El Paseo a Limón…

A weekend on the Caribbean Coast…

We traveled through the rainforest and the plains to arrive on the rich coast of Limón. Christopher Columbus beached on an nearby island where he viewed the indigenous people and what seemed to be gold….thus naming it the Rich Coast (Costa Rica). Limon is the poorest province of Costa Rica although 75% of commerce is imported/exported through the two main ports of Limón. Ironic that the wealth is clearly flowing through the province yet little of it is invested in the improvement of the local people. This has to do with capitalism and the private enterprises that seek to control trade. Talking to the people in San Jose, they will agree that Limón is poor and may say that the people do not work. Talking to the people on the streets in the city of Limón will say that they lack opportunity for work.

Part of the focus of this trip was to learn about poverty and how that relates to discrimination and racism. The majority of the people in Limón are Afro-Costa Ricans. But what is poverty really? Well, what lens are you looking through? A North American lens? A Christian lens? An indigenous lens? From the perspective of those who value relationships over material possessions, if one has family to support them, he/she wouldn’t consider him/herself to be poor. Or if you are a Bribri (an indigenous tribe), you would say that you are not poor as long as you have your land, your home, water, and the food that you raise/cultivate, and your people. Or is one simply classified as poor if he/she lacks God? And even if these indigenous people or Afro Costa Ricans do not consider themselves poor or discriminated against, they really are. If poverty is the lack of human rights, these people groups represent that in Limón. But then you could question what are human rights really…..if they include the right to work, shelter, water, food,….etc. these people are overlooked by the government. And World Bank loans that supposedly support development projects rarely take effect. Somehow the government uses the money for their own benefit and overlooks the poor.

Interesting stuff to ponder, eh? I am collecting my thoughts to write a paper over the weekend experiences. I also have a larger composition that will deal with poverty and lacking human dignity due at the beginning of October. I read Unica mirando al mar, a book about a community of people living in the San Jose dump and their journey through life. It is an authentic account of the life of a dump dweller. I am humbled by their attitude/perspective toward life. What we can learn from the lowly in spirit!

We visited an indigenous group – the Bribri – and learned about their daily struggle through the lens of Gloria, one of the indigenous women. They fight to protect their land, identity, and dignity. For 21 years, the Bribri have maintained an Iguana protection project to preserve the dying population of iguanas. It was amazing to hear Gloria’s story and her people’s struggle to maintain their land. Tree harvesters come to cut down rubber trees or cattle farmers let the runoff of their pesticides inundate the fresh water of the Bribri at the bottom of the mountain. The Bribri do artisan work as well to earn a little more. I was humbled to hear Gloria truly say that she is not poor, as long as they have their land (the forest where they communicate with God through the nature), home, water….that is sufficient. Gloria also told us their creation story, which was interesting with a few parallels to the creation story of the Bible.

Another through-provoking experience was the tour of the banana coorporation (Del Monte)…we watched the banana workers chop the bananas off the stalks, sort them according to size-preference of the country receiving them, cut them, spray them with a chemical that keeps them green longer, package them, load them…etc. We also entered a banana field where the process of growing begins. So many steps! Del Monte provides on-site housing, medical clinic, and schooling for children. The workers are paid per banana…a competitive work incentive. Unfortunately, because of the competition, if one loses his/her job, they cannot keep their house either, thus, having to uproot completely and search for another job creating instability for the children. I do not want to know how little the workers are paid. Yet bananas remain the most popular fruit in the U.S.

Cultural diversion….the trip was also relaxing and vacation-like…not all serious! We spent an afternoon on the beach (Cahuiti)…lovely and not scorching hot either. We dined Caribbean style: Rice and Beans….flavored with coconut….and chicken….delicious. One evening we danced to typical Caribbean music. It was a good bonding time for the group as well…with all the time spent together on the bus rides, in the hotel, the beach….It was frustrating to me sometimes because all the students convert to English when together. We I arrived home in San José, I felt like I stumbled over my words when I tried to talk to Mami!

And now it is back to the San José grind of classes, reading, writing papers, being with familia…”aprovechando”…making the most of each day!

May God give you peace today.
Joanne