La Florida 2008

On the community:
Coffee harvest went really well--almost doubling last year's yield. Organic certification has been achieved once again, and finally a foreign market for export which brings a much better price. Bananas are being harvested and sold once a month. Their honey has a market and apparently sells out quickly. There's a small new bakery, putting to use one of the old wood fired ovens. The Health Project/Clinic is still kicking, and thankfully remains somewhat sustainable. And finally, a community pickup truck!!!! The internal community conflict is completely resolved and the division of the land complete. Also, it sounds as if an organization is going to create, or make available, incentives in order to help protect a portion of La Florida from development--mas o menos, an environmental protection effort.

Sooooo, prior to this last Saturday I was under the impression that the community was in great shape--good news all around. However, all is not well in paradise. Saturday I discovered some news that casts a dark cloud over all the good news we'd thus far encountered. Apparently the community, in order to avoid the threat of colapse, had to borrow over $20,000 (USD) in August to pay comm. member salaries for the coffee cleaning (hacking, via machete, the perpetual jungle growth surrounding the coffee plants). The condition of the loan was that this coffee harvest would pay for it. Well, they've paid off the loan, but what's left for the community?? I'm thinking they have a few thousand $$ left over, but not nearly enough to carry them through the coming year.....if even into March or April. It appears they may face the same situation, come summer, that they faced this last year. Ahhhh!!

It hurts my heart to know all of this. It hurts my heart to know that the community may risk colapse all over again in 2009. I can only take solace in the fact that they've been through so much already, overcome so many obstacles, and managed to survive them all and remain relatively intact. They are truly a persistent bunch...and tough as nails. I can't help but to genuinely admire each and every one of them. Somehow they manage to struggle on. I just hope they continue to have the resilience that has carried them to this point. I hope that I will continue to learn from them, and draw from their strength in order to press on with support of their vision and dreams. I mustn't forget the fortitude that they've taught me. I mustn't forget to look to them, to look up to them, when i'm feeling weak, disillusioned.........or haunted.
-ryan