Moving on up

Ivan and his wife are great people.

I only spent a few days with them, but it was a really enjoyable time. They were so appreciative of what they had.

They said that three years ago, they didn't even have a TV in the house. Ten years ago, they could barely get any credit.

They couldn't even support themselves working their own land and would have to spend some time working as day laborers for large landowners to make ends meet.

Now, they have a TV, a motorcycle, and a washing machine. They are really thankful to Brazil's ex-president, Lula, for finally reaching out to the rural populations that they say were forgotten under previous politicians. Whether or not that's true, it's great to see these hardworking folks have access to services and technologies that can change their lives.

The washing machine saves Ivan's wife at least an hour of work every day.

The motorcycle allows Ivan to transport his harvest directly to the market in the nearby town without having to pay a middleman to do so. When I was staying with his, we harvested cabbage and clementines. He delivered them to the market and makes about $20. He makes that delivery about three times a week. (Having me harvest clementines for sale is a poor business decision. I have no trouble picking the fruits. The problem is they often find my stomach before they have a chance to reach the market.)

The TV allows them to be more connected to world, watch soccer on Sunday afternoons, and soap operas every night.