Most days, when I'm feeling angry or upset or depressed about anything that's happening in my life or that I'm dealing with, I channel my emotions into playing a song that parallels my emotions or by writing, finding refuge in a world of my own creation where everything is as it should be, as opposed to real life. I find the experience cathartic, and it allows me to come to grips with whatever is troubling me without letting the situation reach volatile or violent levels. Today was not such a day. Today I ventured a ways from Base Camp with a well-sharpened, arm-length machete in hand and released the (unrelated to Panama) frustration that was inside of me into the decapitation of innumerable shoulder-height weeds littering the valley in full Indiana Jones fashion. Fields need clearing out for new growth, and so too do minds.
With that out of the way, and feeling considerably more awesome for having spent a whole afternoon swinging machete around, I must say I'm loving my stay here in Panama. The view is magnificent, the staff is always great to work with, and, believe it or not, the chefs here in the wilderness of Panama have us eating like kings. On the business side of things, I have big plans within the Agriculture program. I'm currently researching and designing an aquaponics system, and would eventually like to integrate full-fledged aquaculture into our sustainable farm. I still have a lot of work to do before my project has a chance to get off the ground, but I'm excited about the implications of such systems (fish and aquatic plants!) and how naturally I believe they will fit into our environment and climate. My end goal is for there to someday be in the town of Kalu Yala a truly natural ecosystem of organisms like tilapia, bluegill, minnows, mussels, reeds and brush, taro, kiwi, passionfruit and more existing in a symbiotic relationship that both minimizes any negative impact on nature and maximizes efficiency and yield through intelligent design tapping into the awesome and too often overlooked power of nature and mother earth.
6-2-12
On the more spiritual side of things, last night Sarah and I visited with a family for a bible study about what the world would be like if Christ had not come to earth, or “Si Jesucristo No Hubiera Venido”. And yes, it was almost entirely in Spanish, with someone translating main points into english periodically. Thankful for my Spanish classes in high school, I was able to decipher, if not all the exact details, at least the message of what was being said before being translated, and I was also able to converse a bit afterward as we ate a delicious meal of arroz amarillo, pan, carne, plantains, y te de pina. We even stumbled our way through a song or two, and I was surprised to learn that a lot of our songs are the same music but with different (and Spanish) words. Overall, it was a great experience for Sarah and me both, and I know we're all the more excited to be spending time and worshipping with these people over the next two months.
"One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek Him in His temple."
-Psalm 27:4
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