Monday, August 2, 2010

Caminando El Puente Walking the Bridge




I’m sitting here in our home in the canyon on this post-ElPuente Sunday afternoon. Our chaco and the chickens have grown while we were gone, and I find myself thinking back to the chacos we’ve seen in our journeys: the Altiplano’s dry fields of potato and grain, Uncallamaya’s clearings and hard-worked wet soils, the well-tended sugar cane and yucca and coca plantings in San Jose de Uchupiamonas, the rainforest gardens of food and medicine in Madidi, the fishing waters of Rios Eslabon, Tuichi and Beni.

I’m thinking of the chacos of the spirit, as well. Through you all, I’ve grown in understanding of the meaning of service, adventure, understanding and possibility, and I feel El Puente and the Fundacion has set it’s roots deeper into the communities of the Beni.
I think I’ve nearly lost count of the number of journeys I’ve had the fortune to lead over the past 30 years; our El Puente #8 Walk for a Reason will always stand clearly as unified in purpose and goal, equally filled with meaning and laughter, tears of challenge and joy of understanding. Kind of flowery words, but true. Gracias a todos. What a time we had!
Now, I wonder where will it take us?


Cristobal and Crister will be sending a fundraising update this coming week.
Gracias parents for all your support. You should be so, so honored to have children who participated at such a deep level of understanding, emotional balance, pure fun and laughter, and all with an eye to their present and future contributions to a more just and equitable world. The people of the Beni have been touched by you, and you by them.

Salud,
Jaime (Hombre Viejo/Viajero)