Dear Friend,
You asked us what a description of a daily life of one of the women we talk with would look like this.
She would always be in a psychological state where she never knew if she had enough resources to meet the needs of her children. Survival is a major concern as her life borders on destitution. If she has only her husband working because she has small children and they cannot afford day care for her to go to work, she would be always looking for ways to gain more money. (Thus our Cooperative.) Her monthly budget would look something like this. I know this is true because I always check needs out with the women on a regular basis.
One salary household: Five members in the household
Monthly salary = minimum wage $5.00 a day (this is a high norm) $30 - $35 a week or $150 a month.
Food - $100 a month
Diapers/Household - $30 a month
Gas Bill - $20 a month
Water Bill - $30 a month
Electricity Bill - $35 a month
Education Expenses for children in
Kinder through 9th grade - $15 a month
Total - $330 a month
Obviously they cannot make ends meet. Choices always have to be made about what doesn't get paid or what to cut. Even if two people were working they could not make it.
The above does not take into consideration medical needs. If there is a medical emergency it is a disparate situation. Even if the family has health insurance it does not cover the cost of medicine. There is a little fund from donations for emergency health needs. Medication always costs at least $30 per prescription.
Last week a young woman came to me frantic. Her little daughter was diagnosed with Bronchial Asthma. She had a $300 bill from the clinic, $159 dollar bill for medications, she had no money for food for her other youngsters, she had no gas. The problem had eaten up every cent they had. She could pay for none of the above.
I hope this gives you a bit of a realistic picture to help misconceived ideas.
How would you feel if you were one of the women described here?
Peace,
Sister
Help Needed
Juarez had a terrible flood after a rain storm last week. Most of our women were flooded in their homes but the Center was O.K. as we are high on the mountain. We need to help a family related to one of our co-op women. Her cousin's family were hit terribly. Their 13 year son was washed away with the tool shed. The boy was found in a gully and he had drowned. The tools in the shed have never been recovered and they were used by the mechanic Father who now has no tools to work with. We offered the Mother a job in the co-op and are asking all our friends and web site visitors to help. Could you put a special notice on the web site? If anyone has mechanic tools to help this Father it would truly be an act of pure charity. The family has suffered a great loss but we can help ease that pain by helping the Father get back to supporting his family -- they have one other child.
God bless, Sister Maureen
