This month I got to do manual labor with my new friend Mundo. Mundo is an inspiring 63 year old man that is the grounds keeper at the orphanage I lived at last month.
My first day of attempting to help with manual labor, Mundo wouldn’t let me do anything. I basically followed him around while we both exchanged the phrase “No entiendo” with a smile and a giggle. I thought he was so sweet but I was slightly annoyed by his kindness of not wanting to put a woman to work. I lived in Africa for three months Bro! But I knew the more I followed him around he would eventually put me to work.
My second day of following him he let me sweep. Nice.
My third day of following him was a big day! He finally cracked and put my mas grande biceps to work! We raked up sticks and wheelbarrowed them out into the field. This took hours. That day Mundo learned how much “Maddie,” as he called me, sweats. Every 10 minutes he would ask me to rest. He thought the amount that I was sweating was outrageous and I had to be worn out if I was sweating that much. (Also, we were in the mountains and it was not hot at all. If my heart rate gets above a sitting pace then I profusely sweat no matter the temperature). Welcome to the life of a fair skinned Irish girl. If you know me well then you know I don’t take breaks (and that I sweat a lot). I work until I have blisters on my hands and fall asleep at 7 pm. Mundo had a hard time getting me to stop working. BUT he did quickly learn that I was willing to take breaks for fruit. That morning he pulled down a whole bunch of bananas for me from one of our banana trees. This was just the beginning of him feeding me to make me rest.
Day 4, HE FINALLY LET ME CUT THE GRASS WITH THE MACHETE! YEEEE! Cutting grass with a machete is one of my favorite pastimes. Now let me tell you, when we started cutting grass I looked like an idiot. Mundo was incredible. He looked like a Nicaraguan Gandalf with a machete in one had and a wooden staff in the other. He cut at least 2 square feet in one swipe while I cut maybe 4 square inches in three swipes. As time passed I got better and better. I was like the karate kid. I was the grass hopper and he was my Sensei. I feel like by quittin’ time I had made him proud. That day he got me to take breaks by feeding me probably 8 mandarins and 2 coconuts. Yes, this girl can put away some fruit. Mundo knew the way to my heart.
And then it came, the last 3 days with Mundo— HE LET ME PUSH MOW. With a real push mower!!! At home, I fight for the opportunity to mow the yard. It’s my relaxation time. I can’t hear anything over the loud motor and it even drowns out my thoughts. All I think about is following the line and wiping the sweat out of my eyes. It’s wonderful! At first he was iffy to let me mow alone. He would let me push one strip and then he would take over. After about 30 mins and starting the mower on my own about 4 times he let me do my thing. I think it confused him that I liked the work. In these last days there was no fruit. He knew I was in my happy place and let me be. Hallelujah!
Through all of these days I still couldn’t understand much of his Spanish and he understood barely any of my Spanglish. Somehow we still became great friends. Laughing, working, eating fruit, and acting a fool (the fool part was mostly me).
On one of our last days I learned about Mundo’s story. He worked at Brazos to make sure he could provide his boys with a better life. Our host only met Mundo because one of his sons was put in the orphanage almost 2 years ago due to neglect. His son was not going to school and selling peanuts on the bus to support his dad. After being in Brazos for awhile they decided to send him back home with his dad. He lived in the home with his older brother and his dad. The house was a shack that was falling apart. A place that no family should ever live. Our host had compassion on them and gave Mundo the job of taking care of the grounds at Brazos to make some money. As long as Mundo took care of his sons, the boys didn’t sell things on the street, and they stayed in school then he had the job. If he didn’t do those things then he would have to be let go. A year later Mundo was still keeping up his side of the bargain so Brazos had a team come in and help build Mundo and his sons a new house! What a blessing for their family!
Im so honored to have met Mundo. I pray that he continues to follow this amazing opportunity before him. While he is supporting his family he is also being a good influence on his boys of what it looks like to be a hard worker. I also pray that Mundo finds a deep relationship with Jesus.
Psalm 90:17
May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us. Yes, establish the work of our hands. (NIV)
Psalm 128:2
You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours. (NIV)
Xoxo,
Maddie
