Seeking Signs of New Hope in Guatemala

CMSA's January delegation to Guatemala was once again a journey of solidarity, learning, and challenge. We visited several different parts of the country, met with returned refugees, Mayan leaders, and migrants on their way to "el Norte," and everywhere we went we sought to deepen our understanding of this beautiful and complex country. Below are some highlights of our trip - we hope you will join us at a program in late March to learn more!

 Chaculá: The raw settlement that once perched so precariously on the land has grown into a real village, where the residents feel secure and "at home." This is quite a miracle for people who once fled in terror from the attacking Guatemalan Army, and then endured ten years of deprivation and insecurity as refugees in Mexico before returning to their homeland in 1994. Nueva Esperanza is truly a sign of "new hope" not only for its own people, but for the region in general, demonstrating that hard work, courage, commitment - and the support of friends - can transform suffering into wisdom, and obstacles into new opportunities. When we met with the Junta Directiva, to deliver our donation from Pedal for Peace 2007, we learned that an unknown organization has offered a large sum of money for a portion of their land. We warned them that this might be a front organization for a mining company, and urged them to seek advice from the Bishop Ramazzini, who has been helping indigenous groups defend their land rights. We will continue to monitor the developments in this situation in the coming months.
As always, it was a joy to be with our friends in Chaculá and share in their hope for a better future for their children.

 Acción Cultural Guatemalteca: After leaving Chaculá we traveled to Santa Cruz del Quiché to meet with the members of this Mayan human rights and development organization. Our visit was hosted by their newest staff member, our dear friend Gloria Vicente, who came to Chicago with her family through the Sanctuary Movement in the 1980's, and has now returned to work in her homeland. ACG seeks to preserve Mayan culture and spirituality, while also providing training, education, and empowerment to Maya people, especially women. On the first day, we received a blessing from a Mayan spiritual guide who urged us to respect and work for the oneness of all creation.

 A highlight of our trip was a visit to two groups of women who participate in ACG's micro-credit lending program. Sitting on the dirt floor, in their beautiful traje, with their children around them, the women told us how the program had enabled them to buy a few chickens, or materials for weaving, so that they could earn enough money to provide milk for their children, or send them to school. Several women said that their husbands, parents, or other family members had been lost in the civil war, and it was clear that they continue to suffer from poverty, ill health, and lack of opportunities. Yet their faces were strong, and their smiles were proud when they paid in their loan installments, and we had no doubt that they would continue to learn and prosper through this program.

 Pastoral Center for Attention to Migrants: Throughout our journey in Guatemala, we were trying to learn about the "roots of migration" - why are so many Guatemalans leaving their homes and families, and undertaking the dangerous and uncertain journey to the North? What are the forces that push and pull them to make this decision? What - and who - are they leaving behind, and how does their absence affect their families and communities? We heard testimonies in Chaculá from two men who had spent time in the U.S., and we also observed the growing differences in material well-being among the community members. 
 In Guatemala City we met with a Catholic organization that provides shelter, food, and support for migrants. We shared a meal with several young men and women who were heading North, and they told us about their struggles to find work in their own land, and their dreams of a better life for themselves and their families. We recognized more clearly than ever that those who are too-often regarded as criminals in the U.S. are loved as brothers and sisters in their own land. 

Signs of Hope?

Well, yes and no! Our visit coincided with the inauguration of the new President, Alvaro Colom, who spoke eloquently about his commitment to the poorest of the poor in his inaugural address. Yet we are aware of the persistence of violence, impunity, and injustice in Guatemala. So we returned home committed to continuing to walk with the people and support their courageous struggle to transform their society and create new hope for their children.