Day 4: Building a Sense of Community

The early morning light that marks the beginning of the birds' day did not fail.  They began their alert, announcing the first beams of light at 4:30 a.m.  Soon, the cloud forest was alive with activity. The bird walk this morning was optional, and of course Dr. Mo and Margherita enjoyed a walk to themselves as the rest of us chose to stay snug as a bug in our beds. With all the doors wide open to receive the early morning crisp air, hummingbirds easily found their way into the Center's classroom becoming trapped by the windows.  Dr. Mo was quick to rescue a trapped mother hummingbird and its baby.

Breakfast was served at 7 a.m. and after breakfast we prepared ourselves for our service project in the community of Montserrat. Our goal was to paint and repair the bridges so residents could safely transport goods and keep the flow of the community. We split into two groups, one group hiked to the two bridges closest to the Center while the other group drove to the closest of the four bridges located farther down the mountain. Each group had a member of the community who supplied the tools and paint, before overseeing the work.  Once each bridge had been cleaned and cleared, we could start painting.   As we completed each bridge, we celebrated and prepared for the walk to the next bridge.  During our bridge work, different community members drove by and stopped to thank us for our efforts. It was wonderful to meet so many community members and to receive their appreciation for what we were doing.  What a great experience doing service for this community, their gratitude and appreciation were overwhelming.  In return for our service, Blanca and Nellie opened their doors for one group and Cecelia opened her doors for the second group, serving us lunch. The family-style lunch included much laughter, sharing of stories, and fun getting to know one another and the people of Montserrat.
After we finished the bridges and
lunch, we headed back to the Center to take an afternoon hike, play cards, work on our journals and just hang out. We all felt very proud as we made our way back to the Center, crossing over the bridges we had improved.

The afternoon brought a downpour, and the nature hike that was arranged was cancelled as mud puddles appeared.  Now we had the opportunity to relax and enjoy each other's company.  Music was turned on, groups gathered around tables to play cards, and soon the Center was filled with laughter, chatter and noise.  Kara and Dr. Mo did their best to keep the chaos organized.
Margherita then asked a few of us to join her to deliver paper and markers to Erica, a thirty-year-old girl who has severely regressed in mental capabilities since the age of twenty.  Her sisters are the girls working hard in the kitchen at Armonia Natural to provide a better life for their mother and sister. When we approached their shack it was dark and small. Annelisia, the mother, opened the door and invited us in. She had a smile on her face and was very welcoming. She told us the story of how she was living in such poor conditions and how she took care of Erica everyday because, mentally, she was like a newborn baby. The group sat and talked for at least an hour with this amazing woman who had lost her arm and lived in this shack with long sticks acting as her floor. Annelisia talked about how proud she was of her girls and how they were her angels. She expressed many times that we must look ahead and never behind. We could all learn from these amazing women, so grateful for the simple things and willing to work hard to take care of each other.  This was definitely an experience a few will remember for the rest of their lives.
Later, we met up with the group, ate dinner, and recounted this amazing experience during circle time. We danced and played cards some more before we laid our heads on our pillows and dreamed about the exciting adventures that would come tomorrow.