A lesson in Community

Beautiful views as seen from the trail

Imagine with me if you will, the toughest hike you have ever been on. Now imagine it were twice as long, add in several rocky switchbacks, and envision it twice as steep. This describes the trail leading down into the community of El Cuzuquito. Some of the most breathtaking views of Salvadoran landscape can be glimpsed as you stop to, well, catch your breath. 

If you look closely and you can see the ocean in the distance

El Cuzuquito, made up of about 20 families living in very humble accommodations without electricity or running water, is one of numerous communities in similar conditions in the surrounding area. But there is something that makes this community unique: food sovereignty, that is to say that while 95% of the fruits and vegetables consumed in El Salvador come in from outside the country this community is able to grow and raise what they eat and do not have to depend upon expensive imported food from other sources. It's a good thing too, could you imagine toting groceries down that hill?!?

Ricardo sharing his wisdom

 In this community there is a young man by the name of Ricardo who literally began his schooling below the branches of a mango tree, before the school building was built just 10 years ago. He does not have any advanced degrees, in fact he does not even have a diploma, but Ricardo uses his natural leadership and knowledge of the land to organize his community to the benefit of all. Recognizing the serious food crisis the community was experiencing, he organized folks to approach a local landowner and present him with a plan to cultivate three parcels of land as community gardens. Rather than divide up the land and offer plots to each individual family, the community decided it made more sense to work the land together. What about competition, what about struggles for individual success? When asked, one gentleman responded, “It’s much more beneficial to do it this way, I could never cultivate all this on my own! When we have to water, we water together, when it’s time to harvest, we harvest together, and what I don’t know about growing a certain herb or vegetable I can learn from a neighbor, and he from me.”

Green beans thriving in
one of the community plots

The gardens continue to be a community success, and as Ricardo has continued to educate himself about food and nutrition he realized that their diets were lacking in protein. By assessing the resources in the community he came up with an idea to use water from the natural spring nearby, and labor from the community to dig and fill ponds to raise Tilapia, a very hearty and tasty fish. Families in the community, having benefited from the gardens, agreed to contribute to the purchase of tubing to pipe in the water and to buy the fish and feed needed to start up. They have sought out training from the Ministry of Agriculture, and are now experimenting with native, organically raised fish “[quote] out of concern for the health of the community and prevent their children from ingesting so many harmful chemicals.”

How do we live in community? Do we celebrate only activity, success, profit and progress? Or do we relate to one another in such a way as to identify ourselves with a loving, liberating, welcoming and empowering God, a God who rejoices with those who rejoice and weeps with those who weep, who feeds and quenches the thirst of even those who are considered enemies? A God who overcame evil through the sacrifice of God’s son, and continues to speak to us through community and provide us with examples of how we might conquer evil with good!

Community members who work together in the gardens

We are made for community. Since the beginning of time people have formed themselves into clans and tribes. Our identity comes from community. We cannot find our identity in isolation. Esteem grows in community, accomplishment occurs through community. The acronym for the word “team” is together everyone accomplishes more. This is why the Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Romans (12:9-21), goes out of his way to lay out in detail how we, who identify ourselves as Christians, are to relate to one another in and beyond our communities. Even if it seems at odds with the gods of this world.

In the face of astonishing economic disparities, and global conflicts of all kinds, solo voices can be inspiring, but ultimately only communities, united by integrity of purpose, can truly incite change as they speak for the marginalized, promote better public policy, and work for justice. My prayers for all of us is that we might live in true community; to bless everybody, to live and serve humbly and joyfully, to go the extra mile for anybody, and to always strive for peace. Amen.