Photos from Quibdo

Looking through my eyes while I was in Quibdo

This is father Edison

The towns big Catholic cathedral

Our first evening in Quibdo there was an amazing 

storm that brewed as we wandered around the center. 

This picture was taken in a dark street at night just as 

 lightning flashed iluminating this photo.

Way cool.

These next few photos are from the program 

that Father Edison leads.

It is a program of integral education where

the kids learn sports, chess, how to behave and 

work in a team and group, etc.

I photographed many a foul.

Father Edison gathering the group for

a serious talk.

The kids have big personalities

and great smiles

Photo out of order:

The street side market place

A child preparing to leave after

a long hot day of soccer.

A view of the town is in the background

The street side market where you can 

buy platano, chopiduros, dried fish 

and all sorts of other colorful, delicious

tropical fruits and vegies

Long boats bringing in the Platanos

This is the popular form of transportation.

Costs 500 pesos = $.25

She's recieving change

Platanos are a principal element of the

food here

A colorful display of a particular variety of mango,

they are about the size of one's palm.

Champiduros.

I have a lot of photos of this fruit

because they are so beautiful

Washing the limes

A bunch of dried fish

The long boats that bring the havests

from accross the river

Chompiduros

A georgeous display of the goodness

the earth gifts us with

The Parking Lot

Cooling off the platano?

Flash Dance Style

The Cornacopia of Quibdo

Photos from Bucaramanga

Friends, Fun and Sites of a whirl-wind tour of Bucaramanga

Padre Jorge Chowing-down on some Goat...It was really Good

Taking a break in a local café

Love these doors from a Catholic Church

Colombia's Independence day parade in front of the Episcopal Church/ home

The mission up the hill

Bible School with the youth group

Local friends

Youth Group Bible Study Singing

Here we are all together in the humbly constructed Church

The Church Kitchen

Youth Group

Service

A view of the Mission Comunity

a chick in a bird cage...I found it humerous

The president of the Comunity who is responsible for the electricity, recent wave of construction and the begining stages of a school whith the latest pride and joy...school desks

From left to right Father Fernando, a member of the parrish, the president of the community and Deacon Eduin

Future site of the constructed church, housing and school

Evening mass 

The main church and where Father Jorge and his wife live

The street in front of the Church/home

In Quibdo

Well, I am now in Quibdo for the next two weeks to visit with Father Edison. As I write this his 12 year old daughter is being entertained by my computer and the foreignness of the language. Audra and I arrived yesterday around 2pm after a one hour flight from Bogotá. After a lunch of bean soup (one of my favorite foods in the world), fried fish, rice and salad we changed our cloths and Edison took us on a world-wind tour of Quibdo on foot. One of the stops included a university where we met with an anthropologist/lenguist and talked with him for about an hour. A this university he and his team are compiling anthropological records of the history of Choco and Quibdo which include books, poetry, singers, athletes, musicians, etc. This information will be shared with V.... University and is funded through England. It has been a long time that I have had to concentrate so hard to understand a conversation. I caught about two-thirds. I started to pick up more when the conversation turned to linguistics and the Pelenque (which means walled city). I was investigating Choco, Quibdo just the other day to investigate the local music. The professor has invited us to join him in a visit to Pelenque which is the last remaining slave settlment. Here, half of the citizens speak a spanish-franco creole that can not be understood by spanish speakers. This city has preserved its native african roots for hundreds of years. It would make my trip if I got to visit this city. After this meeting I was exhausted. Yet we did keep going at least for a few more hours. I think we got back to the house around 8pm. We will be staying with Edison and his family for the duration of our stay here. Along our visit we were inundated with students and professors clamoring to practice there English with us. Others might handle such a situation better than I do. However for me, it just gets overwhelming. Especially when I am already tiered and there are intense personalities demanding of your attention. A group of university students just dropped by wanting an impromptu English class. We will have to talk to Father Edison to help us organize something so that Audra and I can help but we are not taxed.
The life style here is very humble. Maybe half or better of the streets are paved. The houses are sturdily constructed and many are colorful. I am reminded that the very same resources are more comfortable in a cooler climate. Audra and I went to bed last night sticky from the heat and humidity. The humidity is what takes the cake here. It is almost always at 100% and it rains practically every day. Then the heavens opened up. All that evening as we were walking around we got to enjoy the distant lightning and thunderclaps that I have missed so much from Alabama thunderstorms. Around 6:30 Edison took us to Rio Calive and Rio Quito that merged together to form Rio Atrato. Because of the storm forming we were blessed with a fresh cool breeze. The river smells alive and fresh. With the constant breeze and the scent my mind was transported to the beach fishing with my dad. ( It made me miss my dad and the beach back home, but in the good memory way.) Thankfully the rain held off yesterday until we were back in the house. It poured even as we were going settling down to sleep, sticky and all. However I did sleep very well and much needed.
After having lunch with Edison this morning we were told that we would be teaching English to a school group in the morning and at a government college in the afternoons. I´ll be sure to let you know how that goes.