The beach was beautiful, sunny and with the intense blue that the spa of La Boca, in Santa Lucia usually has. We went as a family to fill with fresh air, on my last day of rest and while reading my novel under a coconut tree, to my sense of journalism came a scent of kindness.
In silence I watched the coming and going of a female group of various ages, the older all called her Mama and were helped by her slow walk on the sand, the other very happy approached the children who were at the shore and with permission from their families, they gave them school supplies and preserves while, with a smile, almost as happy as the infants themselves wished them happy Cuban day. When I heard that they spoke in English and mine is very precarious, I ask my personal interpreter (my husband Yohan) to ask them the reason for that action and I always waited for a beautiful story in the background.
Who are they, what do they do?
After the cordial greetings and introductions, Yohan explains that I am the City Chronicler and I was struck by her beautiful gesture, so I would like to talk, accept very willing to dialogue, its leader, Adrienne Garth, who tells me who are Canadians, for 10 years she has been coming to Cuba with her friends every April, who already number more than a dozen in the group, they are from different specialties but they do social work with children and young people in their country.
They can go to any beach in the world, but they always return to Santa Lucia, because they like the people here, they see how we are and they want to collaborate with their modest contribution to the children, she says that when they smile it is an incalculable satisfaction. They come with their suitcases full of useful things to contribute to any needy, so they want to know if I have a known child who is sick, I say yes, that the child of a colleague is hospitalized and asks me to take packed soups, chocolates and juices
I thank you on behalf of my companion and I ask for your permission to tell this experience, the grateful one is her and in a snapshot I am left with her nobility.
The Mom
I am struck by this nonagenarian lady, supported by a walker and so happy and happy of her trip. Adrienne confirms to me that she is her mother, that she worked in a bank and has a good retirement, she wanted to come to Cuba to meet her people and also join the initiative to give the children what they can bring.
The mother goes to the water and returns to a lounger, some of the younger girls tell her about my curiosity and in clear Spanish she says … Thank you for telling us about us. I already say goodbye to the group that changed their shade, now looking for other children by the seashore, to give them their happiness, in a hug and my rusty English, we exchanged e-mail addresses and the pleasure of knowing them.
I was very pleased to go in search of its history and above all to know that Cuba is important for many friendly countries and that even on the planet, there are good-hearted people like these women, who under the sun and on the sand, carry out their solidary work.
Photo: Jesmir Varona Socías
Translated into English by Laura Evelyn Villamar De Armas
