February 25, 2012 - Well it was a busy week. I feel like I'm starting to get into a rhythm with my work. Also, the Spanish is coming along. It is most difficult for me when I'm out with friends, especially if the music is loud or the restaurant is crowded.
I wanted to share about the disembolso ceremony I got to watch this week. Disembolsos are loan disbursement meetings, where the women come to get their loan money either at the beginning of their membership or at the start of a new loan cycle. The loan cycles last six months. To bless the money so that it will help them prosper, they perform a small ceremony. What I first noticed was the smell of something burning, but I thought it was something coming in from the window. Then I saw the small charcoal fire burning in a cast iron "pan" type thing on the floor. After awhile, when the fire was good and smoky (and I was starting to have a hard time breathing, but the 20 or so women and handful of kids in the room seemed just fine) the women began one at a time pouring what looked like small seeds over the fire and then waving the bills and a bag of coins over the smoke. One-by-one, starting with the oldest women in the group, who looked about 80 to me but is probably only 60, they each took a turn "smoking" the money. Some said a few words, including the jefa of the center who blessed them to prosper and be able to pay their loans back without problem. I thought the ceremony was quite touching and appreciated that Pro Mujer not only allows them to perform it but actually facilitates it. I understand the ceremonies don't take place in every group or every center, but where it is tradition, Pro Mujer honors it.
Afterwards, the women celebrated with a large bottle of Inka Cola and wafer cookies, at which point I excused myself and wished them good luck, feeling grateful to have had a glimpse into this aspect of their culture.
I wanted to share about the disembolso ceremony I got to watch this week. Disembolsos are loan disbursement meetings, where the women come to get their loan money either at the beginning of their membership or at the start of a new loan cycle. The loan cycles last six months. To bless the money so that it will help them prosper, they perform a small ceremony. What I first noticed was the smell of something burning, but I thought it was something coming in from the window. Then I saw the small charcoal fire burning in a cast iron "pan" type thing on the floor. After awhile, when the fire was good and smoky (and I was starting to have a hard time breathing, but the 20 or so women and handful of kids in the room seemed just fine) the women began one at a time pouring what looked like small seeds over the fire and then waving the bills and a bag of coins over the smoke. One-by-one, starting with the oldest women in the group, who looked about 80 to me but is probably only 60, they each took a turn "smoking" the money. Some said a few words, including the jefa of the center who blessed them to prosper and be able to pay their loans back without problem. I thought the ceremony was quite touching and appreciated that Pro Mujer not only allows them to perform it but actually facilitates it. I understand the ceremonies don't take place in every group or every center, but where it is tradition, Pro Mujer honors it.
Afterwards, the women celebrated with a large bottle of Inka Cola and wafer cookies, at which point I excused myself and wished them good luck, feeling grateful to have had a glimpse into this aspect of their culture.
No comments:
Post a Comment