TO THE GOOD GIVERS OF GIFTS

"Therefore I say unto you,

Take no thought for your life,

what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink;

nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on.

Is not the life more than food,

and the body more than clothing?"

Matthew 6:25

When I came to Chiloe I had no raincoat, if my heels could see, then they would know where I walked looking through the holes in the soles of my shoes. The times that it rained I preferred to go barefoot, at least it kept my footwear dry. I had no pants, just three long skirts fit for mild summer weather.

I dreamed of going South, yet every time I would see the weather report for Ushuaia, it was close to zero degrees Celsius. To top that, the ticket to mainland cost 17 000 pesos to go to Chaiten, and 34 000 pesos to go to Chacabuco. The only Chilean money I had was the 2000 pesos I had once found on the street in Castro.

Three months later I was all set, wearing a good rain jacket, jeans and brand new waterproof hiking boots. And then, with the words "I want you to continue," Hana bought me a ticket to cross the water...

On March 22 as one bright rainbow looked over the road South, I bowed goodbye to Chiloe and embraced my friends, Tatiana, Hana and Melkam in person, and the rest in one warm and grateful thought of them.

THANK YOU TO ALL GOOD GIVERS OF GIFTS, especially Hana, Tatiana and Bernabe with children!

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For these blog updates I thank Lorena, my protector and care-taker from a small city Pico Truncado in Argentinian Patagonia. Two nights ago I had walked into a church seeking shelter. Went to the last row and a kind woman who I sat next to offered me a candy.

"Is this your bag over there?," she asked looking towards my backpack by the wall.

"Yes."

"Where are you staying."

"I have no place to stay. I saw a light in the church and walked in."

That is how we met and since then I have not had to feel cold, hunger or worry.