I don’t even know how to write this post because I am so grateful, and so touched and so lucky to have you as my friends and my family…. and this small posting isn’t going to do justice to those feelings.
I just sat down to tally the money that was donated to my Tico friends whose houses flooded. I had planned to do this last week, but as the donations were still coming in, I decided to wait a few more days. I am blown away by how many of you donated and am so proud of what we accomplished. Our grand total today was $1350.00!
To put this in a little perspective, the teachers at the school make about $2 PER HOUR! I made more than that babysitting for the Rutledge kids when I was 11 years old, so when I said that every dollar counts, I really meant it… but never expected that it would result in such a large amount.
Wow. As I said before, every dollar counts, and everyone’s contribution, regardless of the amount, was equally generous and amazing.
“Generosity consists not of the sum given, but the manner in which it is bestowed” - Unknown
What can I say that is a sufficient way to say “thank you?” I know that when I give the checks to the teachers they are going to be blown away. If I hadn’t become so close to them, I might feel uncomfortable giving them such a large sum of money because I wouldn’t want to offend them. But because I know them so well, I feel as though I will be able to convey to them that my friends were just trying to give them a small fraction of what they have given to me.
It is interesting because after my sister Claire read my email, she sent me a very profound response. As I told you before, Claire is fluent in Spanish; she previously lived in Ecuador where she volunteered for a variety of organizations and taught English to high school students. Here was Claire’s response to my email:
“You know, the folks you've been blessed to know in Costa Rica are so positive in part because poverty gives one amazing gift: it teaches you what's important. Mitzi and all your other new friends know how fleeting the material possessions of life are. And they know that if they have their loved ones, and hope for the future (e.g., her job), then they are lucky indeed.
I was always amazed in Ecuador by how quickly my really poor students smiled and laughed, by how easily they found joy. These kids had hard lives and very little to look forward to in the future. And the immediacy of that poverty taught them to live in the now, to appreciate every small thing, to take the moments of joy, however fleeting, and live them fully. My rich students were the opposite. They and their families always had difficulties, and life was always one drama after another. Their lives were complicated - about money, status, etc. and maintaining that. They giggled like teenagers, but I rarely heard full belly laughter from them. I'm not sure they knew how to feel pure joy. I think they were too encumbered to find it.
I would never argue that poverty is better, but one of the ways Ecuador changed me profoundly was that it taught me the virtue of simplicity. The more stuff I have occupying my life, the more occupied my time and clouded my vision - with things that aren't really important to me. When I simplify, I find my vitality, my true happiness in living - my pure joy.”
Claire, I could never have said it better.
So to all of you who kept my Tico families in your thoughts, and to all of you who donated, thank you. I am amazed by your generosity and thankful that you are my friends.
Here are some pictures of the families you have helped. I will take a picture of Jose, his mother and little brother next time I am out in Parrita.
Mitzi, German, Alejandro and Jose Pablo
This is Victor, he is the one who had to move out of his house and lost everything except his clothes.
