From JEM’s beginning we have understood that the biblical Jubilee has always been a movement of resistance against injustices, and that creating alternatives resists by showing a better way. Jubilee has never been the ruling system, but it has effectively created “contrast societies”—small enclaves of people who have resisted the MultiEarth ways of domination by creating alternatives of OneEarth ways.
Our ministries in Mexico are especially strong in this search for, and practice of, OneEarth ways. Your interest, prayer, and donations—in a word your partnership—give the power needed for people on the ground to get things done.
To us, our spiritual devotion to these ministries is like the engine of a vehicle. But your donations put gas in the tank. Dedicated as we are, we know that our achievements have been powered by you. You are answers to our prayers for living Jubilee in today’s crises.
People in Mexico are eager to show you the impact of this partnership. They want to meet you and want you to see for yourself how your donations help create new structures. Result? Many lives are being changed. Our first ever virtual trip happens Saturday, June 18, from 9 am to noon. There’s still room for you. Just send an email to lee@jubilee-economics.org and that will register you. No charge. Spanish not required. Grace Gyori, JEM partner, will be translating.
The “trip” will take you to the San Mateo Jubilee Circle in the Mexican state of Puebla. We are limiting this trip to focus only on the Dan Swanson Centro Cultural run by the Circle. Though many activities happen there, we will focus on the ministries that make use of the new professional kitchen installed last year. Two of those ministries are serving a Saturday healthy breakfast for children along with a cultural and Jubilee experience, PLUS you’ll get a peek into the training of bakers on fixing healthy baked goods. Join us.
One of the people in this Circle is Eleanor Juarez. Recently, she shared her reason for being in this Circle.
Good afternoon, my main inspiration to be part of this Circle of San Mateo is the love of neighbor, the weakest, the sufferer, the one who has the least, but mainly the love of God. That love is helping me out of a tremendous depression, so my thoughts are now focused on helping others and stop seeing my own condition, I am very fortunate to be part of this Circle, greetings and fraternal hugs.
We won’t get to see a new project just begun by the San Mateo Circle. It gives people food sovereignty through chickens. Circle participant David Delgado describes “seeding” families with “chicken packages.” David is Project Director for the Dan Swanson Cultural Center operated by the Circle. David writes:
In three months we have managed to complete the first phase of the food sovereignty project through backyard chicken coops. Eighty (80) “packages” of laying hens have been delivered to families with low resources or with nutritional needs. Each family representative was trained in the care of the hens, vaccination, feeding, how to keep the chicken coop clean and the collection of eggs. As a work team, we have identified the homes of each family, to be able to visit them and supervise that the chickens are cared for. Forming groups of 3 families and using WhatsApp we will be in contact with the families.
In addition to providing community nutritional education to improve health, this project adds quality of life for these families. The community of San Mateo Tlaixpan is considered a low-income area. This, coupled with the pandemic that terribly affected low-income families, and in some cases with the death of parents, means that this project meets a huge need.
The project guarantees that families have eggs for their daily consumption, produced with hens fed healthily. We are convinced that communities can empower themselves and learn strategies to produce their own food in a sustainable way. The hope is to generate extra income for families. To that end, the final phase is the creation of an egg cooperative, where the eggs that are not consumed by these families can be sold.
Another virtual trip is being planned for later this summer. It will show you some of what’s happening through the Jubilee Circle in San Cristobal, Chiapas. This southern-most state of Mexico has an impressive array of Jubilee ministries. Its impacts in the past year are summarized for us by Circle participant Lindsey Mercer-Robledo. Many people are working together to achieve the following:
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- Trained church leaders (80),
- Did vocational training for women & young adults (100),
- Trained women in human rights (40),
- Trained adults & children in economic & environmental sustainability (400),
- Partnered for small business development via workshops, community markets, and co-ops for grown produce & products (2000 person-meetings [some repeat people in subsequent weeks]), and
- Formed 3 different savings box projects benefiting in total 45 families.
Which of these ministries will we be visiting on our virtual trip there? That’s being determined. Our newsletters in the next couple of months will give details and times for this trip.
As we head into summer, we know it’s typically a slow time for donations. So a donation from you at this time would be especially helpful. Please use the self-addressed envelope or go to oneearthjubilee.com and press the green Donate button at the bottom of the drop-down menu. We’re also happy to receive donations of stock. Thank you from the hundreds of people involved in Jubilee ministries.
In partnership with you, we sign for everyone in the Jubilee Circles,
John Michno Lee Van Ham
Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash
