Meet our friend Mery. She is a 15 year old girl that we met when she came to look for work. Since then she started coming to 'greet' us regularly...a little too regulary. She is not able to finish high school b/c her parents don't have any money, but she told me she wasn't really interested anyway and wants to take a vocational cooking course instead. We thought that was a great idea so Ned and I are helping her enroll in a Hotel Training program this fall. Ned gave her some money to get a uniform made, some new shoes, and a few school supplies. It was really cute b/c she made her big shopping trip to town and couldn't wait to come back and show us all of her new goods. She had managed to buy herself THREE new pairs of shoes instead of paying the tailor for her unifrom like Ned told her to. I was kind of annoyed with her... until I remember how excited I would have been at just 15 years old. 
Her family was so thankful that they wanted us to attend church with them and then spend the afternoon at their house. This Ned in the living room with her brother- note the chicken nesting in the corner behind him.
Group shot outside the house.
Mery's parents. The dad is pretty slow and is not really able to move around. Her mama works in their garden everyday and produces everything they eat.
