Immersion Part II

Guillermo picked us up at 8 am in a lightweight Korean truck. The three of us squeeze into the front seat. We meet Victor his associate for the day and are off heading east on Hwy 2 to join with 2 men from the Mayor’s office of Jucuaran.

The truck climbs the range that is the barrier between the plains and the ocean. Agatha was just a week ago and there are tree limbs and many washouts along the roadway. The drainage systems are full of mud and men with strong backs and shovels are removing the mud, clearing them for the next rain. At 9 we arrive in the small seaside community of El Cuco.

In El Cuco we turn west, backtracking. Our drive is high in the hills that parallel the ocean coast. It takes us another hour driving on a hilly stone road at 5 miles an hour over boulders and avoiding wash outs created by Agatha. Our descent into the community is as difficult as was the ascent over this boulder filled road. Finally we are at ocean level and the road abruptly ends in an area of trees.

A small group of leaders from the directiva of Agua Fria joins us for the brief but rocky and tricky walk to the ocean. This is an historic area from the war as this beach was the site where ships with arms for the guerrilla fighters landed to unload for distribution. Now Pedro says that it is an area of forgotten people. Jose tells us how the land on both sides of the road belonged to the people of the community but after the war, the government (military and Arena) took the land located on the ocean side for private and tourist use.

The mayor elected in 2009 is FMLN, defeating the Arena party for the first time. The mayor wants to assist the community in development and has introduced them to Oikos. There are ideas to develop a part of the bay for a shrimp or tilapia farm. This will take much training and supervision so this project will not start soon. Despite being in the bay, fishing is not a nutritional activity even though it is a major source of income and food in El Cuco, just miles away.

The adults are uneducated campesinos whose lives are hard labor in fields but with no agricultural training. Knowledge and skills are very limited. Oikos has begun a project with them for development of self-esteem and current farming skills. They are teaching the workers about crop diversification for better nutrition and care of the soil. In the past, the farmers have planted only frijoles and corn, getting only one crop a year because the extreme weather variations and usually wet soil. Introducing watermelon and other produce will benefit all. There are very few fruit trees in this community; mangoes are the standard tree.

Homes were not readily visible and part of Agua Fria is accessible only via a rough foot path. Other homes are off side paths from the main street. 53 families live here with an average of 5 people in each (265 population).

The school for grades PK – 6 is on this main road and the school yard is basically mud. There is no dry area of land – everything slopes toward the building from the hills behind. 81 children attend the school – some in uniform, some without shoes, all of them dirty. Many are light skinned with brown hair. Many have finer features than the Mayan or historical appearance. Facial expressions are bland but they watch us with curiosity. There are several dominant girls and much interaction girls with girls, boys with boys.

There is a female principal with one male and 3 female teachers. Each has a combined class PK-K, 1-2, 3-4, 5-6. The classes lack text books and dictionaries. The rooms are dark – the school is dreary. Fathers have helped with roof and fence repairs and are bringing rocks for an effort to change the flow of water and mud away from entering the school.

As we spend time at the school with community leaders, we sense they are hoping we will become project partners. They need $500 for a concrete mix to improve the school yard. They need text books. If any of you Sunday school teachers or Bible study groups are looking for a mission, Aqua Fria needs your help.

David y Nancy