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Walking With the Poor - Notes From the Field |
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MISSION AWARENESS TRIP TO MEXICO God’s blessings to you from Mexico. This mission awareness trip is focused on CFCA projects in the northern parts of the country: states of Nuevo León, Tamaulipas, Coahuila, Durango, Zacatecas, San Luis Potosí, Jalisco and Querétaro. Gracias, Señor…over 18,000 sponsored in Mexico
CFCA sponsorship has been offering hope in Mexico since 1984. The oldest project in Mexico is in Mérida on the Yucatán Peninsula. The Mérida project works with nearly 5,000 families in the states of Chiapas, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán and Quintana Roo. The communities served vary greatly, and the project works with many people of Mayan descent, including refugees from Guatemala. The project focuses on developing small communities of compassion and income-generating initiatives such as vegetable gardens, small farms, incubators for hatching farm birds and cooperative stores to supply basic foods. The Cuernavaca project (about 5,000 sponsored) extends its outreach to surrounding states including Veracruz, Oaxaca, Michoacán, Guerrero, Puebla, Guanajuato and the state of Mexico, which includes the Federal District in Mexico City. The Guadalupe project (about 5,000 sponsored) reaches families in the states of Nuevo León, Tamaulipas, Coahuila, Durango, Zacatecas, San Luis Potosí, Jalisco and Querétaro. CFCA partners in the Cuernavaca and Guadalupe projects include programs serving the elderly, children with special needs, street children, orphans and vocational-training students among others.
The city of the mountains Monterrey was founded in 1596 and now hosts 3,612,991 inhabitants. It is a modern industrial and business center, sometimes called “the sultan of the north”. Home of a strong steel industry, Monterrey is also called “the Pittsburg of Mexico,” with production of steel, cement, glass, auto parts and beer.
After attending Mass at the Monterrey Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, we had time to walk around the Macroplaza and enjoy the free dance music offered “live” on Sundays by the municipality. Cristina and I purchased some medicine for our sponsored girl Reina’s face. She, her mother and two sisters were victims of a bad auto accident three years ago. They were all hurt, but Reina suffered severe cuts to her face and hands. The medicine is to reduce scarring. To wrap things up on this full day, Project Guadalupe Coordinator Argelia gave us a fine presentation on the history and customs of Mexico. MAT group heads north to the Texas border
This line, 26 km south of Nuevo Laredo, is now considered a Zona Federal. All U.S. citizens in the MAT group had to purchase new visas in Nuevo Laredo ($22.50) in order to return to Monterrey and continue our tour of Mexico. These are new immigration requirements in effect at the Laredo border area. Mothers show spirit of solidarity We had good gatherings at the two subprojects in the dust-blown neighborhoods of western Nuevo Laredo. Veteran Mexican missionaries, Sisters Cecilia and Virgina, manage these two subprojects. “QUEREMOS SER UNA COMUNIDAD DE COMPASION” reads a clear, sunburned sign that has been up a while. These struggling mothers speak of a spirit of solidarity. They refer to our Blessed Mother as “Mujer pobre y creyente. Madre de los oprimidos.” (Woman poor and believing. Mother of the oppressed.) One mother gathers scrap iron along the roads. She sells it on Fridays and makes 150 pesos or around $15 per week. With that, she makes do and sends her 12-year-old daughter to school. Through the sponsorship program, some mothers have learned baking, hair styling and beauty skills. Sponsors were thanked to the point of discomfort for uniforms, food from the community kitchen and special things like Christmas and birthday gifts. One sponsor remarked to the people, “God’s face shows through you.” Vickie, community leader and mother of 10-year-old twins, taught the children and us a couple of Mexican dances. Kicking up the dust in front of the community kitchen run by the moms themselves, we feel that we were truly at the grassroots level. Hogar Hortigosa offers hope to at-risk children On Tuesday morning, we were able to spend a couple of hours at the Hogar Hortigosa. This is a large home and school operation of 200 girl boarders ages 11 to 23, and 500 boys and girls in the elementary and junior high day school. There are 12 Sisters and 32 lay teachers at this impressive facility, which includes a fairly modern computer lab and most enjoyable music and dance instruction for the children. Of the 200 girl borders, 85 have CFCA sponsors. Seven-year-old Irene proudly showed us her very own bed, something she did not have at home. Some of the girls are from poor families, others are orphans. Veteran Sister Dolores explained in admirable English that the mother of one little girl is in prison. CFCA center lively with activities On Tuesday afternoon we were able to spend several hours visiting humble CFCA families in the northwestern part of Monterrey. In this community-based program we have nearly 300 children sponsored. A lot of good things are happening here under the direction of Subproject Coordinator Lupana. First thing I note is a good spirit and confidence among the children, teens and parents. Mothers are organized in livelihood projects such as making shampoo, conditioner and skin creams. Teen scholars offer tutoring for younger students at the CFCA center. The center also offers extra English and guitar classes, and special training courses in self image and the dignity of the person. “This has helped us a great deal, even in our relationship with our spouses. This is helping us to grow.” Scholar Paola, sponsored since 1st grade, welcomed us to “her home”, referring to the CFCA center. Jennifer did the same in the name of her classmates. Teenager Abraham offered us two nice musical numbers with his guitar. A morning at Bernardo Grousset School
Bernardo Grousset School has a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Sponsors Donna and Larry Erpelding were very happy to see the quality of their sponsored girl’s school. Her name is Katia. Children confidently approach sponsors and other visitors and invite them to their classrooms. Parents are also welcomed to participate in the classes. A general assembly of students took us through the entrance of the flag, the national anthem of Mexico, northern folk dances and vocal numbers by the elementary school choral group. Sponsors had a chance to visit several child-friendly classes in action. Cristina and I had a good talk with Maria Josefa Martinez, founder and director of the school. Espiritu Que Danza Espiritu Que Danza is a community-based CFCA subproject that loves and cares for 121 children and teens, most from rough neighborhoods and challenging backgrounds. Many of these children are so poor as to lack even an identity with which to begin life. The project offers the legal support to recover identity and dignity. Every effort is made to protect the children from drugs and violence. Great strides have been made in encouraging the children to stay in school. The entire family receives free medical care at the project. Parents who have never had a chance to go to school learn basic reading and writing along with the children. Volunteers offer special courses in arts and crafts, but sometimes don’t last very long, because of the challenging circumstances. In the production area, they make greeting cards, bookmarks and business cards on recycled paper. Sponsors were keen to purchase some of these materials. Ester, 16, spoke confidently and gratefully about her 10-year relationship with her sponsor. A fine and spacious facility has been developed over the past 10 years at Espiritu Que Danza. For the younger children, the Montessori method of instruction is used. The entire program is integral and very personal. CFCA is currently involved with 36 families here. Their staff made it clear to sponsors that, in spite of relatively small numbers sponsored, CFCA is by far their most consistent supporter. Two new children were sponsored today by our CFCA travelers. A special child. A special gift from God.
Many of the sponsors were very touched by the children and young people with Down Syndrome at the CFCA subproject in Torreon. Here they work with 65 growing and loving learners between the ages of 3 months and 25 years. Thirty-one of these special friends are currently sponsored by CFCA. Three of the older students now have regular jobs, one at Caritas and two at McDonalds. Napatzi, 10, has learned to read so well that she can confidently stand before us and deliver a two-page message, “You sponsors have given us a lot, but most of all you have given us a place in your heart.” Impressive here was the testimony of parents who declared their gratitude for what these special children have done for their own families, adding “CFCA arrived in our lives through our children.” “You are my sunshine,” “Paz, queremos paz,” and a lively dance by the children rounded out the program followed by huge smiles, huge hugs and huge pieces of cake. But it was not all a piece of cake. Very high winds and rain squalls on the poorly banked highway between Torreon and Saltillo made the ride quite stressful on this over-the-hill, top-heavy greyhound with a cracked windshield and a driver who uses one hand to talk for long periods on his cell phone and waves at other drivers with his free hand. Cristina and I thank you for your solidarity and prayers as we say Godspeed to this wonderful group and head for the mission awareness trip in Costa Rica. We wish you a very happy springtime and the richness of God’s blessings.
Bob Hentzen |
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Many crosses are attached to the fence on the Mexican side of the Rio Bravo in Nuevo Laredo. On the U.S. side, this same river is called the Rio Grande. Each cross has the name of an immigrant who perished in an attempt to make it to the U.S. Ironically, in the midst of all the crosses is a hole in the fence big enough for a person to slip through. 
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