August Joys and Challenges of OneEarth Jubilee
Jubilee’s Youth Group at the Center Grows Strong Despite Odds
Fifteen young people, ages 14-19, have become a well-knit group in San Mateo under the leadership of Mariana Velez and David Delgado. They come from homes led by mothers. Dads have abandoned them. They strengthen one another not to be subject to what society offers them in a town where youth drop out of school, get into drugs and gangs, and are blamed for stealing gas for resale. Mariana and David give them tools to avoid temptation and to offer opportunities.
Recently they came up with the idea to distribute food along with a segment of Scripture to people. They took pride in their success. Excitement now centers around selling coffee. Hope Coffee, a Christian-owned business, pays better than market prices to small, high-quality, arabica coffee producers in Honduras, Guatemala, Chiapas, and Oaxaca. Hope donated a $1,000 (MX dollars) coffee mill to the youth group to learn how to mill and market high-quality coffee. With these skills, youth will have a job and income to improve their lives. Work is underway to network so the coffee can be marketed in the U.S.
Jubilee, Music, and Art
A Trio That Inspires Joy, Dramatizes Truth, Calls Out Injustice
Cheers for Isai Robledo of the San Cristobal Circle who brings Jubilee alive in his art and music. Recently he began giving guitar lessons and the first cycle of lessons has now been completed. The classes included participants from 12-year-olds to 60. Isai reports lots of talent has emerged. Some participants came with desire but did not own a guitar. But joy followed because guitars have been donated so that everyone in this “guitar school” can learn and share their talent.
San Mateo also continues guitar and piano lessons at the Dan Swanson Cultural Center.
August Forum on Democracy and Trees
The Trees of Eden Live in OneEarth Democracy
With democracy so much in the news, I’ve wondered, “Is democracy mostly a practice of governance developed in political science? Is it, perhaps, more deeply grounded in the evolution of the natural world that we experience?” What do you think? If it exists in how nature governs, then democracy has far more basis and authority than if it’s only one of many theories on how best to govern.
Currently, attacks on democracy that come from Hungary, Russia, China, and MAGA Republicans say that democracy no longer handles the complex issues of the modern world. That a strongman is needed. But our conversations gave no credence to such ideas.
This Forum recalled that OneEarth Eden had many trees, not only the infamous Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Humans were encouraged to eat from all of them except the forbidden one. Our rich Forum conversation went into what science is telling us about the communication and caring that happens constantly among trees. Peter Wohleben, German author and forester, has given us a bestselling book. The Hidden Life of Trees (2016) elaborates on the astonishing social networks of trees. The subtitle teases us by saying “What They Feel; How They Communicate.” He and other authors show the interdependence among trees, and the relating they do within and across species—all revealing a democratic way of functioning and thriving.
A Jubilee for a Local Small Farmer and Composter
Excellent Vermicompost Donation
For over a year JEM has been developing a relationship with a small, local farm. I (Lee) had gotten to know farmer Byron at the local farmers market plus two visits to the farm. It became clear that we shared the sense that land is sacred. Tending land, soils, and healthy local food systems are an important part of living Jubilee, but efforts to connect with a local farmer had been slow. Recently, collaboration began moving ahead.
A couple of weeks ago Jubilee participants John Michno, Ben White, and Lee Van Ham met Byron Nkhoma on the land he and his wife, Joyce, farm organically and regeneratively 40 minutes from San Diego. John had gotten to know Ben and his top-notch vermicomposting operation. So a great match-up happened–vermicompost and a small farmer—as all four of us gathered on the farm to explore collaboration. (Photo shows Byron, left, and Ben examining sample of vermicompost.)
Since then, Ben has sent Byron an email expressing gratitude for the meeting and saying, “There were two areas where you had compost application needs which I think we all concurred can be well addressed using the vermicompost being made available at no cost in coordination with OneEarth Jubilee.” Wow!
Byron’s generosity will boost the soils Byron and Joyce tend. Ben’s compost surpasses the enrichment of the compost that Byron has been ordering. And it will come as a gift. This definitely calls for a Jubilee dance!
Healing Artemia
Angelica Juarez’ Testimony-Story from Her Jubilee Health Ministry
Angelica Juarez shared a special testimony-story at our August Gathering of Circles. She made a doctor visit to the home of a woman who had been to two hospitals, but both discharged her saying they had done all they could. Her family brought her home in a coma. When Angelica visited the despondent, worried family, she concluded her visit with the family by praying fervently for the woman, Artemia. At the end of her prayer, Artemia moved a little. The family was so surprised to see their loved one move. But their rebirth of hope came with a worry: what would Angelica charge them for the visit? Angelica told our Circles, “Because of the financial support I receive from JEM, I could tell the family there would be no charge.”
Five days later, Angelica wrote: “Today I went to visit Artemia (photo) and I was surprised to see the progress she has made since the last time I saw her. She spoke with some difficulty, though half of her body remains immobile. Today she talked to me for a long time and with complete lucidity. She also showed me her progress in moving her affected leg. Her hand on the same side still has very little movement but it is gradually improving. Her children take her to physical therapy three times a week at a clinic in nearby Tecamachalco and that is helping her a lot.” We can all join Angelica and the family in saying “Thanks be to God.”
Briefs from Mexico Jubilee
San Mateo Jubilee
- Center Caretaking—For years the Dan Swanson Centro Cultural has been cared for by a family who in exchange lived free of charge in the Centro. But it’s not really made to be a living space, and now the family has found a home nearby. Good! But the Centro no longer has caretakers. The need can best be met with a new family willing to live there or by paying caretakers. Neither is possible at the moment.
- Preschool “Graduation”—San Mateo’s Circle preschool for 2-4 year olds recently had its “graduation.” Parents join with 30 children in this much-appreciated program.
- Covid—Lots of Covid happening in San Mateo again.
San Cristobal Jubilee
- Producers Meeting—AlterNativas is bringing together the producers who bring their products to the markets held at the AlterNativas building (also a family home).
- Big Corn Festival—Preparations for the big Corn Festival held annually in San Cristobal will have AlterNativas emphasizing natural resources, including corn as a core natural resource throughout Mexico, especially among Indigenous peoples.
- Violence Victim Care—People displaced by violence find understanding among Jubilee Circle participants and are helped with basic needs.
The Skinny Flow of Summer Donations
Be the Breeze That Keeps the Turbines Turning
Summer means lean months for donations most years. True to form, 2024 has been skinny. Which means a big THANK YOU and GRACIAS to all of you who helped keep alive all our hopes as redistributions to Circles at the beginning of each month are being met. So far the economic justice that moves money from those of us with more to those with less has prevailed. Each month the three Mexico Circles receive a combined total of $4,385. Add in the monthly expense in the San Diego Circle and JEM’s monthly total outflow is $5,814. So, you see, that in a U.S.-Mexico ministry of our size, your donations and the breezes of the Spirit are the wind in the turbines making Jubilee purr. Help keep the turbines turning. P.S. We’ve just learned that a stock donation is on the way. Joy!
