Hello!

Just wanted to post amidst all that's happening regarding the coronavirus pandemic, and to add an update of some things.

Pandemic Effects

The condition here in Ecuador is similar to things in the States, from what I see in the news and social media. Things are shut down similarly, and there's the request for social distancing.

In Chontal, and probably most other rural areas, there's a lot of anxiety, although there's not much different in terms of daily activity outside of the cancellation of all public events. There's no masses or confirmations, no organized sports, or educational institutions, and there may even be cancellation of the buses that take people between provinces (and take us to Quito). Holy Week celebrations are canceled, though there's some suggestion for priests to broadcast private liturgies digitally. It's all new territory, so no one's sure what will happen.

For survivability, it's not clear how the quarantining will affect the arrival of other foods that are sold in the shops. The good news is that this is a rural area where there's no shortage of basic food or shelter. There's plenty of yucca, plantains and bananas, oranges, chickens, eggs, etc. In the city, there appears to be a similar hoarding experience as in the States.

My Plans

Just as in the States, the condition is changing rapidly. I had plans to travel to Mindo and actual stay there beginning on April 1. However, all my plans are suspended right now, and I am staying in Chontal and waiting to see how things play out. It's the same with my scheduled return flight on April 21. I don't know yet what will happen with that, and will wait to see how things are playing out both in Ecuador and in Boston before deciding what to do. That probably won't happen until April, I imagine. There's always the possibility of staying longer in Ecuador. I have a place to stay and enough resources to stay even for a few more months if necessary.

My best wishes to you as we weather the changes during this wave of a pandemic.

To Mindo

A friend in Mindo has a small apartment available for rent and I decided to rent it for April. It would give me a temporary base for the rest of my time that is more accessible to some other locations than Chontal. It would also give me more access to check things out in Mindo as far as faith-based and intercultural opportunities, something that I've felt to check out.

However, with the pandemic, I don't know when I'll be able to go and how much sense it will make. An important aspect that I have to consider is that if I go to an area with more active tourism and then return to Chontal, I become more of a risk of transmitting the virus, and I also invite suspicion from others in Chontal. So as of now, I'm just staying here in Chontal and waiting to see how everything plays out before making any moves.

A Reflection

How would you react if you suddenly discovered one of these 8-inch-wide fellows in your house? That happened to a friend last month here in Ecuador and he had no idea what it was. How venomous is it? Is it aggressive? Will it reproduce? Are there more to come? There are other people in the house he's responsible for - so what should he do? Without wasting any time, he stopped everything he was doing, found some handy household items, and he calmly and deliberately tried to capture it. In the process, he was forced to kill it, in concern for his safety. Later, there was time to do some research and discover what it was: a tailless whip scorpion. They have no venom, they make good pets, and travel alone. They might give you a little bruise if they pinch you, but other than that, they are completely harmless.

Did my friend make a good decision? I think he made a very wise decision, and I respect him for it. Because when something threatening is unknown, I think it's wise to neither panic nor underestimate, but to respect the real possibility of the worst case, while making every effort to understand as much as possible and the associated tradeoffs in making decisions. In his case, not knowing enough about the scorpion, he had to stop whatever he was doing, and pull out all the stops to capture it as soon as possible. And he had to take the last resort of killing it when he felt seriously threatened based on what he knew (or didn't know). And later, having learned all about his deceased guest, I think he'll be more hospitable if another one returns!

More is being discovered about the current coronavirus, but, as I learned over the years as an engineer, it won't actually be known sufficiently until it's been cycle-tested, i.e. after this whole global wave is over. As long as this pandemic is running its course, it's still a largely unknown, threatening creature in the house. To me, it's not a time to panic and hoard, nor a time to recklessly downplay the real possibility of the worst. But I think we make a good decision when, together, we calmly and deliberately put a stop to life (aware of the changes necessary in doing so) and pull out all the stops to capture/kill it. It may turn out to be much worse or much better than we imagined possible. But no matter what its threat really turns out to be, I think we'll respect ourselves afterwards for making a wise decision.

What would you do if you found a tailless whip scorpion in your house, LOL??

Support for Jimmi and Maria

There have been more details about Maria's cancer and her treatment. I'm aiming to send out a small fundraiser to ask for assistance. Understanding that it's a delicate time because of the pandemic, the family is going to need assistance to be able to pass through the treatment. Her cancer is stage III, and according to what I was able to understand through my own research, the radiation therapy that she'll receive has about a 30-65% success rate in extending life just another 5 years. The community here had their own day+night long fundraiser program this past Saturday, but the night portion, where most of the money is raised, had to be canceled because of the pandemic. So, it leaves the family still quite short of what they're needs would be.

Sharing resources with poorer people so that they can have similar healthcare as those with more resources - that is a Pro-Life position. We can end life by both actions and omissions. And we can protect life both by stopping actions as well as omissions ….

This week, more will be known about the conditions on the treatment, especially in the context of the pandemic. I hope to have a fundraiser to send out once that information is clearer.

Language

I'm continuing to do some language with a few young adults here and there on the benches in Chontal!

The Tree of Life Workshop

One of the young women, the current "queen" here in Chontal, needed help making decisions about college career track. I offered to help with the Tree of Life workshop, and so we did the workshop together. It is always a really special experience to be a catalyst of people remembering the special stories of their lives and allowing the stories to speak to and guide them. I think it went very well, and she was able to feel confident making the urgent decision that she needed to make.

I'm going to follow up and ask her about the experience. And also see what she thinks could be different, and whether she thinks others might be interested.

Retreat for Chontal Catechists

On a visit to the retreat center, hanging out with the groundskeeper’s kids

Sadly, due to a change in management at the retreat center in Mindo, they are requiring from us a minimum of 10 visitors in order to use the center for a retreat. We only have about 5 or 6, maximum. That, and the conditions surrounding the uncertainty because of the pandemic, caused me to cancel the retreat. (Later, all those types of activities were canceled by the Ecuadorian bishops - I imagine the center would be canceling all retreats by now.)

I'll look for other possibilities for retreats, in case another opportunity comes up later down the line.

Food in the Desert

I prepared a presentation / workshop on how to read the 4 Gospels that I was going to share on consecutive Sundays here in Chontal. However, that was also canceled. But the day before, I did get to share the first half of it, the presentation portion, with a group of catechists and the priest and seminarian here in Chontal.

Some of the hidden gifts in the workshop

I had hoped to share it in other locations as well, and additionally to make a video / digital version to share online. I do hope to make that online version now that there's the shut down and social distancing happening. Although it's in Spanish, maybe I'll make an English version as well.

If you remember, the theme comes from Jesus' time fasting in the desert. He does indeed have food, and the workshop helps us to find food in the Gospels for our own time in the deserts we pass through in this life.

“It is written: ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.’” (Mt 4:4)

Four Houses: My Own Story

My own story of coming to Chontal is another project that's been on the backburner with all the other things going on. I do plan on completing it and showing it here. But with all the uncertainty around the pandemic, I don't know yet when or how. But the time in more isolation gives me more of an opportunity to prepare it.

Other Stuff

In the last Mass before the shut down, the priest asked me if I would preach the homily. That was a kind gesture, although it didn't give me any time to prepare! Anyway, since then everything's been canceled - we'll see what's going to happen.

I was able to pick up a few more aji's from Juanito. They're particularly hot! I ended up giving them to a neighbor who has a restaurant and makes her own aji sauce.

Last night, March 15 at around 11pm i woke up suddenly - we had an earthquake nearby, about a 5.0. The whole place was shaking and vibrating. But although it got me out of bed and to the doorway, it wasn’t enough to get me out of the room! Such is life here, and my understanding is that it didn’t cause much damage or any loss of life.

Driving a ways out of the pueblo, you see more of the rural life:

I was walking through the pueblo and passed by the house of Jose. An older man, he was one of the folks who benefited from the fundraiser we did after the landslides in 2014. He had lost his whole house. This day, he stopped me and gave me a huge bag of fresh peanuts that he had grown. I brought them back to where I stay, and the family roasted them up. I tell you, you have never tasted peanuts like these - ever.

Fresh roasted peanuts, a day after being harvested

I bought some Chontal-grown cacao (cocoa) paste and ground coffee. Can’t wait to make some chocolate and fresh coffee. I’m hoping to being some chocolate to Jimmi and Maria if it works out making it (that’s always a bit of a challenge.)

Cocoa paste and coffee grounds, grown in Chontal

The cocoa paste - the base of chocolate - ultimately comes from the large seeds (cocoa beans) from a cacao pod like this:

One day, a hummingbird got stuck for a little while in the house I’ve been staying in. he knew where take a rest, though:

A hummingbird took his break on a candle on top of the refrigerator

This white fluffy caterpillar is a puss caterpillar. It turns into a flannel moth. However, it’s dangerous to touch! You’ll be in some pretty serious pain for a day from the venomous bristles!

Finally, I wake up in the morning and go in the bathroom and I look in the mirror, and this is what I see. I guess I better get back to work!

_________________________

That's it for now. My best wishes for health and safety during these times,

Jerome

On the Pandemic and More