Oregon families received gifts of invitation, belonging and generosity from the community of Plan de Guadalupe, Oaxaca, Mexico
After several hours of driving through windy dirt roads, gaining meters of elevation in very little distance, and admiring the strikingly green mountains surrounding, we arrived in the town of Plan de Guadalupe. One thing was immediately and abundantly clear; we were welcome. We stepped out of the van beneath a giant banner reading “Bienvenidos” (Welcome) and into the open arms of both the children and adults of the community. Their plentiful gifts of welcome continued and took on different forms: sharing ancestral wisdom of the natural world, preparing home cooked meals, inviting us to dance, and in the end welcoming us into their community as friends and even family.
Connections with the children in the community were formed quickly and grew stronger throughout our week together. In the early mornings, just as the sun began to peek out from behind the green hills, we were greeted with excited knocks, “Buenos dias!”, and contagious smiles that encouraged us to climb out of our cozy sleeping bags. The children’s kindness was inspiring, and we learned from them: new words in Spanish for animals while drawing, their favorite superheroes while racing each other around the court, and traditional dances as they performed for us in formal wear. The children welcomed us in.
They were not the only ones to offer us such hospitality. Adults generously shared ancestral knowledge about the natural world. Victoria, one of our cocineras and a bright eyed grandmother, guided us on lengthy walks throughout the surrounding forest sharing her wisdom, taking time to identify the different mushrooms that grow—the edible to harvest and the poisonous to avoid. We explored the greenery: flowers for teas to soothe the stomach, the plentiful herbs collected to garnish delicious soups, and, most excitingly, the complicated process of growing, harvesting and processing the corn. The community painted a beautiful picture of the way they utilize and rely on the natural world contrasting the aspects of disconnection and exploitation that have been practiced in the States. As they shared generational knowledge with us, foreign strangers, we received their gift of welcome.
The sharing of culture continued into the vibrant traditions of song and dance. Music echoed from the large speakers energizing our group of nearly 100 community members and volunteers as we shoveled sand and stones, passed hefty buckets to the mixer, and spread cement. During work breaks, they shared drinks, fresh fruit and dancing. Dance was most present during the inauguration event as live music from the local band resounded, bringing a lively energy to the multigenerational celebration of the freshly completed sports court. After thoughtful speeches and a collaborative talent show of sorts, excited locals offered us their hands (repeatedly!!) as an invitation to the dance floor, no matter how off-beat or clumsy we were. From the very youngest to the very eldest, community members shared with us the way they celebrate, and the music accompanied our movements reflecting the beauty in coming together. Throughout our week, the force of welcome never wavered, and its impact remains with us as we journey home. Already we sense that we have changed as individuals and as a group.
Our group consists of four families, parents and adolescents who have known each other since before the young people were born, along with newer friends: Simon, Steve, John, Paula, Alejandra, and our leader, Juan Carlos. Even though most of the young people have long known each other, before arriving they often felt as if they grew up adjacent to each other rather than integrated into each other’s lives and connected to each others’ hearts. This trip marked a shift: “Now I feel like I know you. We are friends,” Moses stated, reflecting a sentiment many of us felt. While a shared adventure and common purpose undoubtedly contribute to deepening bonds, as does protecting a space from the distraction of cell phones, we can’t help but think that receiving radical and heartfealt welcome enabled us to offer it to each other. (After all, our group has done shared adventure, and we’ve done the no-phone-service-thing.) We learned that welcome is not a finite resource that diminishes when shared. It is less like a dollar bill and more like a seed. The community of Plan de Guadalupe extravagantly threw their seeds of welcome on us, and, in response, we tossed them back to them as well as to each other, experiencing the nourishing fruits of deeper knowing and belonging.
As we return home, with seeds of hospitality filling our pockets and the lingering sweetness in our mouths, we find ourselves wondering: “What if we endeavored to honor the people of Plan de Guadalupe and their gift of extravagant welcome by embodying such welcome in our lives?” As Sofia reflected on in our circle, “I experienced welcoming from the community and I want to try and offer that to others.” Might we remember the way the children unabashedly opened their arms to us, the strangers, who talked funny (hello, Spanglish!), dressed funny (with our baggy pants and clown-sized shoes), and acted funny (dashing out of the latrines, breathless) and approach our cafeteria lunchroom with an eye out for the student who could use a friend? Might we remember how our loving cocineras enthusiastically shared ancestral wisdom of planting seeds, harvesting crops, and cooking delicious food and look for opportunities to share our gifts of expertise, resource, and power? Might we remember the joyous dance floor where we were welcomed to show up with our unique moves and offer such spaciousness and belonging to all the wonky humans, inviting them to an ever-expanding dance floor that just gets more fun with each wild and imperfect dancer? Might we recall the words of many of our friends from Plan de Guadalupe at our departure, “If and when you come back, you have a home here,” when we go to the ballot box and consider how we can treat the “strangers” among us how we have been treated?
We may never adequately thank the community of Plan de Guadalupe for the deep gifts of invitation, belonging, and generosity, but perhaps our deepened practices of welcome can honor their gifts and contribute to a world that is more kind, a world more like Plan de Guadalupe in its welcome, and a world that is more just and free. May it be so.
~ Graciela Sastre and Klarissa Oh, Volunteers
Volunteer quotes:
“The most difficult part about going home is reconciling what I saw and learned here into my everyday life. Life is both more simple and complex here. My challenges almost seem self-induced where as their challenges appeared very basic: provide food, shelter and safety for their families.” ~ Abby Hata
“I think Courts for Kids is a great way to immerse oneself into another culture and way of life to expand one’s perspective and understanding of the world, and support communities. My favorite moments have been moments of connection with community members, while playing games with children, exploring the forest foraging for mushrooms, riding in the truck back from town, working together on the court and/or just chatting over they delicious meals prepared.” ~ Graciela Sastre
“A thing I will take away from this trip is how much time and effort they put into cooking, it makes me want to go back home and make so many of these amazing meals.” ~ Nora Dill
“Something I learned from the community is to be more kind, gracious and welcoming to new people because they really showed so much kindness and hospitality to all of us from the very beginning.” ~ Sofia Sastre
“This trip has made me want to live closer to the earth. It makes me more curious about gardening, our food system and natural remedies.” ~ Kia Sastre
“Courts for kids is an amazing way to connect to a community and culture in a cooperative way, while leaving a lasting structure and memories.” ~ Michael Leake
“These trips break the cycle of systemic selfishness. We are consumers of humanity resources, tolerance, assistance, empathy, compassion, etc. Participating on a trip replenishes these resources.” ~ John Taffin
Community quotes:
“We are very happy for the support, it was also very nice to spend time with all of you. We are very happy for the support of Courts for Kids, when you want to come back you are welcome. Thank you very much.” ~ Reyes Ávila
“Thank you very much to the foundation and to all the young people who supported the construction of the court. Courts for Kids, we are very happy and grateful to everyone who was very kind to us both in the work and in the enjoyment of the food, for us it was a great experience and now all the children are enjoying the court. Whenever you like to visit this humble place we welcome you with open arms.” ~ Samuel Reyes
“The work was excellent, your colleagues were kind people with all of us with the children, thank you for your support. Whenever you like, you are welcome to come.” ~ Claudia Ramirez
“A big hug and with all the affection of the people of Plan de Guadalupe, Santa Cruz Nundaco Tlaxiaco, Oaxaca, Mexico. We would like to thank you and to recognize the work and effort of each one of those who participated in the work of the court. Thank you very much.” ~ Leoncito Perez
