Blog

Today taught me so much. I learned a great deal about C.A.S.A., women’s empowerment, women’s issues, and community. Yet again, the experiences of a day in San Miguel left me impressed, and more intrigued, with Mexico. San Miguel, and our work, continues to afford me the opportunity to reflect on my understanding of community and community-based aid.

After a walk through San Miguel (a walk that never gets old) we loaded up the C.A.S.A. vans to travel to two different rural communities. The communities that we visited today were the most rural we have traveled to thus far. Like yesterday, we worked alongside members of the ECOSS group to build a sustainable garden that will serve the community. This garden was particularly interesting because it is watered by the drain water from the school’s sink.

I was excited to learn that the town that Bri, M.L. and I visited today is the one with the most participation in C.A.S.A. programs. We learned that many of the women in this particular community are now heading their households because their husbands have traveled to the United States to earn money for the family. At first, I was saddened by this fact. However, when a C.A.S.A. employee informed us that this situation actually improves the lives of the women by increasing their sense of independence and efficacy, my attitude shifted.
Interacting with these women was nothing short of amazing. They were some of the most hospitable people with whom I have interacted so far. After we helped shape the soil in the small garden behind the 4-building school, the women invited us to eat lunch. They had prepared rice, fried egg, and hot peppers in heaping amounts for a teacher appreciation celebration that day. We sat at the table with the teachers and enjoyed the flavorful lunch. Then, we watched the kids dance and celebrate the work of their teachers. We were pulled in to dance with the kids, but thankfully the song was almost over; none of us were very good at dancing (though Bri and Leigh, our friend from C.A.S.A., got pretty into it)! The celebration ended with the explosion of a piñata followed by the giggles of school children.

One of the things that touched me most about our visit in this community was the interaction between the teachers and students at the school. The teachers are some of the most selfless people I’ve met and seem to want only the best for their students. One of the teachers walks what must be about four miles to school each day. During the teacher appreciation celebration I felt a warm sense of community, and was delighted to see that this feeling of unity pervades yet another group of people in Mexico.

Another aspect of today’s trip that touched me was seeing C.A.S.A.’s holistic methodology in action. In providing resources to the small communities surrounding San Miguel, C.A.S.A. takes a multi-faceted, refreshing approach that has quickly gained my respect. I can tell they really care about the people they serve and want all parts of those people’s lives to be positively impacted.

As I close this entry, I must share an experience that I feel shows the complexity of linguistic and cultural exchange. We met with the women served by C.A.S.A. to hear about the impact the community garden will make. We were assisted by two C.A.S.A. employees: an interpreter and a member of the ECOSS program team. The women from the rural town talked to the ECOSS team member, who spoke to the interpreter, who spoke to us. Even through the multiple conversations and translations, we were able to gain insight into this truly remarkable program and the positive impact it has had and will continue to have on this community. Cultural and linguistic boundaries are easily broken through the act of aid and volunteerism.

I love working with C.A.S.A. because I am able to be a witness, each day, to the positive change that can result when human beings simply look out for one another.

-Cameron