Hello!
I’ve put together another update from Fall in Boston, I hope you enjoy it …
Current Events in Ecuador
Things are a mixed bag in Ecuador these days. There is some stability since the new president took office, but there are still plenty of economic and social problems. Oil prices are on the rise, which bodes well for Ecuadorian petroleum exports, but even some of that is dedicated to paying off substantial Chinese debt taken on in the 2010's. (Although, of course getting that debt reduced is a big help.)
The rise in petroleum has also been painfully felt in gas prices in Ecuador over the last year and a half. Because of debt in 2019, the then-president had turned to the IMF for help, and the IMF called for austerity measures including the elimination of various subsidies on such fuels as gasoline and propane gas. Propane gas tanks are the primary means of cooking in Ecuador, and so there was a large demonstration throughout the country in October 2019 led by the Indigenous organizations. It was successful in stopping the end of the subsidies, but later in May 2020, the then-president decided on a gradual reduction of gasoline subsidies, which have been rising monthly ever since on a certain fixed scale. But in October of this year, the Indigenous organizations led another protest that influenced the new president to fix gas prices at $2.55/gal, which is probably about a 67% rise since the prices started to increase in 2019. But, that price level was higher than the planned level for the month, so it was rejected by the Indigenous organizations, and the political combat continues…
Gas prices substantially affect Ecuadorian businesses, which especially depend on transportation businesses like taxis and public transport for employees and customers. And these transportation businesses take a big hit.
Some might feel that a country like Ecuador should pay the global market rates for fuels, but their point of view is that they are a major exporter into the global market without direct benefit from that use of their natural resources, unless they get effectively "wholesale" prices for them. Why should they be paying all the mark-up costs of importation on their own natural resources?...
On another fronts, the president of Ecuador recently declared a state of emergency because of increased crime and violence in certain locations, especially related to drug trafficking. The military has been deployed to those locations to assist police. This is on top of a marked increase in coordinated violence in prisons across the country between rival gang factions. Starting at the beginning of this year, it still simmers.
But good news is that Covid has largely calmed in Ecuador.
Conversations about Mission in Ecuador
I recently had a conversation with a Capuchin brother in Ecuador, referred by a friend. Before thinking of returning to Ecuador next year or the year after, I'm beginning to reach out and expand conversations about possibilities in mission. From this conversation, there may be the possibility of spending time in the Amazon in mission. It will take further dialogue of course, but I'll be considering that over the next year while I'm here in Boston. It has the benefits of being in community and collaboration, but it's also a separating distance from the areas and connections and people that I already know and have developed relationships with. I'll see how things develop over the next year or so.
Happenings in Chontal - María and Ximena
I've been in regular contact with both María Herrera and Ximena Mina, who we've supported in fundraisers in the last year and a half.
María yesterday was receiving 2 pints of blood for the anemia she's been experiencing from the cancer, and today she's receiving another chemotherapy treatment. At the end of October, test results showed a 20% decrease in the tumor size from the 3 chemo treatments that started in August. So, they decided to continue with those, it seems. She seems positive, hopeful and in good spirits when I talk to her.
But I spoke recently with the president (like the "mayor") of Chontal, and they had another fundraiser time for María and her family. She said that María is not looking good: without hair and very frail, still with tubing attached to her kidneys. I didn't get a very positive sense from her, which may simply be the popular, inexperienced opinion of the pueblo. So, we'll see. Certainly our prayer at a distance can be a way of being in solidarity from a distance. God is close to her.
Ximena, as I mentioned in a previous post, has really decided to move into the housing space in the defunct tourism center. She will be using the money from the fundraisers to add a floor, doors, and windows, and complete the bathroom. She's making one last try - with little expectation - to get more favorable negotiating terms with the bank on her house. However, that requires the husband take up his share, and that's not going to happen. As she said to me, she just wants to know in her conscience that she did everything reasonably possible to save the house. The bank terms are something like $350 a month, which is quite high in a place where minimum wage is $400/month, and where she wouldn't really find work but rather have to try to make that money selling her cooking to a small pueblo that has no cash. She would be scrambling with nothing left over, and then run the risk of losing it all if she happens to default on a month. The community is offering her the space in the tourism center, and I'm not sure if there's a small rent or not, but it seems to me to be the better option.
Living in Boston
I've been living now 4 months in Roslindale again, and am happy to be here. It is a basement, but it fits me well! I'm reminded of Jesus' house, some of the remnants of which I was able to touch when I visited the Holy House in Loreto back in 2009. The simple stones from semi-underground construction, cool to the touch. Or the Portiuncula where Francis of Assisi prayed, with the same simple stone construction. It's in these places - below ground, below the norm - that God comes to live. It is a good place to be.
I have a saying that I have always come back to since my times of encounter and conversion in the early 2000's: "My home is not here". Since those days, I've lost count of how many places I've "pitched a tent". Maybe 25 or so. And I will never have a permanent home here.
It's not popular to say, even in churches, but there is no permanent "home" here for us. There is never any "settling in" or "settling down" in life. We will eventually leave everyone and everything. Looking for comfortable situations and experiences is, well, it's a dead end.
[They] acknowledged themselves to be strangers and aliens on earth, for those who speak thus show that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of the land from which they had come, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better homeland, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. (Hebrews 11:13-16)
“For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the one that is to come.”
It is certainly something to consider if you have a $100k to $1M home (along with the pleasure and security of seeing those values rise), while the median asset value among all people in the world right now is about $5,000.
The month of November is dedicated to the dead, and it points us - literally - toward a dead end. Whether we rise through it or not will depend on where, really, is our home.
Latino Immigrants in Boston
I had the chance to meet up with some of the people from the Hispanic community (mostly quasi seniors) that frequented St Anthony Shrine, the Franciscan shrine in Boston. Mostly scattered in different places, I contacted one of the folks, and a small group got together after a Mass in Boston. Then we decided to meet each month at someone's house for food, language practice, dancing and socializing, and prayer. We had our first meeting last weekend, and it was fun! I think the Masses at the Shrine will start up again soon, so they'll now have more support during this (still) time of the pandemic.
Language with Ecuadorians
Back at the end of September, I took the commuter rail to Lawrence, Mass to visit three Ecuadorian families. They are folks that I worked closely with back in 2016 when the novena to the Virgin of Cisne in the parish there in Lawrence was resurrected. Two are from Cuenca and the surrounding area, and one family is from the Indigenous village Alao, which I visited back in January 2017. It was a full and fulfilling day visiting them for the first time in quite a while. I happened on the Alao family having a despedida for a few of the family members who were returning to Ecuador after having visited for a few weeks. It was actually a woman and her husband who I met while we were preparing goods in Riobamba to bring to Alao back in my 2017 visit. So, it was a nice surprise.
I offered to work with the workshops that I do, but there seemed, at least for now, interest by one of the families in English. So, we've started to do an English class once a week in the evening. We're up to 7 "students". I'm aiming to implement some of the tools that the teachers use in my work. In addition to making things easier and a better experience, it will help prepare me for teaching at work as well.
Parish Accompaniment
I've been stopping by East Boston to Most Holy Redeemer parish off and on, to catch up with Pd Americo Santos, who I knew from my seminary days, and participate somewhat in the parish life. It is one of the largest and most active Latino communities in the Archdiocese, with a large El Salvadorean population. I sometimes participate in some in the Latino youth / young adult ministry, and helped out with logistics at a nighttime vigil event a few weeks ago. That evening actually gave me an idea for a theme to do for an upcoming meeting.
Back in August, I had assisted a Nicaraguan Franciscan sister with a few mission appeal weekends for her community's plans for a senior care facility for destitute seniors in their ministry location in Nicaragua. The funds form the mission appeal have come in, but because of the difficult political situation in Nicaragua, it's being held. These are part of the complications of international activities. It was a meaningful experience in the appeals.
It reminded me of a conversation I had after one of the appeals in a Mass. Someone recognized me and came up to me afterwards - after a brief moment, I recognized her too. It was an old friend from the large young adult group I was a part of back in the early 2000's. A blast-from-the-past encounter, we talked about how the time in the group was a preparation for so many people who were a part of it. It was actually a wonderful opportunity to remember and reminisce on a special time in life.
Work at East Boston Harborside Community School
I started part-time work at the East Boston Harborside Community School. The work is based in the evenings but extending into other hours. Harborside is a community service-focused school for people wanting to learn English and prepare for high-school equivalency tests. The vast majority of students are Latino immigrants with less resources, especially El Salvadoreans.
I first started as a substitute ESOL teacher, and am now the distance learning coach and ESOL advisor. Basically, advising and coaching students, and administering technology and facilitating students' education and career planning. There's a big learning curve as it's a totally new "industry" or field, with its own jargon and cultures and practice! I'm also doing some small professional development courses to help with that. And I really enjoy being with the adult students and connecting with them.
The courses are all free for students, and the center also provides community connections and a certain level of food and financial supports. So, I'm glad to be a part of it for now, glad to be working and growing into things. It will give me a deeper understanding of immigrant experience here, be something that I can continue to do for income in the future, and be useful when returning to Ecuador in the future. I'm really glad to be doing it.
Online Workshops and Teaching Videos
The online workshops and teaching videos are still available - Come on by and check them out:
I am still continuing to develop these workshops and teaching videos. As the foundation is accompaniment in life, there are a few that you might find beneficial in this pandemic, and if you are experiencing a life transition. I'm continuing to offer the Pandemic ReBirth Workshop, as well as the Tree of Life. Feel free to contact me directly if you're interested. And you can share the link freely as well.
Health
I'm doing well health-wise, nothing more than the typically bodily responses at 50! I don't seem to have any after-effects from Covid earlier this year, and am fully vaccinated on top of that.
Financials
Here are the current financials for Barriers to Bridges:
Reflection
I took this picture at the grave of my family on All Souls' Day, which is also the Day of the Dead in Latin America. I captured my own silhouette on the grave on purpose, as it captures a reality: my family lives on through me. And even more so after they die. Death gives birth to resurrection life.
In fact, in the creation stories of Genesis, there is actually an original celibacy in the garden of Eden. Adam and Eve didn't have relations and have children there. Because they had access to the tree of life, they could continually eat the fruit and live forever. But when they were removed from the garden, they lost access to that unending life. And then, reproduction began.
It's a mystery, and the creation inspired myth has various points to make about life and death and God. And one of those is that, outside of Eden, it is through having children that unending life is attained. Parents live on through children. Ancestors live on through descendants. This is the theme of the promise made to Abraham, having so numerous descendants is to have such an abundant eternal life.
In a mysterious way, we make present our parents, even our ancestors. And when born to God, we make God present like that, too. Jesus has died and risen, and we are his presence, who reveal our parents in our being:
““Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?””
May the dormancies and deaths of winter that you might experience be an opportunity to go beyond the surface and find God. Remember, God comes to live in the places underground.
Feel free to comment or reach out anytime, and I'll post again when it's time.
-Jerome