The Least We Could Do

After having breakfast I picked up the newspaper from this past Sunday that Mario abandoned on the floor out of all places. A story on the front page called “Just One Wish” caught my eye.

I figured I’d read the article and then take a nap. I was so sleepy this morning I actually turned off the alarm and went right back to sleep, leaving the boys and I with only 40 minutes to get ready instead of the usual hour and 15. After reading this article though, there’s no way I can sleep. I’ll just lay there thinking about what we can possibly do for this family.

The Garcia family — Martina, 42; Juvencio, 41; Juvencio Jr., 16; Andres, 13; and Marcos, 1 1/2 years old — live in a church bus that was converted into a home near FM 1925 in Edcouch.

Martina has liver cancer, which spread from her colon, and undergoes chemotherapy that leaves her sick and feeling weak. (Source/full story: Themontior.com)

This story hit me like a ton of bricks. I bawled so hard my head began to hurt. Shame on me for silently complaining about not having new window treatments, or new slippers, or a new bolster pillow when there’s people out there who are sick and actually need clothes and food. For the second time in less than a month I feel humbled and just lucky to have the life that I do, no matter how “bad” it may seem sometimes.

They live off of Ramen noodles and beans almost every night. Martina couldn’t even enjoy the first, most special months of her new baby’s life because when he turned 6 months old, she was diagnosed with colon cancer that had spread to her liver. Her husband, Juvencio, doesn’t have much work because he looks after the children when Martina’s feeling too ill after her chemo treatments. The floods that invaded their part of the valley during summer ruined some of the few things they owned, including an adjacent building Juvencio built 5 years ago.

The two eldest boys, the 16- and 13-year-olds, were shy during the interview and didn’t want to say much. I can’t even imagine what this is like for them.

I can relate to them, though. I don’t mention it much, and it’s going to take a lot to put this into writing, but when I was growing up we were dirt poor. We got by on my Gramma’s SSI check and welfare. At the end of most months, when funds were low after paying bills and buying food, we’d live off of bread and baloney sandwiches and city water. We spent days at a time sometimes without water and/or electricity since my dad would conveniently disappear when he was supposed to send money for the bills. My mom couldn’t work because she didn’t have an education and the GED classes she would have liked to attend weren’t offered in our area. Besides, even if they did have classes available, we had no form of transportation and Mom never learned how to drive. But still, even through all that, John and I remember having a mostly-happy childhood. Once we were in middle and high school though, it became a little embarrassing to tell our friends where we lived and even worse when they would go over and they found out we didn’t have indoor plumbing. We didn’t live in a shack by any means, but it was a small, 50-year-old house at the time that needed many repairs we didn’t have money for. That’s where I can relate to the Garcia boys. I know how tough it is being a teenager to begin with, but to have to deal with everything that’s been put on their plate makes their lives even tougher.

The fact that this may be the Garcias’ last Christmas together is just devastating. Although we may not be able to do a lot for them, I’d at least like to donate clothes and toys for the kids. Mario and I were just talking about how much stuff we have in the storage unit that we need to get rid of in a garage sale, but I’d feel so much better giving whatever I can to this family. My boys have plenty of toddler toys they don’t use and toddler clothes they grew out of that can be given to little 1 1/2 year-old Marcos. Both teenage boys wear Medium, and Mario bagged up tons of Medium sized shirts. And although it may not be much that we can give, I’d like to donate money, too.

If you live in the McAllen area or anywhere in the Rio Grande Valley and would like to donate, Themonitor.com states that donations are being accepted from now until December 21st at the building on the corner of 12th Street and Chicago Avenue, just west of the Chase Motor Bank buidling at 200 S. 10th Street in McAllen. You can call (956) 279-9047 or (956)-279-9048 with questions or to make monetary donations. It says that all donations are accepted, including, but not limited to: gently used clothing and toys, food, furniture and money.