Saturday 4 February 2017

Life, death, and bread

Heavy title, but it's true. Moonchi, the sister of Jessica (the vibrant lady who has been cooking 3 meals a day for the six boys, interns, guest, Kwao, and Agape), died in child birth while her newborn baby survived. She was 18 years old.
The whole community feels the loss and her favourite songs have been playing from the loud speakers of her brother's bar for the last few days. Every day I'm more aware to give thanks for life and the wonderful Italian couple (Giulia and Alezandro) with their 5 month old girl Andrea.
Agape has to cook 3 meals a day now, so the pace of our internship has slowed accordingly and Lucy and I have had the chance to apply what we've learned and work on our own projects.

Still, we've had a Patois lesson, been to the bees, and distilled orange essential oil (35 mL this time!). How Agape manages with six boys and two interns is incredible and I'm trying to help out however I can.

Yesterday Kwao took, Lucy, the Italians, and I for a lush walk up a river gully to turquoise pools that he used to explore when he was young rasta. The forest is so full of sound and greenery, snails, and mind-blowing rock formations. I loved it!

Below are a few pictures from the last week. I also went snorkeling with Lion (also our guide to Black Sands beach), painted a sign for the outdoor oven that says "Good Journey Little Breads!", and showed a German couple around the town. Peter, a fellow Canadian (and fellow Bagel Baker!) lives up the hill from the gully and is an Eco-Architect with his Eco-Architect wife Julia. They're really lovely and brought little lettuce and arugula to plant in the Yerba Buena garden.

My thoughts are with Moonchi's family and the new baby at this time. I feel like I've met so many beautiful people and began to appreciate the language, land and sea. I know I'll come back to Strawberry Fields. There is so much love here!

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Nevermind, pictures aren't working!

I'll post loads when I get home <3.

Me love you!

Kate xxxoooo