Hello everyone! So much has been going on in the world, but I wanted to give you all an update on what has been going on in Oaxaca for the past months.
At the end of February, our MKs went to Spiritual Emphasis MK Camp in Puebla. A team from Wisconsin made the trip down to be counselors, run games, lead worship, and teach our kiddos. It was genuinely amazing. Third Culture Kids from all over Southern Mexico came together (first Elementary and then High School) to bond and grown in a place that is so special to them. Tradition is super important to MKs, so having a team of staff in place that learned the silly songs and asked questions about how to best help them specifically, was amazing. They worked really hard to make camp special and memorable. The kiddos got to worship in multiple languages, spend quality time with kids who are like them and with whom they can relate, and be poured into by a quality team of staff who love them very much. I feel beyond blessed to have witnessed this year’s camp. It was my 16thtime there (I participated in camp my whole childhood as a camper), and I can definitely say that this year was one of the most impactful and incredible years.
Scroll through some Camp pictures here:
Having an intense time of bonding right before quarantine was perfect timing. Our kiddos are now thrown into a sea of unknown. Will the seniors get to graduate? Will they get to see each other before moving to new countries and away from their friends and the culture they know? As a teacher, the move to quarantine means that a large portion of curriculum will not get covered. I took a leap of faith and started my students on their Shakespeare plays, despite the fact that we won’t be able to read them out loud together and explain the meaning of some of the real complicated language. My students jumped in wholeheartedly! They are sending me hilarious feedback on the drama they are understanding (and they are feeling encouraged because they are way more capable of understanding Shakespeare than they thought they were!) It’s such a bummer that we don’t see each other daily, and it’s a really good reminder to us about how much we enjoy our students, truly. OCS has the loveliest, kindest students. I say this completely objectively and factually. They’ve been thrown a lot of curveballs, but they are working hard and doing an amazing job. I’m sure teachers around the world are saying the same thing, as they work hard to educate kiddos from afar, and miss their students greatly.
As for Girasol, quarantine has really limited what we can do with the women downtown. See, women in situations of prostitution are suffering greatly right now; even more than usual. If they are viewed as objects by those who sell them, they are now liabilities who need food and who are bringing in less money than before. If they have kiddos whom they support, their families are facing extreme hunger in the coming days. Two weeks ago, the Girasol Team made care packages full of food and essentials- and we handed out over 50 of them, just on the one block! Many girls were emotional, as they received help from us. Many live in fear; fear for their own lives, fear for their kids, fear that they are disposable. For them, seeing our team support them without asking for anything in return, is huge. One girl who has been a regular attendee to our Girasol activities even helped us hand out the care packages. She was able to talk to some new girls and vouch for us- something that was incredibly touching and a huge step forward for us. We activated a cellphone and handed out the number to the girls as well. Since then, we have received text messages and updates from some of the girls. Sometimes, they just text to say hi! It’s a silver lining in a time of difficulty.
Scroll through Girasol pictures here:
We hope to put together more care packages for the girls soon. If you’d like to buy some, each package is 12 dollars, and you can donate here:
Or contact me if you have any questions!
Please keep Oaxaca in your prayers. Due to the economic situation of the people here, many are unable to follow the stay-home rules. Those of us who can work from home or buy food in advance and in bulk are so lucky. The people who live hand to mouth and must work daily are facing intense sickness or extreme hunger or maybe both. Oaxaca is going to be hit hard, from what we hear. We have been working on prevention, so hopefully that is helpful.
Gracias, and God Bless,
-Ruth