Kinship Relatives – Pedro and Anna Valdez (daughter Lourdes serves as translator)
Anna: Hola. Adelante.
Lourdes: She says “Hello, please come in.” It’s good to meet you. Please excuse the mess around the house. We’re a somewhat busy and cluttered family!
Pedro: Usted quiere quedar para la cena?
Lourdes: My father asks “Would you like to stay for dinner?”
Anna: Usted es de los servicios socials, verdad? O es abogada?
Lourdes: My mother asks, “Are you from social services? Or are you an attorney?”
Pedro: Maria es buena chica. Es como nuestra hija. Es una lastima lo que paso con sus padres, pero ellos necesitan aprender que hay leyes en este pais. No se lo que Usted esta pensando sobre lo que pasara con las chicas Amarillo. Pero si necestian un hogar, nuestra puerta esta abierta.
Lourdes: My father says, “Maria is a good kid. She’s like a daughter to us. It’s really a shame what happened in that family.” He wants to know if the Amarillo girls need a home, because he feels they could live here. I think that would be fun to have them here. I’m guessing you knew that Maria’s aunt in El Salvador was married to my father’s cousin down there. So we’re kind of like family.
Anna: Le parece que Usted nos puede ayudar con la situacion? Parece que las muchachas pueden vivir aqui?
Lourdes: My mother is asking “Do you think you can help in this situation and perhaps have Maria and her sisters live here?” Maria has talked about her experiences in other homes and
it just doesn’t sound good. She doesn’t sound at all happy even where she is now. We’d love to have them stay with us. I think a social worker came out here a few years ago when they were first taken out of their home. But then we didn’t hear anything more.
- What difference does this interview make to the case?