Cuba Elderly Peggy

This is Peggy, she is 72. She likes to talk, alot. She has been married 3 times. She had two daughters, one of her daughters passes away, which broke her heart. In the picture with her is her cousin. Peggy is dyeing her hair purple in celebration of Saint Lazarus. In cuba it is often a tradition to wear purple of the day of Saint Lazarus which is Dec. 17. Peggy decided to take it a bit further. Peggy hurt her side in a bad fall and doesn't really leave her house. Peggy collects many dolls and mixes her religious traditions with a afro-cuban religion and the dolls she keeps. In other words these dolls are holy to her. Peggy was a pleasure to meet, one might say a real firecracker, that one.

Cuba Elderly: Elloy

This is Elloy he is 70 and lives in Regla Cuba. Recently I was honored to spend some time with Elloy and his family learning about his life. Elloy is a retired bus driver who has been married to only only once to his wife Mercedes also 70. Together Elloy and Mercedes had four children 2 boys and 2 girls. One son moved to the US many year ago and One son recently died in a motorcycle accident. This death is a great loss for this incredibly close family. The two daughters live are married and live near their parents. Life in Cuba has its struggles but in my time spent with Elloy and his family I saw a beautiful family who was struggling with a great loss. People like Elloy and his family are why I love what I do, it is such a blessing to witness the intrensic interconnectedness of humans to one another.