Feliz Ano

Happy New Years from Guatemala!

The team enjoyed a fun night out last night at what was apparently the best pizza place in Guatemala. Certainly made for lots of enjoyable food and drinks. We are in Panajachel which sits on the edge of Lake Titalan (sp?) -- which fills a volcanic crater and is surrounding by majestic volcanic peaks (a consistent theme in Guatemala).

Yesterday we arrived here after two days at Finca Santa Anita -- a small coffee cooperative north of Antigua. It is really quite hard to describe the experience of hiking out into the quasi-jungle and picking coffee off the slopes of hillsides. It was a phenomenal experience as we broke into groups of three or four and picked alongside a family from the community. Most of us picked along slopes that were 20 - 45 minutes away from the main community. As the forest is very thick you pick and carry out (back up the steep slopes towards the community). Some groups carried out over 150 pounds of coffee on their backs. Then we spent the afternoon sorting the red from the green (this was there last pick -- so they cleared the trees of all berries) and prepping them for drying. Don't worry, if the process is confusing ... it is. We'll try to do a good job post-trip to wrap it all up in a nice, logical bow.

Needless to say, most of us were exhausted by days end and then realized that the work of over 25 people had succeeded in perhaps collecting only about 10 pounds of drinkable coffee --- or to make that practical ... $16 for the community. A very sobering thought that left us reflecting that we would never drink another cup of coffee flippantly again.

One amazing point that left us all quite moved is that this community is made up on ex-guerilla fighters in the 30 years war for the equitable land distribution (particularly for the native Mayan people). When the war ended 10 years ago (Dec 29, 1996 -- and yes, we had a long night of dancing with the locals in celebration of the anniversary), these people in the Santa Anita community dropped their weapons and went to work. They took this piece of land and built homes (albeit cinder block walls and tin roofs) and began working the coffee. After 8 years of harvest they are still working to pay off the land (worth $200K) and will be for quite a long time. They are a very modest people yet extremely proud and long to own the land they fought 30 years for and to prove through their labor that they will and can survive -- without the use of force or coercion -- a phenomenal sight to see.

We are in and out of internet access but will hopefully post more thoughts and pictures in the days to come.

Cheers!