Tough Reality: Pesticides and Herbicides

El Salvador has a high tolerance for herbicides and pesticides.  Most used here are banned in the US, Europe, and Canada.  El Salvador’s land is rocky and the weather is often harsh on the crops.  Salvadorans, in this area, live off the land.  It is critical that crops aren’t lost to bugs, etc.  To complicate the situation, most buy their seeds from Monsanto.  If you don’t know about Monsanto, I suggest the documentary film Food Inc.

Each morning, I pass men walking to the fields with huge containers of liquefied pesticides strapped on their backs.  Pesticide accidents are fairly common here.  When the skin has too much contact with pesticides, it soaks up the poison and burns organs from within, eventually causing welts on the skin.  These welts advise individuals that contact with pesticides are affecting internal organs. 

I have heard cases of these packs leaking pesticides down the worker’s back, dripping into the butt crack and burning genitals.  After studying the effects of pesticides and herbicides, I found farm workers working in these conditions have a higher rate of developing cancer, infertility, neurological damage, and even birth defects for their children.  This is an incredibly complicated and difficult situation.

Last week, my roommate’s brother noticed welts on his body.  When I returned home Friday, she had taken an hour and a half bus ride to Copapayo, where her brother lives.  She then took busses to the hospital in the capitol.  That trip takes about three and a half hours in total.  Imagine riding a public bus, crammed with people for three and a half hours, in this state.  Unfortunately most people don’t own cars and there aren’t taxies, so that was their only option.

In my optimism, I find it challenging to listen and accompany people with difficult realities like this.  It is natural for me to look at the positive or to figure out ways to alleviate the temporary pain.  That is not the response life begs of me here.

Faith in the Innovative Spirit

Recently, I listened to a TedTalk by a man named Philippe Petit.

http://www.ted.com/talks/philippe_petit_the_journey_across_the_high_wire.html  

Petit’s life as a unique tightrope walker is described in the documentary film Man on Wire. Throughout the years he has illegally planned and carried out tightrope walks across the Notre Dame Cathedral, Sydney Harbor Bridge, Louisiana Super Dome, World Trade Center, and many more.

Petit credited his incredible life to innovation and faith. 

Innovation.  We always have options.  There is always a variety of ways to creatively overcome obstacles.  Sometimes when staring at a difficult problem, creative options don’t seem available, like when Petit’s plan was discovered and authorities moved to prevent him from carrying out his tight roping dream.  At that point, he analyzed the barrier, reviewed his overarching vision, and generated a new plan.

Faith.  Petit believed he could achieve each mission throughout the planning process and while executing the plan.  Most critically, each first step on the wire was confident and faithful.

Sunday, we celebrated Pentecost in Suchitoto.  This holiday is known as the birthday of the Church.  We remember the day Jesus’ disciples met after His death and the way the Holy Spirit breathed through each individual, giving them the ability to speak in a variety of languages and to share the Word.

One of the Holy Spirit’s strengths is innovation.  I see the Holy Spirit’s breath swirling within each individual and throughout each relationship.  She generates creativity and resilience, as she did in the early Church’s mission.  I hope to cultivate my faith in Her, to invite and acknowledge Her strength within my life.  With faith in the innovative Spirit, all is possible, even walking a tightrope across the Sydney Harbor Bridge.

Discouraging Encouragement

Throughout the past seven months, my mindset has shifted.  I believe I was disillusioned when I arrived.  I believed I could do anything, create a class, develop a program, encourage a community, and I would make an impact. 

I’ve grown discouraged.   Too often people don’t show up to class because they need to work in the field or go to town to buy food or care for family members.  

I’m reminded that daily life here is very much about survival.  It seems less crucial to show up for school when your parents can’t read or write.  It is less essential to show up for a health workshop when there is no immediate result.  Yes, my classes are important and assist people in “developing necessary life-skills” but how important, today?

My friend Vince Prietto reminded me,  “Service is in relationships.” 

That is it!  Instead of sulking in complete discouragement and struggling to find meaning, I’m more motivated than ever.  Now I strive to leave the office, organized lesson plans, and research.  I'm motivated to simply sit with my Salvadoran friends and neighbors. 

I have changed my mindset.  Maybe “making an impact” is simply welcoming others to impact my life.   Through these relationships, we will serve each other.

Wings!

Bug wings are littering Suchitoto!  They are falling from trees, twirling in puddles, and skipping across cobblestones.  I even found two swimming in my fresh cup of tea this morning!

I cannot help but wonder…where are their bodies?  Did the insects die?  Did they shed the wings to sprout new ones?  Did the bugs develop into something different like a butterfly but in reverse?  Was it part of growing up? Growing old?  Was it painful? Disorienting?  Thrilling? Unexpected?  Liberating?

I’ve had plenty of time to find symbolism in the smallest of wings.

 

Tamarindo Foundation in Guarjila

John riding with the boys!

Thursday Dave and I hopped the ferry to Chalatenango which is the department north.  From there, we hitched a ride in a pickup to catch a bus.  We arrived in Guarjila and asked around for John Guiliano's house.  We walked about fifteen minutes as people pointed us in the right direction.  

John is a friend I met at Centro Arte para la Paz five months ago.  He is a character to say the least.  He has been a Jesuit, a coyote, a social worker, a fisherman, a scuba instructor, an adventure tour company owner, a professional hockey player/ national team coach, on and on and on.  He's lived in El Salvador since 1984 and in 2004 started the Tamarindo Foundation (http://www.tamarindofoundation.org/) in Guarjila, a small village.

Mission:  The Tamarindo Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3), tax-exempt, public charity committed to serving people in need in rural El Salvador, especially disadvantaged youth, with projects in education, health, recreation, micro-business and leadership formation.

Among the aforementioned, John focuses on promoting peace and creating leadership through athletics.  He converted two large chicken coups into a community center and sport court.  John is a passionate individual and strong, fatherly figure to all.  He doesn't tolerate gang activity, drug consumption, violence, or poor attitude that is so prevalent in the lives of his boys.  As a result, he is deeply respected.

Dave and I arrived in time for hockey practice.  We loaded John's truck and ventured to the center for hockey practice.  That night we toasted his "website launch" at his house.  John is planning to cycle from Boston to Seattle and ultimately through the Bay Area.  He will promote and raise money for the Tamarindo Foundation along the way.  He plans to construct a new community building, as the chicken coup space is packed with people twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week (women who need a safe space sleep there at night).

Check out John's Give Kids a Chance Tour website!  http://givekidsachance.us/Home_Page.html 

If your town is on the tour itinerary, contact John to find out where the Tamarindo Foundation event is that day! 

All in all, we had a blast in Guarjila Thursday night and witnessing John's center in action inspired a motivated spirit within me.  I always feel encouraged when someone's lofty dream/vision becomes reality.  Devotion, dedication, diligence, and faith are well and alive at the Tamarindo Foundation in Guarjila!

Reaaaaady.....GO! Guatemala in Six Days!

Last week, I headed to Antigua, Guatemala where to meet my family-friend Davey Gulick who was refreshing his Spanish there for three weeks.  We packed six days with exploration.  Above is a picture of our favorite restaurant of the trip, Quesos y Vino in Antigua!

Antigua is overflowing with historical jewels!

Ruins around every corner!

We then took a bus to Lago de Atitlan.  I loved waking early to catch the locals fishing on the lake!

Above are other locals waiting for the boat to take them to work.

We then took an overnight bus to Tikal to visit more mind-blowing Mayan ruins.

The next morning, we hopped a bus to Rio Dulce.  We took a two hour boat ride to Livingston, a village on the Caribbean.  Houses like this lined the river. 

We spent a couple days with people from Germany, Spain, and Canada.  Here they are drinking fresh coconut milk on Playa Blanca!

Check out the uniquely bright and beautiful blossoms!  I love the tropics!