5 lempiras

Yesterday during recess, Susana came into the classroom. She was on the verge of tears and quickly explained that she had lost her 5 lempiras for her food snack. Reina, who had been helping me clean up the classroom, without a single hesitation, handed over 5 of her 10 lempiras to Susana. Susana graciously thanked her and ran off to eat her tajadas. Reina continued on chatting as though nothing had just happened. This kindness, this true and real care for friends and others is one that I see a great deal of in my students, and I see it much more than I expect to. I say this because in a country where over half the population is below the poverty line, there isn’t often a lot to give. Yet people still find ways. Reina has a full scholarship to the school and sleeps in the same bed as her mother and her teenage sister; those 5 lempiras were certainly not chump change. But she handed them over without any question. If we have cookies or a cake in class to celebrate an occasion or a class goal, students always save part or the whole of their treat to bring home to a sibling or a parent. When someone has forgotten a pencil (a daily occurrence), someone is always there to lend one to a friend. I recently spoke with a friend here who said that although he has very little, there are many more people who have less and if we don’t help them, then why are we here? I nearly teared up.

This attitude, this understanding of helping our neighbor is one that should be universal. Yet I have traveled to many places where this sentiment is lost, where there is hesitation to help or support those who need it most.

Reina gave less than 20 cents to Susana and that was all it took to make her smile.