Estela, Part 2

In Guatemala it is not unusual to be asked for financial help. Early on one has to set some boundaries but Estela had a good story one morning recently. A family she knew was trying to raise Q10,000 (about $1300) for cancer treatment for the forty-two year old husband and father of four. For lack of funds for treatment the plan was to amputate the man’s leg. Estela reported that they had raised Q9,000 from friends and family but were still missing the last Q1,000. She further said that if I could loan that amount to the family they promised to repay it and would do so by cooking and selling food. Quite obviously I agreed to the “loan” and gave Estela the Q1,000, or about $135) never expecting to see it again. Estela reported that the family was extremely grateful.

A couple of months later, one morning, Estela handed me Q1,000. I asked her where it came from and she told me that it was the repayment from the family of the man suffering from cancer. I could not believe it. She told me that while the man still had his leg the treatment had not worked and that he was going to die. I felt guilty about having the Q1,000 and knew that I would have to return it to the family. I asked Estela what the family needed and, not surprisingly, the answer was “viveres or food.” But then she told me that the man’s leg was so swollen that it was very difficult for him to move so he spent his days in a room with very little ventilation and was very uncomfortable. Estela said she had donated a pillow from her house but that it was too hard. She further said that a fan would be like a miracle as the small room was very hot. I bought a fan and donated a foam pillow and filled a shopping bag with staples and fresh fruit, even some cookies and sweets. In addition, I returned the Q1,000.

Estela reported that many in her village were doing what they could to help the family. One of the wondrous things about Guatemala is how those who have little or nothing step up and help those who have even less.

Some months later Estela told me that the gentleman was still alive and that the family had a plan to sell some weavings to raise funds to replace his income. They needed money to buy supplies to get started. They wanted to know if I would loan them Q2000 or about $270 and they would pay it back in six weeks time. A couple of days later I gave Estela the Q2000 and took her for her visit to Starbucks for looking after this family.

Time will tell whether or not I will get my Q2000 back in the stated time frame or not but I continue to be amazed at how honest and caring some of the poorest people in the world can be while others never seem to have enough money or scruples.