I don’t know if I have told you or not but God has brought a new person in to our daily lives. We can see He is building a small community all around us and once we learn this language…watch out! We now have an addition to our “payroll” and another person with whom we are beginning to slowly build a relationship.
There was a young man who came to Don Carlos seeking work a few weeks back. He lives with his father, his wife and their little boy who is 1 ½ years old. His name is Freddie. Don Carlos agreed to hire him to do general maintenance and yard work…his brother-in-law from the States was coming to visit and he wanted the place spruced up, so he hired him to work 3 days a week. He really didn’t have enough for him to do to hire him full time. Here’s where we come in the picture. Don Carlos talked to Jim about it and we agreed to hire him the other three days of the week so he would have a full time job. The hitch in this was that with his wages, lunch is also provided. We are gone so much of the time that we told Don Carlos we couldn’t do the lunch thing but he said that wouldn’t be a problem and Paulita, his housekeeper could go ahead and feed him all 6 days and we weren’t to worry about the food. He said he’s so thankful we’re in his house that it is not an issue…he is so good to us.
Now before I go any further, I want to assure you, Orlando’s position is not in jeopardy and he takes great pleasure in having a “youngster” to do the tough stuff…although I noticed Orlando still has claim on the garbage. Still, it’s been a bit of a relief to see that Orlando’s no longer doing the strenuous work that he was and that he is resting more. Freddie takes Orlando in stride and there doesn’t seem to be any friction there – at least none that I have yet to notice.
Freddie is a worker. He is usually out working by 7:00 a.m. and stops only for lunch and an occasional break – usually to go look for ripened mangos or lemons. He works magic with a machete – trimming trees, pruning bushes and cleaning out fence rows. He weeded our front yard by getting down on his hands and knees and hand-pulling out each weed, using the tip of the machete to get the roots out. He pulled out the grass and weeds that were coming up in between the driveway pavers. He cleans up all the refuse and takes it down to the Deep Dark Woods – the place we don’t go. But today, as hot as it is, he’s out there cutting our grass with the machete. I had to get the picture.
It’s really something to watch him. He uses a stick and holds the grass down and cuts it with a smooth and steady rhythm. Just the sound of it is relaxing. Mind you, this job can’t be done standing upright. Freddie is bent over the entire time and he works non-stop. It is so hot out and this guy just keeps on moving. He is always busy and when he finishes one project, he moves on to another. I think he’s glad to have found a job and wants to insure he keeps it. He lives about 6 miles away and usually takes the bus but has been known to walk. He’s a kid we like having around and we look forward to getting to know him better.
I just took him out a glass of cold water and a little package of cookies and he gave me the biggest grin…isn’t it something how such a small gesture can put a smile on someone’s face? And he thought that little snack made him feel better! I heard something this past week that was attributed to the recently deceased, Tim Russert. He had said the best exercise you could do for the heart was bending down to lift someone up. I think he was right…it’s good medicine for whatever ails you.
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