Cochabamba, water, monkeys and coca

I am loving the culture here and the importance of family. I have been struck by how close families are and how my host family took me in as their own child. They didn’t have to be so kind and understanding, but they have gone above and beyond the call to be my host parents.

I love the speakers we have heard so far. They have given me a lot of insight on how much oppression there is in Bolivia and where we are currently living in Cochabamba. Water is something I have always had access to throughout my entire life. Being here in Bolivia makes me realize how I have taken water for granted. Something so important to maintain life is scarce here. It makes me so sad for the people of Cochabamba because they shouldn’t have to be without clean water. It doesn’t seem like the government is doing much about it, and that doesn’t make sense to me!

-Sarah Phillips

Today was a very long day. I decided after classes this morning I was going to do some exploring on my own. My first stop was a little Mayan Shop on Heroinas. I spent some time there looking at various items and decided on a new bag to carry my notebooks in. Back on the other side of the street I spent some time just standing and observing. On my right was an Aymara woman in the typical garb (skirt, bowler hat, two long braids) selling sunglasses. To my left there was a group of about 12 high school students dressed in uniforms playing with expensive looking cell phones.

It was hard to be inconspicuous and just observe. I moved back towards the school, bought a Coke and some papas fritas and settled on a bench. A bench littered with wrappers and fruit peels. The little plaza was quite lovely – save for the garbage. That sort of summed up my thoughts on Cochabamba – I was surrounded by so much potential beauty and so much poverty at once. That theme plays out through most everything our group has done. Concentrating on the problems of Bolivia’s past, present, and future has made me feel somewhat small and helpless. At times I feel I want to join all the causes (knowing that’s ridiculous).

-Katrina Price

Saturday, May 11

First we went to a Coca market in a city about 30 minutes away from here. It was in a huge hangar looking building, but there weren’t very many people in it. They had huge bags full of Coca leaves and people would come and buy amounts in weight. We then stopped at a fruit market; I bought some oranges-25 for 10b (bolivianos-the local currency). I also bought a pineapple for my family. The fruit was delish. It was so good! And cheap! We then continued back to Chapare for lunch at a really good restaurant we ate at last night. Then the most interesting part…We went to a park where they rescue monkeys- capuchin and spider monkeys. Our tour guide led the way as all of us began the 30 minute walk to the top of the mountain. We had previously been warned of an unfriendly capuchin monkey with no tail. Low and behold, the first monkey we run into is the capuchin monkey with no tail… At first he jumps on Sarah (probably the worst person in the group to jump on), who freaks out and luckily the monkey just jumps off her. Our tour guide, a rather large and goofy fellow, starts towards Sarah and so the monkey proceeds to bite his leg, then attack him sort of (I, think, it was all kinda a blur). I was standing on the top landing where all of this was happening with Alex and Evan. After the monkey bit our tour guide, he [the tour guide] started backing up behind me, and the monkey sat on the ground angrily picking up and throwing rocks onto the ground. We all somehow managed to walk away slowly, without further injury. After that excitement, we came back to the hotel and went for a swim. Then I went exploring around the town with Austin, Blake, Travis and Kurtis. The town is really cute and quaint and seems a lot nicer than Cochabamba…! There was a little park, which had recycling in it!

-Noel Johns

Who would have thought that such a little leaf could have such an impact?

I find the health benefits of coca very interesting and am excited to try to find more research on the topic. I also wonder if I could find any of these products in the States. It’s a shame that the perception is that coca is all bad because of cocaine, but this simply isn’t true. As a farmer’s grandchild, I also find it intriguing that the use of pesticides is an issue with this crop, even as it is grown in such remote regions by indigenous people. The main reason they are used is that there are restrictions on how much land you can produce coca on. I can understand that farmers want to maximize profit, but it seems to me that this is taking away significantly from the benefits and history of coca. I wonder if those using pesticides are doing so out of pure economic need. Another question I still had was whether or not the farmers themselves know when their crops are being used for drug production? This would weigh heavy on my conscious if that were the case. It is a shame that the pesticides are causing deleterious side effects on humans, which had not previously been seen with raw coca use. Getting to chew coca was an experience in itself and I’m glad for the opportunity. I’m also glad that we got to visit the Chapare before listening to this talk so that we had a background on the subject. Although I will not be seeking out the coca leaf to chew in the States, I think it is great that it is starting to become popular in New York for the health benefits to Americans and for the economic benefits of Bolivia.

– Kayla Smeltzer

Hangul and Host Families

Wow! The first week is done already and many exciting sights, sounds, tastes and adventures have been accomplished. Before I start talking about the week and our time spent at Hallym University I want to briefly mention the pre thoughts about the trip many of us had.

On our fights over to South Korea we had many thoughts flowing through our minds. What was it going to be like? Will I like the food? Will I get typhoid? Am I going to see Psy? Will North Korea attack? I don’t know anything about Korea! And many, many more. Though on our arrival, even with all these questions, and also MAJOR jet lag, the questions seemed to just disappear, and only the feeling of excitement was flowing through everyone’s heads.

That first week we had the privilege to learn some Korean Language at Hallym University with the international program there. On our arrival we were greeted with many signs of welcome to our EMU group. We had many great leaders that helped us that first week; the organizer of our time, Mr. Lee, our teacher, Yang Yun Jung, translator/tour guide, Antonio and Danielle, and our many host families that took care of us that first week.

The language course was a 16-hour, one-week class during which our common phrase was, “Korean is easy.” We learned many things that week in class, and it was awesome because even thought it was the start of summer the whole group stayed engaged and excited to learn. With our wonderful teacher Yang Yun Jung we learned the alphabet and how to pronounce words and simple phrases. This being said it was very quick to pick up. I’m not saying we could speak or understand the language at all but the fact that we can sound out and pronounce words (kind of) was a pretty good start.

A normal day consisted of us going to school in the morning for four hours, then going on a planned trip by the University to learn the culture of Chuncheon. We did many awesome things like: eat traditional Korean foods, visit Nami Island, go to a temple, danced K-pop with Koreans to PSY, and played traditional Korean drums. The first week was sooooo full but went by too fast. I’m interested and excited to see where the rest of the two weeks will take us but for now, Andrew’s out.

-Andrew Penner

One of the best parts of my first week in Chuncheon was without a doubt staying with our host families. Ryan and I got to stay with Suna Won and Chungwon Park and their son Solha. They were so much more than a place to stay or a delicious meal; they were our window to Chuncheon. Through them we could experience the culture without being lost, worried, or confused.

Of course each host family was different, and Ryan and mine had different events planned every night. Whether we were going to taekkyeon class (a Korean martial arts/dance similar to taekwondo), playing traditional Korean drums, or just hanging out with the family, they made sure we were never bored. Thanks to our wonderful family we got to experience so many things for the first time. Delicious Korean barbeque called bulgogi was one of my favorites.

The host family that I stayed with had never hosted anyone before. Despite their fear that they couldn’t speak English well enough (they could) and that we would be hungry or bored (we never were), I can’t imagine a better host family. They really showed us the hospitality of the Korean culture and shared many experiences with us that I will not forget anytime soon. We were all very sad when we had to say goodbye to our host families on Sunday after church.

-Mark Harder

Service Learning in Colombia

I visited Medellin, Colombia for our week of service learning during the semester. On Thursday, April 11, Emma Dalen, EMU graduate Jessica Sarriot, and I took the Medellin metro to Interamericana Filadelfio church which hosts a program called Fundacion Raices de Fe, or, Foundation Roots of Faith, for students ages 8-17. It is a before and after school program because the schools have half day schedules and the kids need something to do the other half of the day. I’m an art and digital media major, so the program asked me to plan and lead some art lessons for the students. I’ve never taught an art lesson or led a bunch of kids before, so I was pretty nervous about how challenging it might be, especially with my limited Spanish. The morning group was about 30 students and arrived around 9:00.

We began with painting. Each student had a small piece of a photo to copy on a bigger paper. When everyone finished we put the parts together to make the bigger picture. It ended up being a little abstract, but the kids had lots of fun. Then we made origami paper cranes. Here I could really tell that these kids wanted attention and affirmation, more than any other kids I have met. They paid really close attention to each step I demonstrated, and when they got it right, they ran up to me and showed me what they did and waited until I told them it looked good. With 30 students, this was a bit hectic. Emma and Jessica were great helpers, showing the children what I was demonstrating up front. Around 11:30, the first group left to go to school and Emma, Jessica, and I got a break to eat lunch, play Rummy-Q with the pastor of the church and prepare for the 32 students that came around 2:00.

With this group, we did the photo enlargement activity again but with pencils to teach them about shading. Then we made cranes and painted as table groups the things that were most important to them. Again, without the support of Jessica and Emma, things would have gone badly. This group was much rowdier and messier, but they also showed incredible creativity. I was very impressed by some of the creative and clever things the kids in both groups came up with. I hope they learned something about art or at least became a little more comfortable with displaying their artistic side.

This experience for me was stressful and out of my comfort zone, but it was an important learning experience and an opportunity for me to give back a small amount of what the people in Guatemala and Colombia have given to me on this trip.

– Karla Hovde

April 6

Today I woke up at 4:45 a.m. to the sounds of engines, shouting, and roosters. It was day one of La Caminata, a march of 700 farmers from the Montes de Maria, who plan to march for a week to Cartagena, 180 kilometers from here. By the time I was ready, all 700 people were packed, dressed in their marching green shirts and straw hats, standing at the start ready to walk. The mounds of food they had all brought from their communities was loaded in the trucks, hammocks cleared from trees, and so at dawn we began.

We cheered as we marched. “La montana?” “Presente!” People would come out of their houses when we walked through neighborhoods, clapping at the cheers, giving leaders money to support the cause, or just smiling and watching us go past. They knew well why we marched for 6 hours in the hot Colombian sun to San Jacinto that day: so that these families and many more can finally receive government assistance after years of unused medical clinics and vacant schools with unpaid teachers, and so that communities could finally feel the support of a government that cares for their crops, their roads, their futures. And so, with determination under each step, and accordion music in our ears, we marched, and will march, until justice has been felt by Monte Maria.

– Lani Prunés

April 2

Today we had two interesting visits, but the speaker at the first one, Cesar Garcia, said something that was very interesting for me, and in many ways serves to reaffirm my belief in pacifism. Cesar said that the armed revolutionary movements created the conditions that led to the paramilitaries, and together, the two groups created an armed struggle which served to move more people off their land and further aggravated the gap between rich and poor. Ironically, the armed revolutionary movements were created specifically to combat this gap. It seems to me that this is a recurring theme on this trip. Violence does not address the problems that it was formed to address; instead, it often aggravates them. I’m left wondering what would have happened if the money and energy used on the armed movement had been used for a peace movement instead. Might Colombia be more peaceful today?

– David Yoder

April 13

Last day in Medellin, Colombia

Today was a great ending of our time with Jess Sarriot http://emu.edu/now/news/2012/09/fresh-grads-serve-in-war-torn-areas-of-colombia/. We just hung out around the house and packed and ate, talking and laughing the whole time. Then we went to a nail studio 1) to talk to the woman who ran the salon because she was displaced and 2) so Karla could get her nails done. Jebeisa was a beautiful black woman originally from Choco. She was very welcoming of our questions and she felt it was important to tell her story. It took much longer than the usual 45 minute nail treatment for us to hear it all.

On May 3, 2009 Jebeisa and her husband were sitting in their living room around 7:00 in the evening when a man broke in the door and shot her husband in the head and her through the left forearm, breast and right thigh. She doesn’t remember who was shot first but that her son was safe in his room. She came to from a coma 29 days later, in Medellin. After about three months of recovery her son joined her in Medellin where they have been living ever since. She had a hard time getting things together with the insurance and government aid at first but with the help of her mom and dad it all came together and she owns the studio, her home, and is remarried as of 8 months ago. When we asked her who did it, she said nobody in the world could tell. It’s a common thing and it’s even harder to tell the reasons. I was amazed by how calm she was, she laughed a surprising amount and never once cried. She was an amazingly strong lady. Karla and I talked later about the numbness and vitality due to fragility complex that such violent societies assume. The U.S. is numbed to violence because of the media and entertainment, whereas Colombia is numbed due to the daily reality, but that same reality also makes life more precious too, in some cases.

After our time with Jebeisa we literally ran back to the house to grab our stuff and take a taxi to the bus station where we had lunch with Oscar, and got the opportunity to write down a timeline for him. We had a good goodbye with him before he had to leave, then just sat in the café with Jess and talked with her about sustainability and life in general. I really hope that this relationship can continue. We all had a really good time. The best part of the trip was getting to know Jess and learning through her about so many cool things. I also loved that it was such a small group that allowed for more intimate contact within and in relation to other groups, organizations and individuals. This was definitely in the top three best parts of cross cultural.

– Emma Dalen

Free travel reports from the Middle East

Wednesday morning (March 6) Jake, Hilary, Lydia, and I walked to the Jerusalem central bus station and each purchased a ticket for bus #444 direct to Eilat. We departed promptly at 10 a.m., and with the help of our daredevil bus driver, we were looking out at the Red Sea at 2 o’clock that afternoon, an hour earlier than projected. I had pulled up a walking route on google maps on the bus, using the complimentary wifi provided on the Egged public transport bus. Unfortunately, the map disappeared the minute we walked off the bus and away from the wifi, so we walked out of the bus station without a map. Luckily Jake, who had been planning on finding his own transportation to Eilat, was with us and had his own hand drawn map of the route from the bus station. We followed it as best as we could until we felt sufficiently lost and hailed a cab. We landed at a gated corner house that matched the address we found on the website. Success! But when we rang the bell, no one answered. We realized that our hosts were probably not expecting us for another hour, so we camped out on the steps in front of the gate and read for an hour, maybe an hour and a half. At 4:00 we decided we should try something else. Jake and I found a neighbor and asked to use his cell phone to call our host, but as we were dialing, the neighbor-man told us that the number we had was not an Israeli number. In fact it was not a cell phone number at all. “Who are you trying to call?” he asked. “Violette? Yes, she lives here, but she is at work, and her husband works at the U.N. She will be home later tonight.” Three phone calls and several trips to a nearby falafel stand later we were in our apartment. We spent the next week sleeping in, reading, lounging on the beach, snorkeling at Coral Beach, and visiting a tourist trap called the Ice Mall where we saw some amateur figure skating. All in all a good week, but we were happy to arrive at Ecce Homo on Sunday night, where we knew our meals would no longer consist of hot dogs, tomato paste, and canned peas.

– Becca Longenecker

Our group made the crazy decision to travel 20 hours each way to visit EMU grad Michael Swartzendruber in Egypt for independent travel. Amanda, Daniel, Bodner, Andrew, Laura, Lauren, Brandon, Heather, and I set off from the bus station in Jerusalem around 7 p.m. Saturday evening (March 2), crossed the border around 2 a.m., and made it (after a long, long, bus ride) to Cario around 3 p.m. on Sunday. We visited

the pyramids at Giza, the Sphynx, the Egypt museum of Cairo, the (modern) library of Alexandria, and stayed at Anafora, a Christian retreat center. We had a great mix of excitement and relaxation: discomfort crammed in a hot, stinky van for way too long, followed by super-comfort, relaxing and reading in a desert oasis. We were on the edge of our seats as we rode through the Bedouin Sinai accompanied by a convoy of soldiers, then again at the edge of our seats as we waited for our food at a delicious restaurant on the coast of Alexandria. I think that every one of us in the Egypt group grew in our ability for trust, flexibility, and wonder at the uniqueness of the world we live in. Linford likes to talk to us about the risk-taking life of Jesus, pushing the boundaries in order to show the immensity of God’s love. What greater way to appreciate God’s creativity and goodness than to step outside our comfort zones and experience a brand new culture?

-Heidi Long

What a very different week! Adventurous, scary and exciting are some of the words people used to describe this week. My group consisted of Rachel, Elise, Erin, Victoria, Megan and myself. We traveled to the city of Haifa right on the Mediterranean Sea for a week of relaxation. Some of the amazing activities that filled this week were creating a homemade projector to watch movies off our iPods (it definitely worked), eating lots of food, (some good, some different) lots of sleeping, laying on the beach, eating at a restaurant where they spoke little English, basically just Hebrew, and just enjoying God’s wonderful world. This was such an amazing and thrilling week where we got to relax, but also get to know each other a little better. Even though it was sad to end this great week, I think we will all be excited to finish up the last part of our semester abroad. May God bless us with a good finish and with peace along the way. Peace be with you all!

-Liz Alderfer

Jake B-S, Mark, Jacob and I spent two days sailing the Mediterranean Sea. We sailed up the Israeli coast from Askqelon to Jaffa the first day. The sea was pretty rough so we all had less than enjoyable experiences. The second day was much better, though. We sailed back to Ashqelon and enjoyed the time talking and reading. The water was much more smooth the second day. After sailing, Jacob, Mark, and I travelled to Haifa for four days. While there we visited the Baha’i Gardens and had a relaxing day on the beach. We also walked around the city a little and enjoyed exploring this coastal city. We did have to survive on hot dogs and instant noodles but we managed.

-David Hooley

Free travel with Nate Bailey, Joseph Arbaugh, and Isaac King was nothing less than adventurous! We all braved the salty Mediterranean Sea for a two day sailing trip. The waters were very calm and our trip was equally calm and relaxing. Most of the time was spent talking to our dynamic skipper, Reuben, who told us stories ranging from his service with the Israeli Navy to life on a kibbutz. We were even lucky enough to see breeching dolphins from our boat on the first day! This is definitely an experience to remember.

-Jordan Luther

We all met back together Sunday night (March 10) from our travels at Ecce Homo. Ecce Homo is a convent for the Sisters of Zion in the Muslim quarter of the Old City in Jerusalem. We spent the next day telling tales of our week travelling about (entertaining to say the least) and being introduced into the topic of Judaism, our study for the next week. While on this subject we took about 10 hours of Hebrew (we can now sing the alphabet and pick out Hebrew letters), learned about the ancient and modern religion of Judaism, and followed Jesus through Jerusalem. It was to our surprise when one night Linford led us to a room down under Ecce Homo where there is an old Roman street. This is the street thought to be where Jesus was interrogated by Pilate. We spent the evening in quiet reflection on what Jesus did for us and ended it with some singing and scripture. Then on Friday, we followed the path Jesus took the week of his trial. From the Upper Room where the Last Supper took place to the Garden of Gethsemane, the place Peter denied Jesus, walking the Via Dolorosa (the traditional path where Jesus carried his cross to Golgatha) and ending at the Garden Tomb. It was a unique and humbling experience for us and with Easter approaching I believe we all became a bit more aware of what our Jesus did for us. This week was also entertaining in that we lived in the Old City with the Dome of the Rock and the Western Wall a couple of streets away. Most of us became experts at finding our way in and out of the crowds of people in order to explore and barter for gifts with the shopkeepers. It’s amazing how good you feel about yourself when you manage to save a few shekels. As much fun as we had at Ecce Homo we moved on to a kibbutz in the Galilee this past Sunday. We have spent this past week studying through Oranim College about the modern Israeli history. This has included talks with soldiers in the Israeli army, students from Oranim College, lectures and museums about the Holocaust and even being on the radio. These past two weeks have sped by quite quickly and we are once again packing up and moving on to Nazareth tomorrow afternoon. While we enjoyed our time in Jerusalem and on the kibbutz we are looking forward to the next leg of our journey: conquering the Jesus trail.

-Hilary Short

Challenges and callings

March 11, 2013

It’s crazy to think that even among all the challenges this trip has brought into our lives- challenges of former beliefs, relationships, hopes, needs, and faith- that one could feel a call from God and have it ring true.

We traveled in two groups (one on the 27th and one on the 28th of February) to a part of Guatemala City called La Limonada. La Limonada is considered a “zona roja” by the Guatemalan government and an uninhabitable place that leaves a bad taste in your mouth by the Guatemalan people. Made up of 10 barrios each run by rival gangs, it serves as a border between zones 1 and 5 and houses roughly 60,000 people in an area 1 mile by 1/2 a mile. It is the largest urban slum in Central America. The people who live there face many challenges, including lack of education and job opportunities, spiritual darkness, unsustainable living conditions, no running water or electricity, and a stigma of living in a sub-culture of extreme poverty that leads to illegal activity and a culture of fear.

So what could possibly compel someone- especially a white, English-speaking woman- to return to a place like that? Some may say that it’s the hope that organizations like Lemonade International bring to the area. Founded by cooperation between Guatemalan Tita Evertsz and U.S. aid organizations, Lemonade International has six programs established to help the people of La Limonada. These include two academies, scholarship programs, vocational training and a micro-enterprise program, a community of faith program, community development program, and the Mi Casita safe home, which I will be returning to for my week of independent travel; alone. Although organizations like these certainly provide many with hope, I can’t say that my nursing background would lead me to choose this place solely because of that hope. Without a doubt or any hesitation, I’d say that this choice was a call from God. Ojalá que (God willing) I’ll stay safe and not only be able to help out next week, but be able to learn from the people who, according to others, aren’t worth listening to.

-Afton Vanderwarker

This is a very obvious type one incident* but it continues to bother me! And I’m continuing to withdraw instead of trying to figure it out, because in my opinion, there is no ethical reasoning behind this action.

* A Type 1 incident is when we are offended by something in the host culture and are tempted to withdraw in disgust. It is resolved when we consider and understand the logical reasons for that behavior or custom. –Craig Storti (2001)The Art of Crossing Cultures

So today we get back from our week long trip and like other Sundays, my family and I go to church in the evening, but this time I noticed something different. As we walk onto the church property there is a young man standing there with a HUGE PERSON-KILLING GUN. Of course I see these on a daily basis in front of every store or building, but outside of the church gave me such a weird feeling.

As if that wasn’t enough, the entire sermon was about peace! Sharing peace, promoting peace, loving PEACE!

Ah, Irony! I know guns/guards here are extremely cultural and come from a heightened sense of needed protection and (many times) justified fear, but I just can’t see past the irony of accepting guns outside the church while preaching a life of “peace like Jesus”.

Granted this phenomenon of gun toting Christians is the same in the U.S., just not quite as visible. I definitely feel like it’s a type one incident and I don’t have the patience to hear the explanation. I’m stuck in my ways and I have no desire to change, only the desire for others to change.

This brings the question, “Am I culturally stuck in my pacifist Mennonite ways, or is this a Biblical truth?” I’d like to think it’s a truth. Isn’t “peace” and the meaning of it translated the same everywhere?

I hate being so “stuck in the mud” and “closed minded” on an issue, but I am!

-Emily Shenk

Israel: learning Biblical geography firsthand

This morning we all gathered, anxiously awaiting free travel, to take our final exam on Geography and Physical Settings of the Bible and to finish our lovely time that we have had over the past two weeks at Jerusalem University College. Once we finished the exam, we all celebrated and received certificates of completion of a wonderful program. (We hope they don’t get revoked once our exams are graded.) The past two weeks have been much fun and very busy for our group. We have traveled to almost all corners of Israel and learned about the Bible, geography and stories from history and modern time.

Some of the highlights were exploring the Old City of Jerusalem and meandering our way through an underground pitch-black aqueduct that still had water in it, swimming in the Mediterranean Sea while we visited Ashquelon, playing in water falls while being watched by ibexes and rock badgers, and then crossing the street to float in the Dead Sea and to choke on some pretty salty water, and a four-day trip up to the Galilee. We stayed in Ein Gev while in the Galilee where we had our own private cabins right on the water’s edge. While we were in the Galilee, we went to Dan, where one of the country’s largest springs is, saw a massive water fall, found a temple that used to house dancing goats, and rode a boat across the Sea of Galilee.

Although we are all very tired after these past two weeks and a lot fuller of knowledge, we are all really glad and feel fortunate for the experiences that we have been able to undertake. It has helped us all to go to the places where Biblical stories happened and to see the context for which they were written. It has let us gather a much deeper understanding of this land and the people who have been living here for thousands of years and what hardships and celebrations that they have as we have felt them too. This coming week, we split paths and go on free travel. We are going all over, including to Egypt, sailing on the Mediterranean Sea and spending time exploring Jerusalem further.

-Nate Bailey

Service learning at Bezaleel School and the cloud forest, lessons from New Horizons Cooperative community

On time spent in a rural K’ekchi village and at Bezaleel School

This church has wooden pews, about 50 people, and massive speakers. I don’t know what is going on and I can hardly talk to anyone. There is just one kid mashing out some pre-recorded keyboard songs and changing chords recklessly with the music. The only words I seem to understand are “hermanos” and “gringos,” but they smile every time they say it. There are two chickens tied up at a table over in the corner.

At my house, people watched us through the walls as if they were waiting for us to plug into the walls or climb out of our skin. A crowd gathered at night to watch us and listen to us talk. They never stopped staring at us, and waited through all the silences with eagerness; it almost felt like they were waiting for us to remember how to speak K’ekchi.

I taught English today in the school, and I hope that my future job goes exactly like that class. The students were way more eager to learn than any other student I have ever had in one of my practicums. Kids kept asking me what this or that meant, if stuff in his notes was right, or how to pronounce things. The thing that impressed me most was that two students asked me if they could show me an English conversation. It went something like this:

-Hello, how are you?

-Good, and you?

-Good, what is your name?

-_____, and what is your name?

-_____, nice to meet you.

-Nice to meet you, too.

They were so eager to show me this, and were so happy when I said good job. Their enthusiasm is refreshing and I hope to see it again in my classroom.

-Landon Heavener

Community Cloud Forest Conservation

We spent Monday night into Wednesday morning at CCFC. It is a group that works to conserve the cloud forest, while at the same time establishing community and promoting women’s rights. We spent the morning working on two work projects, including moving gravel and moving a heavy eucalyptus tree as a group. The work ethic of the group was amazing, especially as we established a bucket brigade with a rhythm. It also amazes me that we moved that huge tree through the forest and down that long road without hurting anyone. It was a great time to do some team building and we all really worked our hardest. Later in the afternoon, we swam in the creek and explored two caves.

I hadn’t realized all that Rob and Tara Cahill were doing with this farm, and their passion for their “life project” really had me thinking about my own passions. Not that I have to save the cloud forest, but I do want to do something in my life that will make a difference in someone’s life, and that will make me excited to live each day. In college it’s easy to get on one track and think about getting a job to be able to sustain yourself and a family; sometimes it’s easy to forget about the passions in life.

-Carmen Witmer

Nuevo Horizontes Cooperative

When the Peace Accords were signed in 1996, ending the civil war in Guatemala, a group of guerilla fighters emerged from the jungle in Peten after 17 years of life “underground” to form a community. A man who goes by the pseudonym “Fernandez” gave us a small glimpse into his involvement in the resistance and their transition to peacetime. In 1980, Fernandez was a Catholic catechist whose ideology had attracted the attention of the local military. An old friend in the paramilitary warned him one night that the government planned to assassinate him in a matter of hours, and Fernandez escaped to the jungle. “El bosque nos dió vida,” he explained. (The forest gave us life.) Eating poisonous snakes, brewing relaxing tea from allspice, and surviving in a landscape of natural and human predators brought together those who would neither flee nor surrender.

“La guerra no era contra la gente.” (The war was not against the people). Though Fernandez’s band engaged in much armed conflict against the military, they never killed civilians. After the war ended, political repression did as well, and Fernandez’s guerilla group formed the 450-member cooperative of Nuevo Horizontes (New Horizons), a small dirt-road village in the northern jungle of Guatemala. “Aprendimos unidad, solaridad, transparencia; y esos valores dímos a Nuevo Horizontes.” (We learned unity, solidarity, transparency; and those values we gave to New Horizons.) All members contribute to the cooperative, with agriculture, cattle and tilapia husbandry, beehives, egg, and various businesses. They proudly built a school with the help of humanitarian organizations, from which 17 graduates have gone to college. Houses are deeded in the name of the family, and a husband that perpetrates domestic violence is exiled from the community. “La mujer no es un objeto – es una compañera, un hermano,” Fernandez commented about their views of gender. (The woman is not an object – she is a companion, a brother.) While they have done well capitalizing on peace, Fernandez also chastised the government for failing to uphold its end of the treaty with policies for social improvement.

– Randi B. Hagi

Valuing life and hospitality

February 6, 2013

What words can describe the loss of thousands of human lives? It is a good thing that the FAFG, Forensic Anthropology Organization, are doing in giving identities to those lost to the terrible tragedies that occurred here in Guatemala just a short couple of decades ago. The emptiness left in each family and village is weighed by hundreds of boxes stored in areas of the FAFG.

What is life? Why is it so sacred to us? How can we so easily extinguish from a fellow human that which we hold so dear?

Within us all there lies a spark. Properly cared for it grows and enflames us- consumes us. It all began from One- a Holy Fire. So why does it ever change and become cold inside? That which thrives is that which is fed. Do we feed the fire of God’s love that is sparked in us and then spread it to others? Or do we grow cold and extinguish the flame- cutting off the Breath of Life and thus extinguishing more flames? Where does it end? How does it heal? Sometimes ashes create a land most fertile. Sometimes a way to rebuild and renew can start with a single seed or another spark.

-Abigail Carr

The following poem is in response to our visit to the Forensic Anthropology Organization.

Boxes boxes of the dead,

At the feet of living spread,

While the living hope and pray,

That they might have food today.

– Colt Duttweiler

February 17, 2013

Last week we were paired up with students from K’ekchi indigenous families who attend school in Copan. We visited their homes and experienced many different ways of life through their families and their hospitality. The following is a reflection on one of those experiences.

The visit to the village of Leticia was such a good learning experience and view into a life completely different from my own. One of the things that most stuck out to me was the open curiosity toward Randi and I. The children were the most open about their curiosity and in some ways the most interested in us, as could be expected. When we unpacked our bags for the night they stood around us, following every move closely. If I sat down in the yard somewhere it wasn’t long before they crowded around me laughing and crawling onto my lap or sitting close beside me. They were also very excited to act as our tour guides, leading us to their gardens and animals and watching our faces to see what we thought. It was really fun and kind of an honor to spend time with them because they were so interested in us.

The adults, I think, were just as curious toward the pair of gringas in their village, but their age made them more cautious than the kids. When we walked into the small Catholic Church, all eyes immediately went to us, examining our clothes, skin, faces. Never in my life have I been such an object of fascination, and normally this kind of an experience would be really uncomfortable, but the open curiosity of the people was more innocent than menacing. It was such a neat opportunity to share friendship with the children and people of the village (whenever I caught someone looking during the service and smiled at them, they smiled really warmly back; it was fun) and to take memories and a good look at a vastly different lifestyle and way of living. I will remember these two days for a long time. I connected this experience to how Columbus and other European explorers must have felt upon arriving in Central America, but will never be able to understand how someone could ignore the beauty of a new culture and opportunity for friendship and learning in the face of greed.

– Katie Eckman

Questions, beauty and hope in occupied Beit Sahour

Today is our last day in Beit Sahour, Palestine. We’ve been exploring the differences between “cold-culture” America and “hot-culture” Palestine, with a few mistakes and a lot of learning. Palestinians are an ideal model of how community should be lived out. We are all a little sad to say goodbye to our host families, but we are ready for the next adventure. Over the past three weeks, we all became familiar with our host families, the little town here and somehow managed to pass our Arabic classes. We heard many different lectures about Palestinian history, literature, culture. We heard from a Hamas representative in Palestinian Parliament, an expert in nonviolent resistance to the Occupation, an expert on the “Arab Spring” and an expert on Muslim-Christian relations. We have heard many stories from Palestinians of all ages and these stories will stay with us for the rest of our lives. We have truly been touched by the hospitality here and the laughter and hope Palestinians can still find while living under such oppressive conditions.

Our group has also enjoyed many field trips. We spent some time at nearby Bethlehem University, touring the university, hearing a lecture about Palestinian Women’s Issues, and later enjoying a barbecue with the students. We also visited the city of Nablus and the largest university in the West Bank there. We toured Deheisha Refugee Camp and heard about refugee issues from an expert at Badil Center for Reguees. One of the favorite activities for most of us was hiking through the beautiful Wadi Kilt (Qelt) valley to the city of Jericho. Along the way, we explored a monastery and ancient Herodian ruins. Later we visited the castle Herodion and walked through the tunnels underneath the castle. We also explored Solomon’s Pools, enjoyed a lecture from the Applied Research Institute and enjoyed one final hike in Palestine named an “eco-hike” from Beit Jalla to Bettir.

Our time here has left us with many new stories to tell as well as an infinite amount of questions, frustrations and hopes. Our three weeks here in Palestine has only given us a glimpse of what it is like to live under military occupation with a nation of Israelis constantly trying to push you from your home. We haven’t answered all of our questions or frustrations, and we maybe never will, but we have all learned the power and comfort of prayer, communion with one another and the gift of laughter.

Here are two poems that I (Nicole) wrote. The first was after spending a day in Hebron, with Israeli soldiers all around, and tons of checkpoints surrounding markets and people’s homes. Some soldiers were standing on top of abandoned houses, just watching people walk through their streets. There are 500 settlers living in this Palestinian city and 3000 Israeli soldiers.

The Israeli Soldier

Green uniform. Green hat. Gun.

Dark or white skin. Blue, brown, or green eyes.

Soldier, do you believe in what you hold your gun for?

I see you. I try to see your humanity and

I wonder if you see mine.

And if you can see my humanity, do you see the humanity in the Palestinian man, woman, child, and grandparent walking beside me?

Under your green hat, I see your dark eyes.

Behind your big gun, You have a heart.

I pray to God for you. For your heart.

I pray that He grants you compassion.

What would that mean for you?

Why do you pretend to be so mean and tough?

Is there guilt in what you do? There must be.

Do you think it’s right for 3,000 of you soldiers to be in this Palestinian town?

Are you really just protecting these 500 Israeli settlers?

Security reasons. But this “security” scares and encroaches into people’s livelihoods.

Soldier, ask why. I beg you.

Please see with your eyes.

I see you up at your look out. Looking down

at people in the street. The few people left

in this ghost-town that your people caused.

Soldier, these people don’t need you here. I pray that you will see

with the eyes of compassion such as Christ.

It seems you are blinded by the militaristic values of your nation.

Please, Soldier, see People.

-Nicole Groff

This next poem is from a demonstration that Amanda Chandler, Michael Bodner, Andrew Nafziger and I went to. We were invited to go with a man named Dr. Qumsiyeh, who gave us a lecture on non-violent resistance. The demonstration was very interesting and sad. These farmers’ land has been declared a military zone by the Israeli government, so we went to show our support of the farmers. We witnessed many injustices and arrests. We also helped look for flowers because Dr. Qumsiyeh is collecting flora and fauna for a natural museum he wants to make. It was ironic to be looking for flowers while Israeli soldiers meanwhile were arresting innocent people for being on their own farmland.

Find the Flowers

Find the flowers

of this land.

My land, our land. 80 villagers and others.

My land. 10 Israeli jeeps.

Find the flowers

of this land.

From the land comes demonstration.

Crushed beneath the soldier’s boot.

Resistance! say the flowers.

Arrests, orders, skunkwater

replies the blindness of the powers.

Find the anger of the land.

Find the struggle of the land.

Find the people of this land,

full of strength, growth, BEAUTY.

-Nicole Groff

Now we prepare to do something no EMU Middle East group has done before: we are staying three days with host families in a Jewish settlement built on illegally confiscated land. Settlements have become a symbol of all the oppression of the Palestinians; settlers are notorious for being the most extreme of Zionists. We are praying that we may connect with these people and see the common humanity in all just as Jesus did.

-Amanda Chandler and Nicole Groff

Marhaba from Palestine!

January 31, 2013

Marhaba from Palestine! We arrived in Beit Sahour, Palestine about a week and a half ago after a lovely stay in Jordan. After a long time waiting to cross the Jordan-Israel border, we came into town late at night to be greeted by the Alternative Tourism Group and gracious host families that have taken us in with much hospitality and kindness. We spend our days visiting Biblical sites, seeing and hearing about life under occupation, and learning Arabic. And all three mix together in our thoughts and reflections. One of our first days out and about we spent in Bethlehem. We visited Shepherd’s Field where the angel appeared to the shepherds to tell them about the coming of baby Jesus and then we moved to the Church of the Nativity which is the traditional sight where Christ was born. Later that day, we went over to the Apartheid Wall which is the looming construction that sets the West Bank of Palestine apart from Israel. It was a shocking sight for all members of our group looking upon a 10 meter tall concrete barrier that was covered with barbed-wire and spray painted pictures and sayings, speaking out against the Israeli occupation and of hope for the future.

Later on that week we went to the town of Hebron where 500-600 Israeli settlers have moved, trying to reclaim “their” land. They are protected by about 2,000 soldiers stationed in Hebron, “minimizing” violence. We walked through the Palestinian part of town hidden out of view from the settlers by walls, segregated streets, and sealed doors. To get to the Tomb of the Patriarch, where Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob and Leah are all buried we had to walk through checkpoints that the Israelis have set up to keep the settlers “safe” from the Palestinians. We were able to go into the mosque which held the tombs of Isaac and Rebekah, and the center portion that holds Abraham and Sarah’s tombs. However, we were not able to view the tombs of Jacob and Leah as their tombs are in the synagogue and we were there on Shabbat, and were not allowed in. We were also able to walk through the suq, or market, in Hebron as well as view a qiffeya factory and glass blowing.

This past week was filled with Arabic lessons, lectures on Palestinian culture and history, falafel, and discussions about all that we are seeing and learning. We have been enjoying exploring Beit Sahour, and getting to know all the wonderful people who reside here. We have also been fortunate enough to be able to see 314 feral cats, 4 burning dumpsters, 1 quite relentless and adamant street vendor, 2 objects thrown at members of the groups by small children, 3 different marriage proposals by the same man, 21 plus hours of Turkish soap operas, and an uncountable number of churches dedicated to Saint George. (Apparently, slaying a dragon gets you a lot of fame).

The first day when we here in the Shepherd’s Caves, we sang ‘Oh little Town of Bethlehem’ and Linford shared with us some reflections on the words of that song about how the hopes and fears of the world are meeting in Bethlehem. This song has new meaning to us all now, as we have been able to see the places and context for which it was written. We have seen many aspects of this part of the world that are fears for many people, including us, but we have also been able to see many hopes in the people here, the future, and ourselves.

– Nate Bailey, Jeni Heishman, Hilary Short

EMU Intercultural Learning