RE: Questions about La Chureca

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The blogs about La Chureca have prompted a few and important questions. I want to take a minute to answer, as best I can. I really feel quite inadequate to answer comprehensively, but the following are the answers to questions I have asked or knowledge collected.

Why do people live in this dump?

The people of La Chureca live their in part because of desperate lives, so impoverished that they resort to generating a subsistance life off of garbage. They recycle, build their homes out of discarded materials, trade the innocence of their children for a few cordobas (currency of Nicaragua) or even just the first rights to pick through the garbage on the truck, and yes, the eat out of the garbage at the dump. There are many 'dump' communities around the world and are worth researching, the stories are very similar. As to the question of choice, that is far more complicated. Could some families leave? In economic terms, possibly, but the outside world (many never leave the massive dump compound) is very scary to the 2nd, 3rd even forth generation La Churecans. They can't possible imagine a world with utility bills, regular jobs or life generally outside their community. Furthermore, the generatoins and cycles of abuse have created a kind of institutionalized dependency on the La Churecan community. Put simply, no one else can understand who they are, or where they come from. Indeed they are the living reality of John Locke's analysis that we are the grand sum of our experiences.

How does La Chureca compare to Vancouver's Downtown eastside?

Interestingly, this question has been a topic of conversation, especially after our encouter with the tragic story of Kathy (who by the way was 16) and by the way I refuse to publish the pictures of her on the blog. Vancouver's Downtown east side may be the poorest, most tragic neighbourhood in North America, it is undoubtedly, Canada's most tragic postal code, however, it doesn't even come close to La Chureca. Even the most desperate of scenes in the downtown east side have hope....the passed out heroin addict will eventually have the ambulance come and take him/her to St. Pauls. On the downtown east side, police, social services, and good samaritans are ever present and available to those that want or need help. I only think of the Union Gospel Mission as a poignant example. La Chureca is far more desperate. That is not to say that there aren't those who care, or try to help, we have mentioned two such groups throughout this blog. There is a feeding program (BTW, I am considering an appeal for about 1000 dollars so we can contribute the full amount ($2500) to build a permanent shelter for the feeding program at La Chureca (if you are interested let me know). However, we watched as a young girl who qualified to get a meal (cause she went to school) was instructed by her mother to share that small plate of food with her siblings and mother. I imagine, with all the options on the downtown east side, the necessity of sharing a meal is far less likely. Furthermore, consider Kathy, lying at a the foot of a hill of garbage, passed out, lying in the blazing sun, dehydrated, likely her life hanging in the balance....there was no ambulance or police officers for her, no St. Pauls around the corner, she was blessed (probably temporally) to have a Canadian team happen upon her, give her some water and place her in the shade and move on...there were no other options. Lastly, about Kathy, which I fear is way too 'typical' in that place, Mr. Peters who has worked the downtown east side has commented that nothing on the downtown eastside, in terms of addiction, comes even close to Kathy's condition when we found her.

All that being said, both La Chureca, the downtown east side and all such similar communities around the world bear our attention in far greater amounts and commitment that we give (I speak for myself here). It is our task, as I said a few days ago, to shine light into these places, to serve people, to love people, and to 'dream' of ways to empower the people of these places to rise above their lot in life and to overcome their addictions and poverty.

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Comments

[Stuart & Sherilyn Oliver]

I have always been a proud parent but so much more now of the character, humbleness and dedication to a task by my daughter and her team. They have only made a small dint in the hoplessness and disparity that the world has for the majority of people from which we isolate ourselves from here at home and found in helping others there is more to be received than given. A change as small as this in the scope of all that I have read is still a change and a fantastic start. Our eyes have been widened and our hearts saddend for the reminder for which even in Canada is not far around the corner. Your trip and the team has shown me again that "Just Do It" is far better than "not doing" even if the change is unnoticed for there will always be a change in yourself for the better. Go Team! Sherilyn and Stuart Oliver