Day 8

My shoulders still fell sore from earlier, and I can’t walk yet. I couldn’t believe it at first. We had lost the battle. San Ildefonso was still at the hands of the loyalists. I woke up after the battle and we had to retreat to the jungle. Ignacio was there to talk to me. He told me that Mendoza had arranged for them to escape. He told me that the Capitan wants me to go to the US to become a doctor. I’m also going to be sent home to my family, but that’s not the most exciting part. I’m supposed to go back to school! I’m supposed to talk to everyone. I am supposed to tell them that our country can only succeed with health care, education, laws, and proper elections. The guerrillas are supposed to fund me, and I might be a school teacher in my home town instead of a doctor in the US. I can’t even believe it. I understand war so much more than I used. Its so much easier to fight a war when I know the reason I am fighting for. I now know that I am fighting for the good of the people. I am fighting for Mendozas vision of health care and education in this country. I will become a teacher and spread all the knowledge I know to everyone in the country. I will teach all the young people so they can lead better lives, but I will do all of this as a soldier. Ignacio told me something that I will never forget. That I can be a soldier while making people’s life’s better. I can serve my country in two ways. At least I have a cause to fight for, and never again will I be afraid to fire my rifle for what I know is right.