Mango Manuel

In Copan Ruinas, when a guy is called a "mango" it's because he's a ladies man. Manuel has the potential to be a "mango" at some point in his life, but that is not why he has been dubbed "Mango Manuel". It is simply because this sweet 6th grader brings a mango to each leader working at Camp Ágape every single day.

Manuel gets to camp just after two every afternoon, just after our team arrives on site to work at camp for the day. He gives hugs to greet each leader and visitor and then fishes through his backpack to find the mango that is just right for that person. I think there may be some sort of a hierarchy because I very often get the largest mango, but I'm not sure whether it has to do with respect for me as the director or genuine special love for me. Either way, I appreciate the mangos. Sometimes he'll even bring a watermelon and ask us to cut it up so he can share with the other campers as they arrive. While the leaders are in our pre-camp team meeting, Manuel will poke his head in the room as more children arrive so we can fairly distribute the melon. Manuel makes sure no kids take a second slice until everyone has had their first.

After the first week of camp, Manuel came in and handed me a mango AND handmade, decorated envelope with a note inside. It read:

Korni es una buena maestra le gusta su trabajo le gusta mucho el ingles y ella quiere a los alumnos como sus ijos verdaderos Korni es como si ubiera una Blanca flor y a ella le gusta comer vegetales
Translation: Kourtney is a good teacher. She likes her work. She likes English a lot and she loves the students as her very own children. Kourtney is like a white flower and she likes to eat vegetables.

I was (and still am) touched and also had a hard time not chuckling about his ending line. It was a surprising ending, although I later found out that a love for vegetables is something Manuel and I share in common.

Manuel has quickly made a space for himself in every leader and visitor's heart at Camp Ágape. All mangoes aside, Manuel has proven himself to be a caring, helpful, considerate camper. He has a keen sense of right and wrong and has helped newer campers adjust to the camp schedule and culture. This past Thursday, as he was hugging me goodbye at the end of the camp day, he looked up and said, "Korni, I never want to miss a day of Camp Ágape." I patted his head and squeezed him a little tighter. I don't want him to miss a single day either.