A few odd snippets of things from the last week’s activities.
On Saturday, I went into San Pedro Sula to visit my friend Eddy. We met at City Mall and headed to a baleada joint for supper. It is always fun to introduce someone to a new experience and introducing Eddy to this new place was no exception. For around one dollar we each had a full meal that was hot and fresh. It is, for me, fascinating to watch the skill with which the baleada ladies transform a small ball of dough into a 30 cm diameter tortilla with such speed and dexterity.
For the evening’s entertainment, we went to a movie and enjoyed the luxury of air conditioning and plush seating. The movie was thought provoking and featured the torment of a man who had killed seven people by careless driving and felt the only way to atone for this mistake was through suicide. It reminded me of how rarely in life do we take the time to affirm others and assure them that their contribution to our lives and our communities are worthwhile and valued. We assume that our silence is good enough and, because we haven’t said anything negative, the other person will be aware of the positive thoughts we have. As people become more and insular in their lifestyles where face to face contact is limited because of Television, Internet and cell phones, opportunities to be positively affirmed will become even less. Hopefully things like Facebook and other social networks will compensate for some of this.
My wife and daughter arrived on Sunday and we were able to rent a vehicle for the two weeks they are here. What a luxury that is. The small car we had booked was not available so we were given a four wheel drive pickup instead. Not bad. It has meant we could do some hauling of garbage and so forth for the school. Our yard looks much better and we have firewood stacked under the Lorena Oven. As well, we have travelled up roads that no car would have ventured so were able to see much more varied scenery.
My daughter spent several days in San Pedro Sula visiting with school friends and renewing acquaintances. Wednesday night we went into the city to attend a football game in the local stadium. It was fun to see the stadium and watch our favourite part of the game – synchronized referee warm ups. That is a source of never ending amusement to our family. We have yet to emulate that type of warm up in our own refereeing in Canada but we often talk about it.
Equal opportunity has hit stadium advertising. Previously, lithe young girls in fetching garments would parade signs touting various goods and services around the pitch before the games and at half time. They have been replaced by dowdy, middle aged men dressed in jeans and polo shirts standing casually near the centre line. Not sure that it is an improvement.
Tuesday evening, Ardythe and I drove the 20 km to Lake Yojoa and had a fish supper seated on a veranda overlooking the lake. We were there for sunset so it was a spectacular show. We watched the fishermen jigging for fish until it got too dark to see and they headed to shore for the night. The fish was huge. It was deep fried and then served whole on large platters (identical platters available for sale in the restaurant gift and candy store) with a side of fried plantain chips and two huge jars of pickled cabbage and pickled peppers and onions. Pretty good stuff.
Yesterday we delivered a wheelchair to a man who had been paralyzed in a botched robbery. He was held up for something silly like a cell phone and, in the process, shot and paralyzed. He lives in a tiny house with two 3 metre x 3 metre rooms, a small cooking shack out back and a whole passel of kids. I am not sure how they are going to get the wheelchair up and down the hill to his house but, once they do, he can roll up and down the shoulder of the highway and go visiting friends and neighbours.
As we turned a corner yesterday, we met a lady headed to town with a stick load of chickens on her shoulder. They were tied by their legs and hanging upside down with the occasional flutter of wings and, likely, squawks of complaint.
Travelling with Alyssa in Honduras is always interesting. Because she is short and of Ethiopian heritage, she appears to be Honduran. Often we will answer questions and so forth and then the person we are talking to will look at Alyssa and ask the same questions again hoping for a more intelligent answer. The speed and vocabulary of the questions increases incrementally. It happened yesterday again as we went through a checkpoint on the way to a dam nearby.
Two hot days in a row. When it hits the high 30’s it feels very warm. Fortunately, days are only 13 hours long and it does cool off in the evenings and at night. Sitting in the office under a tin roof does nothing positive for core body temperatures though.
One last thing. Never underestimate the mystery of Gringo thought. I forget at times how completely baffling many of my actions, questions and ideas must be. Yesterday I asked for some rope to hang my hammock with. I sent a girl to get the rope. Well, somewhere in the translation it came across that I wanted a solid rope and four pieces ten feet long. Between the translation and the return of the girl it turned into four nylon rope lassos. If I had asked the girl to hang the hammock there would have been no problem but once I asked for the rope, confusion set in. One can never be sure just what I am going to do next so maybe a lasso is what is needed. As well, the store owner assured her that these thirty foot ropes were ten feet long so there was no need to measure and check. There is no hardware store here with convenient rolls of rope that you can take whatever length you need. Regardless, we lassoed my hammock into place with one of the ropes and, should any stray doggies come wandering by my apartment, we are ready to rope, throw and brand the suckers.
TTYL
Bryan
Friday, March 27, 2009
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Intestines for Lunch
Happy Spring. I grew up in the days when March 21 was officially the first day of Spring. Somewhere along the way, that got changed to March 20. Not sure what all the details for that change were but, nevertheless, I trust that the waxing sun is making for brighter, if not warmer, days.
Translation phrases. Yesterday Manuel started talking about a mutual acquaintance of ours, Mariano. Manuel said that he was a “Sweet Father”. As the conversation continued, I queried about the phrase. He said that it was from an American book he had read. I realized he meant “Sugar Daddy”. Same thing really.
Yesterday was spent in a rather frustrating search for documentation and authorization stuff. In an earlier project, we had endeavoured to buy some land to resettle ten peasant families giving them a new home and land to support themselves. Well, the employee who was charged with this figured out that he could buy the land in his own name and, possibly, walk away with it. Needless to say, we disagreed with that perspective. So, we are in the throes of gaining control of things again. Yesterday we went with two gentlemen who have offered to help us to two different offices. One was in El Progresso, a short hour away and the other in San Pedro Sula, a further hour away. The upshot of the whole deal was: a. You need to go to Tegucigulpa and it only takes a year. b. The man isn’t in. Come back at 8:00 a.m. on Monday. I asked Manuel why we couldn’t have done all this by phone and he was a wee bit puzzled at the concept of doing it all by phone. Sigh. He is right. The only one wondering about the whole procedure was me.
On Tuesday, Manuel and I went to look at a piece of property. Once the education project gets the funding it needs, I would like to get some property to begin some of the agriculture projects we have been considering. I don’t want to start them until it is on land we own. Marcos, a local land agent, took us the twenty minutes to the land. It was a lovely piece of land but to see it we hiked for over two hours up and down and around. We certainly have a good idea of the boundaries though. Unbeknownst to us, there was a small fly or something that was busy munching away. Unlike the black fly which just gets on with it and you know right away that you have been bitten, this no seeum type bug left its calling card about 24 hours later. Both Manuel and I have scores of little welts on our legs to remember the hike by. Obviously people who live in the area develop immunity because I have not seen anyone with the measle like scenario that I sport.
Yesterday, for lunch, we went to a restaurant that was featuring, as its Soup of the Day, Mudongo soup. That is a soup which takes two days to cook. Day one is to cut up the meat portion and give it a good boil. Day two adds the coconut milk and the vegetables for a final boil. The vegetables include plantains and another type of banana along with a squash type vegetable which remains somewhat crunchy even after cooking. The meat portion consists of pieces of stomach, intestine and diaphragm. Thanks to my butchering experience I was able to identify each portion easily. Because it is cooked so well, it is, actually, quite tender (I have had occasions in Africa where chewy was the operative word). As well, with the spices and coconut milk, it is very tasty. It is served with rice and tortillas. Lovely. I doubt I will persuade my family to give it a try.
Ardythe and Alyssa arrive tomorrow for a two week visit. Hopefully their luggage will survive the trip unscathed and unmolested. Post 9/11 baggage checks leave one uncertain what will be left opened for the next leg of the trip. It has made things so much easier for thieves in the destination countries because they know that luggage is no longer locked and is, often, partially open. So much easier to reach in a grasp a part of the contents.
We made a stew for lunch this week that featured mangoes, curry and cinnamon along with some meat and other vegetables. Everyone was pleasantly surprised and seconds were the order of the day.
Talk to you later.
Bryan
Translation phrases. Yesterday Manuel started talking about a mutual acquaintance of ours, Mariano. Manuel said that he was a “Sweet Father”. As the conversation continued, I queried about the phrase. He said that it was from an American book he had read. I realized he meant “Sugar Daddy”. Same thing really.
Yesterday was spent in a rather frustrating search for documentation and authorization stuff. In an earlier project, we had endeavoured to buy some land to resettle ten peasant families giving them a new home and land to support themselves. Well, the employee who was charged with this figured out that he could buy the land in his own name and, possibly, walk away with it. Needless to say, we disagreed with that perspective. So, we are in the throes of gaining control of things again. Yesterday we went with two gentlemen who have offered to help us to two different offices. One was in El Progresso, a short hour away and the other in San Pedro Sula, a further hour away. The upshot of the whole deal was: a. You need to go to Tegucigulpa and it only takes a year. b. The man isn’t in. Come back at 8:00 a.m. on Monday. I asked Manuel why we couldn’t have done all this by phone and he was a wee bit puzzled at the concept of doing it all by phone. Sigh. He is right. The only one wondering about the whole procedure was me.
On Tuesday, Manuel and I went to look at a piece of property. Once the education project gets the funding it needs, I would like to get some property to begin some of the agriculture projects we have been considering. I don’t want to start them until it is on land we own. Marcos, a local land agent, took us the twenty minutes to the land. It was a lovely piece of land but to see it we hiked for over two hours up and down and around. We certainly have a good idea of the boundaries though. Unbeknownst to us, there was a small fly or something that was busy munching away. Unlike the black fly which just gets on with it and you know right away that you have been bitten, this no seeum type bug left its calling card about 24 hours later. Both Manuel and I have scores of little welts on our legs to remember the hike by. Obviously people who live in the area develop immunity because I have not seen anyone with the measle like scenario that I sport.
Yesterday, for lunch, we went to a restaurant that was featuring, as its Soup of the Day, Mudongo soup. That is a soup which takes two days to cook. Day one is to cut up the meat portion and give it a good boil. Day two adds the coconut milk and the vegetables for a final boil. The vegetables include plantains and another type of banana along with a squash type vegetable which remains somewhat crunchy even after cooking. The meat portion consists of pieces of stomach, intestine and diaphragm. Thanks to my butchering experience I was able to identify each portion easily. Because it is cooked so well, it is, actually, quite tender (I have had occasions in Africa where chewy was the operative word). As well, with the spices and coconut milk, it is very tasty. It is served with rice and tortillas. Lovely. I doubt I will persuade my family to give it a try.
Ardythe and Alyssa arrive tomorrow for a two week visit. Hopefully their luggage will survive the trip unscathed and unmolested. Post 9/11 baggage checks leave one uncertain what will be left opened for the next leg of the trip. It has made things so much easier for thieves in the destination countries because they know that luggage is no longer locked and is, often, partially open. So much easier to reach in a grasp a part of the contents.
We made a stew for lunch this week that featured mangoes, curry and cinnamon along with some meat and other vegetables. Everyone was pleasantly surprised and seconds were the order of the day.
Talk to you later.
Bryan
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Black Flies and Cold Chicken
The alarm went off at 5:15 a.m. and I hurried to put some water on to heat for my morning dish pan bath. At the same time I put on water for porridge. Why is it that you work hard to get the porridge hot enough to cook and then work hard to get it cool enough to eat? By 6:10 breakfast was over, bath done and I was ready for the day. Unfortunately, I had to leave before finishing the last two chapters of a novel I was reading – will get back to it tonight I am afraid.
The reason for the early start was a trip out to give some people advice about garden beds. We boarded a rapidito and headed out to Rosa’s farm and met with the five families who are going to start making garden beds in between the rows of papaya that Rosa has planted. We did some measuring and cutting of measuring sticks and demonstrated a few ways of planting the seeds. After doing that it came out that getting seeds was a problem. Not sure why that is but it does seem difficult to find seeds here. Julio, one of Rosa’s workers was along and showed me a number of his efforts. Most commendable. As I told Rosa later, “Planting anything gets you an 80%. The other 20% we can talk about, discuss and even argue but as long as stuff is getting planted you are well on the way.” She is busy planting trees on her property. Her numbers suggest that in 2-4 years each of her fruit trees will produce more than $100.00 of fruit (she is thinking $250.00) a year. When you consider that, as a teacher, she makes $400.00 a month, it means only 50 trees to equal that income. And, believe you me, trees are much easier to manage than kids in a classroom. The lumber producing trees she is planting will be worth more than $1000 a tree in ten to twelve years. It was exciting to see someone putting things in the ground. She also has many roses planted which look lovely.
The down side of the trip was that there is a type of black fly which bites and takes a tiny chunk of skin with it. Whenever I encounter a new type of stinging insect, (mosquitoes, etc.) the bites swell up quickly and thoroughly for the first few days of encounter. Within a week or two my immune system is ready for the new attack and it is not so annoying. My arms look like a Canadian camper in June who lost his tent and campfire.
We had another board meeting this week and, in preparation, I told Manuel that I would buy smoked chicken and put in my fridge and serve it cold. Well, a bit of the conversation got lost in the translation because there was nothing like this in Manuel’s culinary background. He knew that it was okay to store chicken in the fridge but had never heard or thought of having cold chicken at a meal. Consequently, when we were ready to serve the meal, I went over to see that the cold deboned chicken which I had ready to serve was being hustled into a frying pan to be heated. I quickly resolved the situation and we got the translation corrected. Everyone was quite amazed at the prospect but, fortunately, all enjoyed the new adventure in taste.
For the meeting we inaugurated the new Lorena Oven and it performed in a stellar fashion. As well, we put two solar cookers into service to cook potatoes and cauliflower. By noon, fresh beans (evidently, there is a taste difference between new dried beans and old dried beans when cooked) were cooked on the stove and a pudding made from ground milk corn, milk, sugar and cinnamon. Fresh watermelon finished off the meal which we served outside in the shade of one of our palm trees. Sooooo tropical.
Today the men are supposed to come fix the roof. Not sure if that will happen. I hope they did not arrive during the hour I was planting. Juan Carlos called to make sure I could come referee a soccer game this afternoon. Will see how that goes. Hopefully all will stay calm and any Honduran intensity will be saved for the after game drinks.
One other interesting trip this week. We took some scribblers and pencils to children who are kept in a shelter during the school week. These children come from single parent families or live with extended families. For the most part, they are without care during the week because the parent or caregiver has to work. Consequently, the make do with one meal a day. The shelter allows them to have three meals a day, access to schooling and a place to sleep during the school week. They return to their homes on weekends. It was a sobering reminder of how close to the surface poverty is and how it crushes the lives of those least able to do anything about it. Additionally, these children who are malnourished before the age of five face a lifetime of difficulties in health, education and livelihood skills. It is good to think that we are at least trying to do something about ameliorating some of these problems.
TTYL
Bryan
The reason for the early start was a trip out to give some people advice about garden beds. We boarded a rapidito and headed out to Rosa’s farm and met with the five families who are going to start making garden beds in between the rows of papaya that Rosa has planted. We did some measuring and cutting of measuring sticks and demonstrated a few ways of planting the seeds. After doing that it came out that getting seeds was a problem. Not sure why that is but it does seem difficult to find seeds here. Julio, one of Rosa’s workers was along and showed me a number of his efforts. Most commendable. As I told Rosa later, “Planting anything gets you an 80%. The other 20% we can talk about, discuss and even argue but as long as stuff is getting planted you are well on the way.” She is busy planting trees on her property. Her numbers suggest that in 2-4 years each of her fruit trees will produce more than $100.00 of fruit (she is thinking $250.00) a year. When you consider that, as a teacher, she makes $400.00 a month, it means only 50 trees to equal that income. And, believe you me, trees are much easier to manage than kids in a classroom. The lumber producing trees she is planting will be worth more than $1000 a tree in ten to twelve years. It was exciting to see someone putting things in the ground. She also has many roses planted which look lovely.
The down side of the trip was that there is a type of black fly which bites and takes a tiny chunk of skin with it. Whenever I encounter a new type of stinging insect, (mosquitoes, etc.) the bites swell up quickly and thoroughly for the first few days of encounter. Within a week or two my immune system is ready for the new attack and it is not so annoying. My arms look like a Canadian camper in June who lost his tent and campfire.
We had another board meeting this week and, in preparation, I told Manuel that I would buy smoked chicken and put in my fridge and serve it cold. Well, a bit of the conversation got lost in the translation because there was nothing like this in Manuel’s culinary background. He knew that it was okay to store chicken in the fridge but had never heard or thought of having cold chicken at a meal. Consequently, when we were ready to serve the meal, I went over to see that the cold deboned chicken which I had ready to serve was being hustled into a frying pan to be heated. I quickly resolved the situation and we got the translation corrected. Everyone was quite amazed at the prospect but, fortunately, all enjoyed the new adventure in taste.
For the meeting we inaugurated the new Lorena Oven and it performed in a stellar fashion. As well, we put two solar cookers into service to cook potatoes and cauliflower. By noon, fresh beans (evidently, there is a taste difference between new dried beans and old dried beans when cooked) were cooked on the stove and a pudding made from ground milk corn, milk, sugar and cinnamon. Fresh watermelon finished off the meal which we served outside in the shade of one of our palm trees. Sooooo tropical.
Today the men are supposed to come fix the roof. Not sure if that will happen. I hope they did not arrive during the hour I was planting. Juan Carlos called to make sure I could come referee a soccer game this afternoon. Will see how that goes. Hopefully all will stay calm and any Honduran intensity will be saved for the after game drinks.
One other interesting trip this week. We took some scribblers and pencils to children who are kept in a shelter during the school week. These children come from single parent families or live with extended families. For the most part, they are without care during the week because the parent or caregiver has to work. Consequently, the make do with one meal a day. The shelter allows them to have three meals a day, access to schooling and a place to sleep during the school week. They return to their homes on weekends. It was a sobering reminder of how close to the surface poverty is and how it crushes the lives of those least able to do anything about it. Additionally, these children who are malnourished before the age of five face a lifetime of difficulties in health, education and livelihood skills. It is good to think that we are at least trying to do something about ameliorating some of these problems.
TTYL
Bryan
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Tourist Escort – March 8
Finally, I planted the two vegetable beds we created to a variety of greens. We will see if the seeds I obtained have any viability. Once again, though, it demonstrates how much nutrition can be obtained from a very small piece of land. Each bed is 3 feet X 20 feet but will easily provide greens for a family for several weeks.
Friday afternoon, I joined Manuel on the bus trip to San Pedro Sula. Once in San Pedro Sula I caught transport to the City Mall where I met a new friend, Eddy, a man from California who is volunteering as a teacher at the Anglican school I taught at a couple of years ago. He was looking for a chance to see other parts of San Pedro Sula and get out of town.
After showing him a few new spots around City Mall (near where he lives) and a great Baleada spot, we headed to the city centre to walk around and see a few sights. Many of the teachers and students in the school are very anxious about security issues. As conspicuously rich people, they are targets for bandits and kidnappers. Consequently, their lives are spent surrounded by armed guards and barbed wire. Obviously, they don’t spend a lot of time exploring their world and enjoying the colour and vibrancy that is part of ordinary peoples’ lives.
Saturday morning we came to Santa Cruz so that Eddy could have a chance to see a town setting that is much more relaxed than the visible armed guards so much a part of San Pedro Sula. He was so happy to walk around and see some of the ordinary lives of Hondurans. It is always so refreshing to see a place through the eyes of a newcomer and realize how many things that I no longer notice are interesting and exciting to someone else.
After lunch, we went with the owner of the smoked chicken restaurant to watch his team play soccer. His team is part of a ten team league featuring solidly over-the-hill players from several surrounding towns. I was possibly going to be the referee (turned out that the other team had a referee). There are not enough fields in Santa Cruz so the two teams from Santa Cruz travelled thirty kilometres to a field on the shores of Lake Yajoha. What a beautiful setting. On two sides lush green forest crept to the edges and tall trees stopped errant balls before dropping them into the undergrowth. The other two sides were a maize field and a sugar cane field. The backdrop was paper art layers of ever taller mountains pushing through the evening clouds. The game was fun as well.
Our friend hustled us away from the field so that we could find a bus for Eddy to return to S.P.S. We were very lucky to have a bus coming along the road behind us which stopped at the Las Flores intersection as I jumped out of the car to wave it down. After making sure Eddy was aboard, I was lucky enough to flag down a later vehicle from the game and got a ride in the back of the pick up with four of the players.
Two thought provoking events this week. One is the tragedy of the excommunication of the doctors in Brazil who performed an abortion for a nine year old girl who was pregnant with twins due to the ongoing sexual abuse of her father. What type of theology is prepared to condemn a small girl to the hell of pregnancy after living with the hell of abuse? A theology that values life has to be flexible enough to value the lives of the living and oppressed as much as those of the unborn. With millions of already born living without hope, parents, in need of health, education, sanitation and nourishment surely there is something there to occupy the time and efforts of these “religious” leaders.
The second thought provoking event was a conversation with a fellow in the States who has done some fine work with green leaves as a food source and nutritional basis for health. As we talked he hoped that I would be able to get some things done before I had been here so long that I had “gone native”. This is a phrase I have heard over the years and it was most troubling. The assumption is, so often, that we as Canadians, Americans and Europeans have the real, complete knowledge of all things good and productive and we are, consequently, able to provide all the answers to the poor natives in whatever country we fly into. There seems to be no understanding that wisdom is not confined to one culture or religious expression. As we walk, sit and eat with people of other cultures we are often overwhelmed with the abilities and wisdom that they have to offer to the conversation. We have access, very often, to large quantities of knowledge but that does not, all too often, equate to wisdom.
Today I was given another fascinating reminder of this. Friends called me and asked if I wanted to go see some forest. It was only five minutes by collective from the town centre. We walked from the highway and into this patch of forest. An elderly gentleman was with us and, as we went, we paused numerous times as he pointed out plants and told us what they were used for – nutrition, medicine, fodder, fuel and timber. Fortunately for me, there was also an American who had years of experience in horticulture so we got both Spanish and Latin names for many things. Between us we learned many traditional uses and shared some new ideas and potentials for various plants. What a delightful time.
Just as delightful was finding a gorgeous waterfall tucked away out of sight only a hundred metres from the road. We sat and enjoyed the sound and spray as well as all the lush greenery. My Leatherman came in handy to cut into different seeds and fruits as we explored the plant life. Four of us played in the river a little bit setting up a log so that the rest could cross dry shod. It was more the fun of wading in the rushing water than the necessity of setting up a bridge. At the end of the hike, our host served us barbecued pork, roasted cassava and cabbage salad. A totally unexpected adventure.
Enough for now.
Bryan
Friday afternoon, I joined Manuel on the bus trip to San Pedro Sula. Once in San Pedro Sula I caught transport to the City Mall where I met a new friend, Eddy, a man from California who is volunteering as a teacher at the Anglican school I taught at a couple of years ago. He was looking for a chance to see other parts of San Pedro Sula and get out of town.
After showing him a few new spots around City Mall (near where he lives) and a great Baleada spot, we headed to the city centre to walk around and see a few sights. Many of the teachers and students in the school are very anxious about security issues. As conspicuously rich people, they are targets for bandits and kidnappers. Consequently, their lives are spent surrounded by armed guards and barbed wire. Obviously, they don’t spend a lot of time exploring their world and enjoying the colour and vibrancy that is part of ordinary peoples’ lives.
Saturday morning we came to Santa Cruz so that Eddy could have a chance to see a town setting that is much more relaxed than the visible armed guards so much a part of San Pedro Sula. He was so happy to walk around and see some of the ordinary lives of Hondurans. It is always so refreshing to see a place through the eyes of a newcomer and realize how many things that I no longer notice are interesting and exciting to someone else.
After lunch, we went with the owner of the smoked chicken restaurant to watch his team play soccer. His team is part of a ten team league featuring solidly over-the-hill players from several surrounding towns. I was possibly going to be the referee (turned out that the other team had a referee). There are not enough fields in Santa Cruz so the two teams from Santa Cruz travelled thirty kilometres to a field on the shores of Lake Yajoha. What a beautiful setting. On two sides lush green forest crept to the edges and tall trees stopped errant balls before dropping them into the undergrowth. The other two sides were a maize field and a sugar cane field. The backdrop was paper art layers of ever taller mountains pushing through the evening clouds. The game was fun as well.
Our friend hustled us away from the field so that we could find a bus for Eddy to return to S.P.S. We were very lucky to have a bus coming along the road behind us which stopped at the Las Flores intersection as I jumped out of the car to wave it down. After making sure Eddy was aboard, I was lucky enough to flag down a later vehicle from the game and got a ride in the back of the pick up with four of the players.
Two thought provoking events this week. One is the tragedy of the excommunication of the doctors in Brazil who performed an abortion for a nine year old girl who was pregnant with twins due to the ongoing sexual abuse of her father. What type of theology is prepared to condemn a small girl to the hell of pregnancy after living with the hell of abuse? A theology that values life has to be flexible enough to value the lives of the living and oppressed as much as those of the unborn. With millions of already born living without hope, parents, in need of health, education, sanitation and nourishment surely there is something there to occupy the time and efforts of these “religious” leaders.
The second thought provoking event was a conversation with a fellow in the States who has done some fine work with green leaves as a food source and nutritional basis for health. As we talked he hoped that I would be able to get some things done before I had been here so long that I had “gone native”. This is a phrase I have heard over the years and it was most troubling. The assumption is, so often, that we as Canadians, Americans and Europeans have the real, complete knowledge of all things good and productive and we are, consequently, able to provide all the answers to the poor natives in whatever country we fly into. There seems to be no understanding that wisdom is not confined to one culture or religious expression. As we walk, sit and eat with people of other cultures we are often overwhelmed with the abilities and wisdom that they have to offer to the conversation. We have access, very often, to large quantities of knowledge but that does not, all too often, equate to wisdom.
Today I was given another fascinating reminder of this. Friends called me and asked if I wanted to go see some forest. It was only five minutes by collective from the town centre. We walked from the highway and into this patch of forest. An elderly gentleman was with us and, as we went, we paused numerous times as he pointed out plants and told us what they were used for – nutrition, medicine, fodder, fuel and timber. Fortunately for me, there was also an American who had years of experience in horticulture so we got both Spanish and Latin names for many things. Between us we learned many traditional uses and shared some new ideas and potentials for various plants. What a delightful time.
Just as delightful was finding a gorgeous waterfall tucked away out of sight only a hundred metres from the road. We sat and enjoyed the sound and spray as well as all the lush greenery. My Leatherman came in handy to cut into different seeds and fruits as we explored the plant life. Four of us played in the river a little bit setting up a log so that the rest could cross dry shod. It was more the fun of wading in the rushing water than the necessity of setting up a bridge. At the end of the hike, our host served us barbecued pork, roasted cassava and cabbage salad. A totally unexpected adventure.
Enough for now.
Bryan
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
One Oven Done - March 3
Sunday morning, the family arrived to build the Lorena Oven. We were two from our office so that made a crew of five. The man and I worked on mixing cement and so forth for the foundation. There is just no easy way to mix cement by hand. Once the support bricks were laid, we set up the form for the main bed of the oven. Cutting wet hardwood planks with a dull handsaw makes for a good workout.
As we worked, the ladies worked on mixing the adobe. A combination of horse manure, wood ash and clay was sieved and then mixed with water to make a gooey mixture just right for plastering with.
As soon as the base was formed and the cement poured, they began laying the fired bricks that make up the oven. The oven proper is made up of fired bricks and adobe. By one o’clock the finishing touches were being put on the whole thing and it was covered up to prevent spoilage by the on and off again rain.
By one thirty I was on my way to Tegucigalpa. The bus was late leaving San Pedro Sula so Manuel did not arrive until almost 4 p.m. Nevertheless, we made good time once we left Las Flores. We had hoped to arrive early enough to catch a movie in the big city but that didn’t happen. Instead we went to a restaurant for supper and got to bed in good time.
Our hotel room was nice and clean and, more importantly, around the corner and away from the noise and fumes of the buses starting up at 5 a.m. Lovely. It even had hot water in the shower as well so that was a real bonus. Considering how cold it has been the last few days that was most appreciated. Low teen temperatures are very cold when you have no place to go warm up. The washroom even featured lovely mauve fixtures with a padded, aquamarine green toilet seat.
In the morning, as we were having breakfast, a lady came in to ask for food. She quickly accepted the beans and cheese on my plate along with a tortilla. A reminder that underneath the facade of rich buildings and malls is an aching layer of pain and misery.
Our meeting went well on Monday morning and we came away cautiously optimistic that the funding will appear for the project. The man we saw is the final link in the chain and he was very positive about our ideas and hoped to have a reply to us in the next two weeks. Will see how that turns out.
As our bus warmed up, we had a host of hawkers coming up the aisles. Children’s toys, lovely wall hangings inscribed with a favourite Psalm, plates of food and, my favourite, a Rasta man, complete with braids, Ethiopian coloured knitted cap and pendant selling sticks of incense.
Manuel and I got off the bus about twenty kilometres from my turn off to check out a small fish farm we had seen from the bus window. It was most interesting. It featured nine tanks each holding about 1000 m3 of water. The man who was guarding the place showed us around and told us everything he could. A lovely set up with lots of potential. Each of the seven grow tanks will hold about 4000 or more tilapia so that is a lot of fish. The tanks were made of wire mesh lined with a hard black plastic. Very economical. The site will bare further study.
Today we had, in my opinion, the best sweet potato recipe yet. Sautéed onions, steamed leaves done in a yoghurt and peanut butter sauce. Everyone dug into that dish with a will. I promised the girls fourteen days of sweet potato leaves so will have to figure out some other ways of preparing them. Hopefully, in two months, many of the other greens we have planted will begin producing and we can have a variety of healthy (and good??) eating.
Talk to you later.
Bryan
As we worked, the ladies worked on mixing the adobe. A combination of horse manure, wood ash and clay was sieved and then mixed with water to make a gooey mixture just right for plastering with.
As soon as the base was formed and the cement poured, they began laying the fired bricks that make up the oven. The oven proper is made up of fired bricks and adobe. By one o’clock the finishing touches were being put on the whole thing and it was covered up to prevent spoilage by the on and off again rain.
By one thirty I was on my way to Tegucigalpa. The bus was late leaving San Pedro Sula so Manuel did not arrive until almost 4 p.m. Nevertheless, we made good time once we left Las Flores. We had hoped to arrive early enough to catch a movie in the big city but that didn’t happen. Instead we went to a restaurant for supper and got to bed in good time.
Our hotel room was nice and clean and, more importantly, around the corner and away from the noise and fumes of the buses starting up at 5 a.m. Lovely. It even had hot water in the shower as well so that was a real bonus. Considering how cold it has been the last few days that was most appreciated. Low teen temperatures are very cold when you have no place to go warm up. The washroom even featured lovely mauve fixtures with a padded, aquamarine green toilet seat.
In the morning, as we were having breakfast, a lady came in to ask for food. She quickly accepted the beans and cheese on my plate along with a tortilla. A reminder that underneath the facade of rich buildings and malls is an aching layer of pain and misery.
Our meeting went well on Monday morning and we came away cautiously optimistic that the funding will appear for the project. The man we saw is the final link in the chain and he was very positive about our ideas and hoped to have a reply to us in the next two weeks. Will see how that turns out.
As our bus warmed up, we had a host of hawkers coming up the aisles. Children’s toys, lovely wall hangings inscribed with a favourite Psalm, plates of food and, my favourite, a Rasta man, complete with braids, Ethiopian coloured knitted cap and pendant selling sticks of incense.
Manuel and I got off the bus about twenty kilometres from my turn off to check out a small fish farm we had seen from the bus window. It was most interesting. It featured nine tanks each holding about 1000 m3 of water. The man who was guarding the place showed us around and told us everything he could. A lovely set up with lots of potential. Each of the seven grow tanks will hold about 4000 or more tilapia so that is a lot of fish. The tanks were made of wire mesh lined with a hard black plastic. Very economical. The site will bare further study.
Today we had, in my opinion, the best sweet potato recipe yet. Sautéed onions, steamed leaves done in a yoghurt and peanut butter sauce. Everyone dug into that dish with a will. I promised the girls fourteen days of sweet potato leaves so will have to figure out some other ways of preparing them. Hopefully, in two months, many of the other greens we have planted will begin producing and we can have a variety of healthy (and good??) eating.
Talk to you later.
Bryan
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Waiting to Build a Lorena Oven
The crew to build a Lorena Oven are to arrive in the next few minutes. As they were to arrive at this time yesterday I am cautiously pessimistic. The good news is that all of the materials arrived yesterday afternoon so we are definitely making progress. It will be exciting to have one of these fuel efficient stoves to experiment with. It will include a small baking oven (I think – that is the plan) so will be quite versatile. The Lorena Oven uses much less fuel and, better yet, smaller dimension fuel wood (even corn cobs). This means that a family with one of these ovens can plant much smaller types of trees which grow faster, coppice rapidly and have other uses for food and fodder. Since the trees are smaller, they can be planted closer together and so need much less space to provide enough fuel for a family.
As Manuel and I hiked to and fro in Santa Cruz looking for a place which could make a cement beehive we stumbled upon an office fronting for a concrete pillars, railings and balustrade posts making outfit. Imagine our surprise when the lady involved spoke wonderful English and, amazingly, is working on sustainable agriculture on her plot outside of town. She was excited to meet someone else who knew a tiny bit about beekeeping and was very helpful. The next morning, I was up and out by 6 a.m. to catch the rapidito with her to go see her land. Amazing what she has been able to accomplish in a couple of years. Even more amazing the potential that awaits further work. It was such a wonderful opportunity to talk with someone who is knowledgeable about many of the things I have looked at. We will see how the conversation continues.
This lady, Rosa, encountered a small boy in the village who was basically living a feral existence. He `lived` with his father but spent many of his nights outside on the ground and obviously went hungry much of the time. She took him home and he is now in school. At almost ten years of age, he looks, to me, much like a six year old. He is definitely well behind in the growth and development curve. A reminder that there are many invisible people who need help and attention.
Two more meals with our growing favourite – Sweet Potato Leaves. One meal was scrambled eggs with tomatoes, cream and leaves. That went over fairly well. The other was chicken, coconut milk, rice, curry and leaves. Everyone had second helpings of that one so we are making progress. Yesterday I took a try at making my own yoghurt and it set nicely so we can try yoghurt as a base for some of our meals. Will also try one with peanut butter sauce – a favourite method in Uganda.
Friday night, on the way home from the town centre, I encountered three small boys pelting down the street toward me. I wasn’t sure what they were running from until, another 20 metres along, I met their dangerous opponents. Obviously they had been troubling two little girls until the girls had had enough. Both girls had their hands full of mud and were flinging balls of mud at the boys. Happily, I was outside of the firing line.
Further down the street I was just beginning to wend my way through a street soccer game when I heard some shouting. The boys looked at me and pointed backwards. I turned around and found that I was passing the home of the Principal of the Santa Cruz Education Department. So, after a visit with him and two others of his staff (an hour and a half later) I completed my journey.
Finally one type of mango is hitting the market. They are small mangos but, nevertheless, very delicious. Will enjoy them while they are in season.
Have a good Sunday.
Bryan
As Manuel and I hiked to and fro in Santa Cruz looking for a place which could make a cement beehive we stumbled upon an office fronting for a concrete pillars, railings and balustrade posts making outfit. Imagine our surprise when the lady involved spoke wonderful English and, amazingly, is working on sustainable agriculture on her plot outside of town. She was excited to meet someone else who knew a tiny bit about beekeeping and was very helpful. The next morning, I was up and out by 6 a.m. to catch the rapidito with her to go see her land. Amazing what she has been able to accomplish in a couple of years. Even more amazing the potential that awaits further work. It was such a wonderful opportunity to talk with someone who is knowledgeable about many of the things I have looked at. We will see how the conversation continues.
This lady, Rosa, encountered a small boy in the village who was basically living a feral existence. He `lived` with his father but spent many of his nights outside on the ground and obviously went hungry much of the time. She took him home and he is now in school. At almost ten years of age, he looks, to me, much like a six year old. He is definitely well behind in the growth and development curve. A reminder that there are many invisible people who need help and attention.
Two more meals with our growing favourite – Sweet Potato Leaves. One meal was scrambled eggs with tomatoes, cream and leaves. That went over fairly well. The other was chicken, coconut milk, rice, curry and leaves. Everyone had second helpings of that one so we are making progress. Yesterday I took a try at making my own yoghurt and it set nicely so we can try yoghurt as a base for some of our meals. Will also try one with peanut butter sauce – a favourite method in Uganda.
Friday night, on the way home from the town centre, I encountered three small boys pelting down the street toward me. I wasn’t sure what they were running from until, another 20 metres along, I met their dangerous opponents. Obviously they had been troubling two little girls until the girls had had enough. Both girls had their hands full of mud and were flinging balls of mud at the boys. Happily, I was outside of the firing line.
Further down the street I was just beginning to wend my way through a street soccer game when I heard some shouting. The boys looked at me and pointed backwards. I turned around and found that I was passing the home of the Principal of the Santa Cruz Education Department. So, after a visit with him and two others of his staff (an hour and a half later) I completed my journey.
Finally one type of mango is hitting the market. They are small mangos but, nevertheless, very delicious. Will enjoy them while they are in season.
Have a good Sunday.
Bryan
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