I thought for this journal I'd give a little break down as to how Esperanza works, since I haven't yet in the past.
Basically, we got out far into the country to visit a poor community. We visit what we call "banks" or a group of people separated by smaller groups. Sometimes there may be 5, 10 or 15 people at the meeting, depending upon how well they expanded. Each group must have 5 people, no more no less. If the group does not, then they are not eligible to receive loans. Additionally, each bank has a "coordinator" or a person designated the leader of the other 4 people. That person is responsible for making sure everyone pays and arrives to all the meetings. As for the entire bank itself, there is also a treasurer and secretary, who have other responsibilities such as keeping track of who paid, and payments in the past.
Once we arrive, we have a brief prayer session where we sing songs about God. The members then recite their duties and responsibilities, followed by the actual payments. It is the coordinator who must give the money by hand to the "consultant" or the person working for Esperanza that receives the payments. We count the money, record it in each individuals booklet of accounts, and take attendance. This is suppose to take 45 minutes in total, but some meetings have gone as long as 3 hours. This is because people often do not have enough money, so we must order them to find a way to get it. Some people don't show up, and we have to send others to go find them or the money they owe.
At the end of the day, after visiting 2-3 communities, we recount the money and deposit it. We return to the office, record attendance and payments on a database, and note down any other observations. What I just described is only a tiny description of what goes on. There are countless obstacles that make life difficult for the consultant. Arguments, long trips, misinformation etc. all contribute to the daily trouble of being a consultant. Regardless, it can be a very rewarding experience.
