The guy I have gotten to know the best knows English because he grew up in the states (All of the social work classes on confidentiality are keeping me from listing his name haha). His aunt and uncle went illegally and took him with them when he was 2 years old. His parent's weren't around anymore. He never really fit with their family though and was always kind of an outsider. I'm trying to remember the age he told me but when he was 12 or 14 he ran away and started living on his own. He got into some trouble and had a juvenile record that had to do with drugs and grand theft auto. He ended up back with his aunt and uncle. Just after he turned 18, he was using his aunt's car with her permission but illegally because his license had been revoked. He got pulled over and the cops were going to take him home and his aunt was going to be reprimanded for letting him drive the car (keep in mind she is there illegally). However, the aunt said that she hadn't let him borrow the car which therefore meant he had another grand theft auto charge on his hands and this time as an adult. When they strip searched him they found his fake green card. He spent 2 years in federal prison while his trial was in process because they couldn't afford bail and then they deported him back to Mexico. Basically he was set loose here having no family whatsoever, barely knowing any Spanish, and with absolutely nothing in regards of finances or a knowledge of how life works in Mexico. He was almost 21. That was almost 10 years ago. He seems to have the most potential of all of these guys. He's really intelligent and has lots of leadership skills (they come from basically a gang type situation, but if you talk to him, you'd understand). He is completely fluent in Spanish and English and asks really good questions and participates in the devotions they have for the chavos who come Monday through Wednesday. They have services on Thursday nights and he came for the first time last night. To me, the fact that he came shows that he is actually thinking about the whole God thing. I think you could fake the answers and fake paying attention just to get a shower and 2 meals. But to come an extra few hours sober and drug free says something. I was talking to him about what all of them do and how they make their money and basically it's a gang type mentality. With the public transportation they have it split up in sections and certain "vendors" can be in certain places because they have paid their dues to the security guards. If they cause problems or people complain, they aren't allowed to come back and are "grounded" for a week. What most of the guys that come into La Raza do is a show on the metro. They lay out broken glass on the ground and do flips and summer saults and stuff like that over it. Their backs are completely covered with scars and cuts. But they were explaining to me that is the best way to make money and they have nothing else to do. I've seen people on buses come in dressed like clowns and do a little sketch and then ask for money and then at the next stop they get off and then get on the next bus. Others sell candy or ice cream. One guy today was selling sewing kits. People here are so desperate and there just aren't any jobs.
Most of the chavos who are coming have been obviously affected by so much drug use. I wonder how much of it was some kind of mental problem initially that led them to being on the street and to drugs. There are two guys who come that can barely walk. They shake and shake and shake. We have to feed them and someone helps them shower and everything because they simply don't have control over their bodies. They are so thin. It's really just a sad sight to see. One thing I'm learning while I'm here is not to be afraid of people. The first day the guy that has the least control scared me. I'm not going to lie to you. Mostly because I can't understand a word he says and he's just a sad sight. But now I'll just go up behind him and grab his elbow and give him a little extra support to get to where he is going. Most of the time I don't even think he knows. There is another guy who I've "met" probably 50 times in the past couple weeks. Finally yesterday he remembered I was from the United States and didn't ask me after I told him my name. He remembered. It's just such a sad sight.
One of the girls was always touching her hair and I noticed it but didn't really think anything of it. Then yesterday I was sitting by her and realized she was scratching her head because it was infested with lice. I mean awful. I got some lice shampoo today to take down to the center for here. I can't even imagine. However, I have seen where she lives. I have to walk over a bridge from the metro to La Raza and there is a gully there that like 4 of the people who come live in. They have a tarp set up kind of like a tent and have an old mattress and all of their stuff down there. Again, I can't even imagine.
The thing that they are missing most here is an actual professional. Their main goal is to lure these people in with food and a shower and somehow reach them for Christ. There are quite a few people that they've gotten off the streets and have helped out over the past few years that they've had this program. In my mind I keep thinking of all of the ways we could help them, but at this place, they don't have the resources. They are just there to kind of provide a family for them. And that they have. You can sense the respect that they have for the 2 couples that run the center. Some of them even call them Mama or Papa. Patience is a big thing. Most of these people know nothing else. They've been in the streets since they were little kids and now, why would life be any other way. But they really are doing a good thing for them. I'm just trying to figure out what else could happen with in their abilities.
On another note, the people here are absolutely amazing and I feel guilty most of the time. I have so so much and come here and the Mexicans keep giving me dinner and buying me ice cream and things like that. They have absolutely nothing and give everything away. It is definitely a much more communal way of life. They just want to share everything. The people I've met are so generous with their money and time especially in their churches and they don't really know where their next meal is coming from. Here I am living free for the summer because of the grant I got and they keep giving me things. One of the Chavos even brought me a rose for my birthday haha (He very well could have stolen it). But in the end, I just keep sitting there thinking please stop giving me things. You are all the most hospitable people ever, but how can I repay you? I've been thinking of some ways, but still, it's been hard for me to figure out what to do.
Here are a few pictures of the city. You can kind of see what I meant by everything being concrete, but I'll try and get some better ones tomorrow.
Tomorrow I'm off to see the Pyramids :)
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