Chasing chocolate in the high jungle.

Dear Family! Ready to disconnect and leave for the first of two 6-hour bus rides…this will introduce the second part of the journey of hope. I am consolidating my bags in half so I can travel light up into the high jungle. It is always fun to “drop” things here, I think mostly for the realization that when it comes down to it, the material things don’t matter much.

Many of you have sent me your Love and protection and I know that this will be with me. I am dropping my computer with a family on the coast after the first 6-hr ride, so my connectivity may be sparse. If there is a way to write, I will. I will scribe it all for you for whatever moment I can get to this space of sharing.

The journey goes: 6 hr ride thru mountain roads to the coast of Chiclayo (I like it better in the dark, because if you see what lies below you and the rubble road without any protection from the edge, well, it is unnerving. Chiclayo arrival 5am…where I will meet up with Carly Y., an NPR International writer who is doing a story on the Maranon Chocolate site I will be visiting. Second 6 hour bus ride northeast into high jungle were we will meet “Gringo Brian,” an unspeakably awesome friend who helped me frame DiscoverHope’s work in Peru many years ago and directs the operations of the chocolate project. Another 1.5 hours into the rural high jungle and we will be there…

Wrapping up the time here in Cajamarca, I am so proud of the team and the history we are building with the communities here. Today I had the chance to reflect on the very first days in winter 2007 when Nora and I traveled here to drop her off to begin our project. So beautifully the torch was passed to Desiree this year who continues to grow the vision planted years ago with an amazing team (both here and there). From team strategic planning in Spanish (hard!) to visiting women in the countryside, I suppose I could sum it up by saying I just want to wrap my arms around LIFE and say thank you.

My beautiful friend Paige sent me a blog piece that I loved; it seemed to sum up the journey ahead for me, so will just share it:
“Today marks a major Turning Point and powerful changes will be set into motion. How these changes occur, how they affect us and how we deal with them will be determined by the level of our commitment to Trueness. We are taking our first steps into unknown territory. To do this, we need to follow the Compass of our Heart which will lead us true and to trust our inner knowingness that ALL IS WELL, even when it doesn't always appear that way. There may well be challenges, but they will be brief if we are able to demonstrate our mastery by walking upon the Path of Love as a True One.”

Well, I am taking this Path.
Loving you all around the swervy, rocky mountain roads. Maggie