Courage and generosity

A busy day, but a good one. It started well, with a visit from Barrioboy, back in Rio at long last. Unfortunately, digitaldaze couldn't come this time, and now has the added complication of a broken foot – which happened when Bb was already in the air, so a worrying situation for both of them.
 
After I put him to work shifting furniture out of the car, Bb stayed for a scratch lunch, served by Hurricane Maria, then I rushed off to visit HH. He was showing signs of irritation (with the nurses, his position, the way his mouth feels, etc), which I take as a sign that he's getting better - more natural than being kinda sleepy and not too aware. He wants to move to a room, with me on duty 24/7, but the doctor pointed out that he's in good hands where he is, with a physio, phonoaudiologist, doctors and nurses on call. This time, I had to agree.
 
Back home for a quick turn-around, to take Maria and her new oven out to her home. In the car and in light Saturday traffic, the journey took us 1 ¼ hours. In a series of buses, on a weekday afternoon, it takes her 2 – 3 hours (and the same coming to work).
  
The visit was inspiring. These people have so little and are so generous, and the family and the community is obviously very united. We came to Maria’s mother’s house first, and met her grandmother – a cheery, toothless old crone who I believe is younger than me. Sobering. Infintely more so is the story of Maria’s sister, the lovely girl in the photo. Hit by a motorbike when she was 12, she never received proper medical attention (or compensation) and is confined to a wheel chair. The family’s devotion to and care for her is wonderful to see.
 
They also gave us a warm welcome and had baked a cake specially, so they sat me down in Maria’s spotless kitchen for cake and freshly-made coffee.  A bewildering number of people come in and out of the house, brothers and sisters and their families, in-laws and children from all sides. They are so hospitable, and the extensive family is so united. Everyone lives cheek by jowl, and as one of the extra photos shows, there’s barely a metre between Maria’s house and the neighbours opposite – who were playing loud music and apparently had done so till 3.30 am in the morning.
 
I couldn’t believe the change in the place since I was last there, five years ago. Then she was right next to a swamp, with visible water and colonies of disease-carrying mosquitos. The swamp is obviously still there, but has mostly been filled in, and there are houses in all directions. As you’ll see from the photos, most of them still unfinished, and none are plastered or painted on the outside.