Dance Lest We All Fall Down - Margaret Willson [84]
“Margaret!” she said as she reached me. She gave me a big hug. “It’s so wonderful to see you. And here! We meet in Seattle and then we meet here. The world is a strange place.”
“Yeah. How are you liking it?”
“I love it! And Rita’s wonderful, isn’t she? Bahia’s such a fantastic place. I don’t think I ever want to leave.”
“Huh. Well, Mary...”
“Did Rita tell you that we’re working on the nonprofit registration? Boy, they’re slow here!”
“Mary.” I took a deep breath. “Mary, I don’t think we can have you work with Bahia Street any more.”
Mary shaded her eyes. “But Margaret… I understand that you don’t have money to pay me. I’m looking for jobs here teaching English.”
“Mary. I don’t think we can have you volunteer.” Her silence was louder than the construction hammers. “It’s just…it’s that Bahia Street is too young. We shouldn’t have taken a volunteer yet. We don’t really know what we’re doing ourselves yet. Rita’s learning to be the director here. And I’m learning in the States. We were wrong. It’s too early.”
“But now is when you need the help. I’ve worked with other nonprofits. I know how to do it.”
“Yes, you probably do. But we haven’t settled on our infrastructure yet. Rita and I have to figure it out ourselves. Later, when we’re more organized. Then maybe we can use you. Then we’ll need volunteers I’m sure.”
“But this is what I came down here to do.”
“Yes, I know that. I shouldn’t have agreed to it. It’s my fault.”
“I see.”
“Do you want to go for a coffee or something?”
“Not really. There are lots of nonprofits around. I’m sure I can find one that can use my skills.”
“I’m sorry, Mary.”
To a Mailing List of 90: January 15, 2000
Dear Donors and Volunteers,
I am watching a thin line of bright along the misty horizon, a crack of space between the muted winter sky and pewter sea. This cloaked light, encased in cold and rain, brings a quiet that I somehow love.
First of all, the biggest news—for those of you who haven’t heard already through the grapevine—all the girls passed!! We—and most of all they—have succeeded through their first year, and second year for Juliana! This means that Christina will enter the third grade and Juliana and Paula (Lidia) will go to the sixth. Rita was laughing with excitement when she told me.
I have just returned from Brazil, and it was one of those trips that leaves one exhausted, and yet full of an exhilarated energy. The girls are well. Christina used to be terrified of me and in general very shy and withdrawn. Now she is jumping all over the place, talking a mile a minute, full of energy and life. She was also reading to me happily—even putting voice inflection in her reading as she went. And to think that less than a year ago she was totally illiterate. Interestingly, Christina is developing a real skill and love of art. In her first term reports, she received an 8.6 out of 10 (6 is average) for art. Paula just gave a public talk on capoeira angola, which apparently went very well. I wish you could all know Paula. I am so proud of her, of her confidence and courage to get up in front of a group and talk. She could never have done this even a year ago.
It is so amazing for me to see the change in all of these girls; they are so bright and happy, full of ideas and stumbling over each other to tell me what they think about a whole variety of subjects.
We have made the decision to add three new girls this year. This is a bit scary since our expenses in Brazil will be almost double each month. In addition, we pay for the entire year’s uniforms, books, and other supplies at the first part of the school year, so February is a very expensive month. The increase in the number of girls is possible, in part, because São Bento has given Bahia Street