DNA Aconcagua Jan 14 Update

REST DAY

Today is another rest day for the DNA climbers here at Plaza de Mulas on Aconcagua. After an amazingly strong climb to Camp 1/Canada yesterday and return to base camp, they certainly deserve a rest. The group made it to appx 16,000-foot Camp 1 in only 3.5 hours, and made the descent in less than 1 hour (about 50 minutes). Truly incredible. Celebrating new personal record high elevation records were Michael, RIck, and Jim. Small amounts of wine were enjoyed by some in the group to celebrate last night at dinner. It’s all up from here!

All of the climbers passed another (their third) medical check this morning after breakfast, so everyone is cleared to go up starting tomorrow. The climbers are resting, doing laundry, taking photos, going through gear,
reading, and contemplating the challenge ahead. It’s a beautiful day here again: clear, sunny, and warm. Here’s hoping weather for the summit push will be equally as nice!

REYNA AND MALCOLM

Today I thought I would tell you a bit more about the personal stories of Malcolm and Reyna. At least, as much as we learned during our time with them. Of course, you an get some baseline/general information about them from the letters that they wrote to the Crescere Foundation in order to be chosen to join the DNA/TeleTech group here on Aconcagua (see the posting from Jan 6).

First. Reyna. She is 20 years old with brown skin, long dark hair, and brown eyes; maybe 5’2″ and 110 pounds. Her round face is quick to smile and, after warming up to all of us, she was very quick to laugh. She has a quick wit, and often pulled jokes on us. On her right wrist she wore a white plastic rosary, wrapped around and around like a bracelet, with the cross hanging down so that she could grasp it in her hand. Her faith is important to her: each night before going to bed Reyna asked her tent mate and DNA climber, Theresa, to say the Lord’s Prayer with her. Theresa would say a line in English, and Reyna would say the same line in Spanish. In this manner Reyna would end her days on the mountain.

Reyna lives in a small village outside of Mendoza. As she said in her letter, there are only a couple of cars, so if she wants to come to the city she has to walk about 5 miles to catch a bus, then transfer to another bus to get to Mendoza. Reyna has several brothers and sisters and is about in the middle. What she didn’t share in her letter, but told us, is that her sisters are all pregnant (and possibly not married) and only want to stay in the village. One of her sisters even told Reyna, “You will never make it to Plaza de Mulas.” I think that was simply a challenge to Reyna! Something to spur her on even more to reach her goal. We didn’t really learn anything about her mom, but did learn that her dad is a serious alcoholic. Certainly Reyna has a few challenges in life.

As with most people in her village, Reyna started working in the fields, picking vegetables, at age 11. Most of the people seem content to stay in the village, working in the fields, not continuing their education. But, not Reyna. She is just finishing up her secondary/high school education and wants to go on to school to become a teacher or a nurse. The challenge for her will be finding the money not only for school but for living in Mendoza. Reyna shared her passion for education with us by working with DNA climber Marieke (who speaks 6 languages!) and others in working on her English. She knows a bit of English, and is eager to learn more, asking us questions like “What is your favorite color?” or “Who is your favorite actress?” I think, maybe, that Reyna understood a bit more of our conversations than we thought.

As I’ve mentioned, Reyna was very strong during all of the treks. She took time to enjoy the beauty around her, collecting rocks, pointing out wildflowers, looking in awe at the mountains, saying wow. Nothing got past her. Nothing was taken for granted.

And Malcolm. He is only 17 years old but, like Reyna, is just finishing his secondary education. He is about 5’6″ and about 130 pounds, with lighter skin, light brown hair and blue eyes. He lives in Mendoza and started working in the vineyards, picking grapes, four years ago. He says that it’s good money, but he doesn’t like the work. He aspires to do more. He’d like to be either a policeman or an accountant. When I asked him if he liked numbers or money, he said, “Money, definitely.” Mathematics is what he loves. Since coming on the Aconcagua trek with the DNA group, Malcolm is also thinking about the possibility of working as a guide, or as a part of the park service or police that work on the mountain. The local guides (more about them in another post) arranged for Malcolm to talk to the police here at Plaza de Mulas before he had to leave, so he got some first hand information about what the job is all about and what the qualifications and training requirements are.

We learned a lot about Malcolm through DNA climber Rick, who speaks Spanish. Like Marieke got close to Reyna, Rick took Malcolm under wing and really got him to open up. When Malcolm was 10 years old, his father committed suicide. Of course, this was a traumatic event and difficult time in his life. Malcolm told Rick that he prayed and prayed, asking for help and for answers… and asking that God allow him to come to THIS place, to Aconcagua, as he thinks of it as a spiritual and perhaps cleansing place. It took 7 years for God to answer this prayer but, through the Crescere Foundation, support from TeleTech and Aymara expeditions, as well as DNA inviting the kids and making it all happen…. finally Malcolm got to come to Aconcagua! He, like Reyna, was so very appreciative of the opportunity.

To be in this place, to trek on the trails, to sit alone under the starts at night and thank God for all that has happened… that was what Malcolm was thankful for.

Malcolm did not talk about his mother, but did tell us about his brother who is 16 and little sister who is 11. Without his dad, Malcolm is the probably the primary bread winner in his family. So… how does he put his dreams in action? Where can he get the money to go to school, and still take care of his family? These are challenges that are all to common in Argentina, and around the world.

Of course, both Malcolm and Reyna get services from and work for the Crescere Foundation, which how we came to know them, since the foundation selected them based upon their letters about why they wanted to come to Aconcagua with DNA (supported by TeleTech and Aymara). Both of them are youth leaders, trying to be role models for other youth. For example, Malcolm works at his church, leading a youth group, trying to show kids that there are ways to have fun without alcohol and drugs. We are thankful to Aymara for supporting the youth on the mountain (donating equipment rental, as well as food on the mountain) and the Crescere Foundation for coordinating in-country efforts and selected these youth. They made fantastic choices!

Both Malcolm and Reyna were also thankful for getting to be a part of the group. They said that the DNA climbers are good people and they really enjoyed being with all of us. How kind of them. They also very much enjoyed getting to know the guides as well as the cooks and staff at the various camps. Seeing people from their own society, putting their dreams in action and doing something that they love – on the mountain – surely was
inspirational to them. We are so very grateful for how much the guides and staff supported this effort, and spent so much time the youth. All of the guides, as well as the man in charge of the camp at Confluenza, and the staff here at Plaza de Mulas, all took time to thank Marshall and me, and TeleTech and the entire DNA group, for making this happen. For bringing the youth along as a part of the group. For giving them this opportunity. They all said that, in all of their years on the mountain (for example, this is
Pepe’s – our lead guide – 7th year on the mountain) they have NEVER seen any group bring local youth with them.

That we brought Malcolm and Reyna with us is something that all of them were truly grateful for, and said, “It is a good thing, and should be repeated.”

We couldn’t agree more!!!! Perhaps other groups will follow our lead – which we took from Ray and i2P… with a bit of a twist. Ray and i2P take kids from North America on amazing journeys around the world. We decided to take local, underprivileged, kids with us. Youth that would have never had this opportunity to see a part of their own country. Certainly there are so many ways to do good in the world! Find what works for you and, as Marshall says, step outside of yourself and do for others. It makes it all worthwhile!

The question for me, now (and some of the other DNA climbers have talked to me about this too) is… what now? How can we take the good that we’ve done and continue providing a positive influence? Not only for Malcolm and Reyna, but in the world in general. Certainly the grant from the TeleTech Foundation to Crescere will continue to fund their programs in and around Mendoza. But, how do we build upon the amazing experience that Malcolm and Reyna had? We will keep in touch with them – letting them know that they are not forgotten!! Words of until we meet again – not goodbye -were shared by many with these amazing youth through tears and hugs when they had to leave.

I don’t have the perfect answer for what’s next. But we certainly hope and pray for only good things for these youth and all who will work to put their dreams in action.

CLIMBER MESSAGES
To come later today.