Of Dreams & Hope

Stories from my time living in the Peruvian rainforest

By Regina Roeder

April 23^rd, 2017

The Earth is in Constant Change

Water, land & air undergo changes, some of which are natural whereas others are man made. Sometimes we challenge them too far, causing deep damage and pain, this is when we have to listen carefully in order to bring back its balance.

Same goes for our bodies and lives.

Barefoot I am dancing on the red soil until I can hear the sound of the water. It is rain season in the Peruvian jungle and around midday the air is filled with an enormous amount of humidity, thus the cold drops of the river seem refreshingly reviving on my skin. Surrounded by a variety of mysterious plants, coconut trees and gigantic yellowish bamboo I feel like being thrown directly into the jungle book while colorful birds and giant butterflies are encircling my body making myself a natural part of the scene.

I hesitated with respect before exploring this unknown land while seeking an authentic experience. And as life goes when you practise patience and put all your energy towards it, one day there it was:

My ticket into the jungle.

An adventurous journey including all sorts of vehicles brings me to Ledoy, a small farming community located close to Tarapoto on the other side of the Huallaga River. It is the hometown of my friend, Loyda, who invited me kindly to support her on a project with children last year.

I trusted my instinct and followed my sense for adventure.

While sitting on some driftwood with my feet still floating in the water I am wondering how many forgotten places still exist around the world, where people live modestly in peace with the elements only taking what they need but giving back equally to preserve their natural habitat.

Nevertheless there is always a second side of each story that I took my time to listen.

Ermelinda in her kitchen, the place where women gather not only to eat but to tell stories, to laugh and cry

"How can this be?" I wonder while processing images from my previous days "Children being malnourished in a place so rich in produce?"

I soon find out that regional harvest is not always first choice.

Times change, tradition begin to fade through a process we call rural exodus, one our ancestors have undergone already for our current generation to be better off. At the same time roads are being built providing access for human beings to exploit resources in a land that is still waiting to be protected. Foreign products packed in colourful shiny plastic bags arrive to trigger taste buds of new customers.

Brands such as Quaker, Nestle and Coca Cola are invading even the remotest places on Earth, corporations that don't exist to help communities, but to make profit at the expense of people, Mother Earth and health.

Blindfold parents believe in raising more intelligent children while using Western products only providing little nutritional value instead of breastfeeding.

Shakira telling me about how no social security forced her to move back to the country to take care of her sick mother

The other side of a little paradise or just a natural process?

I see children in front of TVs, their new connection to the outside world, watching stories about luxurious cars, houses and fashion while creating their own dream of a “better” life. Enjoying western products is one of their ways to bring them and their parents closer to our seemingly “perfect” world.

One of my favourite reasons I like farmwork is its focus on community

Probably the best beans I had in my life

Culture has often taught us to give whereas materialism is teaching us to take

Maurita, 26, blind and single mother trying her best to raise her children without support of her ex husband who disappeared

Just like anywhere in the world the price you pay for progress comes with a loss culturally.

Women waiting for medical support. The closest hospital is more than 1 hour away and the commute is expensive

But there are reasons.

Zulema and her children facing difficulties. The $2 for 1kg of cacao is barely enough to feed her family.

The low wages from agriculture and the lack of social security make young people leave the country side in hope for a better, more independent life. Long working hours in urban factories, big supermarkets and distraction in entertainment are results of the move to compensate the gained anonymity of the city.

Loyda and her mother Ermelinda cooking together. Luckily her daughter lives in the city being able to provide financial support

Despite the negative site I see light. Girls and women are able to break the circle of abuse and inequality that all of them are still facing and find security. Living in the city can mean hope for a better life for them and their children while not being dependent on their dominant husbands.

Magdalena and Belen and their little brother. The girls are dreaming of becoming volleyball players and a better life outside of the jungle

Listening to these stories makes me realize we are coping with the second step of this process while often finding ourselves lost in our fast paced society where status and materialism seem more important than community and heart. Interestingly we are now trying to bring back our balance while shifting again towards natural and community. An important movement for ourselves, our state of mind and our future generations.

Marni, Alcira and Nubita harevsting cacao in the depth of the Peruvian jungle

This is the beauty about life, we continuously learn from one another and our own mistakes on the never-ending journey of human evolution. I am certain we can all find our own balance in this world while consuming more consciously & protecting cultural heritages including Mother Earth, because without them we are not only going to continue to loose identities, and knowledge but also destroy our sources of life.