Julio, on the left, and Esteban are two of Apolinar and Carla's boys. We sat on a little wooden bench inside their lean-to watching Carla cook on her open fireplace. Smoke burned our eyes as the violent wind blew through the cracks around us, but it was worth the suffering because something good was being cooked.
Apolinar is selling hot meals to truckers who are waiting in long lines to cross the border into the United States. Also, a few people have started arriving at their house to purchase meals. A cafe business is beginning little by little in their home.
After awhile they served us plates of fajitas, refried beans and corn tortillas with icy cold Coca Cola. Everything was very good. When we were just about finished, four men walked into the yard and ordered plates of food. It's really exciting that business is coming to them. Apolinar was in the kitchen helping Carla get plates ready to serve. He gave us a sign when we were leaving that he is thanking God.
There are things we can help them with, but they need to see that starting a business is their own project. This is something they can do with hard work and creativity. Their boys can step in and do their part to make it work.
Since they don't have a refrigerator, we took them a cooler they can fill with ice and keep drinks cool. They are selling many soft drinks every day to truckers.
This is an investment because it will provide an income for them in the future. The Lord is blessing them and we're proud to be part of it.
Their oldest son Carlos needs new eyeglasses, having long since outgrown his old pair. He's having difficulty reading in school. We'll take him to a doctor and check on getting his eyeglasses replaced.
