The Dark Side

For many, Puerto Viejo is extremely wonderful and horrible at the same time. It is a place full of paradoxes that include a beautiful beach paradise and a poverty that cannot be contained; a people who preach peace and love & yet abandon or sexually abuse their own children. Since I did not start this blog until I returned from living in Puerto Viejo, I've decided to begin explaining a bit about this life as I return to both wonderful and horrible situations. Today I will share about the dark side of life here.

Situation #1: The Rapist
Since the day I returned, I have been warned by many close friends to be smart and safe in all that I do. The Rapist...I call him "the" rapist because he is the most prominent and for reasons unknown to me cannot be kept in jail. The Rapist has been released from prison and within one month has already claimed 5 victims. He has been an ongoing problem even when I was living here. WHY he cannot be arrested and jailed for life is beyond me.

Situation #2: Street Thieves
I gave a ride to an 11-year-old boy from the Skate Park the other day (sitting on my crossbar on my bike...dodging potholes and cars). When he got off, his demeanor changed to a very serious tone as he warned me about the thieves ravaging the main road. He is a tough kid from the streets & speaks from firsthand knowledge & fear as he told me that they use knives in the day time and guns at night. None of this is new to me, such had been my life here, but I am sad to hear that nothing has changed.

Situation #3: Corrupt Police
The day I arrived, there was revealed a huge police scandal in our area. There are many gangs in Limon (the nearest city about an hour away) and many drug lords throughout the Caribbean coast. Last week, however, it was discovered that some of the police are working with these gangs when they attempted to kill a few street kids (drug vendors). One escaped and told the story and now all of the police are in question....sort of good, definately scary.

Situation #4: Mother Pimps
Sexuality is too much a regular part of life in Puerto Viejo. While the country is trying to stop the sex trafficking of minors, it is still quite prevalent due to the mindset of the local people. And while this is by no means indicative of the entire town, it definately describes a raw side of life here. There is a family I know quite well from various interactions throughout the years. Although they have attended church in the past, the mother's tough life has taken over her mindset and infiltrated her daughters' as well. Her oldest is now 12 years old, and according to her mother, ready to bear children. She has raised her to act older than her classmates and other children her age, telling her that she is more mature and that her body is more mature. Since she was a small child, her mother would introduce her to people and comment on how old and mature she looks. As far as I know, the mother is not selling her daughter. But in my opinion, to raise her in such a climate as this isn't far from prostitution. The mother's life was not quite so different than this.

**And please, put all of your minds at rest about my safety while I am here. I am smart & am making good decisions about where I go and who I go with. God has been faithful.