Sunday, March 29, 2026
After laying low for most of the day as I recover from whatever bug got me, I am finallly feeling good enough to travel to Laz Zanjas. The eight-mile trip would have been on a mini-bus, and on the back of motorcycle, and may have included a long walk in the heat, but now we return in luxury – an air-conditioned pickup.
Our first sign that things are different are actual signs. Large green signs telling us to turn and giving directions to not just Las Zanjas, but even more communities and places further up the hills. We remember having to be on notice to tell the bus driver where to stop and drop you off on the side of the road since there were no markers, except KM 9, that told you the dirt road led to anywhere.
There are also agricultural businesses lining the highway. One is an enormous greenhouse facility that goes on for several acres – it is next door to the many houses and small stores at the previously empty intersection.
We appreciate the paved road and there is even a large arch now welcoming us into the campo (village.) We keep pointing out new things – curbs, and gutters, and fences – lots of fences. Rivin helps orient us by pointing out who lived in which house. Many are still the small simple homes we remember. They are then flanked by newer modern homes. We pass by their house – and Siri’s (we will return later), which they are renting, and except for a new paint color and a fence – it hasn’t changed a bit.
Our first stop is Feo’s house. Feo was an important part of the local Comite that Siri helped create with Rivin. Feo’s granddaughter tells us he is at church – it is Sunday. We will catch him later during our tour. Rivin and Fefin are proud to show us some of the new buildings. There is the recently opened community center and the school. From the high school’s humble beginnings in Rivin’s house, it is now in its own compound with three buildings.
We stop in at another house and this visit reminds me of so many visits from long ago.
We open the chainlink fence which uses an old inner tube to hold it tight. We are kindly welcomed in by a gregarious woman in a bright sundress trying to stay cool in the hot humid afternoon. She is feeding a cute goat with a baby’s bottle. We find out later the goat is only 7 days old and since her Mom died they are hand feeding it. She hugs us all, and especially Siri, with enthusiasm.
We are ushered to the backyard of the house and unstack the plastic chairs neatly lined up against the barb wire fence. We check on the flock of goats, and one horse, that are behind that fence. We place our chairs in the shade and settle in for the afternoon.
The conversation, with tremendous help from Google translate (are they really talking about that? Yes, they are), meanders as most good ones do. Especially those between life long friends on a lazy Sunday afternoo. They talk about family, then it goes to local crime (someone it seems may have stolen a goat), onto conspiracy theories – today’s focus was oo illegally harvesting young kids organs, then onto their medical ailments and their cures – yes, a good hard massage can help your rheumatismand I know a good doctor too… and then onto the state of the world, national politics, and the plight of young kids today. Even Siri told me she had a hard time keeping up.
After an hour or so, Feo (who I don’t immediately recognize) comes through the door and greets me like I just saw him yesterday. He has a big warm smile and takes his place on one of the chairs inside (we moved indoors with the afternoon shower). He begins the conversations again about the family and everyone provides their updates. He is holding Siri’s hand like he doesn’t believe she is really here in person – it has been so long. After more meandering – this time on the state of the church and other topics we take our leave with a promise to catch up again before we leave in a few days.
As we get into the car, I ask about Feo’s wife’s name, and I then learn that – MariaNelle – is actually his second wife/mistress?/(no english translation) and lives in Feo’s second house. His (first?) wife lives in the house we stopped in at earlier. It is a different (broader?) view of family – than I am used to – that it is openly known that men may have more than one woman/wife and same with some women. I remember that Rivin, herself, has numerous half-siblings on her Mom’s and Dad’s side, but none directly by both of them.
We return to Rivin and Fefen’s house because Fefen wants to check his two piglets in the backyard. He gets a little concerned that they are missing – were they taken like the goats? After a little consternation and helping from a neighbor, they are found next door. They are not happy to be returned. Rivin points out the full grown Nim tree that is shade for the pig. It was one of Siri’s projects to plant these amazing trees – check them out online.
We close the metal panel that serves as the gate to the back and get back in the pickup as the sun sets over the hills on both sides of this rich agricultural valley. We used to enjoy this view every night – and now it time to say good-bye again – hopefully we can return once more before we leave. No large party this time, just some nice mini-reunions to remind us that the old adage is true – while some things change, like houses, buildings and fences, other things can stay the same, like good friends over the many years.
Siri and David Adventures 