I is for integration

Next in the “Bolivia libraries program ABCs”:

I is for integration.



But before I explain what that word has to do with the photo, a little bit of history:

Last year our office went through a fairly extensive restructuring process. Before I lose my readers, let me assure you that I won’t be giving a play-by-play or too many technical details. Suffice it to say that we decided that the various programs that make up MCC Bolivia had been working too independently, up until now—that we would work better in collaboration. So our libraries program and MCC’s intercultural exchange programs for young volunteers were grouped together and given a new name: the “Peace and Justice Program.” The idea is, both the libraries and these intercultural exchanges really have the same goal: to promote peace and justice in the communities where they work. The exchange programs, by giving young people the chance to serve within or outside their own country, promote greater understanding among people from different cultures. The libraries program promotes peace and justice by supporting libraries that give people greater access to the resources they need to live more abundantly, and (more indirectly) via our workshops, which bring together a wide variety of people who are united by a common cause. (See my February 29 entry for an example.) With these programs working together, the reasoning went, we should be able to do this work more effectively.

So since the end of last year, we’ve been “integrated,” at least on paper. Since then we’ve been exploring what that can mean in practice.

That brings me to last Saturday. There was an immediate need: one of the Bolivian volunteers’ mom, a diabetic, had recently undergone an eye surgery, and the family was having a hard time covering the medical expenses. We discussed the situation at one of our Peace and Justice team meetings, and decided we wanted to do something to help. So we planned a fundraiser to be held on the MCC grounds, and began to invite everyone we knew.

Each member of our team got involved. Juan Carlos and Zulma coordinated the menu of typical foods and recruited ladies from the MCC staff and the local churches to help prepare it. Sandra helped cook and serve. Laura made several handbags from recycled materials (more on this in a future entry) and gave them to us to sell. I manned the crafts booth, selling the purses, baskets, wooden puzzles, and used clothing that MCCers had donated to the cause. Other MCC workers helped out too, along with several of the young Bolivians and North Americans who participate in MCC’s volunteer programs: some sold arroz con leche and lemonade, others served up pork and rice, still others washed dishes. We even had a live band, composed of a Bolivian MCC volunteer and two friends he’d invited to provide Christian background music during the event.

I’m happy to report that the event was a success. Despite unseasonably cold weather, we had a good turnout, and we raised over $170 U.S. to help out a family in need. Even before calculating the earnings, however, I’d say we were able to enjoy less tangible rewards—it was good to see families and friends who hadn’t spent time together for a while get together and share a meal, or admire each other’s purchases, knowing we were all participating in something worthwhile.

I don’t think we planned it as such, initially, but I’d say this fundraiser is an excellent example of the fruits of teamwork—specifically, what we can accomplish together toward the goal of shalom (peace with justice, in a holistic sense) in our communities. If the libraries program and the various exchange programs hadn’t started working together, this kind of joint effort might never have taken place. I hope it will be the start of many such collaborative efforts as MCC moves into the future.