(Written by a 10 year old boy who collected and processed creative atmosphere and characters that we told the Chiapas)
adventure to discover a new culture
I had arrived a few days in the rainforest. The sky was clear, just because you saw covered by the mantle of green leaves, the sun peeked through the branches .... Everything seemed nice and bright ... It seemed like a heaven ... really.
The first to meet me was Pepe, the eldest son of Juanita . I was struck by his eyes and his gaze. Soon we became friends. He explained that he lived in small groups of tribal and occupying large areas of primeval environment, which constituted their own country, but were becoming increasingly less pristine areas due to the maximum exploitation of the forest by Western men. Pepe made his way through the branches and trees out so far because of heavy rains that created an ideal condition for the development of vegetation, grew at a rapid pace. Through the trees the smaller of two hundred feet, Pepe took out a red lining a kind of sword that he called "machete" and cut the long branches that blocked the passage.
On the way to reaching the village, he showed me a lot of trees from which they drew nourishment to live. Now the ten thousand species of trees were left almost half, because many of those plants were cut to extract timber very valuable because of their strength and water resistance. He added that the wood from the trees was used by Western nations to build furniture and enrich the big corporations, depleting the so-called "lungs of the earth" which are a source of oxygen world. As we talked we arrived at the "rich" of the forest where, in the midst of so much misery, there were volunteers, doctors, nurses, lay people, priests, missionaries who worked together with a tireless dedication to deliver medicine, food and education. One of them saw us and jumped Pepe's arms with a grateful smile and happy, then I explained that it was his Favorite teacher and playmate. Now, we challenged to a game of soccer with a ball never seen before: it was made up of bits of colored cloth. It made me recall the beautiful story of Harlequin and supportive, when all the children took a piece of cloth to sew a dress carnival at the poor guy who was very pleased.
Then, tired but happy, we sat on the floor in a circle and the silence that surrounded us, we talked to God I never thought that prayer would be so nice: two different worlds, two cultures and a only thanks to the Creator. Finally, the last amazing adventure was a visit to the waterfalls, a place of indescribable peace and beauty with crystal clear water. As I watched this masterpiece of nature, I saw a rock, especially approaching and I noticed that on it was a fossil of a shell. It was very intrigued, because I loved fossils and this was another great gift of our meeting.
Finally, we arrived at his home, welcoming but very poor, where Pepe's mother, Juanita , waiting for us with a serene and smiling face. I had prepared an amazing surprise: he had his hand sewn with a special colored tunic, with tufts of wool hanging from the sleeves, just like I do. Unfortunately, it was time to say goodbye and I wanted our friendship to continue, that surpass any distance. So it was that I had an idea. I invited him to come visit me in Italy, exactly in Palo del Colle in Puglia, on the occasion of my first communion ... Of course, bear the costs of travel and hospitality to me as a brother! His joy was irrepressible! Our embrace was the beginning of a great and true friendship.
Leonardo Palermo
E Class IV - First Circle Learning Primary School "Davanzati"
of Palo del Colle (BARI)
1st Prize at the 7th National Literary Competition
