Sunday, April 18 Early this morning I traveled from Yucay to Qotohuicho in the Sacred Valley, to meet Pelayo, an old friend whose character I respect, and also as a ceramic artisan and karate instructor. The agenda had been pre-set Friday eve. We were going to design a plan for ceramic workshops for the children of the Safe Haven.
While I was waiting outside in the yard for him, I looked around at my surroundings: a couple of adobe structures, dirt floors, bee hives full of activity, a laundry line full of clothes drying with the radiant and powerful sun. As I pulled out my laptop, I realized what finally brought me to this particular place. I had the assurance that what will transpire today has the potential to change many lives. At that very moment I felt connected to the hand that wrote all, in silent prayer without words or pleas.
Within a couple of hours we had laid out an ambitious but simple plan, which will start before my departure on May 12. The plan, not only will explore the children’s artistic abilities, but will provide them with life skills they could tap into in the future.
Pelayo is raising his three children alone. His needs seem beyond my comprehension. Giving him just money would be an insult to his character, but offering him an opportunity to work together in a larger purpose, will give him life.
As I was leaving this humble but nurturing environment, I looked at the distant mountain, the Nevado Chicón. It reminded me of the encounter in the spring of 2003 when I became lost during a hiking adventure that changed me forever and turned a visiting observer into a man on a mission to bring positive change into lives of people in the sacred valley.
this reminded me of a time in guatemala, along a horribly polluted river that the gov’t should be ashamed of, lived for many generations, indigenous people who got the clay from there to create pottery. much of it is used for cooking but then also little decorative things like you have in this photo. we watched them create quickly beautiful things. when we were leaving, they gifted us with the things we were admiring. their poverty was astounding and their hearts were what we need to learn from. you capture things in photos that remind me of life in so many ways.
Right on… and write on
I’m touched by your comments, gracias
thank you , thank you, thank you,