mercredi 29 août 2007
Dean : Help Ayudar Aider Bacalar
Dear Friends of Rancho Encantado,
You probably know by now that the Rancho was in the direct path of Hurricane Dean, the category 5 hurricane that slammed the southern part of the Yucatan Peninsula earlier this week. Miraculously, most of our structures remain standing, and intact. We lost our glorious "Catedral Maya," casita #1 (the round house closest to the Catedral), the palapa at the end of the main dock, and some damage to a couple of roofs.
We had been bracing ourselves for losing everything, so our hearts are flooded with relief that the Rancho survived.
The most devastating loss is to the landscape. It appears that over 80% of our trees are gone. Some were ancient hardwood and fruit trees that had grown there for generations. Others were exotic tropical trees we planted ourselves when we were given stewardship of that sacred land over twenty years ago. Most of the coconut palms were uprooted and blown away.
Ramon and Mallina are assembling crews at this moment to cut up downed trees and clean up the debris from the storm so that we can reclaim the land. Food is scarce, and electricity has not yet been restored, so the task is difficult. We hope to be back up and running in less than a month.
We are writing to appeal to you for some help in replanting the land. We know that many you have been touched by the healing quality of this magical place. Countless people have described that miraculous Rancho Encantado phenomenon, in which they felt they had not known how thirsty their souls were until they spent time at the Rancho and were renewed. It has been a place of deep rest, inspiration, and joy to so many. A significant part of the Rancho's magic lies in the power of the land.
If everyone we ask responds by contributing the cost of replanting one tree (or more, if you are so inclined!), we will be able to recreate the paradise we all know and love, in a new form. As you probably know, we have never been in this for the money. Our primary concern has always been for the sustainability of the land and the culture that have so generously welcomed us over these past few decades, and we never quite made it into the "plus column" on our balance sheet. Rancho Encantado has truly been a labor of love, and we call on you now, who love this place too, to help us bring the land back to life.
And, for those who are interested in making a reservation for a stay at the Rancho this coming season, we would be very happy to offer a 20% discount if you could pay in full at the time of booking, if reserved by the end of September.
Checks can be made payable to and noted "tree planting" and sent to:
Rancho Encantado
470 E. Riverside
T or C, N. M. 87901
In gratitude,
Familia Rancho Encantado
http://www.encantado.com/
PS. You can view video footage of the damage at youtube.com, type in "El Ojo del Huracan Dean a su paso X Bacalar" in the search bar....there are two videos by Francisco Amarro, one of the village and one of the resort.
