La herencia de los vulnerables

Hi friends!

Abrazos from Ecuador! This blog post will end up being all over the place, but I hope to share a few activities and prevalent themes of our last few weeks work.

First, Mount Sinai made the news! Two all-star Hogar de Cristo volunteers from Spain and Chile presented their two-year collaborative project entitled “La herencia de los vulnerables” (The inheritance of the vulnerables). They first presented this to the presidents of the eight community groups in Mount Sinai one night in the neighborhood. Then Ecuavisa, a national and international television program, came to Mount Sinai to film interviews of the community leaders’ opinions and needs and take footage of the dire state of some sectors. The main topics covered were the legalization of land, quality of life, informal work, education, and the natural risks during the rainy season. This concluded with a book launching this past week at La Universidad Catolica de Guayaquil where the volunteers published their findings and presented it to a few government officials. Not only was it amazing to accompany the community and Hogar de Cristo throughout this exciting time, but the nerd in me LOVED all the presentations – I learned a lot!

A few people throughout the week told us what a big deal this publicity was. The only times Mount Sinai makes the news is for a murder or crime that occurs – and therefore the only perception most other Ecuadorians have of Mt Sinai is as a dangerous place to never visit. Never has there been a news crew here to film the actual state of poverty. To actually recognize the humanity of the people living here. It was an inspiring and humbling experience to see both the excitement and nerves the people of Mount Sinai had before going on camera (Mike and I gave out many hugs and high fives before and after). It had me questioning how often anybody actually asks them themselves what their needs are or their daily life is like.

El Universo, a newspaper, also published an article. (http://www.eluniverso.com/2012/09/04/1/1445/monte-sinai-vive-condiciones-vulnerabilidad.html). For you non-Spanish speakers, try popping it into Google translate to at least get the gist of it.

One of my other jobs here is as the Rostro de Cristo accountant. While I have never even taken an accounting class, I’m excited to learn. This past week I had my first closing of all August cash and expenses. I’ve clearly already adjusted to “Ecuatime” because I began going through the receipts around 7pm Thursday night when they were due 7am on Friday morning – as you all know, I am not typically the procrastinating type. I was bummed that I had to miss out on part of the volunteer dinner with the Santa Clara group in country and was dreading what looked like a couple hours of work after a long day of working. Literally as I pulled the first receipt out of the envelope, the power went out (happens often and at random times). All I could do in that moment was laugh and say “God does have a sense of humor.” So I accounted by candle light and entered the info into a little notebook. This was just another moment of needing to take a step back, recognize that most everything is out of our control in this year, and all I can really do is accept that and adjust. Ecuador continues to humble me – everyday things I’ve always taken for granted like consistent electricity or access to a computer is no longer a given. This small moment reminded me of a quotation from the book I just finished Gracias! By Henry Nouwen, an account of his 6 month stay as a Maryknoll missioner in Peru (highly recommend the book as well):

“All the functions of life, which previously hardly required attention, are complicated and time consuming operations here: washing, cooking, writing, cleaning, and so on. The winds cover everything with this layers of dust, water has to be hauled up in buckets from below and boiled to be drinkable, there is seldom a moment of privacy with kids walking in and out all the time, and thousands of loud sounds make silence a far away dream…Living here not only makes me aware that I have never been poor, but also that my whole way of being, thinking, feeling, and acting is molded by a culture radically different from the one that I live in now. I am surrounded by so many safety systems that I would not be allowed to become truly poor…I am not poor as my neighbors are. I will never be and will not ever be allowed to be by those who sent me here. I have to accept my own history and live out my vocation, without denying that history.”

Additionally, in accordance with reading the book Gracias!, I have been thinking a lot about gratitude and humility in these past weeks. I come from a place of privilege in a number of ways (health, economic stability, education, etc etc) and I’ve been thinking a lot about how I can humbly enter into this community and accompany through my work at Hogar de Cristo with gratitude. Last week during our spirituality night we reflected on a bible passage that for me really connected on this theme: “When he looked up he saw some wealthy people putting their offerings into the treasury and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins. He said, ‘I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest; for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood’” (Luke 21:1-4)

This passage is so clearly evident in our everyday life here. People are constantly giving to us from a place of poverty. Even though they may be making it by day to day in terms of money, they will ALWAYS feed us a plate of food if we are visiting, and usually give us the largest plate. From their place of poverty, they not only offer us their endless hospitality and love, but what little they have to eat as well. Upon hearing this passage, I began reflecting on how I, as a volunteer, can give from my own places of poverty within myself as well. Not just participating in the community in the ways that come most easy, like joining into a soccer game with kids or cooking with the mothers, but giving in even those manners that are difficult or uncomfortable for me.

To wrap this up I’ll just list a few other things we’ve been up to: There are three Ecuadorian Jesuit novitiates working in our office at Hogar de Cristo for this month. Mike and I have had fun getting to know them and we have been working with them to run after school extra help in the neighborhoods (it’s nice to speak English for a bit as we help with English homework!). I’ve also been accompanying another volunteer who is giving a three-part workshop series on intra-family violence to groups of women in the community. Our first US retreat group from Santa Clara University was here for a week staying in Duran – we had a great day in Sinai with them introducing them to neighbors and our parish life. I’ve become the resident baker – we have been baking banana breads for birthdays and celebrations. Ecuadorians have never had it, but love it and call it “pan de gringo”. I’m also slowly learning how to cook like an Ecuadorian – our neighbors love to share recipes and cooking tips – we are all going to a neighbor’s home tomorrow for lunch to cook and eat Yapingacho (spelling? haha). There’s so so much more to share, but all’s good in Ecuador.

Love and miss you all!
Colleen