Between Monday, June 3 – Wednesday June 6 activity, transport, and business has been effectively halted by a very large multi-union strike.  Iquitos is the most remote area of Peru.  Though the Loreto region is the largest in terms of land density, in contrast it possesses the scarcest and most spread out population in Peru.  Because it has the distinction of being the poorest region as well, it is a tax-free zone, a move meant to encourage business development here.

Iquitos is the largest city in the world that is completely surrounded by large bodies of water.  Due to geographic boundaries, most Peruvians from the “mainland” have never visited Iquitos or the jungle region.  The country as a whole is poor, and airline travel is notoriously unreliable.  Routes from Iquitos are only to and from Lima, on small planes, and often with a stop in another smaller city along the way.  The only other way to reach Iquitos is by boat.  These boats resemble refugee boats.  I have traveled this route before.  For 5 soles (less than $2US) I could literally rent a chamber pot!  My hammock was stolen early on in the voyage!

When I need to renew my Passport Visa every 90 days, it is far easier to take a speedboat to the tri-city borders of Brazil, Colombia and Peru than to leave the country by any other means.

Iquitos is the capital of the Loreto region, and it is also the most ignored region of Peru.  Votes and money aren’t free flowing here.  Would you canoe for two weeks (or many more weeks) to cast a vote for an unknown politician?  Culturally, there is great prejudice against the citizens here, who are primarily descended from native Indian tribes from the jungle.  Years ago Iquitos was part of Brazil, and that free-spirited culture still reigns supreme.  Many Peruvians look down on the citizens here as being barbaric, uneducated, too sexually liberal (the hot weather provokes some skimpy street wear, it is true), uncivilized and generally not as advanced as other regions of Peru.  Sadly, much of this is true.  High speed internet has not reached Iquitos, although cellular phones have proliferated in the last decade.  The phones boast services (web access, camera, text messaging) that do not work in this region.  Within the last six months Iquitos has obtained cable TV via satellite.  Amazingly, in my “Casa del Campo,” (jungle home), I can get HBO and Cinemax and even VHI and MTV.  But that is only when we utilize the diesel powered generator, which we use as sparingly as possible, and mainly for refrigeration of food.  For this purpose, I purchased myself a birthday present, a food freezer!!  My jungle property has not been empty.  The prior owner had a family living here in a tiny hut:  a guardian and his wife and two children.  I hope I have improved their lives.  They now have electricity at times, a semi-automatic washing machine, filtered water, and soon they will have their own toilet and shower!  They also earn more than the 100 Soles a month they used to earn (less than $32US a month).

The guardian, Vladamir, now earns just over $100 a month, and his wife, Marlena, who cooks and cleans and does laundry (and recently proved a very good nurse when I caught a cold!) earns between $47US and $57US a month depending on the number of volunteers being housed here.

Marlena has been VERY excited about the food freezer, which amuses me to no end.  People out here have no ice!  Many people run tiny “bodega” mini-shops from their homes.  Sometimes they only sell platanos (similar to a banana) or bread.  Many sell soft drinks (brands you’ve never heard of), but can’t serve them cold!  Marlena is able to make ice and sell a frozen tube-like plastic bag of ice for 50 centavos (16 cents US).  Since “our” side-line enterprise began she has sold 27 bags of ice over a 10 day period (a whopping $4.29US).  We agreed to split the money, but I haven’t the heart.  I let her keep it all.  Ironically, I probably spend more money on kerosene to keep the freezer running extra hours than she earns selling ice, but sometimes you just do things to make people happy.

A child just came to the door requesting ice, but, since we keep the generator off at night and it is not yet 11 AM, the ice isn’t completely frozen at the moment.  The strike in Iquitos isn’t affecting us here in Cabo Lopez!  The child just returned and wants the bag of ice anyway.  Another 16 cents earned!

The money is important to her, but I also think she feels a sense of pride that SHE has access to these opportunities now!  She is a local VIP now!

I am fortunate to have a wonderful team of employees.  This is something I always knew, but it was proven to me many times over when medical reasons forced me to stay in the US during the first quarter of 2007.  My family has always utilized the phrase “rising to the occasion,” and I can say that every single employee did just that.  The Veterinary Clinic pulled its own weight, usually earning enough to cover payroll and rent at the shelter (no longer an issue since we have moved the animal shelter to the country.)  They even obtained a donation of rabies vaccines near expiration from the local Ministry of Health, and conducted a vaccination campaign for stray animals!!

During this strike, three of them, of their own choosing, told me they would sleep here on property and work through the strike.  Otherwise they would have no manner of arriving to work (a near-impossible feat under normal circumstances, but that will soon be resolved when our boat is delivered (see previous blog entry).

Thus, as we prepare for a group of volunteers from our wonderful supporters the Worldwide Veterinary Service, these employees, along with Vladimir, Marlena, and a carpenter that walks 1.5 hours each way to come to work, are busily preparing the property, finishing work on extra kennels, building extra bathrooms, etc.

I am busy preparing the original hut/house we built on the property.  On many days it will serve as our mobile veterinary clinic, thus I have purchased plastic tables and chairs as surgery stations (which will also be covered in plastic for hygiene and sterilization purposes). 

In total we will be holding 12 mobile veterinary clinics, three of which will take place in remote jungle villages when we take a 4 day voyage on a houseboat.  Our goal is to sterilize 210 dogs and 60 cats.  The vets donate their time, travel expenses, and, for the first time, I have requested a monetary donation from the WVS totaling $1500US.  I hated to ask, as they do so much for us, but our budget necessitated the request.  The WVS is also donating a piece of lab equipment, a refractometer!

The cost of medicines for this undertaking is $3200 US, and the boat journey is $2100 US.  Fundraising has not been very successful this year, much of this due to my hospitilization.  Were it not for my family I would be sinking under a mountain of debt.  Thank you Mom!! (again, read previous blog entry).  I am also conducting a virtual raffle of a beautiful personal jewelry item (details are on our website at www.amazoncares.org).    The build-out of our jungle facility is a huge capital expenditure, but it will be a permanent fixture that will yield great benefits.  We have more space for animals, volunteer housing, better access to the entire region (once we get the aforementioned boat!), and a place for clinics and educational programming!

I don’t mean to imply we have had NO donations.  But they have been unsolicited, and I am EXTREMELY grateful, to the following people who “found me,” and generously sent money during this first part of 2007!

2007 Donors (THANK YOU!)

v     Marci Alexander Rudolph (A sorority sister from ages ago has pledged a donation!)

v     Oscar & Sandra Bowen (repeat supporters!)

v     Elise Lewis (a repeat supporter!)

v     Shoshanna Lewis (Elise’s daughter!)

v     Gleb Lobachev (He appeared out of nowhere!  Who are you Dear Gleb?)

v     Betty Mednikow

v     Bob Mednikow (my father has pledged a generous donation! )

v     Donald Oestriecher (A mystery donor that sent a donation at the VERY END of Dec. 2006, but it posted in 2007!)

v     Diane Paschall (a 2007 donor who has already become a repeat donor AND she sent a great donation of quality Kong dog toys!)

v     Edward Vargo (A dear friend who I can’t seem to convince to come visit me!)

v     Lucia Yates (another mystery donor.  I am always stunned and grateful!)

v     Worldwide Veterinary Service

 

I also owe a belated “GRACIAS” to Don and Elaine Stevens of Danville, California.  They are the kindest, most interesting couple!  I met them while traveling from Brazil to Iquitos (on a boat MUCH nicer than a refugee boat).  We were on one of Bill Grimes’ famous cruises on his luxurious “Dawn on the Amazon” ship.  After taking a bumpy speedboat ride to the border I treated myself to a three day cruise back home, and Don and Elaine were delightful companions on the trip.  They made a generous donation to Amazon CARES, and I promptly misplaced their contact information!  During my move to the jungle I found their card (still can’t find my prescription eyeglasses . . . go figure).  I have always regretted not being able to thank them properly for supporting the homeless animals of this region, and now I FINALLY CAN ACKNOWLEDGE their generosity!

Since I am writing this list from memory, I hope I have not left anybody out.  Please let me know so I can make the correction.  Every donation, big or small, deserves recognition!!

 

Dear Molly,

I am happy that your new facility is working out well for everyone. I know good things will continue to come from all your efforts and commitment. I was surprised at the last comment on the blog about the donors Don & Elaine Stevens in Danville, California. I live near Berkeley and I grew up in Danville. I always take my dogs during the week for walks at Osage Park in Danville. I was wondering if I could get in touch with them somehow to see if we can work together for fundraising somehow if they are interested. I don't want to bother them though if this was a one time thing. Any thought? Please feel free to give them my email if they are interested. Thank you and you make us all proud!! Diane Paschall:)