Shadows to Sunlight

*In this photo is Sheila, Sister Magda and Mim (the volunteer who was here last year). Mim baked a heart-shaped raisin bread that Sheila went ecstatic over; saying it was her heart.

The strong presence of this house and the church within the community is really incredible. They seem like a really supportive, tight-knit community and try to help as many in a variety of things as possible; from providing small jobs for people to do to earn a little extra money to having different types of therapy sessions each week. I really do get to see great work being done everyday. Everyone really cares about one another and helps out in various ways. Most here are relatively poor but they have generous hearts. I've found that a lot of times, people with the least tend to give the most which is such an incredible thing. Another unbelievable thing that has been happening is the change in Sheila each day.

“God led me to this house,” replied Sheila, our recently new live in guest when Sister Magda asked why she had decided to knock on this particular door late one night. Sister Magda told me how Sheila had come with “Una cara tan triste [a face so very sad].” She also came with hunger, lice, dirt and grime from living on the streets and tuberculosis- and an even greater need for kindness and love. Magda, with her generous heart and kind spirit, opened Tupac’s arms to Sheila. She has been Sheila’s “Mamita” figure to her, and I have been “La chinita” (now “Kimiko”) to her, who cooks food, bakes the beloved banana bread, and talks to her. Each day she becomes more confident and talkative; and her considerate nature and eagerness for learning about different things really shows.

For more than a month, Sheila had highly contagious tuberculosis. But with regular treatment, pills in the morning and at night that Magda administers, proper rest and a healthy diet, Sheila has gotten better, gained more weight and is overall much happier and communicative. Last week, we found out that she is no longer contagious but still needs to continue her treatment for the entire six months. What a blessing that she is better!

Sheila, like many people in this community, has had a tough life. At 25, she is already the mother of two, has suffered from an abusive husband; turned to selling candy, drugs, cigarettes, herself in order to survive, mental difficulties, and lived and ran away from family members houses. Her many aunts say that every time she stayed with one of them, she’d run away, leaving their doors wide open. But here, she’s stayed. And hopefully will continue to stay until her treatment is complete. “Dios es grande,” as Magda always says.

Here, Sheila seems content. Magda began teaching her how to read, write and other basic skills, such as counting money. These past few days, I have also been helping her to read. She recently learned how to read “Mama,” and “Ama [loves].” Illiteracy runs rampant here; especially among the very poor. Tuberculosis is also a huge problem; so much that free treatment for it is offered. Instead of hearing Sheila’s hacking cough and spitting phlegm, we hear her clapping and singing songs at the top of her voice; in Quechua, songs praising God and popular rock and pop songs. I always hear her shouting “Gracias Dios.” Knowing and meeting Sheila has made me realize how there is so much to be grateful for; so many things that can be done to help people here.
Each day we can see Sheila blossoming and coming into herself. Many times, she falls back into her past, the stinging memories, the pain and the trails of shadows that still follow her; she continues to repeat the most painful experience, still says she’s a “Cualquiera [a nothing],” like many people in her past called her.


Both Magda and I keep reinforcing what a good person she is, trying to stop making her think of herself as a "Cualquiera." I think it's easier for Sheila to connect with me since we are around the same age, although she told me that I look like I'm 14 or 15. Haha!Recently, she has begun confiding and talking to me, asking me for advice. Sheila recounts her past while we are eating lunch, during dinner, while I am sitting at the downstairs dining table keeping her company. All of a sudden, she begins talking about everything. But soon, we hope to help guide her away from all of these shadows and help her live in the present, look to the future; like the Founder of the Sisters of Notre Dame, Julie Billiart said, “To be simple is to be like a sunflower which follows all the movements of the sun and ever turns toward it.” How wonderful it would be if Sheila could always turn towards the sun and forget all of her shadows!