Serving the Servers

Villa Gracia is the place where some of our summer groups stay. It is a nice place to stay. Our groups have a place to sleep, a hot shower and two meals a day. The people that work here work very hard. This morning Marc talked to the manager and told him we wanted to prepare a meal for the workers instead of them preparing one for us. Marc was told tonight would be a great time.

We have a chef here this week and Jennifer began immediately to plan tonight's meal. Everyone went to Nueva Oriental to work in the feeding center and Marc went to get them after lunch and they all went to PriceSmart to buy groceries. I was leaving PriceSmart with the Casa de Esperanza groceries when they arrived.

I went to Santa Ana to unload the groceries. When I returned to Villa Gracia, a wonderful meal was in progress and all the busyness that goes with that. Marc was making his delicious tortilla soup. Jennifer was working on pineapple flambe. Bacon had already been fried, fruits and vegetables for a salad had been washed and cut. Hot turkey, bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches completed this meal.

Many of the workers had dressed up for the occasion. They were seated at the tables and we prepared the plates and served them. After they were all served, we joined them. The meal was delicious and right now I may never eat again.

We began to take dishes back to the kitchen and started doing dishes. It wasn't long before the ladies that were suppose to have the evening off were back there helping us. You know how some people are about sharing their kitchen. It was a great evening and I could not help but fondly remember all the times I helped prepare meals and do dishes in other places I have lived.

The employees of Villa Gracia enjoyed this evening.

Terri