San
Rafael el Arado is the middle village of the three. This is where the medical
clinic is located. Their road is a dusty, bumpy wreck, becoming almost
impossible during the rainy season. They do however have electric and a well is
now up and running, as of June 15th. Its a one and a half hour walk to the highway, which some walk back and forth more than once
a day! There are buses that come and go twice a day, a few days a week, and for those who have the
money, pick-up trucks are available for hire.
There are approximately 3,000 inhabitants in the direct town area as of 2004, but
it is continually growing. Altitude is 1,740 meters above sea level. They have a
public
school that teaches up to grade 6, but as always many children are forced to
stay home to help out. As of three years ago they started 'basicos' which is
7th,8th,9th grades, however it is expensive for most families. Sometimes a
mother will leave her younger children to
take care themselves, while the parents are working.
There are a few scattered 'tiendas' that sell the
basics as well as a barber. Few of the village men have saved up enough
to buy old pick-ups; with which they can earn a full salary driving people,
crops and animals back and forth to the larger towns. The primary work is the
same as most in the area, agriculture. Several attempts have been made to get
the local farmers to grow something other than corn, beans, and squash but were not very
effective.
We see some cases of skin, eye and lung problems
due to the use of insecticide for the fields. Some parents will send their 12, 8
or sometimes 6 year olds out to spray the fields with insecticide! Despite
problems the insecticide causes, the farmers continue to use it of out
necessity.
The recent arrival of running water will greatly
change the health of this village. Our special thanks to Steve and Antonia
Siebert for all the help to make the water project a success.
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