* Disclaimer, I don't know how to spell most Spanish words I am learning, so I spell them like they sound, feel free to correct my spelling in a comment, because it would be nice to know real spellings!
Good morning all!
I am feeling a bit under the weather today so I'm kind of resting and trying to do a few things on line, and finally getting around to doing some much needed laundry! I am also preparing for the arrival of the other long term volunteer, Alex, tomorrow (I think tomorrow at least)!
Within the next week or two look for an upcoming Fund Raiser I will be doing to support Esperanza! 15-20% of the proceeds from sales will go to Esperanza the organization, I am planning on writing to home office and my fingers are crossed that they may consider matching the amount made! As they are a Christian based company I'm hoping they will find it in their hearts to help out!! If you are attending a Thirty One party soon, I don't want to take away from other consultants sales, but please consider placing at least part of you order with us!
If you are considering becoming a consultant, and mention Esperanza, I will donate $50 to the organization as well, once you reach your initial sales goal (which really isn't much, two or three parties, or one good open house will get you there)! Let me know if you are interested in becoming a consultant (kind of a shameless plug sorry! But I will donate $50 to Esperanza!) I will help you get started!
I will be starting the fundraiser within the next week so look for that!
We haven't done too much building yet, or well any. We fixed the roof on one of the buildings here, got to challenge my fear of heights a bit climbing up the scaffolding (andomio in Spanish)!
Tomorrow we will finally get to do some building, there is a group from a local college coming, which I am very excited about. They are from well to do families around Tijuana, who don't necessarily get to see the poverty that exists in their country first hand. It is very important that local students, especially ones in situations that can help, and who may very well be future city and federal officials one day, to see what is going on in their own city and country! My goal for being here is to help rebuild, it is my feeling that poverty and corruption can be healed by kindness, far faster and more efficiently that with violence. Violence only begets more violence. When the people no longer feel indebted to and weaker than those who control their country, when they have a good home and are prospering, they have a reason to finally their foot down and say enough is enough. It is very important for children and young adults to see what is going on, so they can make a change, when they are the adults running the country.
Many of the students who I have met were at a loss for why I would come here, for FREE, to help. I explained that I feel at home here, this place has gotten into my heart. The people welcome me into their homes with open arms and bright smiles, like I am family. I see people who take so much pride in their country and their homes. It's inspiring, I strive to value my family, my home, and my life as much as the people I meet do. I aspire to take as much joy in a simple life as they do. There is no need for extravagance to be happy, babies often take more joy in wrapping paper that the expensive toys wrapped in them, a used car gets you from point A to point be B and doesn't cost an arm and a leg. I think living simply may be the key to real happiness.
Many people at home criticize me for "helping people who are jumping the border and causing financial problems for our country" my answer is that forcing them away from our country (or worse making our country poor and an unappealing escape for those who feel they have no other options), my answer is that the people we are building homes for, the people we help are building communities and forming roots here. They are building a life for their children in Tijuana, raising a generation who sees the good in their country, who understands the meaning of community, and who want to stay here and build a good life here. These aren't families that are bolting to America. The answer isn't forcing them out of our country with cruelty, but helping to improve their country. If all of the money INS spends deporting people was placed into classes and reconstruction of Mexico and South America, focusing on border towns, people would want to stay here. I know no change can happen over night, that is why it is important for children to understand what is going on, so they can help fix the problem in the future.
Another point to make clear is many, if not most, of the people who cross the border into the U.S., are not Mexicans, we lump all South Americans together and call them Mexicans, and that is a bit unfair. I find it also unfair that people who have come across the border legally, a process which can take years even if you are the spouse of a citizen, are often discriminated against as well. Though they are the ideal, what we are a country want to happen is for legal immigrants to come and go through the process, however, many people still treat them as second class citizens.
I can see peoples frustrations, down the road from me a local fruit farm used to hire high school students to pick fruit, a great first job teaching hard work, and you could get a good tan. They now soley employ migrant workers, because they can pay them less than minimum wage for their services. But they are not the only problem, many Americans (in my generation) feel entitled to jump in at the top, and do not want to do "grunt work" when they start out in life, not all Americans by far, just many I have encountered.
Migrant workers did not take most of our jobs though, they were outsourced to countries like China, Indonesia, yes, Mexico, and other countries with cheaper labor. Fixing our country does not mean removing all of the immigrants, our country was built by immigrants. I see political agendas being carried out using Mexicans and other South American immigrants as their scape goats. The idea of legalizing all illegal immigrants is used as a pull for more votes. Blaming immigrants for our countries problems, takes the blame away from large corporations and corruption in our government. It's sad that we can not consider people as people, but just a demographic. It's sad that instead of making it easier for people to go through the appropriate process of getting a visa or a green card, so they can see that the grass isn't always greener on the other side, or to come and become a citizen through the process that has existed for that reason, we take immigrants from other countries daily, why is Mexico so different? By making it illegal and taboo we are almost encouraging the problem.
Just some thoughts, feel free to disagree, agree, rant, rave, I will take any comments, and would love to get some discussions going! I know this is a heated topic but it's more than just an immigration issue in our country.
If you read to the end kudos, this was a long post!
Peace & Love
Rena
If you aren't sure about this post, good video, also just a good video anyway:
Together we can Change the World
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