Today
is the fifth day in November, and already there has been more rain recorded for
the month than in the last 20 years! Every day since my arrival in Mastatal has
been rain – for four straight days! And we’re not just talking a light
sprinkle, it sounds like a waterfall on the tin roofs above. From Mastatal to
other nearby cities there is no passage – roads are closed, no clean drinking
water and no electricity in both Parrita and Puriscal. We are fortunate to have
both here, but with six volunteers there is some fear that we might run out of
food.
To
avoid the big cities Javier and Raquel decide that a trip to Zapaton is necessary
- and Javier will take the dirt-bike. He can’t, and shouldn’t, make the trip
alone as someone needs to simultaneously hold a sack of food and wear and
backpack full of goods. Having seen the roads between Santa Rosa and here during
my arrival not three days ago, I fear what the trip to Zapaton might be like
and I am not at all interested. Neither is anyone else. Hamish has the idea to
draw straws. Thinking I’ll have the best odds of drawing a long straw I draw
first. I was right. But second to draw is another one of the guys, and when he
draws the short straw he asserts that he is NOT going on the dangerous mission and
throws his straw down. Well, so much for the straw idea. Suddenly it seems that
the whole group is disappearing from the table – the table where we all eat and
if we don’t get food today we might not be eating in the days to come. Of all
the quotes I could think of, one from Stephen King’s It comes to mind: sometimes
you need to know when to make a stand. I tell Javier I’ll go.
The
attire to wear, I’m told, is clothes you don’t mind getting wet or dirty. Well,
that’s just about all of them. But I want to stay warm and I want to be light. Being
a true worst-case-scenario thinker, I also grab my wallet and give it to
Elizabeth, with special instructions about phone cards and who to call if I
don’t come back. I was nervous, and getting ready for this mission made me feel
like a warrior heading off to battle.
The
reality of the situation was much better than I could have imaged, and while
there were some places where the road had collapsed below, or where landslides
from above had slightly impeded the road, our passage to Zapaton was easy (and
wet and dirty). We waited in line with others who were stocking up, and finally
filled our bags and headed back to the house. About a quarter of the way the
bike began to sputter, and then it stopped completely. “Mierda!” I had an
intuition about gas when we were at the store, but didn’t say anything. I did
what I’m learning is the best response to these situations. I laughed. No fear,
no worry, just laughed. Fortunately
Javier has lots of friends along the way, and we stopped at one house for gas,
walked a little further and got oil from another friend before we were back on
our way. Of course the rain had picked up again and our ride home was rather
uncomfortable with pelting drops in our faces that burned as they hit. The road
seemed to have more rivers and ruts on our return, but we made it back just
fine, and now have plenty of food in the event that travel to and from Mastatal
remains limited. Another day, another adventure!
