a quick update

I have been attempting to write a flowing and erudite blog about the combat that took place last Friday. But it just kept coming out sounding trite or too dramatic or something. So I have given up. And right now, time does not allow for much more than the quickest of updates - maybe I´ll take a stab at expressing my more complete thoughts in the coming days. So: Last Friday, the FARC attacked the Police as two of their vehicles traveled down to Apartado from San Jose. The began shooting just past the Peace Community settlement of San Josecito (also known as La Hollandita) about 1000 meters or 3 minutes in jeep away. We could hear the combat all the way up in La Union. Gun shots - ¨tat tat tat tat¨and bombs exploding - for me, at first it was almost indistinguishable from the distant thunder rolling towards us from the mountains. The FARC killed one policeman and injured another and then fled back to the mountains.

In the days since the attack (which was the second FARC attack against the police in July) the Peace Community has been under enormous scrutiny, given the proximity of the combat. This past Monday, a police control was set up on the roadway directly in front of the gates into San Josecito and the roadway has been heavily militarized with check points and men with guns at the ready. The Colombian media and some Colombian officials have all but suggested that the Peace Community is in some way responsible for the attack. We are on constant alert and honestly, I am really nervous about what kind of retaliation might take place.

July was a difficult month. Two policemen were killed by the FARC in two different attacks, Humanitarian Zone leader Dairo Torres was killed by paramilitary gunmen in broad daylight, not far from the regular police check-point on the only public roadway and stigmitization of the Peace Community was constant and dangerous. I am hoping for better things in August, even if facing this month means I have to turn 27.

Look for more on all of this soon. Oh! The chocolo was back in the last weeks! Folks were harvesting corn and then making delicious treats out of the fresh corn. Corn on the cob is one of my favorite summer foods back home and I was sure to eat my fill at a neighbors house. Plus we got to help make the traditional mazamora, a drink made from ground fresh corn and sugar cane and with corn kernals added in. So, not all is gunshots and despair.