Last Saturday, I went out with Pastora Sandra, or Mama Sandra as she is called, to deliver food to the Village. She is in her late 70s and has been continuously caring for the less fortunate for ten years. For the first seven years she could be found in Rancho, a deprived neighborhood in Oranjestad. For the past three years she has been doing ministry work in San Nicolas, first on a street corner, now in the Hub.
With her words “you come” I was chosen to go with her this time. I had no choice whether it suited me or not, it was decided and would be carried out. I arranged for my guests, who had driven with me, to be returned by Sean and piled into mama Sandra’s fully loaded car. Her not very large car was packed with pan (bread), sòpi (soup), cuminda cayente (a hot meal) in cardboard containers and juice (much too sweet ice tea).
Once on the road, I ask her some questions. In short sentences she tries to give the clearest answer possible in the little English she knows. She speaks mainly Spanish and Papiamento. Not too convenient for me, because although I do my best to learn Papiamento and Spanish, I still am stuck to English and Dutch for a normal conversation. But she does not give up and says that she is in contact with 34 women who work in prostitution. Every week she eats with these women and listens to their stories.
When we arrive at the first houses, she asks me to bring in some of the food and drinks and to pray for the residents. I do it with love. The houses can rightly be called small and some are barely habitable. But the people are friendly and very grateful, both for the food and the prayer. In one of the houses a few people are bedridden. I take a little more time for them. When I come back outside, mama Sandra has disappeared, so I decide to take a chance and look a street further. I find the car there, but no trace of mama Sandra herself. A nice neighbor shows me the way, I find her with a grandmother with a small child in her arm. While we are still talking, a young woman comes to pick us up. She asks if we have food for her and her five children. Unfortunately, all the food is gone. Mama Sandra turns out to know her and walks with her to her house to greet the children. I follow. When they arrive at the house, all the children come out into the street. Mama Sandra asks if I can pray for her and the family. It is necessary, they have no food and mama Sandra does not have enough money to buy food for the family. She would like to take care of them, but that is not possible right now. Father is addicted and beats his wife and children when he is at home. I ask the children to come close to us. So, in the middle of the street, I pray for them all. Mother and one of the little children cry silent tears.
We’re done. With a broken heart for this family I get back in the car. On the way back we pray some words out loud. When we have returned I give mama Sandra a big hug. I drive back home crying.
