Recently I was invited on a trip to the countryside with the sponsorship program that I use to work with my first time in Bolivia. There would be morning meetings and a picnic. I put together a pasta salad with lots of veggies, and beans, and filled a water bottle with boiled water as my preparations.
It took a while for everyone to locate the park (do not think US park) and families and groups staked out areas around one section of the park. We were the only group there on a beautiful sunny Saturday. The view above was looking north into the mountains. Along with the sponsored children/teens were brothers, sisters, parents and even some grandparents.
It was interesting to see a meeting under the trees, a good part of the group is pictured above, there are about 100 sponsored kids, there are many pairings of siblings. I know I had a hard time paying attention. There was a meeting for the parents and some workshops for the kids and teens. Some parts were led by the youth that receive scholarships for helping with the program. These college students run after school programs and help with the functioning of the program. I would have liked a few to have helped me when I was the coordinator!!
Later I discovered the word I translated as picnic had many different meaning to each family. The group above roasted potatoes in this outdoor wood fired oven, and shared it with everyone. Another group cooked below the ground a chicken stew, of course they used pots. Other families barbequed beef, chicken, hotdogs or sausages, or sometime all of the previously mentioned. Other people brought sandwiches and things quick and easy to eat. Others had cooked at home and brought pots of food along.
The group above cooked a pot of rice on yet another wood fire, to go with the chicken stew and potatoes. (Notice the houses of the neighboring property in the background). Being an invited guest I was offered food from many families, more than I could possible eat. My pasta salad only stretched to share with 3 families, a plate for each family.
Besides eating which was the most major event, folks went off the play soccer games. I stayed behind with Alex, who had been in my daycare center, and is wheelchair bound. He is now an adolescent and it was nice to spend some relaxing time with him. Later all the kids played a group game and all the adults were invited in for the last round of the game, a good time was had by all.
Some of the moms focused on the meeting in the morning.
