TREE OWNERS NEWS
September 1996
We want to keep you up to date on our progress
after the storm. We hope to send you a more complete newsletter, with non-storm news, next
month.
Beto has now reviewed every
field. Although it will still be at least two months until he can complete a detailed
re-count in the fields affected, we do have a good overall assessment.
We are happy to report that
his review confirmed that we are right on target with the trees we set aside. We will be
able to replace every tree lost as we described in our August 14 letter. As soon as Beto
completes the re-count, we will report the details to each of you affected, including
where your new trees are.
Beto and the workers have
now cleaned the debris away from the base of every tree in every area at each of the
farms. They are now working to remove the debris from the fields.
We had a small bulldozer
clean up obstructions in the waterway of the Barú river, but we will have to wait a bit
longer to do the same in the Savegre river. There, we will need a much larger bulldozer,
and all of the larger equipment is still occupied on road and highway repair.
Beto has completed
construction of a cajón at Campo Real for the workers to cross the river, and is working
on repairing and rebuilding the worker housing.
At Rio Blanco, he has
completed one temporary cajón and one very provisional hammock bridge. We will soon begin
rebuilding the houses there.
Freddy and his family happy to be back in their house
When Steve and I think of
all that has happened since July 27th, the word that most often comes to mind is inspiring.
I'll try to explain.
That Sunday morning after
the storm, as we walked along the river, workers were outside their houses, some just
beginning to comprehend, others talking about the night before, some starting to sort
through the mud, hoping to find a family photo or other cherished item.
Each time as we approached,
they stopped mid-sentence. Their faces showed deep concern.
Their eyes silently
questioned. How were we? Would the project continue? Would they still have work? Was
everything going to be OK? They studied our faces for any sign. All this in mere moments.
Steve and I instinctively
responded with reassuring smiles, asked them if everyone was OK, and told each that we
thanked God they were unharmed.
Their relief was immediate,
and calm washed over their faces. They too thanked God that we, and they, were all safe.
They knew from that moment that everything would be OK.
As we continued walking
along the San Isidro-Dominical highway alongside the Barú river as it runs through Campo
Real, large sections of this main, newly-paved road had simply disappeared, carried away
by the river the night before.
At the other end of one
large gap in the highway, nearly 100 yards away we could see Beto and his wife, Edita, and
their two small daughters, waiting and watching.
When we reached them, after
warm hugs and assurances that they and all of our workers at Campo Real were all safe, I
saw the very same searching questions in Beto's eyes that I had seen in the others'. What
next? Do I still have work? Are both of you going to be OK?
Steve's response to Beto's
unspoken concern was again immediate and instinctive. He smiled broadly, and said lightly
to Beto that he sure hoped Beto had plenty of workers available because we had a lot of
work to do. And with that, Beto's face softened, his cloud lifted, and Steve and Beto went
to work!
The following day, Campo
Real was alive with activity. Dozens of workers were in the fields removing debris from
the bases of the trees. Beto sent other workers to hand-carry rocks from the river to
re-fill one end of the hammock bridge that had washed away. In less than two days that
bridge was again passable.
The fallen tree that had
blocked our drive had been magically removed. Workers were helping their fellow workers
clean the mud from their homes, while others were busy making provisional repairs.
During the first week, when
no cars could get through, two forestry students who live in San Isidro and had been doing
studies at Campo Real, twice rode their bicycles to the farm, nearly 40 miles round-trip,
sometimes having to walk and carry their bikes, through rain and mud and streams, just to
get to Campo Real to see if everyone was OK and to offer their help.
Seeing our whole team pull
together under Beto's quiet leadership was truly inspiring. They all seemed proud to be
working to return beauty and order to Campo Real.
There were many stories of
communities pulling together. Since the roads were all blocked, a local fisherman
volunteered his boat and took a very pregnant young woman to the hospital in Quepos, more
than three hours round trip in his outboard, and then made the same trip two days later to
bring her home with her new baby. Another baby was delivered in the little town of
Dominical, in a real estate office.
In another remote
community, all the town's men, working with only shovels and their hands, cleared a large
landslide from the only road leading to their town.
Steve and I were
continually amazed by the swiftness with which things were accomplished in the aftermath
of this storm. Electricity was restored, roads were opened, medical help and food were
dispatched - all in record time. It was simply inspiring to watch this rebuilding
in this little country take place before our eyes.
And you, our tree owners,
have been a source of incredible inspiration for us.
Many of you have called to
give your support. Others of you have written kind and gracious notes and letters. Some of
you have sent orders for additional trees, and donations for the Costa Rica Community
Rebuilding Fund.
Steve and I want to thank
you all from the bottom of our hearts for your overwhelming support and kindness.
It is incredibly
heartwarming for us to be surrounded with all of you, our tree owners.
Thank you for your
inspiration.
Quite a few of you have
sent in donations to help our neighboring communities rebuild, and your help is very much
appreciated by all.
We have set up an account
to keep these funds separate. It is called the Costa Rica Community Rebuilding Fund.
With your help, we have so
far allocated about $1,500 to each of the three hardest-hit communities near our farms.
For example, the community
of Brujo, just above our Rio Blanco farm, has already made plans to rebuild their school.
The owner of the farm next to where the school had been, has donated a piece of land for
the new school, and the community is raising funds now. Your help will allow us to
contribute to buying construction materials for the school.
These communities still
have much more to do. If any others of you would like to help, please just send whatever
amount you would like, payable to Costa Rica Community Rebuilding Fund, and we will
forward your funds to these communities.
We also want you to know
that the offer we made in our August 14 letter to free up cash for our own clean-up and
rebuilding on our farms, is still open. The species we still have available, and their
planting year, are:
- Peroba Rosa 1993
- Goncalo Alves 1994
- Cocobolo 1995
- Brazilian Cherry 1994
- Purpleheart 1997
- Trebol 1995
- Corteza or Ipe 1995
- Teak 1996
- Nargusta 1993
- Idigbo 1993
Until we meet our goal, or
until the end of September, whichever comes first, you may use the quantity of trees you
presently own to determine the quantity pricing, and you may also take an additional 10%
discount on any species other than teak.
Thank you all again for
your wonderful gratitude, patience and enthusiasm. |
