The Road Down South

Miles of swaying sugar cane fields, as far as the eye can see, greeted us on all sides as we made our journey down south to Macieo.   It's one of the more beautiful drives I've been on, rivaling the Sea to Sky highway to Whistler in British Columbia, the Oregon coast, the Grey Bruce in Ontario, or the Cabot trail on Cape Breton.  Rolling hill after rolling hill with new vistas at each turn.   Small shanty villages occupied by locals with tanned leather sun beaten skin affirming years of hard honest labour.  

Macieo holds the dubious distinction for being the 3rd worst city in the WORLD for crime per capita. The billboards advertise it like its a tourist attraction, "Macieo welcomes you!, keep your windows rolled up and do NOT smile at the locals". The local tourism bureau distributes pamphlets of all the areas you can visit and possibly witness or be a victim of some crime. I jest, but I'm willing to bet its a tough city and we have no plans on overstaying our welcome.

Our destination in Macieo is the John Calvin School, a school labouring under the support of the Hamilton Canadian Reformed Church, and under the leadership of principle Eliani.  We have no business in this area other than a measure of curiosity as to how this small school operates.  We've arranged a tour and a lunch and arrive mid morning amidst a cloudburst of rain and humid weather.  

As school principles go, I was expecting some grey beard out of a Harry Potter or Lord Of The Rings book.  I'm sorry but isn't that what principles are supposed to look like? A little wrinkly, slightly stooped, a wary eye and beaten brow, the reward of many years hard labour.  What met us however was quite the opposite.  A young man, tall, erect, sporting an eager smile and offering a firm handshake, greeting us all in perfect English.  There goes my theory...

Elias has a passion for The Lord, and serves the small congregation of Macieo as an office bearer as well. He bleeds for this small school of grades 1-5 but also recognizes every year is "survival mode" as this small light on a hill struggles to compete with other schools and stay alive in a secular society.  I could go on for many pages about the needs of this school, but Elias wouldn't want it to be portrayed like that.  He's thankful for what's been given in his charge, and he works hard to maintain a Christian character and focus.  Elias would however covet your prayers for his work, and with that we commit it all into the hands of The Lord.