Armonia
March 24, 2008
By: Kelly Westropp
This summer I traveled with a group of students to work with a wonderful Mexican organization called Armonia. Armonia has been working with the urban and rural poor towards community transformation for the past twenty years. We worked for the first two weeks in a community called Santa Cruz. During the last week, I had the opportunity to travel with three other Americans and the directors of the program, Senor and Senora Cruz, along with their family, eight hours south to the town of Yalalag. Yalalag is a beautiful village on the side of a mountain. I have never been to a place more beautiful or remote.
Armonia's ministry in Yalalag mainly consists of a student residence center that houses indigent students who come from villages as far as nine hours away. They reside in the student center during the school term, where they receive food, a safe shelter, and mentoring from Armonia staff and community volunteers. During our time in Yalalag, we had the opportunity to meet and talk with the students. In broken Spanish and English we managed to communicate, and I began to hear their stories.
One night, Senor Saul gathered all of the students who were about to graduate from middle school or high school, as well as our team and another team of Americans who were visiting as well. We sat in a circle, and he proceeded to go around and ask each student if they would be returning for the next term, or if they would consider going on to university after their graduation. Many of the younger students said they would return for high school, but when he got to the students graduating from high school, other stories began to emerge.
As he went around the circle, each of the seniors responded that they would not be able to continue to college. Nicasio, who has been with Armonia since he was 10, responded that his plan was to come to the states to find work. Fernando's plan was to return to his village to help his family. One by one, each of the seniors declined Senor Saul's offer of a scholarship to help them get to university. Finally, he came to Lupe. Lupe also responded that he would be returning home to help his family. Senor Saul asked why, and Lupe responded that his mother had died the year before and that his father was very ill. With tears in his eyes, he told us of how he was worried for his youngest sister and how she would survive if he went to university. Senor Saul began to ask him if he would like to attend university and if he would be willing to if there was help available for his family. He nodded slowly, a turning point for the whole evening. Senor Saul turned again to each of the other young men, asking again if they would attend university if he was able to overcome their obstacles. Slowly, each said yes.
These scholarships mean many things for these young men, as well as for their villages. They provide an opportunity to go to university and study, but, beyond that, they provide an avenue of hope for their village. Many of these villagers live in extreme poverty, and are so far from anything else that help or transformation is nearly impossible. Each scholarship recipient agrees to go back to their village for at least two years to put into practice what they've learned at university for the benefit of their community. For many, this is a willing joy, as they learn agricultural, business, or education practices that will improve the lives of their families and communities.
Lupe's story broke my heart, and it is a moment that still brings tears to my eyes. I cannot even imagine being eighteen and feeling the weight and responsibility of the life of my younger sibling. These scholarships will provide hope and transformation to his life, family, and village, as well as many others like him.
This summer I traveled with a group of students to work with a wonderful Mexican organization called Armonia. Armonia has been working with the urban and rural poor towards community transformation for the past twenty years. We worked for the first two weeks in a community called Santa Cruz. During the last week, I had the opportunity to travel with three other Americans and the directors of the program, Senor and Senora Cruz, along with their family, eight hours south to the town of Yalalag. Yalalag is a beautiful village on the side of a mountain. I have never been to a place more beautiful or remote.
Armonia's ministry in Yalalag mainly consists of a student residence center that houses indigent students who come from villages as far as nine hours away. They reside in the student center during the school term, where they receive food, a safe shelter, and mentoring from Armonia staff and community volunteers. During our time in Yalalag, we had the opportunity to meet and talk with the students. In broken Spanish and English we managed to communicate, and I began to hear their stories.
One night, Senor Saul gathered all of the students who were about to graduate from middle school or high school, as well as our team and another team of Americans who were visiting as well. We sat in a circle, and he proceeded to go around and ask each student if they would be returning for the next term, or if they would consider going on to university after their graduation. Many of the younger students said they would return for high school, but when he got to the students graduating from high school, other stories began to emerge.
As he went around the circle, each of the seniors responded that they would not be able to continue to college. Nicasio, who has been with Armonia since he was 10, responded that his plan was to come to the states to find work. Fernando's plan was to return to his village to help his family. One by one, each of the seniors declined Senor Saul's offer of a scholarship to help them get to university. Finally, he came to Lupe. Lupe also responded that he would be returning home to help his family. Senor Saul asked why, and Lupe responded that his mother had died the year before and that his father was very ill. With tears in his eyes, he told us of how he was worried for his youngest sister and how she would survive if he went to university. Senor Saul began to ask him if he would like to attend university and if he would be willing to if there was help available for his family. He nodded slowly, a turning point for the whole evening. Senor Saul turned again to each of the other young men, asking again if they would attend university if he was able to overcome their obstacles. Slowly, each said yes.
These scholarships mean many things for these young men, as well as for their villages. They provide an opportunity to go to university and study, but, beyond that, they provide an avenue of hope for their village. Many of these villagers live in extreme poverty, and are so far from anything else that help or transformation is nearly impossible. Each scholarship recipient agrees to go back to their village for at least two years to put into practice what they've learned at university for the benefit of their community. For many, this is a willing joy, as they learn agricultural, business, or education practices that will improve the lives of their families and communities.
Lupe's story broke my heart, and it is a moment that still brings tears to my eyes. I cannot even imagine being eighteen and feeling the weight and responsibility of the life of my younger sibling. These scholarships will provide hope and transformation to his life, family, and village, as well as many others like him.
