San Caralampio (Mary Jeanne Harwood)

Students from 2009 in San Caralampio

San Caralampio is a small farming town in Mexican state of Chiapas, which shares a border with Guatemala. There, we were welcomed so warmly to the houses of three farming families. I was overwhelmed with their graciousness and hospitality, cooking us wonderful meals (and yummy elotes), giving us the tour of their farm lands, taking us swimming, and sharing all their thoughts and frustrations and joys. I was struck by the parents' love of their tradition, and as Sam called it, a quite confidence in their family and land. They all seem so aware of how economic politics has played out, and the implications for their land, people, and migration, which was both devastating and inspiring. They have been heavily impacted by NAFTA, and other economic regulation from the US and Mexico. The now have to sell their products mostly in Guatemala, still operate on government owned land, and are steadily in the Monsanto seed cycle. All these have robbed them of their independence and control of their own products and land. Even though we always struggle with the feeling of immediate helplessness and guilt, here in San Caralampio, I felt that listening to their stories, giving them to space to share their thoughts, was so important. This passage Berit shared with us, from Rilke's plea in "Letters to a young poet" resonated with me, "have patience with everything unresolved in your heart... don't search for the answers, which could not be given to you now, because you would not love them, and the point is to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer."

Before we left, we extended warm thanks and hugs from both sides. We all left feeling a part of this community. From all our travels, I felt the strongest sense of solidarity with this community, a sense of responsibility, and a desire to return again. As Riley pointed out in one of our group discussions, over and over we heard one of the fathers say "caminando juntos", we walk together.