Eugenia and Domingo are a family who live at the margins of an ecological reserve. Actually, they really invaded the area searching for a place to live after two consecutive burnings of their houses. Eugenia lived at the dumps of Santa Lucia, south of Mexico city. But when the zone acquired a commercial value with new malls, universities, international businesses offices, etc., they were expelled from the area. Even thou they resisted for a while one night without any warning their shanty houses were in fired. They could barely escape only with what they wear.
Again they try to settle in a similar area. Their houses were also burned. At last they entered this zone along with other families to search for a place to raise their three children. They have to buy the land to the owner which was illegal because this land could not be sold. But after three years of struggling before the government to have legal access to this land, Eugenia finally received the permission to stay.
Here is where we work, at "Las Peñitas" (Little rocks). There are around 27 families in similar conditions. Some of their houses are still in cardboard with zinc roofs. Others are starting to build in cement. There are no roads, streets or sidewalks. Eugenia organizes the women and men around the only water faucet for the whole community to coordinate the water they can gather each time it comes for two or three days a week. She also organizes the voluntary work "faena" they do in order to receive the city services. Right now we are working in the sewage system along with the community, digging and placing the tubes, carrying material, etc. Wau! Even though it is a hard work we see our muscles growing (and complaining) with each "faena"! However, with each "faena" we also get to know the people and their dreams to create a better future for their children.
One of their needs is for educational support of the children. In these conditions children are affected in their learning development and school work. It is very difficult to concentrate when you do not have a place to study, when there are many noises around you, when your parents fights all the time, when you do not have the resources to enrich your studies, or when you do not have a person to help you out when you get stuck. So we planned to give tutoring to the children and create a place where they could feel trust, comfortable and study.
These and many others are common problems of the urban marginal area. Cities all over the world continue to grow but we neglected the basic and more important part of any development – the people. To the question of "who is my neighbor" (Lk 10:25-37) Jesus responded with the actions of an alien far from home – the Samaritan, "the one who showed mercy." So Jesus changed the definition of neighbor from one who receives to one who gives kindness. We have come back to the basics – we are learning how to become neighbors in the kingdom of God.