Pura Vida Tour - Chapter 6

It really could not have gone any better!

Chapter 6 of my annual Pura Vida Tour - the Study Abroad program I started in the College of Continuing and Professional Studies - is now in the books, and hopefully the experiences we have had, the people we have met, and the projects we have completed, will each in their own way have had a meaningful impact.

San Ramon at dusk.

For the first time, we have had a truly interdisciplinary program.  Along with my five students from the Construction and Facility Management program (CMGT), I helped to lead a team of three Health Services Management (HSM) students, two Information Technology Infrastructure (ITI) students, and four Integrated Behavior Health (IBH) graduate students, along with a single Psychology student.  And what was even more amazing is that this group had five men to ten women (a role reversal from previous years), two African American students, and an ethno-cultural diversity including four of Asian descent, one of Russian heritage, and one of Polish heritage.  And three of these students were over 40.  And the team leaders included my great colleagues Ann Becher-Ingwalsen, a veteran of two previous trips in the IBH program, and Tony Scott, the Adviser for ITI in his first visit to become "indoctrinated" to the experience.

The 2019 Pura Vida Team

So what did we do with this diverse mix?

Of course, the first thing we MUST do is team building, which as always, included a rafting trip down the Rio Balsa River, followed by a lunch and farm tour at the home of Magdalena, the college home-stay of our program host Dustin Dresser (CMgt Alum, class of 2006).  Always a favorite, and never fails to force the rafting teams to work together (think "Row the Boat" in Costa Rican terms).  This was followed over the first week by visiting various sites appropriate to each discipline to get a sense of how these separate disciplines operate in Costa Rica, as well as to the Baho Tejares "slum" - - I loathe that expression - shall we say a severely disadvantaged community.

Nothing like a (wo)man overboard to bond the team!

I can say that I was quite amazed at the outcome: of their own choosing, the CMGT, HSM/PSCH and ITI students decided to do a single, combined, integrated project proposal for a new Level 1 EBAIS community medical clinic in the nearby village of Santiago, near Palmares.  We were introduced to this project by our beloved local associate Fernanda Roja, a University of Costa Rica student soon to complete her studies and licensing in social work, who has now helped our program and our students for the past three years. Following a visit to the site and an introduction to the way this tired and outdated clinic works by Chief Nurse Keylin, and by Alberto, the Director of the local "Desarollo" (Community Development group), our three students groups agreed to do a single proposal.

Chief Nurse Keylin, Fernanda and Dustin interpreting for our students in the EBAIS.

Led by the HSM team in their normal capacity as "owner's representative", they included a full analysis of the universal health care system, researched the requirements for a Level 1 facility, and adopted a program looking toward completion 10 years from now.  The ITI students incorporated the technology component that could be applied now and into the future, and of course the construction management students created a design proposal and a cost estimate, related schedule and project planning details, as we had three Architecture/CM minor students as part of the team.

CMgt/Arch students engaged in a collaborative design charette
Using this process, the essence of the design was established in a few hours!

And the Psych student?  With an interest in Spanish, and our most experienced Spanish speaker, he led the presentation and translation efforts, using that medium to learn about all the disciplines and how they function in Costa Rica, since we insist on leaving a proposal behind that is in Spanish, in the local colones currency, and applies the metric system.  This consolidated effort was delivered last Friday, January 18th, to an astounded Nurse Keylin, disbelieving how much we accomplished in so little time.

Students presenting the final consolidated proposal to Nurse Keylin

The students and advisers for the interdisciplinary proposal, held by Nurse Keylin

A truly integrated result that has never been accomplished to this degree before.  But what of the IBH students?

Each of them had a separate interest area of research and application, including working in the local Men's shelter, IAFA - an alcohol abuse center, as well as the Hogar de Ancianos (Seniors home), a site of two previous proposals, among other sites.  Of particular interest was the project to incorporate a Dance therapy program for the seniors for one week.  I was privileged to attend, thinking that dancing with this aged group would not tax me too hard, and found that not only was I sweating through my shirt, I was witnessing the true and total appreciation of the residents, many fully or partially disabled, who kept wondering when we would return.  This was amazing! Hats off. . . er dancing shoes on, for the student that organized this effort.

Dancing with the Stars - the Hogar de Ancianos Stars - the dance therapy program

Of course, all work and no play . . . !  Yes, we did play. A weekend trip to Manuel Antonio State Park, our annual pilgrimage for this program, included plenty of sun time on the beach, the lively activity of the monkeys, birds and other creatures in the park, and a very lively catamaran boat tour that closely resembled a floating tailgating party, widely enjoyed by our students and faculty alike. 

We also took the students to visit the local sugar production facility - a "trapiche" -  accompanied by a traditional Costa Rican casado lunch, and also visited the coffee plantation affiliated with Fernanda, again enjoying a traditional lunch on a magnificent porch.

Taking a break from the students - surveying the "sea-nery" in Manuel Antonio!
Oh, and plenty of monkeys as well! 

Fernanda's grandmother's kitchen, where a typical "casado" lunch was
served up for the students, followed by a tour of the coffee plantation and roastery

Palmares Horse Festival parade

And to celebrate our finish, we ride the treetops rather than shoot the rapids - ziplining in the cloud forest, always a student favorite!

Getting final instructions!

The final Superman ride - had to "hang" for 20 seconds before they launched me
back to the bus!

And for me, I continue to enjoy the experience leading these students, getting to know them, but also enriching my own experience every visit.  This year, I was tutored in Spanish for five intense discussion-type immersions by Tania Castro, including a visit to several local "cataracta" (waterfalls), a nature preserve, as well as a pretty incredible dance hall for a complete Salsa experience for Tony, our "dance" student, and me. I can now call her a friend, and will connect annually for more lessons.

Tania Castro - taking me to the "cataracta" - immersing me not in the water, but
in actually speaking Spanish.  With her help, I have (mostly) overcome my fear of speaking.

And not to be missed - ever - is the Hilger Walking Club. this year attended by four to five regulars at 6:00 AM every morning.  Lost 3 pounds somewhere in Costa Rica in spite of the quantity of rice and beans consumed, and probably walked over 150 miles in two weeks.  Good weather and many hills!

The Hilger Walking Club - laboring up one of numerous "hills with a view!"

Looking back, this is a lot to do in two weeks.  But I can say that this has been one of the most rewarding experiences of this annual adventure - the cohesion of the group, the interdisciplinary approach and successful result - and the fun - made Chapter 6 one for the record book.

Pura vida!

The sunsets and the joy was immeasurable!

Honduras Revisited: Axel and the Chapel

It was high time.  I had the opportunity to stop by Honduras on my way to Costa Rica for my sixth annual Study Abroad program that I lead.

May 25-28, 2017 – the last time I visited Honduras, my projects, and my godchild Axel Quintero Padilla. See my earlier post Tocayo

Then: 

My projects – the Moscati Conference Center and Dormitory , as it is so eloquently named, and the Holy Family Surgery Center Chapel were still being worked on, and were not well on track for completion for the Fall 2017 medical brigade – basically, a significant enough a state of incompleteness to feel that the project is not really finished, as the claim was made.  There was still much to be done and time running out.  And Axel? He was finished with high school and started his one year residency at NPH working in the school library as well as the special needs house, before he could start University.  So he was around at the time at least.

Now:

The Moscati Center has been open since the Fall of 2017 (opened unfinished of sheer necessity), though it was not serviceable for the September brigade.  It has since been mostly completed so as to be used as designed, and bugs are still being worked out.

But it has turned out well.

And Axel? He has turned out well, too.  I am proud of him, now 19 years old.

We spent Saturday, January 5, wandering the ranch, walking to the next town on a path I had walked many times, but never far enough to get to this town.  A mere collections of houses, a tiny school and church, nestled against a verdant backdrop of hills, Tamalequeso is a representation of what I think rural Honduras looks like.  Many of these townsfolks “commute” on foot to and through the ranch to get to their buses for work or provisions. We walked with a gentlemen my age, hoisting two bags of chips and related products over his shoulder to sell.  As he was laid off a few years ago from his 30 year job with NPH as a wood cutter, he received a small plot of land and stays satisfied.  We enjoyed an interesting conversation, as we could relate as older people being so much more “endurable” compared to the much younger Axel.  I think I wore him out on this trek of over 7 miles.

The town has been visited by Axel before, and on the only soccer field, tournaments have been played.  It was quite warm that day, so we stopped at what could pass as a house but was really a small tienda selling snacks and soft drinks.  I confess to a weak spot for central American Coke as it is sweetened with real sugar.  Combined with some Yucca chips, it made for an adequate snack and rest stop.

Typical small house and farm in the town, typically of mud brick
and wood and tile roofs.

It was a really special time.  There is an overriding sense of peace in this place, yet it is rooted in many sad stories of family loss.  We had many conversations, but the one that resonated with me most, was Axel’s decision not to become a doctor but to pursue architecture.  When asked why the change of heart, he realized he can still help people as an Architect.  Shelter and food is a greater, more fundamental human need even than medical care.  And we help people with shelter.

The ranch farm, looking toward one of my favorite hills to
climb on my morning walks.

Which brings me to my projects.

The Moscati Center is nice, especially the courtyard, encircled by suspended hammocks between the columns (an idea not credited to me but rather to my longtime, recently deceased friend David Andersen).  It is quite adequate in terms of volunteer housing, perhaps even a bit too nice for a poor nation that attracts missionaries. But I was reminded that the medical staff on these brigades work very long hours and deserve a decent environment.  They have it.

Front view of the Moscati Center

The courtyard - just wait a few years for the vegetation to become lush

Hammocks and homemade folding wooden chairs

But the chapel attached to the One World Surgery Center is, as I announced to Axel, one of my favorite projects. Small, trapezoidal in plan, and literally carved out of the rock mountain, utilizing this indigenous stone as building blocks, it is, in my opinion, a jewel.  Oh yes, there are little things that I think could have been done better, but the craftsmen that worked so diligently on this little structure poured all their love, heart and muscle into this holy shrine.  Many never get to work on a church – it is certainly honorable to do so.  Carpenters made the pews, rails, niches and altar all out of local Honduran mahogany, beautifully executed.  A natural, mortarless true Roman arch with a keystone was the work of true stonemasons, along with the quarter sphere “dome,” an architectural reference to a transept.  The gently warped roof accentuates the ceiling as it rises to the front, and the trapezoidal shape plays tricks on the eyes in terms of the visual perspective inside the space.

It is one of the few truly theatrical, in a sense, creative spaces I have done.  And I am quite pleased at the result, and more pleased by the good work of the craftsman that make it what it is.  Let’s hope it lasts.

A visual gallery follows:

Exterior view showing warped roof plan and stone quarter dome.
The stone was quarried right from the church site.

Peking in through the beautiful mahogany doors.

Trapezoidal plan to emphasize the theatrical perspective and sense of space and distance.

The main sanctuary as seen from the entrance doors.  The trapezoidal
plan alters the true perspective, making the altar seem more distant than it really is.

The view from the altar, which appears closer and smaller to the priest.

The crucifix suspended in the arch, seeming to float

Mary in her backlit stone niche. Note the curved mahogany doors.

The altar, made and carved by the local craftsman - truly a labor of divine love.

Angelic!  I do try!

This Particular Christmas in Ethiopia

Today, January 7^th, 2019, is Christmas in Ethiopia.

Recall Abi Jemal, the young waif that I met in Ethiopia in 2015 who shunned his real name for that of “Joe” to this tall American.  He assisted me when I was nearly pick-pocketed, and we ended up spending the next few days meeting, exploring the city, and just talking, for he was reasonable with his English. So what happened to him, and what does all this have to do with Christmas?  

Brace yourself for a story both sad and uplifting, for we remained in contact all these years.

Abi Jemal Siraj – Joe - went through some pretty rough times.  He took me up on my offer to go to language school to improve his skills, and then got a job teaching English in far northern Ethiopia, where he quickly succumbed to the ill effects of bad water, and had to return to the City to be hospitalized, with a serious kidney ailment that required a transplant, and a bit more of my help.   

He recovered and then opened a small stand selling vegetables, and a modest improvement to his prosperity had started.  He purchased a truck, and a tiny one room apartment (if you can call it that – more like a hovel to us) and continued with his teaching and learning English, and selling vegetables.  His truck did need some repairs – can’t haul your vegetables if you have no truck. 

I had sent him a care package of some clothes and a special book in English, to improve his English abilities – Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, a magnificent and timeless story of hardship and redemption that he might be able to relate to. 

Enter Gebru Getachew, a director of a micro finance agency in June, 2018, indicating that Abi had inquired about a loan with an opportunity to sell milk to a local university and a hotel on a long term contract, which Gebru arranged.  His agency was willing to loan the required capital to start the business, but Abi needed to demonstrate $3,000 in the Bank, and only had half that, so I lent him the funds, along with some additional startup capital, and he obtained the contract with the school, and with his first payment quickly paid off his micro-finance loan.  This is the way micro-finance is supposed to work, and what will emanicipate the economic engine which (can be) Africa.

Abi on his milk run

Life seems good, but bad luck in some quarters is always around the corner.  In this case, it was the poor story of Sara Mekonnen. In August, 2018, I received the following message from Gebru:

Dear Mr.Peter!       

I sent you this sad news with broken heart.  As aware of, by your support and my little cooperation Abi was doing his business hard. Every day he was driving 30 km from Addis, collected the college and hotels. To deliver the milk on time he was rented pick up car run it out. But due to Saturday is Ethiopian main marketing day and much crowded this morning he has got accident and killed one lovely girl and he jailed in police station. I and my wife sad by this. Because as he told me about his life back ground he doesn't have any family except you future will be darken. What I would like to inform you for the time being Monday he will face in court. I will attend the secession and let you know. Please let your prayer reach to Abi.    

Mr. Gebru.

Gebru, his family, and Abi had developed a good relationship by this point, and so attending his hearing was in and of itself an act of mercy, for without family or anyone to rescue him, Abi would rot in jail for 18 years for want of a path out. Gebru’s wife, Tigist Tadesse, even went to the jail to bring him food.  The following message came a few days later:

Dear Mr.Peter.    As I expressed by my previous message Abi was faced in court and the case seen. I was presented and attended. However happened by the car brake problem but Abi been guilty and the court gave appointment for tomorrow for the judgment. Again today I was discussed with one Lowery [lawyer]. What he advised me the only situation to out from this is make negotiation with the girl family to pay compensation and close the case. Unless he will be sentenced more than 15 years. This issue made by mind restless. Because I have also children and thinking as Abi like one of my son. But since we are poor country what can I do? Any way I will let you know the judgment. The other point, I went to the college and explained the problem the director and he assured me as the college will be patient until the judgment. Finally when Abi returned to the police station he told me to pass the following message to you. “My father Peter I bow under your knee and ask you by the name of God to save my life.”   Regards Mr. Gebru!

Gebru arranged for priests to arbitrate with the family and a settlement was reached in the accidental death of Sara Mekonnen, 15 years old, on August 11, 2018.  Abi was released and back at work delivering milk.  It can be said that justice is very swift, but not always deemed to be justice in the eyes of all affected, as we shall soon see.

As I have now gotten to know Gebru’s family through Abi, some time passed, and then there was another life to save.  A family of six children ages 18 to a 6 month old son, the eldest daughter, Selamawit, required heart surgery for a dilated cardiac myopathy, with the only safe place to receive this care in South Africa.  An expensive procedure was beyond the reach of Gebru’s family, and so he turned to me and his distant uncle to help him bridge the gap.  Selamawit received the treatment and has since recovered.  For this deed, along with a gracious thank you, we received a package of blankets from Tigist, thanking us profusely for saving her daughter.  Selamawit is a beautiful young woman, and is attending Kunzla University, two years into in a six year program in civil engineering, and receiving excellent grades.

Selamawit - sent with her package

In the meantime, while Gebru was in South Africa, Abi continued to pick up his milk from the farmers, and one day in October, 2018, he was shot by the uncles of Sara Mekonnen, and seriously injured. 

Can there really be any more bad luck that can fall upon a person? A family? A society?  I was incredulous at this news.

Abi was hospitalized with two bullets lodged in his arm, and Tigist took the best care she could of him while Gebru was in South Africa with Selamawit. I had corresponded directly with the doctors on his treatment and progress, and agreed that he was to be hospitalized and have the bullets removed.  There is no public health care coverage that is in any way meaningful, and the only upside is that the cost of health care is so much lower than in the United States, but not always the best of care.  Abi recovered after about 12 days in the hospital, under Tigist’s tender care, as a mother to her own son.  And he was back to work on his milk runs again.

Life seemed back on track, on all fronts.  I received this note from Selamawit on November 21st:

Dear.Mr.Peter.                                                                                          

My name is Selamawit Gebru. The daughter of Mr. Gebru. Inspire of the fact is is too small but I sent you my gift. Just to express my gratitude. If I am not student or I have more I never retreat to do a lot. From my gift the pens and basckets made by my hands. Because it is your hands saved my life. Till I leave this earth you and my father are the same for me. A part from, I am second year engineering student. I sent you the first year my grade points. As you see from my grade I am great distiniction student. After few months I will recieve second year grade point and will send you. Abi told me as you are engineer and I will be live you after 4 years

Selamawit

What happens next is beyond sad.

I received a message from Selamawit not a few weeks later that I cannot bear to publish, for she reported that Gebru had fathered another child out of wedlock, which is a mortal sin in Christian Ethiopia, that a dispute naturally arose between Tigist and Gebru, and while he came home drunk one day, he murdered Tigist in front of the children. His family of 6 siblings is now under Selamawit’s care as the eldest, with no other family, and she wanting to finish school.  She implored that “if I will not graduate and help my siblings the only chance they will get is to live on the street and only choice that's left for me to be a prostitute so I can earn money to take care of my little sister and brother.” 

And she is right, she cannot follow that path.

After corresponding directly with Kunzla University and confirming her status, I have conveyed a three year scholarship to finish school, with the University extending one free year for her under these extraordinary circumstances.  She has excellent prospects in Ethiopia to support her family, and to work in civil engineering in a country known as one of the fastest growing, and with (apparently) new and enlightened national leadership.  She has her house, and a neighbor helping to care for the infant, and a developing skill as a weaver. There is hope, but no potential for work, school and family all at once, at least for now.  This is a tough situation.

And Abi?  My “son” is paying it forward to help Selamawit and her family.   He is awaiting a large (by Ethiopian standards) payment against his contract to the university (of which I have seen the promissory note), and he will be on track – for now – for with this tale of sadness and redemption, one can never know what lurks around the next corner.

So you may be thinking this is hardly a story for Christmas.  But indeed it is.  Christmas is about giving and receiving gifts, of thankfulness, of helping others.  These years since my first visit to Ethiopia in 2015 have been revelatory.  These problems have intertwined Abi and Gebru’s family with me.  And maybe, in time, with my support as her adopted father, I can also assist Selamawit achieve her meaningful goals -off the street - and by extension, her siblings.  I asked that she send me a picture of her family:

Selamawit with Henock (16) behind her, Belaynesh (14) Alazar (9) next
to Selamawit, and Betetlhem (12)  Baby boy not shown.

Christmas in Ethiopia involves the slaughter of a goat and celebration.  While it will not be the happiest of Christmases for Selamawit and her family, there is hope for the future.  I have asked her if she will see her father in prison, and at first, she did not wish to do so, but in the last few days, did visit him.  And the response is sad, for Gebru was the glue that bound all of Abi, Tigist, Selamawit and her siblings together, and that glue has failed to hold. He wrote a personal note to me that Selamawit passed along but a few days ago. 

January 4, 2019

Dearest Mr. Peter,

I sent this message from the second hell in small prison darken room.  I am like in concentration camp.  Not only I killed my wife but also myself and my children.  Yes I am guilty.  What I ask you by the name of God is due to my children don’t have any single family don’t far from them.  I am 20 year prisoner and I delivered my children to you whether I out from this hell or not.  Specially visit Selamawit.  Because of she is top most clever student please support her by your potential.  If her study interupt my kids will decend to grave. I have given them to you on the earth and you will deliver me in the heaven however your wage is from God.

Faithfully yours

Gebru

I have both given and received.  I feel as if my role in this strange tale is as the bishop in Les Miserables who let the candlesticks go to enable Jean Valjean to find his place in society. I could go on.

January 7 is our Christ X-mas. On this date goat or sheep slaughter chicken, cheese, beverage and other prepared, neighbors invited and we spent happily. Now that has been history. Yes by the coming our Christ X-mas my brothers and sisters will expect that. But it can't. Because our parents already gone. Because I don't have any thing to do like before. So spend by closed door house.

I sent a small stipend to Abi to provide for the goat and other essentials. Her brothers and sisters have a gift in Selamawit and Abi, not the unwrapping kind, and only time will hopefully reveal how lucky they are to have them at this time. I only hope her neighbors, her school and her society can help her achieve.  We usually do not know or experience this kind of hardship in our day-to-day existence.

Abi and Selamawit are spending Christmas together today with the family.  Today, I honor their courage to continue on.