The First 100 Backpacks

When we unloaded the container last week, we just unloaded it and didn't try to organize the boxes. In a perfect world, I would go to the warehouse and organize everything before we gave anything out. We do not live in perfect world. Yesterday Marc told me we needed a 100 backpacks by Wednesday morning. This would be an almost perfect world. My plan was to run a few errands and get to the warehouse and organize a little, pack backpacks, and organize some more. On the way to town, Marc called and said I needed the backpacks by 4:30. Welcome to Honduras. My errands were those that could not wait.

I got to the warehouse before 11:30. I organized a little and began to pack. How fun this was. With every box of crayons I packed, I remembered my friend Kathy writing, "remember how fun it was to open a brand new box of crayons." Some of these kids that received backpacks today have never had a brand new box of crayons. Think how fun that must have been. When I got hot, I thought of my friends that loaded that truck on a horribly cold day in February. Things went smoothly and I was having a great deal of fun.

Marc was going to meet me at the warehouse at 4:00 and we were going to load the truck and leave for Central Park. Literally, as I was zipping the 100th backpack, my phone rang. It was Marc. I looked at my watch. It was 3:00. Thinking I had an hour to organize before the next packing session, I breathed a sigh of relief. But, not to be. Marc had locked his keys in his car at Mirador Oriente. I jumped in the car and drove out there. No small distance. We all got back at exactly 4:00.

We quickly loaded the backpacks in the back of the truck. We were giving the backpacks, filled with school supplies to the children of the shoe shiners. The shoe shiners work from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m in Central Park. They charge twenty limpera for each pair of shoes they shine. That is about a dollar. Compared to many, they actually make decent money. But for most of them, it still is not enough to buy school supplies for their children.

The shoe shiners helped us unload the truck. No one thought of trying to a take a backpack before they were told. Some of the shoeshiners had their children with them in the park and some did not. We got to meet some of the shoe shiners. They were all nice and all grateful for what we were doing. These are hardworking people.

When it was time to start handing out the backpacks, everyone waited patiently. There was no pushing or shoving. The men who did not have their children took exactly the number of backpacks as they had children. The children that were there, were unzipping those backpacks and squealing with delight.

I am always in awe how grateful people are. Many of the kids and the parents came to us, shook our hands and said gracias.

I am so tired, but it is a really good tired.

Terri