Tom and Ronit Ricoy: Ricoy Update No. 4

Tom and Ronit Ricoy

Saturday, December 18, 2004

Ricoy Update No. 4

Hi Friends,

Here’s the complete update (in detailed sections – IMEB, Pana, Social, Health, Funds, Itinerary -- so you can skim or skip around)!

IMEB Update: My role here has really changed. In the fall of 2001, I spoke of a 5-year plan towards self-sufficiency for the school, a plan to make myself and other volunteers eventually unnecessary. I can’t say it’s going to work out exactly that way but it’s definitely moving in the right direction. This is one of the first trips I have made to Guatemala in which I did not feel needed every minute of the day, sun-up to sun-down – and I am so used to crazy Guatemala trips that I almost don’t know what to do with myself! I’m helping Madeleine finalize the English curriculum, Tom is working on the computer lab, I’ve attended various planning meetings to address school issues, have met with several students and parents individually, am helping with a local fundraiser, and we are planning cleaning and painting days for the school – but there is usually a lot more to do.

In January, Quinn Ulrich took over as volunteer subdirector. In June, Madeleine Schamehorn took over not only as English teacher and on-site volunteer but also as asesora tecnica and project coordinator (volunteer positions I had held since 2001, after serving as director). Each year, we have given back more and more responsibility and decision-making to the local Mayan Guatemalans, and Edwin Cua Sancoy is the director now in a very real way. Though Edwin has been a challenge over the years, he seems (as of very recently) to be turning over a new leaf. (He worked for me as a teacher when I was director in 2001 and I and each subsequent volunteer either fired or nearly fired him as he was irresponsible and dishonest, but with small town politics he made his way back and into the position of director, and he has his eyes on the next mayoral election. As of late, he seems to have had an epiphany of sorts, has been remarkably easy to work with, and seems to have some good ideas and plans for the school. We are all cautiously optimistic and very sincerely pray for his personal, professional and spiritual growth as that would be beneficial both for him and for the school. Please join us in that prayer!) Madeleine has been developing a complete English curriculum and will be training a new volunteer English teacher, Kevin Garrison (he will arrive in January and stay 1 to 2 years; Madeleine and her husband Earl will stay until April).

The school’s process has been two steps forward, one step back. It is frustrating to see things that I or Laura, for example, worked hard to fix or to implement that have fallen apart, but I am learning that this is part of the process in a developing nation. (I am also reminded that it was valuable for the students to see that things can function better even if Flavio or Edwin did not manage to continue it… someday some of those students will be teachers and administrators and they will know there is another way.) On the other hand, it is very gratifying to see those things we have implemented that have stuck, or to see Edwin coming around to ideas which seem basic to us (and to the administrator of any decent Guatemala City school) but which are foreign to rural San Marcos and which he and others here once vehemently rejected, and it’s great to see the things that Madeleine and Quinn are doing with Edwin. Overall, we can see tremendous progress.

Tom and I had intended to return in March, but we will not be needed in the way we have been previously. (A as you will see below, we will be re-routing our itinerary.) I believe we may be of future service (for example, there is still a tremendous need for teacher training, just to mention one area of need and I could see potentially returning Janaury 2006 as they start their school year… we’ll see), but March may not be the time for a couple of reasons. One, there will be three school volunteers here at that time and it makes more sense to come when others are not already available to address needs. Two, I need to be sensitive to Edwin’s authority. That is, I am a previous director, was once his boss, and we have a history. Although he would never turn me away, Edwin is still trying to prove himself, and for me to come in with a program in addition to the other volunteers could threaten his sense of authority or frustrate him (and the last thing we need is for him to revert to old behavior as a way to stand his ground). I think it is wiser, politically speaking, to wait. I pray that when the time comes either I will be available and willing to return or God will provide others to meet the need when help is requested, but I no longer feel March is that time.

This school and project are very dear to my heart and I have literally worked thousands of volunteer hours on behalf of the school over the past few years, but this year it was time for me to step back and I am eternally grateful to Madeleine and Earl for coming to Guatemala and taking over. Likewise, I want to recognize and (profusely!!!) thank Louise Rothwell (consistent San Marcos contact 1999 to 2004, original project coordinator, and the reason I became involved), Gail Goers (teacher and assistant, July – October 2001), Laura Greeson (2002 Subdirector), and Katherine, Marisol and all the volunteers who have made it possible for Mayan students in this village to have and attend secondary school (equivalent to 7th, 8th, and 9th grades – before this there was only a primary school, nothing more). And of course thank you to Quinn Ulrich, who has settled here for the time being and is providing continuity with his work as subdirector. I also want to remind those of you who contributed financially in those early, desperate days (when we had no books, no money to pay teachers, no desks, almost nothing) that none of this could have been accomplished without your support – THANK YOU. Thanks to the work of locals, supporters and volunteers, a village’s future and many individual lives have been changed.

Pana: There is a Christian school in Panajachel that I’ve volunteered at here and there since 1999 (and which our UP Missions team spent a couple of days at in 2003 when we came to San Marcos). They have never been in dire need like San Marcos, so I have not focused my energies there, but it is nice to help when we can, and the directors have always been extremely warm and appreciative. We are donating funds and making arrangements so that Madeleine’s new English program (developed for San Marcos) can also be implemented in Pana (since they offer English classes at the secondary level, as required by law, but do not have a complete curriculum or English books). We will be visiting with them next Tuesday.

Social Update: It’s been fun to spend time with current volunteers Madeleine and Earl (they have been so good to us!). The other night we all stayed up and watched the meteor shower – beautiful. It’s great to see so many of my old students, their parents, and all the other people I’ve known and/or who know me in this small town! (It is strange to see so many new faces too, as my students have now graduated.) I just had dinner with a former student named Rebeca, and it is such a joy to see how this young woman has grown. Had it not been for IMEB, she might have stopped studying after elementary school (as is common here), but today she has graduated, is motivated to continue her studies in another town, and has big plans for the future. Not only that, but she has worked with Madeleine on the weekends to make a Learning Center available to current and former IMEB students. She is also growing in her Christian faith, and Madeleine recently had the opportunity to take Rebeca and her sister to a women’s conference in the city. Every day I see other current or former (or future, in the case of the younger kids!) students and their parents, and as word has spread that I am here, more and more people have showed up on my doorstep! (I have to keep a dayplanner of sorts with me because when I see people on the path they want to know when they can meet with me!) Most of it is pleasant, but there have also been some hard conversations and tears – one woman just lost her baby, two others are dealing with family crises, etc. There have also been the normal series of requests for help, most of which, unfortunately, must be denied (we want to help but not to enable, and the requests are never-ending).

Funds Update: We initially asked our friends to partner with us as we sought to fundraise for the Oaxaca Missions Trip (each team member was asked to raise $1600, so that’s $3200 for the both of us – that money includes team expenses, a special wheelchair for a severely disabled woman, etc), November Guatemala and March Guatemala, and Bridges for Peace ministries. However, all of the support we have received thus far (that totals about $900) will go toward the January Oaxaca Ministry, and we will pay the rest ourselves. We are no longer fundraising. Our spring ministries are up in the air – we will likely not be returning to Guatemala or going to Puerto Rico in the spring, as originally planned. We want to thank those who have supported us – the financial contribution is a tremendous help, but more than that is knowing we have your support. Although we will ask for no further funds, we do ask that you all remember us in prayer and remember to send us an e-mail from time to time to update us on your lives back home. We appreciate you and we appreciate hearing from you!

Health Update: 1) Tom’s Arm: About a week ago (Saturday night) SOMETHING bit Tom and the next day his elbow was discolored and swollen. Sunday night he came down with a fever. Over the next few days, it spread up and down his arm, halfway up to his shoulder and all the way to his wrist. Tuesday he went to the naturalistic clinic. They were concerned about the degree of swelling and the possibility of blood poisoning and gave him treatment directions. Then Wednesday he saw a doc in Pana, got a cortisone injection and antibiotics. And in addition to all this, he’s gotten local Reiki treatments. Thank God, the swelling is finally going down and he is feeling better, though tired. 2) Accident Injuries: We are much improved but are, unfortunately, finding that we are still suffering the results of the June accident. Carrying backpacks is painful and it is very difficult for me to sleep on the thin foam mattresses found in most hostels, hospedajes, or rentals. We stayed at a place in Pana the other day that had a real mattress and I had the first full night’s sleep I’ve had since we got here. This really impacted our itinerary decision, as you will see below. 3) Knees: My knees are doing well considering the amount of walking and the steps. They are consistently swollen (ice every night helps) but not too painful. We brought a travel wheelchair, but it is useless in rural San Marcos – will be more helpful in other places. 4) Treatments: San Marcos has a wonderful holistic center (owned and opened by my friend Louise and currently run by Katherine) and Tom and I have been taking full advantage of the opportunity for quality, inexpensive treatments.

Itinerary Update: We have decided to completely change our travel itinerary. Our dream of backpacking through Central America does not seem realistic until our health improves, so we have decided to leave that for another day and pursue some other dreams first. We feel that the school in San Marcos has made sufficient strides that we do not need to return in March. And bureaucratic issues have postponed any Puerto Rico plans. So, for our health it makes more sense to leave the backpacking til later and we have completely changed the order of our itinerary. We are planning to go to Spain in January (after the Oaxaca mission trip and Mexico travel) and try to set ourselves up for work and study (and maybe volunteering) there for a few months until our health improves (staying in one place for a while, with a real mattress). While in Europe, we plan also to go to Switzerland and study at L’Abri. How long we are in each place and what will come next will depend upon our health and the opportunities that present themselves, but we are confident God will open doors, whether it be for paid or volunteer work, and we are excited to go to Europe.

So that’s the update! MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

WE’LL BE IN OAXACA, MEXICO FROM DECEMBER 24 TO JANUARY 7 (and the church team will be joining us there), so please pray for the work in Oaxaca.

God bless,
Ronit and Tom Ricoy

¶ 9:59 PM