of wind blowing everything around. This happened frequently because running through a flock of pigeons is apparently universally fun for children and for some adults too. I didn't go hungry. I made new friends. I got less questions from strangers then when I'm out playing with the kids. I was able to help. I was blessed. I would do it again.

Party of....60!

My team hosted a big Christmas party for the kids/families we know that work in the park. About 60 kids came and it isn't uncommon for 7 or more of them to be from one family! We had a brief message about advent, played some games and ate homemade tamales together. We also gave out goody bags to all the kids that came. It was a lot of work and a little chaotic, but totally worth it! I hope you can see the pictures on Facebook. We have also started having a weekly bible study in the park with some of the girls. It is for any of the kids that want to come, but usually just the girls want to pay attention :) I have been enjoying this time and I hope to one day have a house where I can host a group of girls for all kinds of different things (games, art, baking, etc). There is a young mom who works in the park with 2 young kids that have grown to like me. The littlest one who is 2, will reach out for me to pick her up and the boy who is 4 wants me to twirl him, wrestle with him or he just wants to hang on me. Both are adorable and often in the park with their mom.

For awhile I have been wanting to spend a whole day in the park like these families do for work. Arrive when they do, leave when they do, eat when they do etc. I think I could actually learn a lot about the dynamics of the "regulars" which I'm curious about. I see a lot of mom's working hard for their kids and some kids working hard to help their family/siblings. I have a lot to learn and I'm so curious about their stories. It wouldn't take much for me to give up a Saturday and spend the day working/learning/spending a day in their shoes. It would be a great cultural learning experience as I do my best to be a learner and a good neighbor