Hi all!
Today several of us are out in the fields. We're planting watermelons and it's hot. I wish I had one right now. Did I put my sun screen on? Where did I leave my water bottle? Using measuring sticks ( 2 & 1/2 feet long)we work our way down the row, making a small hole an inch deep into which we drop 2 seeds cover them and move on. The seeds are slightly red, that's from an herbicide, we have to be careful not to rub our eyes, mouths, or noses. There are tiny ants that you don't see until they bite you on the wrists or ankles. I don't know how I'd make it as a farmer, doing this kind of work all day long, every day.
A van rolls up announcing ice cream and sandwiches on it's loudspeaker. Somebody's noticed that the gringos are in town. We resist the call.
We engage in other projects too. Some help with the construction of chicken runs. Families are looking to keep the birds out of their gardens. I think of our 3 chickens back in Seattle. What fun they'd have if they could get into our garden.
The community is building a greenhouse where they will nurture baby plantains (kind of a starchy banana), which they'll sell to other communities who are starting plantations. The greenhouse is covered with a fabric that will keep out bugs and plant diseases, rocks along the base to keep out rabbits, and protection from harsh sun. There will be an decontamination chamber so that whoever comes in and out can wash off, keeping diseases out. There will be a spray irrigation set up as well. Our farmers are learning some pretty sophisticated techniques.
I like working on the greenhouse. I think it's because we're all working in pretty close proximity and are able to talk to each other as well as see what each other are doing. We are impressed by Erasmo's skill doing carpentry with a machete. I learned a technique for notching a 2 by 4 with 2 simple cuts!
Though things have been rough because of some of the problems I mentioned in the previous letter, there have been breakthroughs. Catalino, one of the farmers who has succeeded in growing high quality plantains was able, with help from Agros, to negociate a contract with a major distributor. He now has standing orders for his fruit as soon as it comes ripe.
Getting enough water has been a continual challenge for the village. A plan is in the works to look at drilling a well. This will require a scientific survey and would be expensive. If successful it would be a major benefit to the community which now depends on an insufficient source of water piped from miles away.
While some of us were in the fields others were with mothers and children around the community center. Barbara introduced a game that caught on like wildfire: Alphabet Bingo. Whenever someone got a bingo, they received a crown. Vive Jorge el Primero! Vive Maria la Primera!... Even kids who didn't know their alphabet before were starting to get it. Later we had adults joining in, too. One of our group had made coloring books using photos from the previous trip made very,very light. Perfect for coloring. The whole village turned out to be full of artists!
Getting these kids into school and staying there through elementary levels, I think may be one of the biggest changes in the lives of these people. This year a teacher has started coming out to the village, teaching first through fifth grades. Sixth graders go to a school in the little town two miles down the road. There's a high school about 10 miles away.
Bye for now! Gilberto.
