The Families of Nuevo San Pedrito

Recent News and Updates

San Pedrito recently gained two new young families.  Pedro, Alberto and Angelina's son married Ana Maria, Agustin and Maria's daughter.  They are living with his parents until they can begin construction of their own home.  Victorio, another of Agustin and Maria's children has married Micaelea.  They are both enjoying their new adobe home and their newborn daughter in just to the right as you enter the village.  We even have 6 newborns in the community - one which we blessed and prayed for during out last service trip.

The village finally had its first successful harvest with plenty of corn and beans to get their families through the year, and a healthy profit to fully repay their Agros loans for beans and begin investing in the future.  Four of the families are already living in new adobe homes, and most of the remaining families plan to have their homes completed before the next planting season.  Almost all the homes are now heated with new efficient clay wood burning stoves.

With water now running to each house in the community and a new cholorinated filtration system to ensure clean and safe drinking water, much is changing in the village.  They now have the finest water system in the region, and the surrounding communities, in particular Cristobal Obregon, where they were once shunned, have developed a new found respect for the community.  The men, women and children are now more accepted and walk freely in the town.

Each family has a new vegetable vegetable plot and numerous fruit trees already baring fruit - mangos, papayas, citrus.  The poultry population is up to several hundred and their protein intake is improving rapidly though they still have a way to go before they can have meat on a daily basis.

While the new school is still in its initial stages, the elementary school aged children are all learning to read and write in Tzotzil and Spanish.  Understanding the developmental importance of musical training on childrens' learning abilities, the village and the band are even working out a new plan begin formally teaching the children to play musical instruments.

The community's application for electricity has been approved.  It is not clear yet how long it will take to run a main line to the ejido's property line but it is a start and miraculously fast.  An application of this nature can take many years just for the approval.

We recently received news that the Acteal prisoners may all be released withing two years as a result of increasing international pressure and the election of a new president and administration.  We must continue to pray that Miguel and Agustin be reunited with their families soon.

This has been an incredible year for San Pedrito.  Much still needs to be done however to ensure sustainable growth and development.

Immediate Needs and Next Steps

Unfortunately, San Pedrito lost two families.  Antonio and Marta's sons, Juan and Pedro finally left the village as Pedro's alcoholism was just too much for the village.  These families need our prayers for their reintegration to the community.

While San Pedrito has somehow miraculously not experienced a single death in its community since its founding, child birth and the early months of a child's life are still very risky in such a harsh environment, in a state with the highest infant mortality rate in Mexico.  These children and their families still need improved access to medical care, and most importantly our prayers.

The rainy and planting seasons are approaching, and thousands of adobe blocks are stacking up around the village for construction of the remaining homes.  The homes need to be erected, and lined with concreted, and roofed before April, or risk desolving into the ground.  More importantly, these families cannot risk yet another year of exposure to the elements.

The families will soon been their next planting season.  Their situation is still very fragile.  Failure of the second crop, still a real possibility would be devastating as it will be a few years before they have a sufficient surplus to ensure ample food and medical care during a failed season.

Prayers for the Families

That fellowship, understanding, compassion and grace abound in the community.  That divisions and frustrations be put aside and families be reunited.

That the leaders of San Pedrito exercise wisdom, grace, compassion and fairness in all their decisions and actions, ensuring harmony and unity in the community.

That the band be a source of inspiration, education and unification for the entire village, and that our Lord's music be heard throughout the valley.

That the families can all complete their adobe homes before the rainy season and be safe and dry in the warmth provided by their new clay stoves.

That the crops, gardens and reforested areas flourish and abound with grains and fruits wood aplenty for each family.

That the spring on which they so greatly depend continues to run interrupted filling their reservoirs, quenching their childrens' thirst, and keeping disease away.

That their health and education remain an inalienable right and a priority and that they receive access to all the resources they need to ensure a bright, prosperous and sustainable future for their children.

Overview

Nuevo San Pedrito is currently made up of 14 families living in 13 homes.  The village had at one point reached a high of 20 families.  However, the continued lack of food, water and shelter over the years forced many families away. The more mature families average about 9 family members, and the village continues to experience a high birth rate and is growing on average at approximately 6 children annually.  This is an unsustainable rate under the current circumstances. 

San Pedrito simply does not have sufficient arable land to support their growth based solely on staple crops, even if they can be sold in the market.  New sources of income, including fruit orchards, textiles and so forth will be needed.  More efficient used on their sloped and currently unarable lands will be required.  Hygiene programs and waste systems become more critical with each new birth.  The Agros program is addressing all these areas but the situation will continue to be fragile, fortunately less so with each year, until the program reaches its final stage.  

One of the greatest pressures on this small community is the imprisonment of two of the village men, tied to the Acteal Massacre.  Their wives and children are forced to depend on their in laws and the community.  While this dependence is slowly diminishing due to the Agros programs, this still is a source of tension as resources are still scare and in one family's case still represents a shelter issue. 

It takes a lot of faith, patience and fortitude for these families to live in these conditions, though they are improving.  This is still a highly impoverished community and children are vulnerable to disease, disabilities and so forth.  Family and community are two of their greatest strengths.  With your help we are working with San Pedrito to develop their resources and capabilities to thrive despite their high growth rate.   These families need your support. 

In respect for the privacy of the families, if you are interested in detailed information or in sponsoring a family, please email jwav@CrossSound.org for a link to specific information on each of the families.