While I go through life, I expect certain things; and I assume everyone else has the same expectations. For example, I expect eventually I'll get my own car and get an education. I also expect to have the medicine to cure my cold, and to be free to make my own decisions.
When I was in El Salvador over the summer, I experienced a lot that I will always remember. Some of these experiences were small, but they still carried a lot of meaning. My sister, Molly, is spending a year in El Salvador. The town she lives in is a small mountain town in an underdeveloped part of the country. She lives in a rectory with a priest and a student, a mother with kids and other individuals who are supported by the church. In the community, Molly is viewed as a well-to-do, good friend who is always there when they need her.
When I was visiting Molly, I stayed with her in her room. It had one cot, a little desk, and some shelves. When I arrived I crowded the room up with my luggage, and even my body. At night Molly was willing to sleep on the very little floor space, so I could have the cot.
One morning, when Molly and I were still lying around the room., there was a knock on the door. When Molly opened it, there was a twelve-year-old girl wearing an old dress with worn flip flops on her feet. The girl had a sad look on her face. As she spoke to Molly, in Spanish of course, she held her jaw in a gentle way. Molly looked very sympathetic as she nodded and invited the girl in.
"This is Neni," Molly informed me. "She has a toothache." Then she said something in Spanish to Neni, which I took to be my introduction. Neni smiled, even though she was obviously in pain. She communicated with gestures that I took to mean that it was nice to meet me. I stumbled over various Spanish phrases, trying to be as friendly as she was. It was up to me to entertain Neni, while Molly rummaged through a suitcase under her cot.
Finally, Molly found what she was looking for; then, brought her attention back to Neni. She said a few words to Neni as she opened the bottle of Tylenol in her hand. She took a couple out and handed them to Neni. Neni gave a thankful smile as she left the room to go to the kitchen to get some water.
As Molly shut the door to her room, she began to explain. "Neni has a toothache because her tooth is literally rotting out of her mouth. She has come a couple of times before, knowing I'm one of the few people in town who would have a pain killer." When my sister said this, I cringed at the thought of the rotting tooth.
Later in my visit, Molly told me that a dentist had come into town, which only happens a couple times a year. I was very relieved as I thought of Neni. Now Neni could get her tooth filled and stop the rotting.
Later that day we saw Neni down by the church and hurried to her to see how her tooth was. When we reached her we saw that she had cotton in her mouth and realized she could not speak. Neni's friend told us that Neni had had her tooth pulled! The dentist was finished. Not only that, but Neni was happy. The pain was gone.
I could not imagine losing a tooth and not getting one back in its place. But Neni did not seem to care. This is because she never expected to keep her teeth. She does not go through life with expectations like I do. She does not expect to get much more than a seventh or eighth grade education. Most Salvadorans never do. She does not expect to get her own car. Most villages do not even have one car. While I'm expecting, Neni is hoping. She's hoping her family will stay healthy; hoping it rains, but not too much; hoping she has food to eat; and knowing God is watching over her.
Christina Linehan, Oct. 11, 1999
Hello Friends!
It is the beginning of the rainy season here. This means that it should rain everyday. Today was the first time in three days that it rained. Because it is only the beginning of the rainy season, the tank on the top of the hill which supplies water to the town is empty. There has not been any running water in the convent, the place where I`m staying, for three days. The pila, the big sink which holds water, is close to empty. Showers are with a sponge and bucket. This is no biggy for me, but the other gringos seem to mind.
The last 20 minutes we spent running around trying to collect as much rain water as possible. This consisted of putting tubs under roof runoffs, and, when they fill, running them over to the pila. Andrea, the four year old who lives here, wanted to help but did not know how. She filled her bowl with water and, not knowing what to do with it, continually dumped it over her head.
Devin is now starting a water fight with the water we collected. It`s ok. With tonight’s rain, there should be enough water in the town`s tank that they will turn on the water for a couple hours in the morning. At that time we can finish filling up our pila.
Paz y Bien,
Christina