The Village of San Pedrito
Their History
The Tzotzil people of San Pedrito trace their origins back to their Mayan ancestors who built elaborate pyramids and cities throughout Southern Mexico and Central America, many of which still stand today. Having developed the first known working calendar and astronomical charts, and engineered an elaborate civilization long before Europeans came to the Americas, they are a strong and proud people.
The people of San Pedrito still retain the same language and much of the culture and traditions of their Mayan ancestors. In fact few speak Spanish at all. They still consider Chenalho in the central highlands their homeland, a cool and lush place over 7,000 feet above see level.
In 1994, with no hope of a future, one of the four founders, Alberto Diaz, attended a seminar in San Cristobal de las Casas where he was informed about land that the government was giving away. Alberto, Jose Ruiz, Antonio Santiz, and a government engineer went to see the land a year later just as the political situation was reaching its height. It was a piece of hot, sandy, barren and waterless land that nobody wanted, completely foreign to them, surrounded by a large population of Mestizo people that do not want them there. Nevertheless, it offered hope, the possibility of land ownership which had eluded them all, and distance from the political hostilities that were mounting in their homeland.
As they were finalizing their ownership, the Acteal massacre took place in 1997. The pressure to move their families and seal the arrangement was now greater than ever. However, their people were now being persecuted and pursued by the very government that was giving them the land. Under a very complex and tenuous set of circumstances they somehow managed to seal the arrangement, and started moving their families immediately. They named this place Nuevo San Pedrito after their patron saint (Saint Peter) of their homeland.
Their first six months there were extremely harsh. They had no shelter or even tarps or covering to protect them from the environment. They were thus forced to hide in ravines to get a little shelter from wind and rain. They eventually were able to acquire some tarps and slept underneath those for the first year. They had no food so they had to go to surrounding farms to gather rotting corn left on the ground following the harvests. Avoiding shame and embarrassment, they explained to the farmers that they needed the waste for fertilizer and animal feed.
Over time they managed to build the simple wood homes they now live in, using the few pieces of wood they could scavenge from the nearby forest. They are now approaching their eighth year on this land. It has been very hard – thirst, hunger, illness – yet, they are here to stay. After so many vested years of their lives their, they identify themselves with this land. It is part of who they are. It is part of their story. They cannot leave, nor would they have anywhere to go. Click here to see detailed village and road maps of San Pedrito.
Their Plight
Rejected by a surrounding population of Mestizos, they were marginalized and discriminated because of their skin color, language and cultural differences. They had nowhere to go for help and resources. They had to learn to make do with what they have but lacked the skills to ensure their community’s future. There was no access to health care or education. They suffered from hunger and malnutrition, lack of water, and disease. They did not have adequate shelter. As time passed, their situation worsened, and without help they would continue to erode like the sand they live on.
Today the people of San Pedrito can now think past the next day, as all their efforts and energies are no longer devoted to daily survival. With our early relief efforts and subsequent investments they began their climb out of disaster and are finally approaching subsistence level poverty. They are now leveraging their many strengths and virtues to work for the future. With adequate water, shelter, and food to feed their families, they are now beginning to realizing their God-given potential and share the blessings with others outside their community.
We are working alongside San Pedrito to help them discover and utilize their potential. Given our holistic approach this requires parallel relief efforts and long term projects that are sustainable.
Immediate efforts include construction of a year-round water system tapping a natural spring nearby. This will provide them daily drinking water, allow them to build permanent adobe and block homes, provide necessary irrigation, and promote hygiene and improved health.
Properly developed and managed, their now sandy and sterile land can eventually grow enough food to feed the village and bring in much needed income for the current families and future generations as the village grows. The surrounding forest can be managed to safely provide resources for fuel, food and materials. Introduction of livestock such as quail and ducks, and development of their skills to manufacture and sell high quality handicrafts, will eventually assure a positive income stream required to attain the basic service such as education and power.
 Their Plan
Cross Sound Church is committed to a five-year plan with San Pedrito. While long term development efforts and projects are well underway, the first year of this partnership will emphasize the immediate relief efforts required to help the village get to a minimum level of subsistence.
Work has already begun on waterless environmentally safe latrines to promote hygiene and health; high efficiency wood burning stoves to promote safety in the home and minimize the impact on the surrounding forest; the first steps toward sustainable soil development and improved crop management; just to name a few.
The plan is developed in partnership between Cross Sound Church, Agros International and San Pedrito. However, it is ultimately the people of San Pedrito that prioritize their needs and drive the plan.
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