EXHIBIT F: Personal Letter
If you're having a hard time reading the handwritten letter, you can read a typed transcript of it below:
Dear mother,
Times have gotten tough here in the valley. More and more families have been moving here and we’ve had to grow more food every year just to feed them all. We used to get by just farming once every couple years. Now though we are planting every year. And we are getting less and less corn each time even with the same amount of land and seeds. A man came to town a few weeks ago and said we needed to let the land rest to rebuild strength. Well sure, of course, but we don’t really have a choice. We have people to feed.
There are now about 25,000 people living here - about the same as when our ancestors fled. The rains keep coming but the land doesn’t seem to care. It is dry and broken. I don’t know how long we can last like this. I know I must be strong like the Maya warriors of old but we’ve never suffered quite like this.
Sincerely,
Miguel
Dear mother,
Times have gotten tough here in the valley. More and more families have been moving here and we’ve had to grow more food every year just to feed them all. We used to get by just farming once every couple years. Now though we are planting every year. And we are getting less and less corn each time even with the same amount of land and seeds. A man came to town a few weeks ago and said we needed to let the land rest to rebuild strength. Well sure, of course, but we don’t really have a choice. We have people to feed.
There are now about 25,000 people living here - about the same as when our ancestors fled. The rains keep coming but the land doesn’t seem to care. It is dry and broken. I don’t know how long we can last like this. I know I must be strong like the Maya warriors of old but we’ve never suffered quite like this.
Sincerely,
Miguel