A Day in the Life of...

Today I got up at 5:30 am (woke at my usual 4:30) and had a little bowl of corn flakes with raisins and milk! Most people in the village can't have milk as they don't have refrigeration but I do and it makes me soooo appreciate cold items.

I headed over to my garden across the path from my home. I made the decision to abort the garden for now as the seedlings can't quite handle the torrential downpours in this rainforest. Some nights the rain on my zinc roof is deafening and although I love the sound of the downpours, I cringe knowing that across the path, my seedlings are probably washing away...so with a few exceptions, I will stop gardening until rainy season ends. I did have a bumper crop of a few vegetables, especially cucumbers. And I had planted an area for flowers and the Mexican sunflowers are doing a hat dance! But the average rainfall in the Toledo District is 160 inches/year... a little too much for most vegetables, I guess. The good news about the garden is that it has stimulated lots of interest here in the village and I've had several people ask me to help them start their own garden. Of course, I'll love that but I told them to wait until October. So those of you that sent seeds should know that they are being put to great use!! Nutrition in the village is severely lacking in fruits and vegetables. They live on chicken, rice and beans and tortillas for the most part. Could be the start of something good?

Next I went to a neighbor's house where I had been asked to help build a latrine. This morning from 8 am to noon we dug a hole about 3 ft square and 8 ft deep. None of the women participate in the digging as they are much too busy tending to the children and bathing, dishes, and laundry down at the river. The two men laughed and joked with me which was fun because the men pretty much keep to themselves here in the village other than at meetings. I felt like I kept up with my end of the digging—you know me, not a slacker. It's a tough job after about one foot down as the soil is hard clay and shale stone. And of course, the sun was blazing...my guess the heat index was well over 110. Ugh!

Came home at noon and took a cold shower! Remember I built my own shower in the kitchen? I'm so glad I did because I cool off in it at least 4x/day—some days much more!! Made myself an open faced chicken salad sandwich...homemade bread I made several days ago and chicken salad I made yesterday with celery, onions, green pepper, carrots and walnuts!! The vegetables in it were a real treat from the market last week and Sue Brown sent the walnuts a while ago. I've been rationing those for quite a while now. You savor every bite when you can't have this type of thing often. Every little piece of celery that fell onto my plate found its way to my stomach.

Read for a little while and drank lots of water. Then at 2 pm I headed up to the school where some children and I are working on making a map of the world on the school wall. Seems like a great learning experience for them. I quickly became aware of how little geography I know outside North America so it's a great learning experience for me, too!! I have a couple of pictures of the group and one picture of our feet because we are literally working in the mud...mas sule le beh! (the road is muddy—K'ekchi) This is a Peace Corps project that is done all over the world to give children a chance to see where they fit in the big picture...working together gives them a sense of community. All I know is that we are having fun. Most of the children left at around 4:30 as they have to go home and help with dinner preparations and with younger siblings. I stayed until I couldn't see anymore...nearly dark at 6:30 (no daylight savings here).

Came home and took another shower to wash away the sweat, paint, but mostly the mud. Had some leftover spaghetti sauce and made spaghetti and another slice of homemade bread. Plan to read a little bit more and hit the sack by 10. It's 9:15 now and the village has been asleep or at least very quiet since 7:30.

So that's my day today...not very exciting but certainly full. Maybe more gaps were bridged between the white lady and the villagers. I want to leave here and have them think that white people aren't so bad afterall...maybe even nice?!?

I almost forgot to tell you!! The reason why I started writing today was because I was finally stung by a scorpion! I have seen many here but have managed to remain intact until today. It was while I was with the men this morning so I had to 'act' brave like it was no big deal. But it's a pretty sharp sting...quite a bit worse than a bee sting and it makes your lips and tongue swell up and you feel like your whole mouth has been to the dentist!! Things are pretty normalized now other than my thumb which is still quite swollen. The mosquito and chigger bites are bothering me more now than the scorpion sting as I'm writing this... And while we're on the 'critters' subject, I have a nest of bats inside my house where I sleep. Thought I got rid of them last week but ...'They're Back!!' ...village life...

Today is my beautiful daughter's birthday. Please join me in wishing Ashley a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! She is 30!! Seems like yesterday when I brought her home just 4 hours after delivery...(what in the world was I thinking?) Thank God, we all have grown up. I love you ASHLEY!!! p.s. the rainbow is for you honey!

God bless us all...tracy

The Bad Story—You Ready?

I challenge you to take a journey with me to a deep, dark unfamiliar world where you lose your concept of reality. It is a journey as mystical and unexplainable as the fall and the obliteration of the Mayan empire. Void the mind if you can, void your preconceived notions about myth and magic and maybe you can appreciate this story that is REAL in my village.

A curse has swept through the village. 'It' came from the neighboring village of Silver Creek. Various households had been 'infected' but now it has left. All, except my host family's home. There, the children have been sick one right after the other. But it is staying at my old house and won't leave. A couple of the children have been sick, then got better, only to get sick again. My host mother who is a small lady anyways, has lost maybe 20 pounds in the last month. She weeps (which is uncustomary in this culture to show emotion). She looks ravaged with sadness and pain.

I visit over at their home and whoever is sick is being tended to by the rest of the family. Everyone is praying over them, the incense is burning, there is little light in the room, and no talking with only a whisper if necessary. The symptoms are obsessive sleep, difficulty breathing with the feeling that someone or something is choking them, and pain in their hearts like they are being stabbed. They speak in 'tongues' when wakeful and often appear delirious.

My host father asked to talk to me privately and I obliged. He and his wife believe this is a curse that has been introduced into the village and has left the village except for his home because someone is still 'cursing' them. Mayans can 'curse' one another which will cause ill fate or sickness, even death. This is usually done (I'm told) out of jealousy. Now the children are all so ill that he sought the help of a Guatemalen 'bush doctor' who has been in touch via telephone. They feel that this doctor is the only one that can bring health and happiness back to their family.

No matter what you are thinking now, this is real to this family. The doctor had told them last week that the children were very ill and if he weren't allowed to do his doctoring, he feared that someone would die and that one of the parents would become gravely ill and die also. He instructed my host dad to keep all the family in their home or their yard even if they were feeling better. He would start doing his 'work' from afar and my host father would soon see an improvement. My host dad would do anything for the health and happiness of his family. There has been improvement. Their beliefs are deeply rooted. This doctor is their lifeline.

The Guatemalen bush doctor wants $4000 BZ ($2000 US) for his services. He will be coming this Friday to do his work and expects to be paid at that time. My host father has managed to beg, borrow, and not steal from everyone he knows and has come up with almost $2000 BZ. He is afraid that because he only has half of the money, that the bush doctor will reverse the good that he has already done and the family will be cursed perhaps even more.

The whole family is distraught and begging for help. I have suggested a conventional doctor in a nearby town that practices conventional medicine combined with bush doctor medicine. But, they strongly believe that this Guatemalen doctor is the only one that can save them. Truth is that whatever they believe in WILL cure. I just wish I could convince them to 'believe' Plan B is worth a try. He understands that our culture doesn't believe in such things but told him that I understood how real this was for him.

My wish is that this Guatemalan doctor won't accept the 'pay on time' idea and that my host dad may be forced to consider Plan B. I know he will still give this bush doctor some money for the good that he has already done for the family and pray that he will not inflict sickness to his family in retaliation for the broken agreement.

I am asking you to send any love and compassion you may feel after reading this to my family that is suffering so. It is a heavy and difficult time.

I believe your thoughts and prayers will help as much as my family believes the bush doctor will cure.

God bless us all...love, tracy

Good Story or Bad Story?

Recently, two very different but quite incredible stories have surfaced. You want the good one or the bad one first? I'll start with the good...

This past week in San Miguel, I had Mallory (one of the Peace Corps Volunteers) stay with me for the week while she worked with the RCP teachers here in San Miguel. (The Roving Caregivers Program is an educational program offered in remote villages to provide young children {8 mos-3 years} early childhood stimulation and teach some English so that the transition into primary school is smoother)

After we had both finished for the day on Tuesday, I decided to borrow a bike for Mallory and the two of us took off for 'Tiger Cave' . I had been taken to Tiger Cave by a local back in November and took Aubrey there when she visited at Christmas time.

It is not a tourist cave..in fact, it is pretty much all unbridled territory that few venture. One would NEVER find their way to the cave had they not been taken there and paid very close attention. Ask Aubrey...just getting there is an adventure (Not to mention a long bike hike!)

So Mallory and I set out and three dogs came with us...mine is Blackie and then there are two others that belong to the neighbors here but they spend all their time at my house. Their names are Mickey and Sleepy. I'm especially fond of Mickey.

We finally arrive dripping with perspiration (nothing new about that) The dogs drank from the river we had to traverse before finding the hidden path that leads to the entrance of the cave as we drank from our bottles. There was a tremendous drop in the temperature as we hiked along the path through jungle vegetation into the rainforest leading up to the cave. The cooler temperatures felt refreshing.

The whole time the three dogs were enjoying the adventure, running alongside our bikes on the way and now navigating through the difficult terrain approaching the mouth of the cave. Mallory is also loving the adventure.

I'm feeling rather gallant in my trailblazing prowess. Mallory, who is 23 years old and played Division I soccer, is impressed by the experience while keeping up with athletic ease. The five of us enter the cave.

We are immediately divebombed by bats that I'm sure aren't trying to hit us but several brush us as we duck and try to avoid the collisions. I lead her through narrow openings and climb treacherous rock. Treacherous because it is steep but also because of the dripping water in the cold, damp, dark cave making our footing quite slippery. The dogs decide they can't make it so they stop at one point and start howling for our return. Minutes later, they conquer their fear and now we are five again.

After spending nearly an hour negotiating through the cave, I decide we better start heading back. It will be dark in an hour and I am responsible for this young whippersnapper. The dogs are having a more difficult time going DOWN through the narrow crevices but manage with a little coaxing and gentle shoves. All except Sleepy. He decides he can't do it. We had experienced their reluctance many times already so we kept going knowing he would get over his fear and just come. Come on now...these are Mayan dogs in their element. We get out of the cave with Blackie and Mickey...still no Sleepy. We call for him and we just hear his howling.

I decide that we have to go back and try to get Sleepy. Just then, Mallory spots him up on a ledge that has to be 60 to 70 ft above us and off to the right. We go back inside the cave and try to climb to him. At one point, there's a tier that I don't think I can get up on. I ask Mallory to try and she is able. She gets close to Sleepy and tries to persuade him to come close enough so she can grab him and try to pull him. He is not budging. I attempt to get up upon the ledge and make it. I finally climb to Sleepy and am able to persuade him to come close enough that I can grab him and pull him down through the narrow crevice to a lower landing. Now it seems to us that it will be smooth sailing...

We get down to the next 'easier' pass through the rock and Mickey and Blackie manage fine. Sleepy freaks out and runs off and heads straight back up to the 70 foot high ledge. At this point, I'm frustrated, it's 5:31, going to be dark soon, and I know that Sleepy has seen how to get down the especially difficult pass. I tell Mallory that we need to go and that I'm sure Sleepy will find his way out.

We get out of the cave and look back and up and see Sleepy standing on the high ledge. He is howling. I call to him one last time but to no avail. We leave and return to San Miguel. I am feeling certain that he will be on my doorstep the next morning.

We wake up Wednesday morning and no Sleepy. Damn! I have to go into PG for a meeting at 10 so I catch the 7 am bus. Guilt is setting in. How could I abandon that dog? The cave is called 'Tiger Cave' because the legend is that a jaguar tried jumping from one high ledge (where Sleepy was) to another and missed and fell to his death the 60-70 feet below...right where we had been ducking from the bats... I envision Sleepy howling all night and drawing attention to himself from any one of the known predators...especially the jaguars...they could be feasting right now...

I arrive back in San Miguel on the 4 o'clock bus...I immediately ask Mallory is she would mind staying one extra night and that maybe tomorrow after 'work', we could go back to the cave and try to get Sleepy. She is good with that. I head over to my garden and Sleepy's owner walks over (never met him before) and asks if I had seen Sleepy since he knows how the dog is always over here?? “No, I've been in PG all day and haven't seen him”, I didn't lie. I felt that 'guilt' was written all over my face, though!

Thursday, after Mallory and I were both done with our 'duties', we headed back to the cave. Whereas I had left the cave two days ago KNOWING that Sleepy would manage to get out, now I'm fairly certain that since he has not returned, he is probably dead. I pack my backpack with provisions that would have made an Eagle Scout confident...rope, headlamps, matches, candles, tools for burying, tools for carrying, splints for mending, and Bob's hunting knife for the jaguar??? We talk the whole way there about scenarios we may encounter and what we do in each case. Finally, Mallory suggests that we talk about something else as she is mortified...good idea.

The ride there was fast...we were on a mission...the negotiating the trails leading to the cave was fast...we had purpose.. We approached the mouth of the cave and didn't hear a thing. All of a sudden, Sleepy must have heard us and he started his pathetic howl. He was ALIVE! He was still perched on the ledge up high. We entered the cave and climbed up to him. We were able to tie the rope around his neck and even though he resisted every inch of the way, Mallory was able to pull him down as I pushed him from behind. Once he was committed to the fall, his footing somehow miraculously became sure.

We were hoping that Sleepy would just run home ahead of us but no, he was glued to us. We lingered for hours to wait until dark so we would have less explaining to do when we approached the village. I rehearsed many alibis which Mallory told me were all totally unacceptable. I was only allowed one word answers.

We rode into San Miguel in the pitch black hoping to be unnoticed. Didn't happen. We get near my house and Sleepy's owner sees Sleepy and me and says, “Miss Tracy, Sleepy's back!” I heed Mallory's advice and say, “Yeah!” No more was said.

So Sleepy is alive and well and on a rope outside his home and I'm sure, 'forbidden' to visit Miss Tracy. For that matter, Mickey is roped up also which is something that you never see in the village. At night, the three dogs can be heard howling to one another about their adventure in the cave. Blackie and I are alone in the house wondering where all our friends are...

The story ended well in that no one was hurt and all the dogs returned safely. But with the already suspicious Mayan disposition, Miss Tracy is suspect. She was seen leaving the village on Tuesday with three dogs. She returned Tuesday with two. She leaves on Thursday with no dogs and returns Thursday with one.

P.S. She didn't ask the dogs to come along on Tuesday, they just followed the lady that loves them...

Bad story will be the next blog. You have read enough!

God bless us all...(animals, too)...tracy