A letter from John and Paula Ewers in Colombia
June 23, 2008
Hi All,
We have written a lot about the displaced farmers here in Barranquilla and about their struggle to get land to farm. Through their own efforts, they found land in the Piojo area, about an hour west of Barranquilla. The owner of the land is an older gentleman who was so pleased to find a strong group of men who wanted to farm. We visited the town a few weeks ago and were impressed with the community and the beauty of the area, which is nestled among the mountains and close enough to see the Caribbean Sea in the distance.
Our colleague Gloria on her way to visit a small community of displaced farmers who have finally found land they can farm.
A few days ago we traveled inland to see the farm and the small community of farmers who are living on and working the land. This is the first group of about 100 displaced families who are planning to live in this area. The route is very hilly and seems to follow a path of an arroyo (a dry river that becomes very active during the rainy season). People in the town lent us two mules and one donkey to carry supplies and people to the farm. We watched as the men loaded up the mules with much care. There were about ten of us and three lucky ones who got to ride the mules and donkey. It was a pleasure to ride, especially since the animals are so sure-footed. The terrain was very rocky, muddy in spots, and narrow and hilly. It took us about an hour to reach the farm. What a beautiful sight—smiling people, children playing, hammocks drying, and a gorgeous view of tree-lined hills, with the sea in the distance.
Women preparing the meal on an open fire.
We were welcomed with small cups of sweet coffee called “tinto.” Then the men strung up more hammocks so we could rest before lunch. The women prepared rice, yucca, and a tuna salad outdoors over an open fire. The meal was so good, especially the soft, tasty yucca. Then we walked into a ravine to see the planted fields of corn, yucca, watermelon, squash, and beans. It was mind-boggling o think that they had to clear the land of trees, scrub bushes and then plant the 24,000 yucca shoots, thousands of corn seeds and others, all on hilly terrain. And their only tools are machetes. Their joy was infectious as we smiled and congratulated them on their work. We felt like we put in a day’s work by walking to the farm and climbing down the ravine to admire their fields. That would only be the beginning of their day on the farm.
New house for a family at the site where 100 families are building a life for themselves out of the rugged terrain.
Life on the farm is much different from life in the city. Starting with only one house on the land, the farmers built front and back porches, where many hammocks are hung for sleeping. Using the logs from trees that they cut, tables and benches are built out-doors for cooking, cutting, and washing. There are two new houses being built with similar construction.
Most of these families have been displaced for years and have been dreaming of having land to farm. They have been working together, meeting at the presbytery office on Saturdays, combing the countryside for suitable land, and planning how to divide the tasks among them. They have had many closed doors and deals that fell through. Now that this land has been found, they have so much hope and are ready to work hard to make a new life for themselves. They have had some guidance from the Presbyterian Church of Colombia, and help and support from the man who owns the land. They are working with the government to purchase the land for them. But the beautiful part of all of this is that they have the feeling of self-worth because they have been doing the work themselves, finding the land, filling out the paperwork, organizing themselves, and keeping up the hope that all will work out. It’s a pleasure for us to be a part of this adventure and to see how happy the families are. The conditions are difficult for them, but they are ready to endure them when they see their dreams coming true.
This is a story of a few displaced in Colombia. Knowing that there are over four million displaced who need similar guidance and hope gives us all a sense of how difficult the situation is here in Colombia.
We will miss this beautiful land, the people we have worked with for the past two years, and the marvelous hope all around us. This is our last email and report on our life here. We return to Dayton, Ohio, on Friday, June 27. Thanks for listening to us and helping us spread the story of the reality of the people in Colombia. We pray that these stories will increase and the situation here will continue to improve. If you would like to have us visit your church, community group etc. to talk about Colombia, please contact us through our email.
Love and peace to you all,
John and Paula Ewers
The 2008 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 273
