The chickens are revolting and the sky is dry

It is now Tuesday and we have had a great time so far. Saturday, we spent a lot of time just relaxing and looking at the lay of the land on the beautiful orchard that serves as our temporary home. It is a really great set-up. The five kids are in a house adjoining Francisco and Reyna's, where I am. They have just enough space to not feel me breathing down their necks, and I am oft peacefully unaware that they are here. I spend as much of my free time as possible in the hammock, which should be no surprise to anyone who knows me! The dogs have become my friends, and Tommy and Lukito often lie on the ground next to me while I hammock chill. The chickens strut around them and the mangoes continue their drum beat as the fall from the trees. It's a little piece of paradise. As for the pesky rooster, I gave him the teacher stare and he has abandoned my window. We have made peace, the chickens and I. The girls, however, are not so lucky. I believe they spoke ill of the chickens one morning and the chickens heard. It is full-scale mutiny. Every morning at 3 or 4am, the girls are awakened by the chickens holding revival services. Last night, I gave them earplugs. It is only 6am here, but when they awake, I hope for a good report.

Yesterday, we stated our work here. It was a hot day and we had a lot of planting to do, but we started with a meeting at the office for the San Lucas Foundation where we met the staff and had devotion. Devotion was led by a young German man named Robin. He seemed adorably awkward presenting his lesson to us all, but he did well and in beautiful Spanish. (I hope that I get to spend some time with him to practice my German a little.) The lesson he taught us from 2 Peter was about the importance of exemplifying concepts like "brotherly love" and "compassion" when we work with the people of Banco. Reyna reminded us that compassion and pity are not the same things and that we must not look on them with pity. This is a good lesson for me, but also for the kids. Most of them have never seen this kind of poverty and, while I have only seen it once in Peru, I feel like I am a little more prepared for what we see. Still, my heart hurts a little each time we pass a child standing shoeless in the doorway in what could only be called dilapidated shack, but here masquerades as a house.

These are a strong people. They work hard and for little to no pay. In Banco de Tierra, where we work, the people are learning to establish sustainable crops, so they help in the ground preparation and the planting. It is not a project of the Foundation, it is a project of the whole community. They take pride in their work and they do it well. I was glad to be able to work alongside them yesterday and glad to do it again today. I felt that we did so little, but such a little dent in the work yesterday. We probably only planted 100 trees of the 1100 we purchased, so there is much more work to be done.

And, truthfully, yesterday was a difficult day in a way. Two of the five kids got sick, one with nausea, and one stomach cramping and vomiting. For me, this meant a lot of concern for and taking care of the kids and less working. I wanted to be working, but so did they. It was difficult. Today, I am going to ask them for complete honesty before we leave (they didn't say yesterday because they wanted to work) and will require them to stay behind if they are still sick. It is far too difficult for them to be out in the field, isolated from medical care should they need it. I want them to be safe, and I understand the need of the people to work at a fast pace in order to complete all the work set before them. I think the kids will feel better though.

The biggest thing we need here is rain. The skies remain dry over Banco, and with all the new plants, rain is desperately needed. Without it, the people must bring in huge tanks of water, gathered at a local lake/river and pour it one liter at a time over the new plants. It is tedious work, especially considering that the transport for the water is provided by two rather stubborn bulls pulling a cart. They are comedic to watch, but surely frustrating to those trying to steer.

All in all, a great day. Pray for rain. Pray for health. And pray for the cooperation of those darn chickens!! :) More soon.