Trip to Fuente de Georgina

One of the fun things we did this week (on Wednesday morning before our shift started) was to take a short trip into a most beautiful area where there is rich volcanic soil and abundant rainfall. The native farmers plant and harvest vegetables. Each of their little plats are on steep slopes. [Actually most of the land is owned by wealthy land owners and the farmers work for $6/day] The field is prepared and tilled with a big hoe and hard labor. I noticed that they do spray their vegetable crops with back packs and a hand sprayer. The views are breathtaking and to add to that there are hot springs everywhere with steam/vapor coming from the water. There are lots of pictures here, but we wanted you to see a variety--planting, tilled ground, workers in the field, women working on very steep slopes, an adobe shed, the steam coming up from springs down low and the Santa Maria volcano in the background. We made our way on up the hill to a resort (sort of) where there are natural hot springs with swimming pools and facilities. Too bad we didn't have time or swimming suits to enjoy. We might go back during our break in July. The hot water comes from down deep where there is volcanic activity. The whole valley below is filled with vapor clouds. There is a rain forest all around it and some hiking trails--we just went a little way on one of them. Near the Fuente de Georgina (the hot springs) there is a nice little chapel and a branch of the church. In the bottom of the valley is a fast moving river and on the other side is an area called Almolanga. Some scholars thing is where Alma took his people when they fled from King Noah. It is the land of Helam. They lived there about 20 years. There were eventually discovered by the Lamanites and enslaved with Amulon. Remember in Mosiah 23 where the Lord indicated that He remembered their covenant back in the Waters of Mormon and He would deliver them? Then He helped them bear their burdens until they escaped to Zarahemla. Today there are no members there and no missionaries because it is an area where they practice witchcraft and devil worship.