For Christmas of this past year 2021, we went on our usual tours among the most remote communities. We arrived in Cocayapo, after 8 hours of travel by car, carrying things to share.

The next day, very early, a lady knocked on the door asking if there would be baptisms, the answer was: “Of course!

– Of course, come to the talks with your husband and the godparents.

At this answer, it was clear that this was not the main reason for her visit. She began to cry. More people began to arrive and naturally she felt uncomfortable. The mother asked if we could go to her house, to which she agreed.

We prepared to go uphill, about an hour’s walk. On the way she was informing us the names of her neighbors and where we had to go, since the houses are far from each other. When we arrived at her house, her seven children were waiting for us, the oldest one Israel (14 years old) and the youngest one, less than a year old, was in the arms of her sister Mayte (12 years old). Their little house was very poor, their kitchen under a tent. The lady, out of her poverty, invited us to a plate of corn with salt. After serving us, Mother Augusta asked her what her problem was, and tears began to run down her cheeks.

– My husband has been gone for fifteen days, now I don’t know where and how he is. The police came and took him to jail – as they are extremely poor they don’t even have a telephone to communicate.

– He said he would call me on the neighbor’s phone, but he doesn’t call – The tears continued, with all their little children around them. They all knew that daddy is not here.

The reason for his arrest is a touching story. We meet Israel, the eldest son. This year he started classes, but after a short period, he said he did not want to continue studying. The nearest school is a 3 to 4 hour walk away. Since it is far away, the students stay in a boarding school until Friday afternoon. The young man did not want to say why he did not want to go to school. Then the board of directors did not take long to notify the parents: “if the child does not study he will have to pay a sum of 1000 bolivianos”. Once again the parents asked Israel to study, but the young boy refused.

From a lady who worked at the boarding school, we learned that Israel, because he was poor, did not have all his materials. The teacher had told him, “If you don’t have your things why do you come?” This was the cause for the student, who was starting a new stage, to leave the school.

Now all that remains is to comply with the sanction, the fine of 1,000 bolivianos, until a certain date. Where to get that kind of money? They have no animals, only a few sheep, and what they sow is only enough to eat. They have no land of their own, and logically, they could not afford to pay that amount. The deadline expired, the board of directors came again, and of course, they obey the established statutes. Now the fine is higher.

Worried about the situation, they decided that Dad could look for a job in the nearest town: Camargo. It is a three day walk away, of course there is mobility, but they had no money to pay the fare. The poor man decided to walk and to give himself courage, he borrowed a bottle of liquor. He walked through the lonely mountain, until nightfall, a little dizzy, he fell asleep at the edge of the road among the grasses; when he woke up in the early morning he was very cold. He found a match in his pocket, gathered the straws and made a fire to warm himself, but to his bad luck, a strong wind came and the fire spread, he tried to put it out, but did not succeed. He continued on his way and at about ten or eleven o’clock in the morning he met a person.  It is assumed that the man had denounced him for setting fire to the pastures. After a few days, not having found work, he returned home and when he arrived, he was surprised to find a police report. He was accused of setting fire to pastures, wooded forests and country houses. It is true that there is one or another house that is used to shelter from the rain, but nobody lives there. It is true that he set fire to that hill without meaning to. On the other side of the hill, another person had set fire to another person to whom no one can say anything, because he has money. As the other one is poor and has difficulty speaking Spanish – the people here are Quechua-speaking – the next notification he was taken to jail. In fact, there is no timber forest, a thatched house was burned, but with nothing of value.

After listening to the lady who tearfully told us about her difficult situation, there is only one thing left to do, to turn to the Divine Judge who knows everything. After the blessing of her house, we prayed the Rosary together, asking God to hear the prayer of these children.

Israel had long hair, which is unusual for boys here. I thought at first that he was trying to imitate one or another young man returning from the city and I told him: “Israel, cut your hair, because when you are next to your sister I will not distinguish if it is you or Mayte”. He looked at me and smiled. I asked Mother Augusta in a low voice:

– Can you cut her hair?

– Yes, of course.

– Israel do you want Mother to cut your hair?

The young man nodded his head. At once the Mother gladly proceeded to cut his hair. When the job was done, Israel was transformed into a handsome young man, he felt relieved in every way. The reason he had long hair was because there was no one to cut his hair and he had no money to pay for it. We said goodbye to this family, inviting them to come to the church in the evenings to pray and also to give them some clothes and food.

We went to the house of his grandparents and aunt, suddenly Israel arrived and very happy interrupted the conversation. Taking off his cap he showed his head saying: “look mommy”. Then he ran to his twelve-year-old fatherless cousin, who was in the farm plowing with the oxen, to tell him everything. May God have mercy on this family.

We thank all those who support our mission, God bless you.

Mother Melania MJVV.