Keep on Moving

So May is just around the corner. Time is flying by and we’ve all been starting to realize that this experience is coming to an end. As of right now, I have no plans coming back home. Just New Hampshire for now, and we’ll see which way the wind blows after that.

Fortunado is 90 years old and 9 months. Laura and I visited him today, in his dark room at Damien House. He has had the shades drawn in to rest, as he hasn’t been feeling well for the last couple weeks. He leans over and turns down the salsa music to great us. At this moment he is filled with joy to have visitors and as he leans up on one elbow to talk. He is a man filled with life and optimism. He is a poet, not by any standards, but he spends the days writing prose about his “Linda Ecuador.” Laura and I read his poetry and listen to his 90 year history filled with wisdom over a cup of coffee.

He tells us that “trabajo es un regalo de Dious”, y “que preciosa es esta visita, estoy muy feliz porque no tengo mucho tiempo mas, y un ancieno como yo tiene que aprovechar la tiempo. Cada dia es un bendicion. Ahorrita ustedes tienen todo su vida, tan joven, aprovechar la tiempo precioso.” And then he talks about how he had his time and how his life is coming to an end. He says now “I’m old, and ugly.” Laura jumps in and says “No- what do you say that?!” He smiles, and laughs his old man’s laugh and says “Because everyday I look at myself in the mirror!”

Well my time might be coming up in Ecuador, and Fortunado’s in his life, there is beauty in sharing a laugh today. Because today is all we have. We easily live in memories, or in future plans, but when we do, we miss the miracle of life today.

I have been experimenting with Truth in Ecuador. By displacing myself in such a foreign land, I have come to realize not how different we are- but how akin we are. I have come to realize that this whole experience is not just a year, but the beginning of a journey. A journey of experimenting with Truth, wherever I am, with whomever I am with. God is everywhere, and within everyone. And we do God’s work, by celebrating life today wherever you are, and whoever you are with. We all have the ability to do good, to spread love. Just keep on dancing.

If the sun will rise, I will see Jah's light

One More Saturday Night

We have weathered the rainy season in Duran. Afternoons make you fear the sun. The sky may be blue, but I do not have the courage to look up. Evenings bring the rain and chill the air to about 80 degrees.

Instead of going out to the bars for my birthday weekend, me, Tom, and Wilfredo go out to the dark roads, to eat chicken and to watch a soccer game in our neighborhood. The Barcelona (Guayaquil's team) game is only on cable tonight, so theres one restaurant that has the game. On a 20 inch TV, there are about 70 men, all wearing the yellow jerseys watching the game. As I am eating a giant plate of rice, patacones, beans, and oven roasten chicken ($1.50 for everything with a coke), I am looking on the wall trying to follow the game. Then GOALLLLLLLLLLLL the place errupts, our team wins 1-0.

Then we walk back home on the dark streets. The dirt roads come alive in the darkness. Noise comes from everywhere, insects and birds, you cant see. Dogs stare territorially. Cats stalk rodents with patience. The puddles are birght as they are illuminated by the street lights. The frogs watch from beneath as you walk by. Crabs tippy toe from pond to puddle. In the rainy season, the roads are full of life.

I hear ¨Daniel!¨from the darkness and walk towards Winky and Negro (more formally, are rarely, called Javier and Andres) who are riding a bike together. Walking, we find about 5 more to their crew. Some siblings, some cousins, its all still confusing to me. There are no parents. No supervision. They are the kids who fight, throw rocks, sware, are wreak havoc at my afterschool program. They are the neglected, the ones in need of friendship and love. Tonight, they roam the streets taking turns riding their communal bicycle looking for something to do. They show me a store with the best choco-bananas. For a second, they are in guiding me. This is their home, their life.

The stars are out tonight, its rare this season and with this pollution. We sit on a some rocks, on the side of the dirt road, about 10 of us by now. When we sit, I look up to some of them, making me forget they are all under 10 years old and Im the adult. This is their home, this is their life. So another Saturday Night, my birthday weekend, looking up at the stars and looking into the puddles in my new home.