It's the worst of times as the tension increases and the children feel it and become sick. As the development of the community is put on hold, preparations for the worse continue. A tentative tranquillity hangs over the lush, picturesque valley which cradles Diez de Abril. Women pass with huge containers of water balanced magically on their heads. Men head over the hills buckled under the burden of heavy sacks of coffee beans on the way to the market-town.
Children collect fire-wood and shoot catapults at hapless dogs with deadly accuracy.
Life continues, under the shadow. The community calls itself in honour of Emiliano Zapata- Diez de Abril, tenth of April 1919 was the day he was betrayed and murdered by the government. Nobody here has forgotten the past. Zapata lives and the Zapatistas of today are ready.