Dear friends,
As you may have read, heard or seen in the news, the coast of Mexico has been devastated by a brutal hurricane. While the focus right now is on Acapulco, the villages where I lived and worked for 2 years, Zipolite and Mazunte, have also been destroyed. According to an email yesterday from Anna Johannson, the director of Pina Palmera, the center for disabled kids where I volunteered, there's nothing left of the center, but they do plan to rebuild. Anna is in Mexico City with her baby but the kids, staff and volunteers are sheltered at the hospital in Pochutla, 45 minutes away from Zipolite. Pochutla didn't have electricity on Friday, but their phone line worked so I was able to find out that, thankfully, everyone survived. Having spent two weeks at that hospital taking care of a peasant friend who contracted tetanus (and became the first person in the region to ever survive it!), I can say from firsthand experience that it is not a place for kids. Sanitary conditions are a luxury we enjoy in this country, not in one of the two most impoverished states in Mexico. And it's going to be even worse for a while now since the hurricane. The Mexican government will concentrate their efforts and aid on the big tourist resorts, Huatulco and Acapulco, according to President Zedillo in a recent news item. Mazunte, Zipolite and Pina Palmera will, as usual, be left behind. They need our help.
I'm not positive how we "gringos" can be the most helpful at this very moment, but I have a feeling that what they will need in the not-too-distant future more than anything is hands with which to rebuild. Many of the kids at Pina are confined to wheelchairs and need the attention of the staff. Pina does have a construction team of 3 great guys and Adalberto, my gardening partner, is very capable, even though he's a polio survivor. I'm not sure how many volunteers are there now. But to rebuild an infrastructure for 60 people to live and be rehabilitated and countless people with health problems to visit will take more than a few people, I'm sure.
Mazunte, is a very small village that the residents have turned into an incredible ecotourism destination since the sea turtle fishing ban (that's how they used to survive) went into effect in the early 90s. The villagers have put much time and effort into beautifying Mazunte, and now it's been wiped out by Hurricane Pauline. I don't even know if all my friends survived or not, but better to take action than wallow in the unknown. It's hard to get accurate information. Communication has been cut off. I believe they've built a strong enough community that they, too, will rebuild. We can only hope! And support their efforts. Their economy is very dependent on tourism, so the longer it takes to rebuild, the more difficult to eat. People there really do live right on the edge economically. And, as I mentioned, the Mexican government cannot be trusted to come through with aid in a timely manner.
Here's a seed: maybe those of us who are able to should organize ourselves into a caravan or organized trip of some sort to bring supplies and tools and help in whatever way we can. We should wait for the moment because right now they don't even have enough food or water for themselves. It would be very important for us to be self-sufficient so that we don't burden them with more mouths to feed. We could set up a work camp close by, I imagine. It will probably take at least a couple of weeks to get something organized.
I realize most people can't take time from work on such short notice, but this is a crisis and not many people know about Pina Palmera and Mazunte, so if you have vacation time or can make it, please consider coming. It would be true service. It would be great if we could bring solar panels and water filtration systems, etc..., but the emphasis should be cleaning up and helping rebuild - their way. Working side-by-side with the local Mexicans is a wonderful cultural exchange. They're great people. And at Pina, they have greatly appreciated the help when groups of gringos came and helped with me the garden projects there, including an alternative spring break group from the University of Michigan.
I encourage people that want to help but can't go there physically to send money. The U.S. non-profit that handles contributions for Pina (they give them 100% of the donations) is:
The Slade Child Foundation
L'Enfant Plaza
PO Box 44246
Washington, DC 20026
(put "to Pina Palmera" on the check)
Visit Pina Palmera's web page for more information:
http://wombat.eden.com/~tomzap/pina.html
Mazunte also has a web page that can be found if you search under
"Mazunte." Ignore the image. The beach is gone.
PiŅa Palmera, Rehabilitation and Care for Children, with or without disabilities, in Oaxaca, Mexico.
Storm Reports...
We'll need financial support if we do a caravan or trip, but please hold off sending money for the moment until we get more details about what they actually need and if they really want the help. It won't be for the faint-hearted. If you can't make a donation or go there in person, consider hosting a slideshow/fundraiser. I have some terrific slides from my time there and would be happy to show them again. And please forward this message to your email lists. At any rate, please light a candle or say some prayers. Everyone's contribution matters.
Here's a summary of some of the ways you can help:
- find out more information from their web pages
- send a tax-deductible donation to the Slade Child Foundation in D.C.
- join the caravan or trip if it happens (bring good boots and a big heart)
- send money for a caravan to go and help rebuild
- host a slideshow/fundraiser for Pina Palmera
- attend a slideshow
- pass this letter on to your email lists
- light a candle
- say a prayer (or several!)
If you can help in any way, please let me know and I'll let you know what the plan becomes as it emerges. Thank you in advance for your support.
With hope,
Dear Friends,
Thank you to all of you who have responded to my email of October 11th
"Urgent - please help the coast of Oaxaca!" Already several people have
called or written to say they're prepared to go there and help and more
have said they want to contribute from here. And many have forwarded these
messages. Every effort helps! At the moment the people they need there
are medical professionals and skilled carpenters.
I just received a phone call from Alejandro Marcelli with good news - all
the people in Mazunte survived. Alejandro is with Ecosolar, Mexico's oldest
and most effective ecology and social change organization. With offices in
both Mexico City and Mazunte, Ecosolar has been the most instumental group
in co-creating economic diversity programs with the residents of Mazunte
who used to make their livings fishing sea turtles. Now the villagers have
the ecotourism project, they make the strongest, most beautiful hammocks
I've ever seen, they have (had) a demonstration permaculture garden and
tree nursery, they make biodigestors to process human waste ecologically
and many residents now are part of a small cooperative natural cosmetics
factory that The Body Shop of England helped build in Mazunte. The factory
was one of a few structures to withstand the hurricane, but 90% of the
homes in Mazunte were destroyed and almost 100% of the trees are down.
They have spent the past 5 years doing a major reforestation project in
Mazunte. But they're not heartbroken! They're ready to start over and
will undoubtedly plant all native trees if they can get the seeds. Amazing
people. They've set up a bank account through friends in Los Angeles to
make it easier for folks this side of the border to contribute to the
rebuilding.
It is: Wells Fargo - Los Angeles Account number 6831-376744 with the name
"Ecosolar."
Ecosolar will also be helping the people in the Sierra who have lost their
entire villages. There are many.
Our dollars go very far in Mexico these days with the peso so devalued.
Please consider splitting your donation between Ecosolar and Pina Palmera.
Also, because it takes a while for Pina Palmera to receive funds when they
are mailed to Slade Child, Anna, the director, and Balbino, the doctor are
using their personal savings (which I guarantee aren't much) for phone
calls, transportation and other expenses. Trust me, having lived there and
worked with them for more than 2 years, I can say that these folks live
very simply and they need our help. $25 US dollars would go a very long
way toward the list of things they need. Here's the latest letter from
Anna:
Dearest friends,
Food and water
Medicines: (Balbino is working in the clinic in Zipolite)
The stores in Pochutla are open and the bancautomats (automatic tellers)
are working. The banks are closed. The road inbetween Pochutla and Zipolite
is transitable now.
Balbino, Flavia and Anna need money (cash or in their personal accounts) in
order to pay for transportation, food, thelephone calls, and to pay for all
other expenses. This is urgent, money to the palmgrove (Pina Palmera) has
not arrived yet or it will take time until the banks open and we can have
access to whatever has arrived. Meanwhile the three of us are using our
personal savings and we all have very little left!!
Love
I would add gardening supplies, especially seeds, to the list. They are
always hard to come by down there and will be especially important now.
Old musical instruments you can spare, too. If you have any of the above,
please put it aside until we figure out how to get it down there. Let me
know what you've got so I can determine how much space we'll need.
Thank you in advance for supporting these people. I strongly encourage
everyone to visit someday when things are less chaotic. It is a truly
special place with remarkable people.
With even more hope,
Pam
October 16, 1997
Dear Friends,
Thank you to everyone who has responded to my appeals for help for Pina
Palmera and Mazunte! I recommend subscribing to Pina's email list
(
Come to the Mexican potluck party this Monday! We will show a video about
Pina's community-based rehabilitation program, a slideshow about the
ecology education program I did as a volunteer for a couple of years, and
kick off the California chapter of the Friends of Pina Palmera! No
promises, but we may have some handmade tortillas and salsa dance lessons
after the slideshow. It's a fundraiser, so bring your checkbook! We're
trying to raise at least $1000.00 Monday night. $570.00 will go to
purchase a water filtration system that provides clean drinking water for a
village of 1000 people and the rest for other things Pina needs. Lawrence
Berkeley Labs is actually lending us their research model for the month of
November until Pina's own filter comes out of the factory. We will have
information about the system there that night or you can see their page on
the web: http://eande.lbl.gov/CBS/archive/UV/. This will be very helpful
for Pina Palmera. Much thanks to Ashok Gadgil and Dave Greene at LBL and
to Seth Zuckerman for the lead!
Details:
When: Monday, October 20th at 6:30pm
Where: at Nicole Magnusen's house in North Oakland: 453 65th Street, near
the intersection of Adeline and Telegraph.
What to bring: your favorite Mexican dish and something to drink or fruit
to make "agua de fruta." Whole Foods is only a few blocks away for those
coming straight from work.
Hi all,
triple antibiotic cream
Best not to send clothes and other things at this point, space is limited
and the less to try to get through customs, the better.
If you can't come to the party, please mail a check today to California
Friends of Pina Palmera, 1442 A Walnut Street, #239, Berkeley, CA 94709.
Nicole has volunteered to be the treasurer and will deliver the money to
Anna Johannsen in Oaxaca, where she is with her children.
Several people have expressed an interest in going there to help out. This
is great! But it is still not time. According to the emails coming from
Pina, it's pretty rough still and lots of disease is around. They want
specialists in taking care of disabled children, who are fluent in Spanish
and carpenters or bricklayers. Best if they know the Pina scene. That
doesn't leave many of us. But I'm planning to go down mid-week with the
filter, but only stay around for a few of days as my health isn't quite up
to par after having been there for 2 years. It seems that my leftover
parasites have heard that we're going back to Mexico and are already having
a little party! Or it could be stress... And I'm sure the government will
be spraying DDT since there's so much standing water and malaria can be a
problem there during the rainy season. I don't want to expose anyone else
to that. I'll check out the situation and see if we can get a group to go
down over the winter holidays and help. I will take more slides and some
video footage to show when I return. I have to admit, I'm so excited to
see the kids and everyone else! Again, thanks everyone who is interested -
keep in touch!
Anyone with contacts in the media? David Grant will be in Los Angeles for
four weeks starting Wednesday and it would be great to get him some
interviews while he's here. He's been through the LA earthquake, a coup
somewhere in Africa and says those were nothin' compared with ol' Hurricane
Pauline. Hey, someone should write the movie! I've got lots of subplot
ideas (all true!).
Special thanks goes to Mina Diaz in southern California for an amazing
amount of time and effort to help out Pina. Keep it up, Mina!
OK, all for now. Looking forward to seeing you on Monday. We'll have
slideshows in other parts of California, too, when I return. Keep those
candles lit for the kids!
Con esperanza y muchas ganas,
Pam
PS Please forward this one, too!
Pam
I have now received another phonecall from Balbino. He told me that they
need following:
Mebenzole suspension y tablets
Flagyl 125 mg susp. 250mg y 500 mg en comprimidos (pills?)
Naproxeno, Clarisit, Analgesicos, Escabisan,
Gasas (gauze)
Cream against fungi (foot fungus, etc..); Fungoral crema o Micostatin crema
Guantes, Jeringas, (medical gloves and needles)
Alcohol
tripple antibiotic cream.
Schampo against lice, combs to take away lice
kotex, diapers (adults and children)
gasoline lamps, cooking utensiles, brooms, rastrillos (rakes), matches,
candles,
towels, sheets, blankets (lightweight -it's very hot there), clothes, under
clothes (ropa interior),
Needles and thread, Soap to wash people and to wash clothes, tooth brushes
and toothpaste, shampo, clorox, mosquito nets and
MONEY.
Balbino's account: Banco BANCOMER, # 908937-5, Pochutla, Oaxaca, Mexico.
Anna's account: Banco INVERLAT, # 50781-4 ,plaza 094, succursal 001,
Pochutla, Oaxaca, Mexico.
Flavia's account: Banco BANAMEX, # 006470 5, succursal 0509, succursal of
Matriz Mezzanine in Mexico City, Mexico.
Anna
Just a clarification on my address for Monday, the main cross-streets
are Telegraph and Alcatraz. My street, 65th street, parallels Alcatraz,
one block north (toward the UC campus). You have to get to this block
from Telegraph, because the street doesn't go through. Turn at the
Jack-in-the-Box. Also, the house is a duplex of numbers 451 and 453,
and it's easier to see 451 from the street, so look for that -- or for the
Brazilian flag in the upstairs window and the flowers in the front yard!
Hope to see you next week.
NicoleI>
Please RSVP by email on Monday so we get a rough estimate of how many are
coming. It promises to be a fun party! It would be great if a few people
volunteer to stay and clean up so that Nicole can pack for her trip to
Oaxaca on Wednesday. Please also bring the following items if you can
spare them for the kids:
bed sheets, blankets, etc...
seeds for flowers and vegetables that grow in a very hot climate
slide film for 35mm camera
MONEY (checks are best)
ideas for raising future funds - they lost everything
friends you think might donate to this wonderful cause