Estefana

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Estefana, a member of Los Martincitos, recently told a story that is indicative of the wisdom of the abuelitos of Peru:

Long ago in a small village near Huancayo, in the mountains of Peru, the school year was beginning, and all of the children were gathered on the patio and in the entrance of the little rural school. All of a sudden, a woman appeared pulling a little boy along in a harness. The children ran to the director’s office, yelling,“Director, there’s a woman who is bringing a boy along as if he were a dog!”

The director met the woman and boy on the patio, and immediately brought them into his office for an explanation of why she was bringing the boy in this manner. She spoke to the director in some Spanish and some of her native language, Quechua,  justifying why she proceeded as she did:

“Early this morning, I got my son ready to come here, and when I put his backpack on him, he reacted violently. He threw off the backpack, tore it off, and threw it on the ground and then ran away from our house. I ran after him and eventually caught him. After that, I tied him up in this rig, as I would my beloved little pig, to bring him here.”

When the mother finished, the director ordered the boy to get on his knees in front of his mother to ask her forgiveness. And that’s what he did.

Now the little boy is a very good man, who works honorably but with humility. His name is Pedro, and he can’t think of enough ways to repay his mother -- Estefana -- sufficiently for what she did for him.

Estefana says she doesn’t live a bad life, and she's happy to be part of the Los Martincitos program and receiving help from Adopt a Grandparent. She is proud to say, “I brought my children up not only with CHARACTER, but also with much CARING.”