The teamwork that saved four children in the jungle, can be a path to peace in Colombia | Opinion
Gabriel García Márquez gifted the world with Macondo, a realm that is magical and mysterious. Yet, for Colombians, it holds a fragment of their truth: Colombia transcends the boundaries of plausibility.
On June 9, 40 days after a plane crash, four children who had gone astray in the Colombian jungle were discovered alive.
A small aircraft carrying the children, their mother and two other passengers. crashed. Tragically, those two perished. The mother and children survived, but the woman succumbed four days later — as the children recounted.
This event undoubtedly will be remembered as one of the most astounding tales of survival in recent memory. Each subsequent revelation appears even more reminiscent of the world of Macondo.
The indigenous people, military and local residents united in their unwavering support to save the children. The search efforts were relentless, relying on the bedrock of teamwork and respect for diverse knowledge; all with the singular objective of finding the children alive.
Forty days elapsed before the eagerly anticipated rescue materialized. In a country that has endured immense suffering, where violence has left indelible marks on its history and where disrespect for different ideas has outdistanced peace, the glimmer of hope that the four children might be found alive felt like a breath of fresh air — a fleeting snippet of fiction that proved to be more tangible than the surrounding unreality. It was a triumph of life.
Beyond the awe-inspiring rescue itself, the collaboration among the diverse rescuers, including the wider populace, was a message of hope. Additionally, the resolve exhibited by Lesly, the 13-year-old sister who shouldered the responsibility of caring for her her three siblings during those 40 days, drawing upon ancestral wisdom and defying the odds to survive in “la Madre Selva” — “the mother jungle” — is a beautiful analogy.
Wilson, the military dog, was the key to locating the children, but he has yet to reappear. Nonetheless, the children’s grandfather affirms with conviction, “He shall return, for in indigenous culture, a dog never truly becomes lost — it always finds its way back.”
Teamwork, respect for differences and the value of life form the underlying fabric of this story. In Colombia, such ideals may seem confined to fiction, but they should permeate reality, as they can be the path to reconciliation and peace.
Maria Fernanda Matus is a Colombian journalist and actress.
