Cuando la carga ya no puede soportar,
y las piernas ya no pueden caminar,
nosotros, la gente indígena,
inclinamos la cabeza y seguimos caminando.
No hay nada más que hacer."

When the load becomes too heavy to bear,
And your legs will no longer take you there,
We, the indigenous people,
Bow our heads and keep walking.
For there is nothing else we can do.

In July and August of 2002, my husband and I (Steven and Randie Gottlieb) were part of a team of 20 people providing teacher training, medical and other services to the indigenous Ngöbe-Bugle people of Western Panama. During our three-week tour of duty, we had an opportunity to visit some of the remote mountain academic schools. My group walked for six hours through the jungle with Victorino, one of the native teachers. We returned from the three-day visit covered with insect bites and mud, tired, hungry, and glad to be back at our base camp. Victorino makes this journey every week in order to bring the light of education to his people. This is his story.