By Jolene Farley
This is the second installment on my trip to Bolivia, South America, with Mana a Mano. To see the first installment, log on to www.hillscrescent.com.
Saturday, March 16 - We arrive at Charamoco to dedicate the clinic. We are on time but some of the politicians are late so the ceremony is delayed almost an hour.
At the dedication there are many speeches by Mano a Mano representatives and government officials. There is also entertainment provided by local residents. A local band plays and a native dance, complete with beautiful costumes, is performed.
We are seated in the front row, and the patients who will use the clinic hang back during the dedication, some under a tree, others on benches or on the ground. They can hear the speeches but cannot see the ceremony.
This seems, somehow, wrong to us, and later one of our group mentions to Segundo that we wouldn't mind sitting in the back. He explains that if we don't accept their hospitality it could offend our hosts.
After the dedication, I interview a Charamoco resident, with the help of a translator.
Bolivian farmer Dio Genespaco tells of sub-standard medical care in the area before Mano a Mano. The government built a dispensary building but never kept it stocked with supplies or provided medical personnel to staff it.
"In 1973, they (the government) built a small dispensary, but it was physically built but never supportedÉ" he said. "From that time on we talked about getting a better medical facility.
"When we had accidents on our farm, we had no place to go to get cured. We lost many children due to lack of proper medical care.
"It's (the new clinic) going to improve more than anything else the lives of children. Before when children got sick they had nowhere else to go except Cochabamba, very far away.
"Many women died giving birth. Women suffered more than anything."
Genespaco considers the clinic a great advancement for his community. He said now that the clinic is finished, next is a drinking water system for the community.
"This clinic is going to be used by many people," he said, making a sweeping motion with his hands. "Now the clinic is finished, next is a drinking water system for the community."
After my interview, I walk around the clinic site with some of the other volunteers. Women and children run up and present flowers to us as we walk.
Sunday, March 17 - On a sightseeing tour, we "eat our way" through Cochabamba valley. We stop at roadside restaurants to sample local delicacies. We tour a Catholic cathedral, built in 1692, and visit an outdoor market established during the time of the Spaniards.
Monday, March 18 Ð We fly two hours by plane over the Andes to reach the town of San Agustin (about 60 kilometers from the Chile border, with an altitude of more than 14,000 feet above sea level). The mountain views from the plane are beautiful.
We fly over a huge lake with thousands of pink flamingos nesting on the surface. The birds scatter when we fly over.
As we approach the dirt airstrip at San Agustin, I see many people waiting to greet us. I later learned the airstrip was built for the Dec. 6 Mano a Mano clinic dedication, and it may be only the second time many residents saw an airplane.
We all ride in the back of a pickup to the clinic, which appears clean and well operated.
Outside the clinic, school children stand at attention, waiting for us. They welcome us and sing the Bolivian national anthem.
A small band (very talented) plays a few traditional Bolivian folksongs. We tour the school. The school utilizes six donated computers that are powered by a generator, allowing students to use them for limited time every day.
San Agustin is an impressive community. In a place where the majority of peopleÕs time is likely spent just trying to survive, this town shows a very strong sense of community.
The mayor seems active in the community, which trickles down to the residents. Many other Bolivian cities struggle with corrupt politicians and an inability to complete social projects but things seem to get done at San Agustin.
After our tour of the community, we are again served a meal Ñ of course! They try to serve our pilots a sample of the local beer. In my mind, flying an airplane and drinking beer doesnÕt mix, so I ask them not to drink.
When we are ready to leave San Agustin, the pilots inform us we cannot all fly out at once. In higher altitudes it is more difficult to get planes off the ground, and the runway at San Agustin is so soft it doesn't allow the needed ground speed. By reducing the weight on the plane, the ground speed can be increased.
The plan is four passengers will be dropped off at the nearest airport about 15 minutes away; then they will return to pick us up.
Those of us left behind stay by the airstrip. We begin to wonder when an hour has passed and the planes are not back.
We soon have another worry when a large herd of llamas begins to wander toward the airstrip. Although we hope they donÕt plan to stay, it soon becomes obvious they are in no hurry to move on.
The last of the llamas are herded off the runway just as the planes are ready to land.
The pilots were delayed because they were unable to land at the nearest airstrip (rain made the runway wet and soft), so they had to fly on to Uyani.
Tuesday, March 19 Ð We leave at 8:15 a.m. for a contract signing with a community. Although it is pouring rain, the drive is still beautiful.
Many politicians are present to make speeches and sign the agreement with Mano a Mano. After signing, we walk outside to the cleared construction site. The mayor breaks ground with a pick, and a cornerstone is buried in the ground.
A meal, including lamb, potatoes and baked bananas, is served in celebration. There are no eating utensils, so we eat with our hands.
Wednesday, March 20 Ð Today is a day of rest for usÉ We walk around Cochabamba, visit some shops, and tour a mansion built by a tycoon who made his fortune in the tin mines.
Thursday, March 21 Ð Some of our group members visit the men's and women's prisons in Cochabamba. Since a limited number of people are allowed in the facility at one time, I opt to stay at the hotel.
We have planned an evening celebration for our hosts and Mano a Mano Bolivia volunteers at the restaurant of their choice. After we eat, they teach us Bolivian dice games.
Friday, March 22 Ð Our group is scheduled to fly to La Paz for two days but we opt to stay in Cochabamba. We are afraid of altitude sickness.
Saturday, March 23 Ð We shop for gifts to take home to friends and relatives and enjoy the sunshine.
Sunday, March 24 Ð We fly from Cochabamba to Santa Cruz where we catch our flight to Miami. Each piece of luggage is opened and searched at the Santa Cruz airport.
My trip was a wonderful experience, and I would certainly do it again. Visiting Bolivia emphasized how fortunate I am to be a citizen of the United States. Many of the things Americans take for granted simply are not available to the people of Bolivia.