Soroptimist International of Sequim 2010 Ruby Award

Soroptimist International of Sequim congratulates Judith Pasco, Board Chair of Mujeres de Maiz Opportunity Foundation, the winner of its 2010 Ruby Award. The annual award acknowledges women, who through their personal or professional activities, are working to improve the lives of women and girls.

"Mujeres" thanks Soroptimist International of Sequim for this recognition and for its continuing support.

New Full Year Projects...We Are Enthused!!

At the end of 2009 we were sent two proposals created by the women in Chiapas and based on their assessment of some critical needs. After reviewing both of them, we have accepted the challenge of providing the funding. These projects both demonstrate and promote self-determination.

The first, in the community of Zinacantan, has been designed and will be run by four of our scholarship young women (ages 14, 17, 21, and 30). They will conduct a weekly three hour program for 30-35 primary school children that will reinforce academic skills, promote self-esteem, reinforce literacy in their Maya language, develop creativity and even teach garbage re-cycling. The program will last all year and be evaluated after each unit as well as every quarter.

The second project, in the community of Altamirano, will provide the opportunity for 15 women to complete their primary education through a year long certified literacy program. The women will then be able to participate in their communities assemblies and thus feel more valued. In addition, they will gain confidence in their abilities.

We are delighted with both these projects. In our coming annual funds solicitation letter in March, more details will be discussed.

Last year we funded the workshop project designed by the women in Las Margaritas and were personally able to confirm its organization and impact. Now, other communities are assessing their needs with respect to education. We are delighted with this new and expanding direction that Mujeres is taking.

Thank you again for your continuing support. You are indeed making a difference in the lives of these amazing women.

Judith

DECEMBER 2009 CHIAPAS TRIP plus RAVEN'S BREW COFFEE

San Cristobal de las Casas continues to enchant. I just got back last week after leading a group of seven very congenial people. Three (Ingrid Sorensen, Margaret Gardner and Pheryl Montroy were adult students of mine, and Mary Ann Kirkpatrick, Fred Tuttle, Donna Leavitt and Linda Crossland represented the Unitarian Church in Edmonds, one of our staunch supporters.)

We were fortunate to be in Chiapas during the festival of the Guadalupana...the Virgen of Guadalupe. Antorcha groups were running all directions but most were heading for the church of the Virgen in San Cristobal. Groups from parishes make pledges to honor their devotion to the Virgen by running in relay fashion to an appropriate church. The San Cristobal church is one of the most significant in Mexico and thus hundreds of Antorcha groups were running in. One of our scholarship girls, Petrona, was with the group that drove to Mexico City and then ran back. The person running carries a lit torch. The groups are transported and supported by pick-up trucks decorated with balloons, pictures of the Virgen, corn stalks, etc. Everyone participating wears tee-shirts or tunics with the Virgen's picture.

We attended the December meeting of the cooperative. One of the workshops this time dealt with motivation and was given by an intern from Puebla University. We also delivered a goodly supply of toothbrushes and toothpaste. Carmen promised that interesting proposals from communities would soon be coming our way.

The weather was glorious and we all found it difficult to come home.

Complete change of subject: Raven's Brew Coffee provided the coffee for our Dia de Muertos dinner this year and in addition donated a great "Deadman's Reach" teeshirt and pound of coffee for our auction. We received many positive comments about the coffee that evening. Raven's Brew is dedicated to " quality, sustainability and culture. We use shade-grown, organic and naturally-processed coffee beans in most of our blends, and support small family growers through our buying practices." It has become my personal favorite coffee. So I am letting you in on a terrific sale of coffee, mugs and teeshirts for $7 apiece if you go to their website (http://www.ravensbrew.com/) between December 25 , 2009 and January 4, 2010. Thank you all for your continuing support. Love and caring know no boundaries and your generosity is proof.

Feliz navidad y un próspero año nuevo.

Judith

ALTERNATIVE GIFTS INTERNATIONAL and US!!

I'm sure that many of you are familiar with Alternative Gifts International and their annual catalog highlighting many non-profit organizations. In their own words, "Alternative Gifts International is a non-profit organization that inspires support for humanitarian and environmental causes. We offer donors the option to designate charitable gifts through carefully selected agencies in the name of their relatives, friends and associates."

We are delighted to be included in the Alternative Gifts International catalog this year. It was an honor to be selected and see our name in print with some very high profile organizations. The catalog is a tribute to so many people who are working hard to improve our world.

We are so thankful that our work is receiving this wonderful recognition. To AGI we say "¡MIL GRACIAS!

If you would like more information, AGI will shortly have a link on our "About Us" page. We also have a few of the catalogs left if you would like to request one.

Judith

Spotlight on Soroptimist International of Sequim

We owe a debt of gratitude to Soroptimist International of Sequim for their continuing support these past four years. When we first started our work, they gave us a donation letting us know that they believed in what we were doing. Every year since, at our Día de Muertos celebration, another check arrived. This year, Kathleen DeJong, presented Mujeres with a generous $500.

In addition to financial support, SI of Sequim has invited Judith twice to speak about the work of the foundation.

Kathy Purcell puts together a terrific monthly newsletter for SI. She is so conscientious about including news of Mujeres almost every month. Her articles are creatively laid out with photos so they are appealing to the eye.
She does us a great service in keeping SI members apprised of what we are doing. Thank you, Kathy.

We are linked on their website, and now we have linked SI on ours.

Mil gracias, Soroptimist International of Sequim for accompanying us on our journey to provide access to education to our sisters in Chiapas.

DIA DE MUERTOS CELEBRATION OCTOBER 2009

Wow! This year's Dia de Muertos Celebration, our 4th, was the best ever. Mujeres supporters enjoyed a wonderful meal, a lively band, a diverse silent and live auction and the company of good friends. Our menu was created by Molly Rivard (one of our board members and food expert) and by Ankur Shah (a staunch supporter, our website guru, acclaimed chef and all around global citizen.) 125 dinners were served.

Volunteers abounded. Thank you one and all for all your time and effort. We appreciate you immensely.

Those of you who donated to our auctions are wonderful! Mil gracias to:

Nash's Produce whose organic vegetables make our vegetarian meal the best!
Wildwood Farm for their generous food donation.
Port Townsend Creamery who make the most delicious cheese!
Raven's Brew Coffee (Deadman's Reach blend) who provided us with coffee for the event in addition to a great auction item of coffee and a teeshirt! (This is my new favorite coffee!!)
The Sequim Lavender Growers Association and Cathy Angel for the most gorgeous bag of lavender products!
Mary Norton for the most gorgeous Day of the Dead quilt!
Melissa Penic for a fused glass platter to die for!
Magdalena Bassett for a 12 student class of tamale making! What a great idea!
Martha Lumia for two of her wonderful handbag creations.
Pheryl Montroy for original cards of her painting of a Maya cross.
Renaissance in Port Angeles for the basket of two pounds of fair trade coffee.
Gilberto Molina for the beautifully sewn laptop bag.
Vicki Coons for the auction popular Mexican statues.

A special thank you goes to the band who provided us with great Mexican music during dinner.
Steve Gilchrist, Ron Munro, Waynne Shields and Jenny James...you guys were great!

In a time of recession and worry, you, dear supporters, opened your hearts and your wallets and have given to the women of Chiapas more than you can imagine. We, the Mujeres Board, are humbled and grateful for this support.

Judith

SUMMER NEWS, 2009

Dear Friends,

Summer 2009 has been an exciting time for "Mujeres".

First, here's the news on what we are doing. A new program, proposed by one of the communities, is supporting adult women who want to complete their primary education. Three women immediately signed up and we are proud to sponsor them. Two girls are doing university level work, two are attending preparatory (grades 10-12), and eight are in secondary school (grades 6-9). This makes fifteen scholarship recipients in all.

Each community has now been provided with a laptop computer and a solar light. Fourteen women and girls had eye exams last week and eleven received glasses. We are helping to fund workshops at the women's bi-monthly reunions. Linda noticed that the women were using butcher block paper for their charts on the wall, and speakers wrote on paper taped to the wall as well. She suggested that we buy some white boards and dry erase markers which will be much more visible and greatly reduce the use of paper. Carmen, the cooperative coordinator is looking into that.

The community of Las Margaritas had sent us a proposal for the funding of seven day and a half workshops for members of outlying communities. Topics include human rights, gender equity, self-esteem, domestic violence, etc. The attendees would carry what they learn back to their communities. This was an impressive proposal that would by ripple effect reach many people. We approved it.

Linda and I just spent two weeks in Chiapas and we were lucky enough to be able to go to Las Margaritas and sit in on one of the workshops mentioned above. The topic was gender equity. Twenty-three adults (four of whom were men) and three children participated. We were very impressed with both the presentation, which was organized, thoughtful and dynamic, as well as the level of participation on the part of all who attended.

We also attended the three day bi-monthly workshop in San Cristobal. The women had a full day computer workshop, a talk on the significance of recent elections in Mexico, the importance of voting, and the status of the current situation in Honduras. An interactive workshop given by a university intern dealt with sales techniques in the marketplace. I carried down a lot of toothbrushes and toothpaste donated by local dentists and gave a presentation on toothbrushing technique.

Because our Day of the Dead (Dia de Muertos) dinner and silent auction is coming up on Saturday, October 31, Linda and I purchased weavings and clothing from the women in the cooperative. We also went to the ceramic-famous village of Amatenango to pick up some pieces for the event. Just a hint....this year will be the best auction yet!! We have beautiful things and something for everyone.

The economic downturn and the over-the-top publicity on the swine flu has seriously hurt Mexico. Chiapas, as the poorest state, is severely affected. Usually at this time of year San Cristobal is full of European travelers. This year there were only a few, and the tourists were mainly Mexicans, who due to the economy were staying in-country.

The International Network of Women: LIlla (an Australian based organization) has just published a directory called Las Luchas por los Derechos de las Mujeres en Chiapas: Un Directorio de Organizaciones Sociales que Trababan a Favor de las Chiapanecas. (The Struggles for Women's Rights in Chiapas: A Directory of Social Organizations that Work for Women in Chiapas.) We are delighted to be included in the comprehensive directory of sixty-two organizations. Linda and I attended the presentation of the directories in San Cristobal. It is so good to know how many people are, as one man said, "on the same road."

Sunrise Rotary of Sequim gave us some good news mid-July. They are donating $1000 to help with workshops, scholarships and glasses. We are most appreciative.

For those supporters with email addresses, an opportunity list went out giving our friends the chance to volunteer for a number of different possibilities. If you didn't receive this list and would like to, please call or email me and I'll send you a copy. (Contact information is on the website) Thank you to those who have already responded.

Thanks again to all of you, Mujeres is growing and making a difference.

Judith

Exciting Spring 2009 News!

This is always an exciting time of the year for Mujeres because this is when we find out about the scholarship applicants for the new school year starting in the fall. Our invaluable liason Carmen gathers and compiles information and sends us the information.

There are five young women who have applied for scholarships. Four are from the community of San Andres and will be attending secondary school, which corresponds to 6th grade here. The fifth is from Zinacantan and she will attend preparatory, which corresponds to 10th, 11th and 12th grades here. We are so pleased to welcome these five girls into our scholarship family.

But this year we also have something new! Four adult women in the community of Margaritas have sent us a proposal so that they can receive the primary education that they never had. This is wonderful news....these women are anxious to join the ranks of the literate, and we are privileged to give them the boost that they need.

The total of girls on scholarship (excluding the four adult women) will be eleven. These girls are becoming role models in their communities. As we have said before, education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty. The girls have increased self-esteem and confidence.

Without your generous, caring support this wouldn't be possible. On behalf of them and on behalf of the board, I send all of you a huge THANK YOU.

Judith

Rewarding Winter Visit to Chiapas

From December 24th until January 5th, treasurer Linda and our respective husbands enjoyed the warm sunny days and chilly nights of San Cristobal. Linda and I had wanted to visit two of the outlying communities of women who belong to the cooperative. Due to lower elevations and thus hot, humid summer temperatures, we decided to make the two journeys in the winter.

First we went to Yajalon, about four hours from San Cristobal, and then made our way up the mountain by truck and on foot. We carried pineapple, oranges and beans.(Left: Linda and Tim on mountain walk to community)

We were welcomed by women and children and fed rice. We were able to meet and talk with the mother of Rosita, our scholarship girl who is attending secondary school and boarding in Yajalon...it's a 2 1/2 hour walk from town up to the community. We gave them the solar light and await feedback on its usefulness. We have purchased one light for each of the 7 communities at this point. It was wonderful to have a "visual" on this community, so far up the mountain. After descending the mountain to Yajalon, an attractive city of about 25,000, we spent the night and made our way back to San Cristobal the next day.

A few days later Linda and I went to Las Margaritas. Linda is going to add to the blog shortly, and I'll let her give the details on this trip. Suffice to say it was enlightening and that we were very impressed by the community work done there. We had a chance to visit with Ana Belen, a scholarship recipient who attends preparatory and hopes to become a human rights attorney.

(At right, Carmen (purple shirt), our contact and coordinator of the cooperative and son, Israel in red, Ana Belen at end of table on the left flanked by her parents, Linda on right, and Juana, the coordinator of the Margaritas women in right corner)

When Linda and our husbands flew home on January 5th, I was joined by our board member Carol and travelers Marilyn and Steve Gilchrist, Graham and Dory Hutchins and Bonnie Orr. Highlights from the group trip included a visit to a cloud-forest horse ranch and then a drive to the spectacular waterfalls of El Chiflon. We were fortunate to see ceremonies in the Chamula church and enjoyed a visit to the home of two scholarship recipients in Zinacantan where we enjoyed dinner and a walk in the hills to sacred sites.
We did too much to mention!

Chiapas is always a reality check. It never ceases to amaze me how much we (I) take for granted. Woman by woman, girl by girl, we are seeing what education means to those who live in poverty. Thank you all for your help that permits us to serve.

In constant gratitude, Judith

Día de Muertos Celebration 2008

What an amazing evening! All the board members and about 17 volunteers put in a long day on Saturday, November first, to prepare our third annual Day of the Dead celebration. This year, we moved the event to the Sequim Prairie Grange Hall because we needed more space. By the time we finished decorating and arranging, the hall looked warm, welcoming and festive. Interestingly enough, tables and 144 chairs were set up and exactly 144 people came!

Ankur Shah, local chef and author of "Cooking Com Bigode" (www.mangolandia.com) planned and prepared the meal with a very willing and able volunteer cooking staff. Diners feasted on squash stuffed enchiladas in mole sauce, rice and beans. Mujeres' board member Molly Rivard spent all day in the kitchen helping the crew as well as preparing the shortbread drizzled with chocolate. Thank you Neilu Naini, Bharti Desai, Vanessa Downer, Marlene Dehlinger, and Christopher Holmes.

Servers included Eric Rust (my son who drove in from Everett), his girlfriend Courtney Anderson, Mujeres' supporters Beth Fetrow and John Boetsch, and high school students Olivia Boots, Michael Swender, Katrina Chan and Quintin Cornell.

Vicki Coons was a big help with setting up the auction tables. Tim Finch helped with morning set up. Rose Bridge cashiered. Steve and Marilyn Gilchrist, Mark Spencer and Dave LeRoux were invaluable clean-up helpers. Bob Pasco worked all day with set-up, kitchen errands, dish washing and clean-up. Bonnie Bless-Boenish was our tech support person.

The after dinner program was about the women we serve and what their daily lives are like. Then John Bridge conducted the live auction. Thanks to all of you who donated items to the auction...you helped make it the success it was!

As you can see, our event depended on the assistance of many people. I speak for the Mujeres' Board when I express our gratitude to all of you who attended, who helped, and who were there in spirit. And I speak for the women in Chiapas who will receive the fruits of this labor of love when I tell you how much they appreciate your support.

What you do makes a difference!!!

Judith, Board Chair

TRAVEL TO CHIAPAS, JULY, AUGUST 2008

Chiapas was truly amazing this year. The first part of my three week trip was devoted to a group of six women. Mary Norton, Patsy Simpson, Mary Ann Deuth, Diane Urbani de la Paz, Pat Lang (our esteemed secretary) and her granddaughter, Katie Lang. We had a wonderful time both seeing the region and learning about the culture, recent history and people. San Cristobal, that beautiful city with deep blue skies and striking cloud formations, charmed us all. Aside from the more usual tourist activities such as the boat ride down Sumidero Canyon, the museum of amber, the indigenous market and the zócalo, we had other opportunities that gave us a better glimpse into the culture. (Photo at right: Priests blessing vehicles for the Fiesta de San Cristobal)


After a talk about the villages and the regional weaving, we traveled to Tenejapa the following day.



In addition to visiting weavers there, it was the first day of the annual festival. The local authorities (men) were all in their festival dress in the church, their hats festooned with multi-color ribbons. They were participating in a ceremony in which posh (the local fermented beverage) and cigarettes were being offered to each man. A harp was being played, and the women sat on the floor off to one side. The church was filled with candles and incense. The spirituality was palpable. (Mary Ann with a Tenejapa weaver)


Another day we visited Yoli and Juana, two of our "becarias" (scholarship recipients) in their village of Zinacantan.

They served us dinner, a delicious chicken and vegetable soup, showed us their weaving, took us for a walk in the hills where the grandmother was grazing the sheep, and gave a tortilla making demonstration. The shawls used by the women in Zinacantan are of turquoise and purple...just gorgeous!...we have one to auction off at the Dia de Muertos dinner this year on November first. (Grandma with sheep in Zinacantan)

The Museum of Maya Medicine is always interesting as it explains the use of native herbs and customs of childbirth. The Na-Bolom foundation offers a fascinating tour about the life of the Lacondon Indians. The travelers also participated in a paper-making workshop at the Taller Leñateros cooperative and climbed the many steps to the Church of San Cristóbal the night of the festival. An excursion was made to the ruins of Toniná, about two hours away. The village and amazing church of San Juan Chamula were also visited, as was the incredible cemetery of San Cristóbal. All in all it was a wonderful experience.

Martha Rudersdorf (director) and her friend Sarah rented a house in San Cristóbal for a month. When the group left, an ex-student of both mine and Martha's, Geoff Tozzer arrived to give us a hand with the workshops and be a general "gopher". Martha and Sarah presented two art workshops, one for the children of a small community near San Andrés Larrainzar, and the other for the women of the cooperative. Children and adults received instruction on how to draw self-portraits, and the results were colorful and impressive. It was a challenge to structure the first workshop on the ground outside a one room house, surrounded by corn and chickens, but everyone found a flat surface and participated one hundred percent.
(Daniel with his self portrait)

The bimonthly he bi-monthly workshop of the cooperative women was inspiring as always. They had a number of talks lined up, including one from Al-anon. Alcoholism and the resulting domestic violence is a very real problem in Chiapas. Another workshop dealt with leadership, and the women discussed the problems of being a group leader as well as the difficulties of finding women role models in their culture. A third talk was by a sociologist who spoke of the proposed government plans for Chiapas, such as selling off the mineral rights and water rights to international and national corporations. The consequences of this could be dire indeed, and included forced moving of entire communities into "resettlement villages."

We were pleased to award three more scholarships, bringing the total to eight girls. We also donated three more laptops and contributed money to fund workshops. Eighteen girls and women received vision exams, and fourteen pairs of glasses were ordered. All of this is possible, thanks to you, our supporters.

(María with self'portrait)


The women in the cooperative are very anxious to find a piece of land on which they could build their own meeting place, the Mujeres de Maíz Opportunity Center. They now pay a monthly rent for the house they use and that money just goes out the window. Property and houses in San Cristóbal have increased dramatically in recent years. We would like to find a way to help them buy property. If you have any ideas, please contact us. We are looking at an amount around $25,000 USD. A house on this property would be used for their workshops, for girls attending school in San Cristóbal, for meeting with other cooperatives.....all related to educational purposes which meets the criteria of Mujeres de Maíz Opportunity Foundation.

Our connection and trust with the women of the cooperative is growing. They struggle daily with poverty and racism and we firmly believe that education will help on both fronts. Thank you for your support. The women are so appreciative, and so are we.

Judith
August 9, 2008

Almost Spring, 2008

Dear Supporters,

Over the winter when many things lie dormant, Mujeres was blooming!

Kiette Tucker, a senior at Northeastern University in Boston, put on an exhibition of photographs of indigenous women of Mexico, and sent the proceeds to us. Kiette showed perserverance and a spirit of giving that is most impressive.

Edmonds Unitarian Universalist Church designated us as the offering recipient for the entire month of December. This is the second year in a row that we have been so honored. The gifts of that generous congregation will go far in accomplishing current projects and future goals.

Quimper Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Port Townsend also named us as recipient for one of their designated offering Sundays. Again, this was the second year we were fortunate to be on the list of charities that they support.

St. Andrew's Episcopal Church of Port Angeles included us in a Sunday afternoon fair trade bazaar in December. We were excited to be there.

Cedars Unitarian Universalist Church of Bainbridge Island included us in their alternative gift catalog this winter. They have a terrific program of supporting many wonderful groups, and we were humbled to be among them.

International Women's Day is celebrated by Olympic Cellars of Port Angeles. On March 5, they sponsored a soup dinner and wine-tasting, with music by Sequimarimba (our own board member Martha Rudersdorf plays with this amazing group.) A portion of the proceeds are divided between a local and and international charity....and guess who received the international designation??? Mujeres!

Soon our annual funds solicitation letter will arrive on your doorstep. Thank you, in advance, one and all, for your help, encouragement and support.

Judith

Friends of Mujeres

Thursday, October 18, 2007

We have a new designation...Friends of Mujeres....for people that have shown a special interest in our organization. The first recipients are: Pat Garrity, who accompanied us to Chiapas this past summer. She arranged that the Unitarian Church of Edmonds donate their offertory to us during the months of January and December, 2007. Moreover, she is in the process of contacting other groups to familiarize them with what we are doing. Martha Lumia also went to Chiapas and attended the workshop of the women in the cooperative. She participated in the workshop that we gave about how to make packing lists in English for the products being shipped to the United States. Her enthusiasm for Mujeres is contagious! Last year she created two very pretty original purses for us to sell at our auction. We appreciate Pat and Martha's contributions of time and energy on our behalf.

October Events

Mujeres sponsored two events in October and we are pleased to report that both were worthwhile and successful. Ankur Shah, our venerable website designer and author of "Cooking com Bigode"(go to www.somethingconstructive.net/jamanta to treat yourself to a copy), presented a cooking class that spotlighted the Mexican delicacy, chiles en nogada. Twelve people attended and enjoyed the food preparation and dinner that followed.

Less than two weeks later, on October 27th, the Second Annual Dia de Muertos Celebration was held. A traditional Chiapas dinner was served and a slide program about the Day of the Dead in Oaxaca was presented. The silent auction of wonderful weavings and handicrafts that we had brought back from Chiapas was terrific...not one item remained. John Bridge did a great job as our auctioneer for the several items we had chosen for the live auction. Board member Molly used her skills in the kitchen along with Ankur and two terrific assistant cooks to serve 125 meals! The hall was packed, and people were good natured about moving their chairs, standing at times, and just being accommodating.

The Soroptomists International of Sequim again chose us for their choice of international charity and presented us with a check for $250.

Our board is indeed wonderful. This event couldn't have run as smoothly as it did without everyone playing her part.

Thanks to all, especially those who attended one of these events and supported education for the indigenous women in Chiapas.

Judith Pasco

2007 CHIAPAS MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

VISION






Education is multi-faceted. One day while watching the women sew, we realized that their eyes were under a great deal of strain. Not only do they do very close work, but the pervasive smoke inside their homes adversely affects vision. Our first thought was to make sure that our scholarship recipients had eye exams, but we were able to extend the offer to women at the workshop who also felt they were not seeing very well.

A vision clinic had fortuitously been set up in San Cristóbal while we were there, and we took three of our newly awarded scholarship girls, as well as Yolanda from last year. Four women from the cooperative accompanied us. All received exams and all needed corrective lenses. They enjoyed trying on and selecting frames. By the next day, all eight had new glasses.


WORKSHOP


Linda Finch and Carol Bell, Directors, and Martha Lumia, a designated Friend of Mujeres, joined me in San Cristóbal at the end of July. Carmen, our invaluable associate there, asked us to put on a class for the women of the cooperative who were coming for their bi-monthly workshop. Some of their products are shipped to the United States and the accompanying packing lists need to be in English. Carmen wanted us to teach the women how to do a packing list in English. We spent two hours translating lists of products, descriptions and sizes from Spanish to English. Then we came up with a color-coded formula, made practice manipulatives with note cards, and were ready to go. By the end of an hour, the women understood the necessary word order of a packing list. It was a fun experience for all.


COMPUTERS


One of our goals this year was to provide at least one computer. Happily we were able to donate two! The first was a Dell Inspiron purchased in the U.S. but equipped with Spanish programming and a Spanish keyboard. This computer will be shared among the villages. The second computer we purchased in San Cristóbal. It's a desktop model that will provide the cooperative with computer practice, increased communications, and a wider knowledge of the world. In the future we hope to add more laptops to share among the eight villages that participate in the cooperative.




TRIP TO GUATEMALA

Mujeres de Maiz Opportunity Foundation and Adopt a Village of Guatemala jointly sponsored a workshop at the Maya Center of Adopt a Village in Northern Guatemala the first week of August. The purpose was to facilitate an exchange of ideas among the indigenous women of the two groups, with a hope of empowerment. Carmen, our associate, and Ceci and Viki from the cooperative made the arduous journey....hours in the back of a pickup on rough, mountainous roads. The workshop consisted of a number of role playing exercises and discussions about current problems and ways to surmount obstacles. Both sides felt that they had benefited from the exchange.

Judith Pasco, August 28, 2007

Thoughts on Chiapas, August 2007

Memories are strange phenomena. As soon as I stepped out of the lobby of our hotel, Casavieja, in San Cristobal, my memories of the town from two summers ago came rushing to the forefront. The vibrant colors of the houses and the indigenous markets, the friendliness of the people, the laid back ambiance of the Zocolo and restaurants, and the incredible work ethic of the people were still just as I had remembered them. But this time I noticed other aspects of living in Mexico. It wasn't until yesterday that another memory helped me categorize my experience this summer. This one comes from my sixth grade geography text. There was a chapter on Mexico with a subtitle, "The Land of Contrast."

Now words like "abject poverty" and "empowerment" are pushing their way in beside "beauty" when I think of Mexico.

One day six of us took taxis to Crucero, a village outside of San Cristobal. We walked along a dirt road for about half an hour in the comfortable heat of the sun. This road symbolizes all that Mexico means for me at my present moment of awareness.

We first stopped at Rosita's. She was ill with a cold but had more serious medical issues which were requiring her to be hospitalized and treated with Western-style medicine. I can't imagine how she must feel to "go under the knife" in a hospital when the indigenous approach to curing illness is often a ceremony with candles, chanting, Coca Cola, and the sacrifice of a chicken. Her kitchen was typical with its smoky cooking stove and dirt floor. Her house made of wood had two tiny rooms. (Please don't idealize this wooden house and envision a rustic cabin. There were many gaps in the walls due to the eclectic pieces of wood. If you have ever built a house out of driftwood at the beach, you will have a closer idea to the building.) Then there was the latrine. Enough said. Yet she invited us in, offered us coffee, and engaged in conversation. Outside on the road, an elderly lady led a small herd of black sheep.

As we walked up the hill, there was new construction going on. These homes were much larger than Rosita's, about 500-600 square feet. And they were made of concrete blocks with floors. Carmen said that these belong to families who have sent husbands, brothers, sons to the US to work. Almost all people have cornfields or so it seems. One field by the road had not only corn but squash and beans growing together in a mutually satisfying symbiotic relationship.

We reached our destination after half an hour of walking. This house had mud/straw walls, a dirt floor and a television. The grandmother was chanting before many burning candles while the sacrificial chicken patiently awaited its role in the curing of the woman's sick husband. Attached to this house was a concrete structure where women in the sewing cooperative from that village meet to work and store their equipment. These women are on the cutting edge of becoming empowered, educated, and more self-sufficient. I could feel "hope" entwined in their sewing patterns, material, and machines. One of the women wanted us to come up to visit her house. We walked through a cornfield, and when we came to a clearing, were struck by the million dollar view of the jungles on the mountainside.

My Mexico memories have a picturesque aspect that rivals the glossiest of tourism photos. But poverty is equally a part of the country. Mexico is contrast. I feel so fortunate to be part of Mujeres de Maiz Opportunity Foundation. It has given me an opportunity to see the many facets of this complex country.

Linda Finch


Judith Pasco, our board chair and experienced guide, led a small group to Chiapas, Mexico this summer on a very exciting and interesting adventure. It was a rare chance to travel “off the beaten path” with a very knowledgeable leader and friend. Thank you, Judith for expanding my world.

In thinking about what experiences most interested me I would have to say they were ones that helped me learn more about the history, culture, and customs of the Tzotzil and Tzeltal speaking Maya, including the indigenous women of the cooperative our foundation works with, who inhabit the Highlands of Chiapas.

Visiting the over 2,000 year old Mayan ruins of Tonina, “place where time-honoring stone sculptures stand,” and learning from our guide about the culture of that place was a fascinating walk back to ancient times.

While learning to make paper at Taller Lenateros we were told about how the Mayan civilization was one of the earliest in the world to invent a form of writing. Mayan glyphs can still be seen on some of the ancient ruins. Only four ancient books have survived the ravages of time and war and the deliberate destruction by the Spanish invaders but they remind us of the advanced culture the Mayans had.

For 12,000 years the New World has known backstrap weaving. We were able to visit Tenejapa, a town famous for its weavers, and actually watch weavers at work. We also visited on a day of a festival celebration and saw a parade of important men of the town in their native dress. Pictures were not allowed and visitors were rare. I felt so thankful to be there to observe the celebration.

I loved our visit to a home in Zinacantan where we saw weaving crafts and watched while tortillas were cooked for us indoors over an open fire

In the town of Chamula we visited a church and observed how the people have combined elements of Catholicism with their ancient religion that uses shaman healers.

The opportunities I had to experience the culture of the local people of San Cristobal and the surrounding areas as a guest more than a tourist, were so enriching. I now have a better understanding of the world the women of the cooperative live in. Hopefully that will help me be a more useful board member as we work together with the cooperative as they face the inevitable transition they must make into the greater world that is approaching.

Pat Lang, secretary

Chiapas bound soon

As you can imagine, it's a privilege to work with the Mujeres de Maiz. In a month, I'll lead a cultural and historical tour of San Cristobal de las Casas and environs, in Chiapas, Mexico.


We have a number of talks, excursions and experiences awaiting us. At the end of the trip, Linda Finch, Carol Bell and I will spend a week more, with time spent at the women's cooperative bi-monthly meeting.



We will be awarding 4 new scholarships. All the girls receiving scholarships will have exams and if needed, glasses. The new laptop with Spanish keyboard which we are carrying with us will be presented, and we will buy a new computer for the cooperative's meeting house. In addition we will donate funds that will pay for educational workshops.



The week following, we three, and perhaps two women from the cooperative, will go to Guatemala and together with Adopt a Village, will sponsor an empowerment workshop of indigenous women. More on that later.



It is essential that when we give a scholarship that we carry it through. This involves a continuing commitment in funds for several years. Because we are a fledgling organization, we would be most grateful for anyone who could make a pledge of a yearly donation. If you can, or if you know of someone who is interested in education, Maya culture, empowerment of women, poverty relief, Mexico, or just a good cause, please point him/her our direction. We would be most grateful.



More later. If you wish to contact us, please find the contact information on our website.



Happy summer.



Judith

Judith's March notes

Greetings,

March used to seem like the longest month, maybe that's a teacher thing, but here it is the 25th and it has flown by. The board got together and sent out the annual donation request. If you didn't get a mailing with our latest info, drop us an email with your address, and I'll be glad to put one in the mail. (mujeres@olypen.com)

We are excited about our summer trip to Chiapas. I am taking a small group to San Cristobal in July. We will expand our culture horizons, learn about the current political situation and visit one of the towns of the women in the cooperative. When the group goes home, Linda and Carol will join me to attend the women's bi-monthly workshop and go to Guatemala to co-sponsor a workshop with Adopt a Village. More on that later.

The planning stage of the trip affords me lots of opportunities to connect with folks in Chiapas..both people who were born there and people who have chosen it for there home. I look forward to meeting some of these contacts on the trip. Without their help and support planning would be much more difficult.

We have been donated a lot of fabric which we are attempting to sell at less than bargain basement prices. If you need partial or full bolts of tencel blends, various weights and patterns, at $1 per yard, let us know.

We plan to offer eye exams and glasses to women in the cooperative. We are still working on the laptop issue, but our plan is to take 3 this time. We hope to attend a class at the school where our first scholarship recipient is attending, and we plan to award 2-3 more scholarships, this time for girls to continue education at the secondary level.

Onward and upward!!

Peace, Judith

2006 Review!!

The Board of Directors met the 3rd of February, and among other things took a look at some accomplishments in our first year of "being"! I am including them here, because it's been an amazing year, many thanks due to our already loyal supporters. Also, please expect your annual donation request about the third week in March. We promised a once a year request only, and it'll soon be in your mailboxes.

DISCUSSION OF 2006 ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Board of Directors elected
Bylaws created
Bank account established
P. O. Box and official address set up
Creation of: logo design; address labels; cards ( for sale, for special occasion and
memorial donations, for acknowledgements, and for thank you notes);
postcards; Foundation letterhead; and business cards
Mailing list and spread sheet
March 2006 Solicitation letter sent out
Website created / Spanish translation added
Email address/ generous consideration by Olypen
Bank account set up in San Cristobal
Scholarship and Spanish/English dictionary given to first recipient
Honorarium given to Carmen for scholarship coordination work
Rent subsidy for Cooperative for six workshops
Books for children of Cooperative members
Scissors donated to the sewing cooperative
Articles of Incorporation
Conflict Resolution Policy
Foundation achieves non-profit, tax exempt 501 (c) (3) status
Fall 2006 Newsletter mailed
Excellent newspaper articles about the Foundation in Sequim and PA papers
Very successful Day of the Dead Celebration Fundraiser ---$2109
Original maps of Mexico and Chiapas designed
Three powerpoint programs given: Highline, Sequim Soroptimists & at Fundraiser
Requests for “Donate the Plate” contributions from area UU churches
System of recording donations and responses
Establishment of a BLOG

In the works

Un prospero ano nuevo.....

Exciting things are in the works! We are finding that running a non-profit is a process, a work in progress. One thing leads to another which opens up something else which give us a new idea....well, you see how it is.

We are working on acquiring newish, good condition laptops to take to San Cristobal this coming summer. Six would be a good number to start. I just sent off our first grant dealing with that...I'm sure it'll be the first of many. It would be helpful if the women in the cooperative could have access to a computer in their villages, for both practice and educational purposes.

The first preliminary questions are being asked about getting eye care and glasses to the women. Education can't take place without sight. Many women have damaged eyes due to the ever present smoke in the houses, and hours cooking tortillas. As they have no access to health care and no funds, eye exams are not an option. This is an exciting tangent to our goal of providing educational opportunities.

We have been invited to visit a village in northern Guatemala ("we" being board members and members of the cooperative) to participate in a leadership workshop on women's rights. This is quite exciting. Logistically it is a challenge, as the Guatemala village is remote, and we'd have to coordinate dates, transportation, etc, but the idea is wonderful and it would be such a privilege to share this kind of experience.

The two trips to Chiapas this summer are in the planning stage as well. For more information please contact me at mujeres@olypen.com .

And, last but not least, soon we will have the news about how many girls that are finishing their primary education will apply for scholarships from us so they can continue at the secondary level. Our scholarships not only pay for school expenses, they pay for room and board if the girl has to board in another town. Most small villages have no secondary school. Moreover, if the girl is actively contributing to the family income, we will offer a stipend back to her parents so they will not be losing money by allowing her to continue her education.

So....that's what is in the works.

We'll keep you posted.

Peace, Judith

Welcome! Bienvenidos!

Dear Mujeres supporters,

This is entry numero uno on a blog that links from our website to keep you up to date on the latest developments of Mujeres de Maiz Opportunity Foundation. Before anything else, we send a heartfelt thanks to all of you who have so generously made our first year an incredible success.

As you know, we presented Yolanda with our first scholarship in August. We just received an email from her yesterday, filled with holiday greetings from her and her family.

We are investigating the best way to acquire laptop computers to take with us next summer. If you have any ideas please let us know.

We were the recipient of Quimper Unitarian-Universalist Church in Pt. Townsend's "designated offering" program in November. Their generosity resulted in a wonderful check for us of $819. Edmonds UU Church has offered to do the same in January. Mil gracias.

Ankur, our web designer, is hard at work again (in India) adding the Spanish version of our website. He also is linking this blog to the site. We send him our love and appreciation.

Happy holidays to all from Linda, Pat, Martha, Molly, Carol and me.

Judith