Last Days

It’s our last morning in Cahuita and it’s raining. It’s been raining for the last 36 hours, actually, with a few periods of almost but not quite stopping. The overcast skies and the rattle of water on tin roofs complements the melancholy feelings we have about leaving.

Yesterday we wandered the town saying goodbye to friends, waving to or chatting with dozens of acquaintances, and rocking out for a few minutes with the kids at the center, to some tunes on the laptop.

We visited favorite places, like Dianne’s office, the school, the computer center, and Willy’s internet café where we spent time chatting with new friends in person and old friends online. And we found time for discussion and introspection, as well as trying to capture what we’ve learned (or re-learned as the case may be).

There are too many things to list, but the top five things, I think, are as follows:

1) Being part of a community is a good thing – working together always makes us stronger, the load lighter, and friends always make us happier.

2) It’s nice to walk down a street and be greeted by faces you know. Small towns and villages hold a truth the cities have forgotten.

3) It’s hard to be happy when you’re hungry – and hunger can extend beyond food to include knowledge or a sense of purpose.

4) Deadlines are arbitrary and seldom necessary. There is a huge difference between being lazy and taking time to smell the flowers or chat with a friend – but all of these can make you late.

5) Having said that, respect other people’s time. None of us knows how much of it we really have.

And so closes this chapter of the blog.

We’ve come to believe in this work and will continue to help in some fashion when we get home. I suspect we’ll be back – I think there is something in the insect bites that creates a longing for Caribbean shores.

This afternoon we’ll journey through the mountains, and sleep tonight beside an active volcano. Nothing like a new adventure to lift the spirits! Stay tuned….