Maynor is an orphan. His parents left him long ago, with nothing and no one. A family took him in, gave him somewhere to sleep, something to eat, but what is most important, a place to feel safe, has forever been stripped of Maynor.
Most days, Maynor walks in, eyes downcast, delicately placing one foot directly in front of the other. He will take a seat in the corner. He will sit in silence. He is non-responsive to even the most persistent of questioning. Sometimes, when his care-givers are not so careful, his cheeks or eye will be swollen. He is naught but a punching bag and, if he is so lucky, another mouth to feed.
Miguel has a mother and a father too. He never walks in with day-old-bruises or swollen-shut-eyes. He is lucky that way. His stomach, however, is not immune to protesting sounds of hunger.
GVI provides food three times a day to the students who attend. Fruit twice a day and a meal of beans and rice in the afternoon. But, whether for a naïve sense of pride, or for some misguided attempt at safety, Miguel’s mother will not allow him to eat with us. His stomach growls with hunger. His eyes pass over the food that is offered to him that he must refuse. He, also, sits dejectedly in the corner.
My responsibilities as an intern with GVI prohibit me from taking any actions against the families of neither Maynor nor Miguel. Doing so would jeopardize the trust that has been steadily building in the community, thus diminishing the opportunity of the persistence of a GVI presence in la Thompson. For the greatest good, we must take no action. My responsibility as a member of humanity, however, demands that I kick down the doors that loosely hang for their frames on both Maynor’s and Miguel’s house and demand an explanation for the abuse, whether physical or physiological, that is imposed upon their children.
What do I do?
Patrick
Thats so sad, it made my stomach sink.
ReplyDeleteWhat I would do though, not that I have any authority on this, but I would love on Maynor as much as possible. Maybe even give him more attention than you give the other kids, whether he responds to it or not, it will send the message that at least someone cares. As for Miguel, I don't know what to say, keep offering him food everyday, I guess. Again, at least he will know that someone cares about him and if/when those boys really do need food or some other form of help, they'll know who to go to, GVI.
GVI is right in not allowing you to confront the families. Whether you feel it is your responsibility as a human or not, that definitely would ruin all the trust they are building within the communities, not just with those families, but with others as well. (Who wants to send their kids to a school that is going to send angry gringos back to their houses knocking down doors?) Better to bite your tongue on this one. I know it is extremely hard in situations like yours, but you have to try to not let your emotions get the best of you, and as a member of humanity, you have the higher thought processes to understand that.
Hang in there Patricio, youre doing good things. abrazos.