Home visits to some of the families of El Centro

Tuesday,June 24.
Leaving the colonial era churches, one teacher from El Centro who was referred to as “abuelita”, "dear grandmother", took us to three homes of families participating in El Centro.  

When I worked in Appalachia, I saw very small homes for entire families of 7 – 11 people and know that lots of kids -- 6 or so -- sleep in one or two be

ds. Appalachia's poverty is rural so there is at least the chance to be surrounded by trees and animals and get fresh air.  People in Appalachia are also less crowded together.   I'm not being a romantic about rural life here but only pointing out facts. It is also harder outside of the city to go to the "corner store" to get milk and aspirin or to get to a hospital for an emergency visit.

I have never seen an entire family of 8 - 11 people live, eat, sleep, and use a more or less working toilet in a dark and smelly room about 8' by 10'.  What got to me most was the smell that 11 people living together in very tight quarters make.  Honestly, the smell almost overpowered me.  Kids who come to El Centro have to shower daily but their clothes are a different matter. They sometimes wear the same clothes 24/7 for a week or two – multiply that by 11 or so people in close quarters and the stench is no surprise.  Nor are the flies and fleas in these cuartitos (small rooms).  We visited three such “homes” and I felt like I was in another world.  Life in homes like this is unhealthy and risky. To mention one risk, the rate of incest is very high. 

What is remarkable is how important are the very straightforward things that Ell Centro offers, like a daily shower.  That all by itself is a lot.  The families of El Centro have opportunities which fundamentally change their lives.  The not only learn job skills but emotional and interpersonal skills that change them from the inside out.  When I see kids at El Centro play and learn in peace, I sense the just what an extraordinary opportunity El Centro offers them and their families. Yesterday, for example, I substituted for a teacher in a first grade English class which began by singing the "auto-dominio" song, a song about self-mastery, which according to this lovely ditty, is the key to success (llave al exito). Students learn emotional skill that will fundamentally change their lives. 
  
There are thousands of families living in "cuartitos" just like these throughout Quito, the result of massive migration from the rural areas of Ecuador to the city. Most of these rural people need lots more skills and personal formation to make it in the city. 
Thus, the work of El Centro.