Projects Guatemala New Life In The Clouds
Site Articles:
New Life In The Clouds Print E-mail
Saturday, 13 June 2009 14:14
Xe Abaj Update-By Ken Herfst

A birds eye view of the XeAbaj Agricultural Project
From Guatemala City to Quetzaltenango, the road winds upwards to over 2500 m, where mist is common. The clouds break at a barren plateau in an area known as “Alaska”. Vegetation is sparse and local inhabitants tend small herds of sheep along the Inter-American Highway. The highland grasses flatten with the wind blasts. It is still common to see indigenous men braving the cold in woolen kilts. On a clear day, the breathtaking view is of the volcanoes surrounding picturesque Lake Atitlán.

Hurricane Stan (October 2005) devastated the small community of Xe Abaj (a k’iché word meaning “below the rock”) with high winds and torrential rains. While few houses were damaged, crops were almost entirely wiped out. Asociación SAQ B’E met numerous times with the community leaders to determine how to work together towards immediate relief and a long-term solution.

Women's Group leader Manuela Guiachiac, with Samuel Espana, Meyda Mazariegos and Jackie Herfst

Xe Abaj was already a marginalized community; many members speak very little Spanish and education is limited. In recent years a dirt road carved into rough terrain connected the community to the outside world. When we met with the locals, they confessed that their diet consisted of corn tortillas, rice and wild herbs. They rarely ate meat. At 3000 m, the Guatemalan staple of black beans does not grow well. Similarly, potatoes often suffer rot. And not only does the corn produce poorly, but moisture and rodents eat into the meager harvest.

Although cultivating corn is not effective, Mayans have produced corn for millennia. It has a sacred, mystical character: Mayans traditionally believe that their ancestors are descendents of corn. Changing the tradition of planting corn to other more feasible, nutritious, and lucrative crops is no small challenge. After working with local leaders, holding demonstrations, workshops, and community discussion sessions, we gradually introduced vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli and cabbage. Groups of men now grow tomatoes, cucumbers, and sweet peppers in large cold frames. Our agricultural team has worked with the community to improve corn production, and metal silos have improved corn storage. We also teach improved methods for planting and storing potatoes.

Patricio Paxtor, a K’iché-speaking brother, is our field technician. He promotes organic crops, and with great patience has been able to show that organic fertilizers effectively produce quality vegetables. To demonstrate alternative food preparation methods, he has made salads and soup. In his early 60’s, he taught himself how to read using the Bible. His transformation – both in terms of his spiritual journey and his application of agricultural principles – is an impressive testimony. Community leaders have visited him and returned home convinced of the new possibilities.

For the second year in a row we have worked with chickens and hogs. The majority of families has learned to care for their chickens or pig, and is able to earn enough to reinvest in more livestock as well as enjoy an occasional meal with meat. Those involved in the project are expected to pay into the program as we gradually work together towards financial independence.

The project also includes health care. Meyda Mazariegos, a health care giver from our church in Quetzaltenango, visits the community twice a week. As nutrition improves, we see less sickness, allowing Meyda to devote more time to training local health promoters. Prevention is key. Here again, the traditional Mayan worldview is a challenge. There is some reluctance to work with pharmaceuticals, so we try to encourage natural methods whenever possible. Recently, our local church, Bethel Presbyterian Church of Quetzaltenango, provided a two-day medical outreach to more than 200 people.

A demonstration of traditional stone ground corn.
Change comes slowly, especially in a traditional community, but it is present. Increased change came when we began including more women in the projects. This year, a new cold frame will be built to be run exclusively by women. Additionally, in the fall of last year, we responded to the women’s request for a corn grinder. They treated us to a delightful inaugural event that included poetry – part of their oral tradition – and a demonstration of traditional stone-ground corn.

The second key factor for increased change is the use of the Scriptures. A number of years ago, 100 people purchased Bibles, recognizing the need for spiritual orientation. Last year we obtained 20 proclaimers – a radio-like device with the entire K’iché New Testament recorded on a micro-chip. Samuel España, our general coordinator, regularly visits with the families and gives Bible studies. Using the proclaimers as a starting point, he is able to share God’s good news with his listeners. A very small evangelical church now meets in this community. Most people, however, maintain their connection to their traditional religious past. As they are confronted with the life-transforming message of the New Testament, people ask questions – questions which we believe will bring them face to face with the promises and demands of Jesus Christ.

Although change is slow, we do not want to see the people of Xe Abaj to fall back into their old life patterns when our role in the area is finished. We are working hard to give Xe Abaj an alternative, one that encourages lasting, life-impacting change. In the community now, it is encouraging to see a patchwork of vegetables competing with corn. Change is in the air; there is new life for this community in the clouds.

Ken Herfst teaches at the Seminario Evangélico Presbiteriano of Guatemala. He is also the president of Asociación SAQ B’E. In partnership with Word and Deed, this association seeks to bring about lasting solutions to the problems facing the poor in Western Guatemala.
 
Website by Pronk Graphics