27-30
14) The next months are hard ones for the
poor families in the area. Carlos and his wife,
Juanita, bring their sick daughter to the two
village health workers in the local clinic. The
girl has chronic diarrhea and is getting very
thin. While they are talking. Adan and Silvia
arrive. Their daughter has a bad cold that has
lasted for weeks without getting better. At
night her coughing keeps everyone awake.
15) As they all talk together, they realize that
both health problems are caused, at least in
part, by the same thing’ not eating enough
good food. But what can they do about it?
The health workers tell them about a village in
Guatemala where the farmers started a co-op
to loan grain at low interest rates to people in
the area. Everyone agrees that, by working
together, they may be able to solve their
common problem. Eagerly they begin to make
plans.
16) Two
years
later.
What
has been
accomplished?
17) Here are the same villagers, scooping
maize out of one of the co-op’s homemade
storage bins. This maize is loaned at much
lower interest than the rich landholders used
to charge. The poor farmers are now al most
free from debt. They have built themselves a
brighter future. Never again will they have to
turn over their harvests to the rich while their
children go hungry!
18) The play ends as everyone shouts.