Embracing Life
Our Earth
Armed guards greeted us on a dark rural road in a third world country. God finally got my full attention. Regular readers know that simple sublime messages usually answer my colossal questions. This time it was different. It took several unanticipated events for me to grasp His intent.
My first jolt of awareness came when I participated in a fundraiser for my church. A movie night with friends, complete with hors d'oeuvres and a silent auction, was an irresistible offer. Event organizers promised Julian Lennon's extraordinary story, "Whaledreamers," would be the highlight of the evening.
They were correct.
Lennon's passionate plea encouraged viewers to protect nature by promoting the passage of legislation to stop over-hunting of animals, such as whales. Sustaining our own existence may depend on heeding her warning. I cried and left the sanctuary with overwhelming anguish. However, daily challenges quickly clouded my memory of this heartfelt tale of tragedy and hope.
The following week, I was on the treadmill at the gym and scanning the television channels, when I discovered Oprah. Former Vice President Al Gore was Oprah's guest. "An Inconvenient Truth," Gore's award-winning documentary, explains a very sickening reality. He claims life, as we know it, will cease to exist faster than scientists admit if we do not change our environmentally destructive habits. I stumbled off the exercise equipment with strained muscles and extreme mental fatigue. Once again, my life continued unchanged, despite the temporary turmoil and agony.
Days later, I accepted an invitation to travel to El Salvador. In order to receive a discounted group rate, the trip coordinator had to fill a last minute vacancy on a pre-arranged trip. An immediate commitment was required. My lifelong desire to travel prompted my affirmative answer without researching our intended destination. Eagerly I joined, completely unaware of what to expect.
We were typical naïve American tourists. After deplaning in San Salvador with camera cases and loads of luggage, we nervously began looking for a stranger holding a sign marked, "Anne." He was our lifeline, but did not speak English, and we knew little Spanish. If this plan failed, we did not have emergency contact information, directions to La Libertad or a back up strategy.
It was not until our welcoming committee (consisting of locals carrying loaded rifles) made their surprise appearance that we had any concerns for our safety. Our chauffeur turned off the van in the middle of an almost pitch-black road and had a mysterious discussion with the patrols. Silently, we waited wondering what would happen next. Finally, we entered the compound and were secure for the night.
The following morning we found a world far different from home.
Takuani Kal Hotel/Restaurant became our safe haven during our stay. Sharp chunks of broken glass imbedded in the top of the fence surrounding our refuge helped keep intruders out. Gun-toting employees paroled the small camp 24 hours a day. After sundown, the gate leading to the beach was locked shut. Showering in a slow drip of cold water became the afternoon routine. We adhered to the warnings from an English-speaking guide: only eat food prepared in established restaurants (not from street vendors); only consume bottled water; only explore with an experienced chaperone.
El Salvadorians struggle for survival after many years of civil conflict, post-war paranoia and poverty. Branded cattle roam the roadways. Peasants burn wood for fuel and launder clothing in the river. An estimated 94 percent of the original tropical forests are gone; erosion endangers 75 percent of the land; pollution is widespread. Waste disposal restrictions, including toxic trash, are lax. The ecosystem is one of the most severely threatened in the world. Education and health care concerns are low on the rural dwellers' priority lists. Instead, they face unemployment, malnourishment and the lack of safe drinking water.
This trip was much more than a vacation; it was a life-altering lesson. Witnessing firsthand the devastation of our natural resources was an enormous personal wake up call. Our precious planet is in peril.
Yet, there is still time. Become involved in saving humankind with your own unique talent, rather than ignoring the facts. Only by uniting global conservation and preservation programs will we save our Earth.
Donna Bonnell is a writer in Newberry. She may be contacted at Donna@towerpublications.com
