One less camera, but safe.

Since Friday there has been an insane amount of awesome. Honestly, is has been a little surreal. But today, something happened that was not so awesome, in fact it was pretty bad.

Alicia, Joche and I were pasting the last set of images at a nearby school. I brought my video camera, because it is small and fits in my pocket like a cell phone. Long story short, a man on a red motorcycle pulled up and robbed us. It was quick, and felt a little too much like an old routine.

He stole the camera and rode off into the distance.

He didn't show me a gun, I am not even positive he had one. But having been held up before, I am more than ok with it staying hidden; especially with kids around.

Afterwards we stopped by a friends house to get ride of the nerves,and soon a familiar refrain began-"You shouldn't have gone to the house alone.", "I shouldn't have brought my camera." "I should have saved all that awesome footage. " should haves and shouldn't haves fill your thoughts and conversations. I knew all the risks.

But here is the deal, it is nobodies fault but the man on the moto. That is the end of it. He chooses to steal.

That is why projects like this are important. We are trying to recognize the women who live here. Who also get assaulted, who also carry a little money just I case they get robbed, who worry when children don't come home on time at night because of all the ugly possibilities.

So my camera, whatever. At least we weren't hurt. I can buy another camera. I am here because, "No quieren vivir asi, pero quieren vivir aqui" or "They don't want to live like this, but they want to live here."

And I love them for that.