Josibeth: Sharing French Fries, Math, and Paper Hearts

This is Josibeth.
She lives in Almirante, the non-tourist, non-gringo, very authentic Panamanian town on the mainland.

Her mother makes beaded bracelets and necklaces and Josibeth helps her sell them on the tourist island of Colon, the island where Bocas town is located.

Josibeth sold me a little black bead bracelet the other day. She also wrote her name for me and did some math at the table where I was sitting at my little favorite everyone-shares-their-tables restaurant.

She is a regular there. She comes skipping in with a big smile and a few trinkets in her hand and sits down at my table (or someone else's). She doesn't speak any English, but most people here (even the Gringos) speak enough Spanish to carry on a little conversation with her. She usually gets a plate of fries or chicken fingers from some compassionate soul, and even if she doesn't make a sale, she gets lots of attention and has fun!

People usually think that helping the poor is some grandiose, serious thing run by big organizations with lots of money.

I think its sitting at a table with a 7 year old sharing french fries and doing math.

Or writing each other's names and drawing hearts.

If you ever want to come to Panama. I would love to introduce you to Josibeth and many others like her. I would love to take you to her house, and make you hot chocolate from the raw cacao her mom turns into little chocolate patties.

I have this gnawing thing in my heart that drives me to simply connect and see what happens next. Taking time to help the poor isn't a ministry to me. Its just life.

Living fully,
laura

Please check out our FULL WEBSITE at www.PovertyProjectInternational.com

Connect with us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/povertyprojectinternational/

If you want to chat, you can email us at povertyprojectinternational@gmail.com

Or if you want to help us out and DONATE, you can go to PAYPAL and send your donation to povertyprojectinternational@gmail.com All donations are tax deductible.

Live is an adventure, Live it!

Comments

Why I Am Here: The Beauty in the Poor Places

I don't write about myself very often, but this time I just want to share a little bit. I want to tell you why I am here. I have been in Central America for five years now. I came on vacation and never went home. Something happened to me that is hard to explain. I walked streets I wasn't sure were safe. I went places I wasn't sure I would come back from. I got really far out of my comfort zone. And in the most unlikely places, I found life. Now I understand why Jesus ate with the prostitutes and drunkards. Why he went to the lost and the broken. They are actually cool people! You cannot imagine how amazing it was to hear their stories, to feel their pain and share their joy, to meet their families and get to know their names. I wish I could explain to you the beauty I see. I wish I could take the feeling that swells inside me and put it in your heart. I am without words, and so I try to convey in pictures the depth I see in their eyes the joy in the e

Good Bye For Now, Ubaldino. We Miss You

We lost a young man. His name was Ubaldino and he was 20. He was an orhpan who was left on the streets when he was about 12 with a 2 year old brother to care for. And he had a terrible skin disease. It is so hard to understand why some are born into this world to undergo such suffering. Ubaldino could not work because his condition. He knew he could not have a girl friend, which is heartbreaking to me, to think that you could never know that basic kind of love. We bought zinc for the roof of his house. before that, the rain poured in. We bought blankets and pillows for his bed because he had none. We bought clothing for him and for his little brother and food for their table. But it wasn't enough. This is difficult for me. I cared for a young man that no one would hug because of the way he looked. He came running across the street to me yelling, Mommy! everytime he was me. Sometimes I was frustrated with him because he wanted money to out minutes on his cell phone and I

The Secrets of Happiness and How to Happify Your Life with Happy Food

Maria with a guanabana ripe off the tree. Panama Tell me please: What are SECRETS OF HAPPINESS? According to the Happy Planet Index , Costa Rica is the #1 Happiest Place on Earth! I love this quote from the study: People living in Costa Rica have higher well being than the residents of many rich nations including the USA and the UK, and live longer than people in the USA. Panama has repeatedly been the NUMBER ONE SPOT to retire overseas according to International Living. Check out this quote: Internatio nal Living’s Annual Global Retirement Index is hitting the presses. And in the top spot: Panama. I should say: Panama again . Because this tiny powerhouse has topped this index more times than any other country. And this year, International Living is going over the top promoting Mexico as the up and coming best place to retire saying: The U.S.’s southern neighbor consistently makes International Living’s list of the 5 top countrie

Poverty Project International Stories

Search This Blog