Monday, March 1, 2010
As always, today was a learning experience and another opportunity for us to grow. Just as we did last year, the Quest group met with members of the Lopez family. The Lopez lives in a small village with no running water or toilets and all work as street vendors, selling jewellery and baskets. Each year Quest meets with this family to discuss their life circumstances, conflicts and experiences and to sell us their work.
Similar to last year we met in a public place and sat with the family. There was the father, mother their oldest son and his wife and children, their younger daughter, son and his wife and small child. Unlike last year I walked away from this experience feeling more frustrated and overwhelmed than empathetic. The family began by telling their story, same story as last year the only difference was it seemed that this time they were focused more on the negativity of their circumstances and offered small amounts to hope.
The father spoke of how neither he, his wife or daughters could read and how their entire family shares a one bedroom home with dirt floors and a tin roof in their small pueblo.
The oldest son spoke of how he had spent time in Canada working on a farm to make money for his family as many Mexicans do, but had to come home because of complications with his wife’s pregnancy. He spoke of how he can now no longer return because he has spots in his lungs and cannot afford treatment, he said he was hoping to pay for it with the money we spent on bracelets and jewellery but now could not because he didn’t think we were going to buy any.
Of course their situation is unfair and there is no doubt they live in sufferable levels of poverty, but there meeting with us this year definitely gave a different experience. This year they were invasive and pushy. They were handing things off to you and pressuring you to buy them. They would up the price and change them around, take the money and not return the change. At one point one of the daughters said to me, “please buy this so I can eat.”
Many member of the group did not feel comfortable with this for many reasons, some being we had already pre-ordered over 50 bracelets from them at 30 pesos each guaranteeing them at least that as a minimal sale. On top of that people were purchasing necklaces, baskets, hair wraps and rattles. Many members of the group had chosen not to buy off other families because they wanted to wait and give that opportunity of sale to the Lopez family. Many people felt that they were taking advantage of the situation by forcing people into things they didn’t want and that they were not respecting personal limits.
Other members of the group walked away with a deeper picture. They recognized the disparity in their actions and even though they didn’t enjoy or agree with the way they were presenting themselves and exploiting themselves and their children as useless, they recognized that for some this the way of life. In economic crisis and less and less tourists visiting they are desperate and none of us can say how we may or may not act if we were put in the same situation.
After the visit we went to see a non-profit organization called VAMOS. It is an organization working with street children in literacy, artisan skills, health and nutrition and among other things. We spoke with the director of the home in Cuernavaca, received a tour of the building and were introduced to the children. Many people agree this is a great organization who promote family inclusion and use a different systematic approach then organizations as Casa Hogar and Little Brothers and Sisters. VAMOS encourages families to stay together and work together. They offer meals for the children and mothers in the morning, health care and skills workshops. They have an open door policy and understand if and when the children come and go as they please.
This day was filled with many different things and people were given the evening off to process and reflect. A group of us went for dinner at a restaurant called Maninita’s. It was nice to sit down, relax and enjoy the company of the group. We discussed the day’s events and shared our opinions. For some people it was difficult to go out for dinner and spend money on an expensive meal when just that day they were faced with the Lopez family who have next to nothing. We were reminded of balance and how acknowledging the circumstances of others, respecting them and growing from them are different than taking them on and living them yourself.
Wow, you really have a talent for absorbing everything that goes on around you. I really appreciate that you also wrote about our views on the Lopez family just being survival as well. Whew, brings tears to my eyes just thinking back on that day. Seems so far away, yet it was only a few days ago. Thanks so much!
ReplyDeleteKyle Austin