| |
May 2000
La Colonia Iglesia Presbiteriana Bendicion
After another long trip in a pickup truck, where I found myself
as the smallest person, riding in a tiny space where tools are
usually kept behind the driver’s seat; our group arrived
at La Colonia Iglesia Presbiteriana Bendicion. It was worth every
minute of the long trip to be greeted so warmly by the committee
who awaited our arrival. The K’ekchi, one of the indigenous
groups in Guatemala, purchased this land with money given after
Hurricane Mitch. People in US may have forgotten "Mitch,"
moved on to other natural disasters, but many people of Guatemala
still live with the effects of this hurricane. The land is providing
a place to build homes for families who lived along side rivers,
in shacks; the shacks and their few possessions were swept away
by the waters. At the dedication of the Colonia, the rains came
but only momentarily, followed by the bright sun. This was interpreted
as a sign of blessing from God and so the name "bendicion,"
(blessing) There are about 40 families who will live here. The
men have cleared the land and they are working together, some
work to build a house while others work in the fields to have
food to eat and perhaps a little to sell. The spirit of determination
I felt there was exemplified in Victor, the head of the local
committee. He spoke of their plans, their hopes and needs. After
much discussion, the group was asked if anyone had any other concerns.
Victor immediately responded, "we need a school; we must
have a school for our children; they are missing out on education
this year; if we don’t have a school they will be the same
as we are." With all the obvious differences, I could hear
parents I know in North Carolina, voicing the same concern and
hope, longing for something better for their children. Ofelia
is the woman I will always remember, her smile, her alert eyes
taking in everything, eager to learn. There was about her an air
of pride and confidence which you might not expect to find in
someone having to live in such difficult circumstances. I noticed
that she sat of to the side of the group of men (women do not
usually participate with men in these meetings), and listening
intently to the discussion of the men. As always I noticed "los
niños," the children; when we first arrived (there
were two young adult volunteers in addition to myself in the group
so we made an imposing crowd of "gringos") they peeked
out from behind their mothers’ skirts; we exchanged smiles
and I saw an openness in place of the fear I often see when children
are confronted with a stranger. I also noticed little boys and
a few of the men holding and playing with babies. A family is
growing here as people live and work together to be a blessing
for one another and a sign of God’s blessing for all to see.
Birthday celebrations
The celebration of a birthday among the brothers and sisters
in Guatemala is a BIG event. Usually we have pastel (a cake),
sometimes a piñata, presents or tamales. Sometimes the
"birthday person" is awakened before dawn with an early
morning serenade by a group from his or her church; on these occasions
there is always sweet coffee and bread, or tamales, the symbol
of celebration here, after the serenade. The cake, piñata,
presents, tamales, serenade are all important and add to the festivities,
but even when a family is not able, for economic reasons, to have
a big party, there is always some kind of a celebration and there
is always prayer. And what more appropriate way to celebrate a
birthday! We pray to God and give thanks for the life of the person,
for the gifts that person brings to us, and we pray for a future
that will be blessed by God as we put into God’s hands the
life of the birthday person for the coming year.
The ice cream man
I have noticed that the ice cream man is usually a small, wiry
person, whose already brown skin is darkened by days in the sun.
You expect to see him at a parade or at the beach or on a hot
sunny day in the city, the ice cream man, pushing his cart, ringing
his bell announcing his product in various flavors. You expect
to see the ice cream man at these times and places, but I was
surprised to find the ice cream man bringing up the rear of the
Good Friday procession in San Felipe! The solemn procession lead
by the priest and altar boys with the lighted candles, the crowd,
the float with statue of Jesus carrying his cross, and bringing
up the rear, the ice cream man, pushing his cart, ringing his
bell, announcing his product. And in a place even more unusual,
I saw a photo of an ice cream man, pushing his cart, ringing his
bell, announcing his product following the crowd protesting the
raising of bus fare in Guatemala City. Behind the marchers and
rioters and looters, there was the ice cream man! Why I wondered?
Because this is what he always does? Wherever there is a crowd,
the ice cream man is there. Because he needs to earn those few
quetzales which will be his income for the day? For me the ice
cream man represents the many, many people in Guatemala, men,
women and young children who daily go into the streets to sell
their product, whether it be ice cream or pencils, electric gadgets,
tortillas, fruit, umbrellas or brooms. It is hard to plan for
the future, difficult to have a vision of a better life when you
have to push your ice cream cart every day or go into the streets
with your arms full of battery run clocks, brooms or bananas,
hoping to earn enough to feed yourself and your family for the
day.
Some thoughts about money
Money always seems to cause problems, either there is not enough
or there is too much. The vast majority of the people I know and
live and work with in Guatemala do not have enough money. And
most days I feel as though I have too much money. So how can this
money problem be solved? There are folks from the US who send
money to me to use for "people in need." How do I decide
who is most "in need" in a world where everyone seems
to need something. And the bigger question, is it possible to
give money to those in need without showing favoritism? If I give
to one family, that is saying to the others in the community that
I have a favorite family. And then there is "project money"
that every organization, group, presbytery, and local church in
Guatemala seems to be seeking.
Who can write the best project? Who has contacts in other countries
that will fund my project? And if and when the project is funded,
who will manage the money when it arrives? Is there any way for
the rich of the world to give to the poor in such a way that dependency
is not created? What about the group that receives funding for
their project and then misuses the money, at least that is what
it looks like to those who sent the funds. But do we all work
from the same ethical standards? Having lived with this money
problem and these questions for all the years I have been in Guatemala,
I still don’t have any easy answers. But this I do know.
God created this world and all that is in it and ultimately everyone
and everything belongs to God. God created this world with the
intention that there be enough for all God’s sons and daughters
and the created world. If we are to be signs of the way God intends
life to be (and that is basic to my understanding of the Christian
faith), then we must not rest while there are hungry people anywhere,
while there are children who die needlessly, while there are old
people left alone, while people do not have a decent place to
live. There may not be easy answers, but that does not mean we
should not struggle with the questions, but we must struggle together,
the rich and the poor.
A visit with the K'ekch
The next day I would be in the capital, Guatemala City, where
already the tension is rising over the raising of the bus fare;
soon that tension will explode into marches, protests, and looting
that will leave 5 Guatemalans dead and untold property damage.
But today I sit far away in a small frame church building in a
community close to a beautiful lake. I have traveled some l2 hours
by bus to be a part of the Presbytery meeting, to share a little
of my hopes for our work together with the women. We sit on benches
in a kind of circle; everyone can look into the eyes of one another.
When Amanda, the Young Adult Volunteer who traveled with me, and
I entered the room, we were welcomed in Spanish (the meeting is
conducted in the indigenous language of the people, K’ekchi.)
I sit quietly, not understanding the words, but feeling "at
home," among these gentle, peaceable people, some of whom
I knew, others I met for the first time. The president, secretary,
and treasurer of the presbytery sit together, within the circle.
It is obvious that the president is leading the meeting, but he
does not have to exercise authority over others. Everyone feels
free to speak, and to listen to one another. It is hot, very hot
and sweat runs down the faces and arms of everyone and soon our
clothing is soaked. I think about these men, and the two women
who are a part of the meeting, and the other women preparing lunch
over the wood fires. In the stifling heat, while all appears tranquil,
I know that these people suffered much during the 36 year civil
war. I know that they have been isolated and marginalized within
their country and this church. And I know that they know, from
personal experience, about violence like that which will erupt
in the capital the next day, for their land and their lives have
been the scene of much violence. But for now, I enjoy simply being
here, gratefully accepting the cold drink, not understanding the
words, but knowing I am among sisters and brothers.
Ellen Dozier
The 2000 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, page
236
|
|
