June 13, 2007
Newsletter #8

Identity in Unity

Dear Friends,

There is something fulfilling about living in another country. It brings me to the core of my being, for lack of a better phrase, but one that is fitting. Living in another country puts me in a place where I feel I can be myself, completely and totally. People do not know my past or really know much about me, and I think that is what is all the more liberating. It’s a fresh start. I see things in a new way—in the life around me and in myself. That’s how I felt in India while I was visiting organizations that belong to Chethana, the Indian Joining Hands Network. I felt, “This is where I should be.”

Four Sri Lankan delegates and I were invited to attend Chethana’s annual gathering in Kerala, India, for two weeks in May. This gathering of Chethana partner organizations was to review the year, their work, and discuss the theme of the gathering, “Indian Political Economy and People’s Movement.” As Praja Abhilasha (Sri Lanka’s network, for which I work) is a new and developing network, the exposure to the work, organization, and structure of Chethana was very beneficial for us. We heard about the works of the organizations, learned about their struggles, observed how they collaborate as a network, and then examined our own network and discussed how we can be more productive and dynamic in our own work.

We travelled together into rural India to Dalit villages and found that the hunger network had helped give people a voice. And now we're inspired to work hard in Sri Lanka to empower people.

After the gathering, the five of us and Chethana’s local coordinator, Jacob, traveled to different states to visit some of the organizations that are part of Chethana in order to see and learn more about their work. The sights along the back roads never ceased to amaze me. We drove through barren, dry land, with rock mountains beyond, and I had the feeling I might never see civilization again. The only sign of people were the dirt paths that twisted and turned on either sides of the road, showing signs that a community existed nearby.

When we reached a town, the roads were usually lined by trees with bright, red flowers. There were small shops, vendors pushing carts full of fruits, and men with the flexibility of 4-year-olds sitting on their haunches by the side of the road watching the day go by. As we drove along, a man sleeping on a wall under a tree, caught my eye. His bicycle was parked nearby. The heat of the day had called him to rest and there was no arguing. No need to rush in this culture. It was encouraging for me to see that I was not the only one affected by this overwhelming heat. As I gazed out, engrossed in these scenes of everyday life, my companions sometimes awoke me from my reverie.

Our driver, in his broken English, tried to learn another phrase or two from our videographer, Bernard, who sat in the roomy passenger seat. The Sri Lankan delegates sang in Sinhala and shared jokes and laughter. All I could do was smile to myself. The simple joys of life amaze me sometimes. As I watched a boy riding on the back of his father’s bike eating sugar cane, and Jacob riding with two other men on the motorcycle in front of us, and women and children carrying loads on their heads on the dirt paths, and bull carts moving at a slow and deliberate pace, I couldn’t help but think that this is where life is. The natural, the real. It is life, plain and true, and that is what I love. No displays, no make up. I know “simple” is not the word, as the issues these people face go far deeper than I can understand.  But seeing and experiencing this way of living is something I will never get tired of. It affects my life and moves me in more ways than I can explain. It brings me to reality. These views give me a sense of solidarity, a sense of curiosity, a sense of empathy. There is something that allows me to identify more with myself, which calls me to identify more with those around me.

And I was not the only one with these feelings. The other delegates, three of whom had never traveled outside of Sri Lanka before, were very aware of their surroundings in this new culture—the similarities, the differences, and how we are all connected by a common struggle for life. As we visited Dalit villages—people who are the outcasts of Indian society, people who are marginalized from communities—we experienced the hope and determination that these people possess. They are a people with a voice, which the Chethana organizations are helping to strengthen day by day. This experience taught and motivated our delegates and made them eager to improve our network and its impact in Sri Lanka. As we return to our work with new eyes and energized to work toward our goals, I hope that this energy will spread throughout the network and move us to fully understand and identify with the struggles of the people and take action that will bring the empowerment they rightfully deserve.

Peace,

Chenoa Stock

I have more photos of my trip to India.