Nadia Vasquez: Opening the Health Clinic | Previous Challenge Entry

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TITLE: Nadia Vasquez: Opening the Health Clinic | Previous Challenge Entry
By Gilbert Backers
02/08/09
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Nadia Vasquez: Opening the Health Clinic

It was raining in the Brazilian town of Aldeia. Nadia stood at the doorway welcoming everyone into the newly completed building. Nadia had dark brown hair and light brown skin. She stood 5'10”, taller than some of the men entering the building. She watched as the bus unloaded the last family. Nadia looked inside to see her friend, Persephone, showing people into the room set up for the banquet. It was an open buffet. As people came in, Nadia could see that Persephone was moved by the joy of the people when they saw all the food that was available.

Both Nadia and Persephone wore women's business suits that made them stand out from the local women. Persephone's red hair made her stand out even more.

Nadia waited until everyone had come inside. After talking with some of the people she moved to one side of the room.

“Can I have everyone's attention?” began Nadia. “I wish it were a sunny day but it's still a good day for the people of Aldeia. You are dining in the new community center. Next door is the new health clinic. It's not just a promise. Today, everything is real.”

Nadia then looked at her parents and her paternal grandparents. They were crying. Tears started to roll down Nadia's cheeks. She spoke, “I can't tell you how wonderful it feels to come here, to Brazil, to the town of Aldeia where my father grew up, and to help make it a better place for everyone. The health clinic and the community center will provide medical care, vitamins, and education for the entire town. I've spoken with the transit authorities in Petrolina, the closest city to this town. There is now a bus scheduled to travel from here to the city and back every morning and one every night. The bus that brought many of you from your farms and homes is one of the buses that will travel between here and Petrolina. The regular buses will also help the staff here at the clinic and the community center make sure the town has food and medical supplies. These are things my father didn't always have growing up here. Please enjoy the food.”

Later, Nadia talked with some of the investors who she convinced to travel from Virginia to Brazil to help start up and maintain farm related small businesses in Aldeia and to help townspeople gain better access to resources available in the nearest city.

“Do you see how important this is to them?” said Nadia to her younger friend, Persephone, who was also one of the investors.

“Yes, I do,” said Persephone. “I no longer care if it's not a money making investment. I've never been this close to people who needed such basic necessities that I take for granted.”

“So, you'll continue making small donations?” asked Nadia.

“Making small donations?” said Persephone. “I can write one check that'll build the plumbing in the center of town and daddy won't blink.” Persephone looked around, she tried holding back tears of her own. “Until today, these people didn't have any medical care, and sometimes no food. Some of them live in huts with dirt floors. And when I came here, I complained about the smell of their small church.”

“It's okay,” said Nadia as she put her hand on Persephone's arm. “Now you see a better way to use the resources you've inherited, to help other people.”

“You're right,” said Persephone. “Maybe I can do something for the people of God's kingdom. But I think the people here are afraid of me because they keep looking at me.”

“There aren't a lot of red heads around here,” said Nadia, smiling.

“I knew so little,” said Persephone. “I even thought everyone in South America spoke Spanish.”

“It's mostly Portuguese here in Brazil,” said Nadia. “It's close enough that you can communicate.”

“But not as well as I would like,” said Persephone. “Please tell the pastor of the church that I'm sorry for what I said earlier.”

Nadia hugged Persephone as Persephone cried. “It's the beginning of a new path in your life as well as mine,” said Nadia as she comforted Persephone.

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