Tuesday, February 26, 2008

A Tale of Two Communities

After our recent trip to the US/Mexico border my housemates and I were asked to write a short story which we shared this last Monday, so I figured I would post it here so people can get a little picture of what my trip was like until I make the time to write something more. So, enjoy :)

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As I look back to my trip to the border separating the United States of America and Mexico in the area around El Paso, Texas and Cuidad Juarez, Chihuahua from February of 2008, I immediately look past and also remember my trip to El Salvador in January of 2007. There are many similarities that tie the two experiences together, including the similar U.S. Policies that have impacted the economy of both areas, the influx of American culture, the simple yet delicious food, the language, along with the hospitality and community. But none of those various factors are what touch me whenever I bring to mind either of the two experiences. Instead, it is always the people, both those I met and those whose stories I heard. Heroes. Victims. Villains. Innocents. From the Zaragoza Fuentes family who is allowing their greed to overwrite the needs of poor workers, to the Archibishop Romero who dared to speak no matter the cost, to those working for Human Rights throughout all of the America’s, that is what brings meaning to these trips.
There are two particular stories that parallel each other, so much so that it is frightening to me because I know it must have happened and will happen in other times and places. It is the stories of two communities, La Cuchilla, located in San Salvador and Lomas del Poleo, located near Cuidad Juarez. Both communities are at risk of disappearing because powerful development groups want their land. They are both crying out for Justice, but few people even know of their plight, or even know that they exist in the first place.
Both communities exist because of a policy which seems to exist throughout Latin America, where if a person lives and makes a livelihood on unoccupied land for a number of years, they are granted title to the land. Both of these communities have existed for thirty years or longer, and were able to survive for so long mainly because their land held no value to anyone else. But now over the past few years these two places are threatened because the land has now become valuable, and because of their poverty these communities are seen as eyesores and problems, instead of the dwelling places for fellow brothers and sisters.
In the case of La Cuchilla, the land around them was developed as a Mega Mall, as large and as grand as any here in the states, and the community was squeezed together until it occupies only a small triangle of land between three highways. Because it is surrounded by brush, it is difficult to see the community unless you know what you are looking for, but even so the land developers want them gone. And in their place will be a beautiful nature preserve to show that the builders of the Mall are environmentally conscious. I guess they forgot that the environment includes people too.
Lomas del Poleo has likewise become a place of interest because of their location. As El Paso and Juarez grow, the Official border crossings are becoming more congested, so it is likely that a new location will be opened in the near future. Lomas del Poleo just happens to be near a likely spot for a new crossing, and because of a clerical error years ago the people do not have the official land titles that they need to prove that their existence is legal. Instead of being surrounded by highways, Lomas del Poleo is fenced in with barbed wire, with a guard shack filled with armed hired hands who prevent entry to all people besides the current residents of the community.
Both stories are filled with heartbreaks, with people slowly losing faith or buying into the whispers of the developers and turning against the rest of their community. Others have died, whether it is from the dangers of crossing a busy street, or from the beatings brought about by hired thugs. Yet, there is still hope, still strength. The trials have pulled the members of the communities together, organized them, and caused them to seek help and to call out for those of us in America to heed their cries. These are the places that seemed to me to be Holy Ground during my visit, even beyond the chapels and monuments I got a chance to visit.
I am one of the many who has heard their stories and been touched by their experiences, but yet I wonder what can I do? It is hard enough to impact the policies where I live, and here are those separated from me by borders and governments. At times, I feel as little as they do. But I hope that in time, as more learn and come together that the tiny droplets of each of our voices becomes a rushing stream, and that Justice will roll down.
For now, all I can do is cling to Love, and to believe in the truth I find in scripture that proclaims that “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Cor 13:7).

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Saturday, February 02, 2008

So much on my mind, so little time...

Well, I haven't vented here in awhile and I'm feeling in the mood tonight so I'm going to go for it. The slight problem is that I have to be up by 6:30 because of the pancake breakfast my house is doing tomorrow... aaaannnddd it's already 11:05 as I begin writing, and knowing me I could manage to type for a good long while, especially given all that has been going on and all that is currently on my mind.

I guess the first thing it might be worth writing about is what has gone on with my house since my last post. Obviously there is a lot going into it so I'm probably going to only do a nutshell, partly because I'm honestly a little tired of talking about it right now.

Things are a little bit calmer. I think some of my housemates are still frustrated with our directors and all that happened, but I think the majority of us are through the mourning stage. I can't really speak for all of them but only for myself so that's what I shall do.

I feel pretty good about things, at least as much as can be expected. I'm starting to miss Nick more, and fortunately I'm finding some time to talk to him and continue to get to know him as time goes on. I really wish that things could have turned out differently, but looking at it now, I believe our directors did what they had to given the situation, in order to best protect him, my housemates and I and the program. It was hard, but I think in some ways we needed that, and so did Nick, even though it was extremely difficult to go through that.

So that's what's been going on lately with that.

A week ago today my friend Christina became a Postulant (aka the first stage of becoming a Nun) and started her journey down the path she feels God is leading her. We had a really good talk the Thursday before she entered, and I'm feeling more confident about her decision, even if there are some areas that I'm not so sure about or can't completely agree with.

As you may or may not know, Christina and I actually did date for a little while. It was a very short relationship and Christina quickly discerned that this wasn't a direction she wanted to go.

This leads to an interesting discovery that I made tonight. To preface this, part of why this even could happen is that I'm currently surrounded by more Catholic friends than those of my own stripe, because if this wasn't the case it probably wouldn't be happening. But anyway, the discovery... it seems that all of the girls in Colorado that I've either been interested in (I.E. Christina) or that have qualities that I am attracted to but I have no real interest in pursuing (I.E. one of my current housemates along with a former volunteer from two years ago) have all at least considered becoming nuns, and the two that aren't yet taking that step seem like that is something they are going to more seriously explore in the near future.

Now, on the one hand this seems odd to me, partly because of the overall decrease in the number of people who are actually pursuing this kind of vocation overall. On the other hand, it isn't that odd given that the kind of people who would be drawn to that kind of vocation, especially in today's world, would have to be someone of pretty deep faith and calling, which is exactly the kind of person I would want to spend my life with, if getting married is really what I end up being called too (although, I don't feel much of a draw against that).

I'm also acutely aware in this exact moment in time how many Catholics I'm surrounded by compared to the more Protestant side (although, I'm the weird one who ends up somewhere in the middle...). This isn't an entirely bad thing, as the people I am around are nonetheless very awesome people who challenge me and with whom I'm really growing.

But, there are some things which I really do value from the tradition I grew up in and still choose to remain part of. I guess the main thing is that I really wish I could be part of a small group. In some ways, I know I could make the time, but my worry is that it will take away from me spending time investing myself in my community. It's hard enough for me to do that anyway, and if I'm trying to do it in two different places at once... errr... I don't know about that.

Some of it's kinda small things, like the style of music which I enjoy. I still get to experience it once in awhile, but not to the degree that I had before my volunteer year. A lot of it really is Theological, because as much as I love my Catholic brothers and sisters, there are obviously things that I disagree with to enough of an extent that I'm not inclined to become Catholic myself. So as much as I can share and discuss and live with my Catholic buddies, some things can only go so far.

I think what angers me most right now is that it has to be that way. I hate that there are such different views on the same Jesus that we are divided, as much as we might love each other.

So I guess right now I feel a bit of a gap, which I'm not sure how to fill. Seems a fitting time though, with Lent right around the corner.

Honestly, in some ways I can't complain. Although it isn't the most pleasant feeling to have this sort of ache, it's also refreshing because at least I have a direction, a clear goal to set my eyes on. Growing pangs, or so I hope.

Part of this seems to be my continued need to become comfortable in my singleness, because until I become comfortable here, I don't think being in a relationship would actually be helpful to me. I'm too much of an idealist and too much of a romantic sometimes. Can't always face the reality infront of me.

Well, that is my life in a nutshell, or at least as much that I can cram into 30 minutes worth of writing.

Until next time, Peace be With You.

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