One Year Later

Although it has been a little less than a year since I left the Colonia, not a day goes by that I don't think of the people, places, and things that affected me so much last summer.

Tonight I spoke at the Annual Juntos Servimos Friends Dinner. This is what I said:

JS Dinner Notes

One of my best friends shared a quote with me from social activist Arundhati Roy that I’d like to share with you. Roy said that “another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.” As I prepared this speech, I could not think of a more appropriate quote to begin my talk about my experience living and serving in Matamoros for 8 weeks last summer. In times of solitude and silence, I could hear her breathing. A new world is not only possible, but Juntos Servimos is working daily to give her life.

I’d like to share a few stories from my experience to emphasize and illustrate this point.

Those of you who have been down to Matamoros, may have met Alexis and Jonathan. They are two young brothers who suffer from Autism. Jonathan, Alexis and their family live in our refuge in the Santa Maria Colonia near the dump. For a while, I lead volunteer groups from the states in light construction projects at the escuelita or the small school that also sits on the grounds of the refuge.
But while the volunteers worked on the school, I would take wood that had been pre-drilled and that would fit together to form small benches for the classroom, and a manual screw driver and find Alexis. Together we would construct the bench—I would hold the screw, and he would turn the screw-driver. Being part of an activity that brought Alexis joy, a sense of responsibility and ownership of a task was truly meaningful. The relationship that developed, our not-so secret handshake, and our bench project are small steps towards this new world. It is through acts of love like this, projects some see as inefficient and inconsequential, but to Alexis and others like him-life changing, that will change the world.

Similarly, I was able to witness a boy take his first steps assisted by a donated gait-trainer, an expensive device that helps support the body as the legs learn walking movements. This boy was also named Jonathan and he suffers from Spina Bifoda. His parents endured the many hour drive and risked a job at a factory to bring Jonathan to us from Reyonosa, in order to to see a volunteer from Indiana who was a physical therapist. Looking into his mother’s and father’s eyes and talking to them about their son, I had no doubt of the love and determination they had of giving their son the ability to walk and control his own body. It became clear that if jonathan was to walk, he would need this device. Thanks to Juntos Servimos, its partners, and the workings of God, fate, luck, or whatever you may want to call it, a gait trainer with Jonathan’s exact size specifications was delivered the day before a scheduled trip to visit Jonathan at his home. Due to Juntos Servimos and the love and determination of Jonathan’s parents, I’m convinced he will walk. To Jonathan and his family, the world has been forever changed by the people of juntos Servimos.

Lastly, I want to tell you about Lupita. Many of you may know Lupita and her infectious and engaging smile. She too suffers from Spina Bifida. Lupita’s life used to consist of lying face down on a bed, both the bed and her, covered with flies, while her mother played a primitive video game on an old TV. Her view was limited to whatever was directly in front of her, a pillow, a wall, perhaps a door. Now, her mother Mimi works part time at Casa Bugambilla and Lupita is regularly monitored, bathed, and given physical therapy. I was lucky enough to be one of the people working with her every day, strengthening her neck, engaging her mind, and calming her body which would tone and flex uncontrollably exhausting her of energy and causing discomfort. When I returned to Casa Bugambilla before Thanksgiving, I was amazed to see Lupita supporting her own head and able to control where she was looking. Imagine the change in her life. Her accomplishment, being able to support her head may seem small, but to her—it is the ability to engage with a whole new world.

As many who have been down to Matamoros have witnessed, and as I experienced for 8 weeks is that a committed group of people, serving together, and loving people in need can change the world. A lesson I learned while working at Casa Bugambilla, is that if you change one life, if you give one person hope, if you teach one person to love completely, you breathe life into this new world. Juntos Servimos does just that every day; responding to any need, trying to heal any type of suffering, and by loving genuinely and deeply.

A new world is possible, and on a quiet day, down the dirt road of Casa Bugambilla, I have heard her breathing. She is there, and it is the love and service of people like you and me that will bring it about. She is on her way, I hope you will listen for her. For together we serve, and together we can change the world.

Paz,

Mateo