Rain has returned to Atlántida, which is odd because it’s supposed to be summer, and the end of rainy season. And yet, for the past two weeks, we’ve seen more rain than normal for this time of year, and over the past couple days the rain has not offered many moments of relief. Rain in Atlántida is rarely confined to a brief shower – it is usually a prolonged downpour over several days (or in the rainy season, several weeks). Many of the streets within La Ceiba flood – with help from the garbage in the streets that plugs up the drains – and the large network of dirt roads around the state can turn to sloppy mud or flowing rivers.
This doesn’t stop the Adelante credit officers, and makes for some adventures for the new volunteer! Yesterday, despite listening to the rain hit the roof all night, and the fore-boding dark clouds in the sky, I hopped on the back of the motorbike of one of the Adelante credit officers. The credit officer had some Asambleas and other clients to visit; these visits took us out beyond San Juan Pueblo – a town about an hour (on motorbike) from La Ceiba – and into the communities along the network of dirt roads that spread out on either side of the highway.
I hesitate to use the word “road” when describing the dirt roads we were travelling down – even on a motorbike they were almost impassable – and after a few days of rain, in some sections they more closely resembled a river! In certain parts, there was so much water, it actually had a current. On the bike, the water rose up to our knees, and as I wondered at what point the engine would flood, the credit officer just kept slowly finding his way through the current, looking for the shallowest sections. I was amazed!
We visited two Asambleas, and several other coordinators of other groups. Last week was Semana Santa (Easter Week), so there were no Asambleas, and the credit officer had to visit those groups to make sure loan payments were still made. We put in a full day driving down the muddy roads and visiting Adelante participants. I arrived back home, exhausted, with all my clothes soaked under my rain gear. The next day, after another night of listening to the rain on the roof, and the continued presence of the fore-boding clouds in the sky, the same credit officer was out again, decked out in his bright yellow rain gear, driving those roads, and visiting his Asambleas and clients.
