Fire
This past week we have burned large swaths of land in an attempt to stem the rapid and continual growth of all plants and vegetation around us. Because of the unusually dry conditions, the fires we start are usually fast, powerful, and downright scary. One day in particular, the Doctor started about 6 separate fires, which we spent the rest of the day attempting to control and put out.
I was allotted to help Ever, a powerfully built Peruvian helper, control a fire which threatened to destroy a sachayenchi crop. Sachayenchi is a nut that José, our guardian, periodically harvests and laboriously extracts a few precious bottles of oil from. Although this particular crop looked fairly ill-kempt, it was our job to protect it, especially since we had lit the fires. I followed Ever (pronounced with a hard B sound) through the long grasses to the location where the fire and sachayenchi crop had nearly adjoined. Using long thin boards, we beat the flames until they were extinguished, or we were too tired to continue. Gradually, we worked our way along the perimeter of the field, not able to stop the fire, but simply directing it. Frequently, the wind would turn on us, and we would run doubled over, attempting to escape the enveloping haze of smoke. Breaking out of the haze I would glance over at Ever, tears running down my face, grin at him, and head back in for a second try.
Although our efforts were largely successful, the fire eventually grew larger, and I went on the run to summon some more help. I went to get the Doctor and Alex, while Ever remained to fight the fire. With the extra help, we were eventually able to stop the fire.
We fought those fires all day long, and were completely exhausted by the days end. After a shower, we ate a delicious supper (courtesy of Ansley), and then returned to our house to relax. The candles cast dancing shadows on our walls, and my mind, in some corresponding dance, replays the events of the day.
What, after all, is fire? I am sure a scientist could give a neatly packaged answer about how fire is the product energy of combustion, and how the light created is merely electrons jumping from "excited states" of energy shells to "ground levels" etc. etc. But these theories only provide a framework by which we can begin to understand something of the process. What is this thing called fire, which bounds the gap between my flickering candle and the roaring blaze I fought all day? It burns me, warms me, heats my food, battles me one instant, and taunts my curiosity the next.
Life, is what I call an indisposable unfathomable. Unfathomable, because I cannot, of myself understand the incongruencies of obesity and starvation, affluence and poverty, philosophical naturalism and voodoo. Fire, as a part of life, is unfathomable because I simply can't comprehend it's reality, it's being. It is also indisposable, because of it's intrinsic function in our lives. It was also created, by God, who is after all, the ultimate indisposable unfathomable.
I was allotted to help Ever, a powerfully built Peruvian helper, control a fire which threatened to destroy a sachayenchi crop. Sachayenchi is a nut that José, our guardian, periodically harvests and laboriously extracts a few precious bottles of oil from. Although this particular crop looked fairly ill-kempt, it was our job to protect it, especially since we had lit the fires. I followed Ever (pronounced with a hard B sound) through the long grasses to the location where the fire and sachayenchi crop had nearly adjoined. Using long thin boards, we beat the flames until they were extinguished, or we were too tired to continue. Gradually, we worked our way along the perimeter of the field, not able to stop the fire, but simply directing it. Frequently, the wind would turn on us, and we would run doubled over, attempting to escape the enveloping haze of smoke. Breaking out of the haze I would glance over at Ever, tears running down my face, grin at him, and head back in for a second try.
Although our efforts were largely successful, the fire eventually grew larger, and I went on the run to summon some more help. I went to get the Doctor and Alex, while Ever remained to fight the fire. With the extra help, we were eventually able to stop the fire.
We fought those fires all day long, and were completely exhausted by the days end. After a shower, we ate a delicious supper (courtesy of Ansley), and then returned to our house to relax. The candles cast dancing shadows on our walls, and my mind, in some corresponding dance, replays the events of the day.
What, after all, is fire? I am sure a scientist could give a neatly packaged answer about how fire is the product energy of combustion, and how the light created is merely electrons jumping from "excited states" of energy shells to "ground levels" etc. etc. But these theories only provide a framework by which we can begin to understand something of the process. What is this thing called fire, which bounds the gap between my flickering candle and the roaring blaze I fought all day? It burns me, warms me, heats my food, battles me one instant, and taunts my curiosity the next.
Life, is what I call an indisposable unfathomable. Unfathomable, because I cannot, of myself understand the incongruencies of obesity and starvation, affluence and poverty, philosophical naturalism and voodoo. Fire, as a part of life, is unfathomable because I simply can't comprehend it's reality, it's being. It is also indisposable, because of it's intrinsic function in our lives. It was also created, by God, who is after all, the ultimate indisposable unfathomable.
posted by Jonas at 9:01 AM
7 Comments:
John, that last paragraph is exceedingly beautiful. I'm astonished by the depth of your thinking and even more so by your ability to put it into words. How lucky for us all that we can have this window into your mind.
Along with your list of incongruencies I might also add the one of destruction and creation. I can't fathom why large swaths of land need to be decimated in such a dangerous fashion. Is it so important the jungle be civilized and beat into neat submission? Isn't there any way of learning to coexist with it? What are the insufficiencies of the vegetation around you? What are the plans for this piece of land? Is the vision to see it a city some day? Why must we bring our own sense of order to every corner of the earth? The good message isn't enough I suppose. It must also bring with it a new and better culture. Good intentions and good will bolster our free will distruction of every natural state. That also is an intrinsic function of our nature, but is it also indisposable?
Wonderful writing and thoughts! I should send you the essay I wrote on fire. There are some suprising similiarties in our basic ideas.
Questions about our universe always reach a certain point: beyond there is no return, but behind, there are no answers. God may be unfathomable, but He is indisposable because He is the origninal exingency.
Wow John, that was very well writen. You have a very good way of putting your thoughts down on paper (or at least on the internet :-) Keep it up.
Last week we had bitterly cold weather but the fire's in our masonry heaters kept the house cozy and warm. Walking into the cabins (unheated spaces) was a stark reminder of what life would be like without the fire's cheery warmth. I had to work fast with hat and gloves on to manage with the penetrating cold. Why do we hesitate to allow God to light His fire in us to transform our lives?
mom
Amberly,
You have brought up one of the greatest issues of our time. I can therefore in no wise respond in a way that can encapsulate the issue, much less my thoughts on that issue. Let me mention a few points though.
1) I should probably have explained why we were clearing the land in more detail. In short, the vision of our project is to create a trade school in which people will come to learn a trade, whether that is Carpentry, Small-Engine repair, or Sustainable Agriculture. Our hope is that these students will take these skills back to their jungle communities, providing a field of labor apart from the deforestation of the Amazon. In a way, what we are doing is a conundrum, we are clearing our land so that we can prevent the same in the future.
2) Although there is truly no "environmentally friendly" way to clear jungle, we have done what we could to mitigate the negative aspects of our labors. For example, my friend Alex and I once found an exquisite little lizard in a part of jungle which we planned to cultivate. We carried the lizard a few hundred feet out of harms way, in the hopes that he would find a safe existence somewhere else. I don't mention this for praise, but rather as an example to show that we do care about the environment, and feel very sorry about the obvious toll our labors must take.
3) Our current plan is to replant the area with fruit trees, so don't envision urban crawl or desolate wasteland.
Despite all these reasons, I appreciate your concern. The courage to speak out is not easily found, and must be valued accordingly.
Hey John,
your writing and critical thinking skills have improved during your stay in Peru. I hope you survive to continue telling fine tales:-).
have you tried beating the flames with a firebroom? (green leafy branches tied to a pole).
We have tried firebrooms. Their effectiveness is severely diminished by the fact that they have a life-span of about 5 minutes, after which they shrivel away and perish.
Post a Comment
<< Home