A Beer and a Bracelet

Exhausted and hungry, Katie emerged from the Amazon to find herself on the streets of Manaus, Brazil.  Even though it was after 11:00pm, she wandered down the streets to find a place serving food.   Instead of a restaurant, she found a bar, (not uncommon in Brazil.)  They band was lively and a plethora of city jungle folk were dancing to the sounds of Bumba-Meu-Boi, a music style common to the region. 

She settled for a beer instead and sat down outside to listen to the enchanting music and rest her legs.  It had been a long walk in the jungle the day before when her guide took a couple of wrong turns, a monkey found it necessary to attack her head, and red fire ants crawled into her pants. 

A fellow with a roll of bracelets approached the table where she sat.  She didn’t buy a bracelet, but when she offered him a ticket to buy a beer, he gave her one as a present.  When he tied it to her wrist, she noticed his hands were torn and callused. 

The bracelet was a simple strand of twine with two açaí seeds and one Brazilwood seed in the center.  The red Brazilwood seed was not pieced; the twine was wrapped around it on both sides. 

Katie didn’t take the bracelet off for three months.  It was tied very tight.  Eighty percent of the time the twine stayed moist.  Teaching in Brazil was very hot, especially in a non-air-conditioned room with a group of first and second graders.  Therefore the twine stayed damp—from sweat, showers and swimming.

When the twine wasn’t more than a rag, and the two açaí seeds had fallen away, Katie saw the red Brazilwood seed had split and a shoot was curl inside, breaking out the side.

Amazed that her bracelet was growing she planted the seed.  And with it came the idea to raise money for the children’s program she dreamed about starting in her favorite town, Canoa Quebrada, with the people that had touched her most.