I had an amazing hike this weekend.  Another volunteer, Mac, and I went on a hike to a waterfall here in the valley.  It was a about a hour hike or so to the base of the water fall which is about 70 meters tall.  Then, feeling ambitious, we bushwacked our way to the top of the waterfall as there is no maintained trail.  The view from the top was stunning.  you could see much of the valley stretched out, and could see all the way to the beautiful carribean.  A great combonation of two of my favorite things, woods and ocean!  We decided to follow the stream further up the mountian just to see what was up there.  As we went we discovered a series of pools and waterfalls.  Three main waterfalls, about 70 to 100 feet tall forced take extreme measures to ascend them, including climbing rocks with the water dumping down on us.  At on point it seemed we could go no further as we were surrounded by cliffs and a dangerously slippery ascent near the waterfall, so we climbed a vine up a cliff.  the last section was a little scary as the cliff over hung the leadge, so it was a lot of upper body for the final stretch.  not knowing what was at the top, we made out way to yet another beautiful mini canyon, and gorgeous waterfall.  It was increadable.  Every waterfall we discover was seemingly more beautiful that the last.  We described it as getting a new album from a band you like, and the first song is awesome.  So you think, well, good first song.  then you hear the next song and its just as awesome, if not better!  then every song is like that on the album!  And who knows how many more there are beyond.  And all these waterfalls are set in the context of virgin rainforest.  We got a little off track on the way down, and ended up sliding down some serious steep land.  It was like embracing a mini avalance of rocks and dirt as you slide down almost 40 feet with a flood of tumbling rocks always on the brink of being out of control.  Poor Mac, once he stopped at the end, a small rock came tumbling and hit him on the bone of his ankle, which proceeded to bleed alot.  By the time we got home, his Chaco was pooled with blood, it was even puddling on the floor of the bus on the way home.  yuck!  it seems to be okay though.  As we got back on the trail finally, after a few landslide adventures, and meticulously negotiating steep declines and thorny jungle plants.  We made it back to the trail.  Yes!  Filled with joy, we ran most of the way down back to the road.  The feeling was amazing, cruizing down the windy and steep trail, feeling like the surrounding forest was like an audience cheering us on.  I felt like I entered a true state of worship as I haven´t felt for a while.   After all the amazing beautiful and wonderful things that happened, it was hard to explain what I had just experienced, upon returning home and being asked how the hike was.  Amazing!

 Unfortunatly, that night, I got sick and have been for the past few days, some stomach thing.  A nurse here thinks that it may be giardia, but im not sure.  I was supposed to bring a stool sample in to town to get tested for parasites or whatever today but I forgot.  uggh.

work down here has been shifting into high gear.  i have been doing hard work clearing land for a fruit tree grove that we are planning in Las Mangas.  Im thankful to have this day in town to rest from the work so the blisters on my hand from machete work can heal a bit.  work is hard.  the sun is hot, the bugs are hungry the foliage often thorny and sharp, and the machete blade feels especially sharp when it slices your hand while sharpening it.  slowly but surly im getting into campasino shape.  hiking the trails in La Muralla dont tire me as much, and the heat seems a bit more tolerable. 

 We have also been working on a latrine project in La Muralla lately, pouring slabs to cover the latrine holes that they have dug.  we visited this one home, that last one out in La Muralla, and it was a 2 hour hike, from the road.  these people are the real deal.  they served us luch, and with the rice and tortillas was the meat from an animal that the sons had hunted the night before.  it was very yummy.  i think it was in the rodent family, like some sort of giant jungle rat or something. 

 An interesting twist from this week:  this 17 year kid down here who Larry has known for years has been getting into trouble.  he has gotten into drugs and has been stealing alot.  he stole many personal possesions from some of the Gordon students that were down here in January.  He is a known theif having also stolen from one of the eco-tourist lodges near by.  around here, there is not much law, so when someone gains a reputation as his, it is not uncommon to find him some morning dead.   a means the community takes to defend itself.  the word was out that this kid will be shot soon, unless something changes.

This kid´s cousin, Manual works for larry, who i work with daily also.  Manuel supposedly had a talk with the thief, and told him that he shouldnt steal, that if he wants money, he should just ask Larry for work instead of stealing from him.  sure enough, to all our disbelief, after talking to Larry, he showed up to work monday morning, and has been working all week.  he has been a good worker too!  so now, if he does die, we won´t just lose a thief, we will lose a worker.  but since he´s working now, it seems that his life will be spared a bit longer.