Family

Saying good-bye hurts, it is true. However, we choose to experience this pain, or the possibility of it, when we choose to make genuine connections, when we build our families, when we open our hearts. And the joy we gain from these connections, the enriching of our souls, is our reward for taking the risk.

Having families that span the earth means that no matter where you are you're always missing someone. But knowing that, although far, they are present, that although their path at times diverges from yours, they still walk by your side, restricts the distance to the physical realm.

Moments of separation also serve to take stock and express gratitude felt. On leaving Cajamarca my gratitude goes to my Cajamarcan family, for inviting me to be apart of yours.

Thank you to the rural libraries movement, for opening your circle and welcoming me in. Thank you for your teachings, for showing me that resistance to what you don't want needs to be preceded and constantly accompanied by the creation and protection of the life you do want, to live your desired reality with dignity and presence.

Thank you for teaching me the value of (re)connecting with our ancestors and, through their wisdom, the Earth and the Cosmos. Thank you for teaching me the essence of community, and how to nurture it.

Thank you for all these teachings and so much more, but most of all thank you for teaching by example, for lighting the way.

This is nothing more than a 'see you later', and my the later be soon. 

       

Lizeth

Some time ago, Lizeth Andrea Aristizábal Amaya, a Colombian librarian student at the University of Antioquia, found out about Rural Libraries. Then she wrote us to ask about the possibility of coming.

Now Lizeth is here, with us, integrated with the tasks of the Campesina Encyclopedia.

"There are very precious spaces," she tells us, "to exist in fullness: Cajamarca, with its laborious and friendly people, its sacred mountains and its precious culture, is undoubtedly one of them. I arrived at the beginning of July to this place; I arrived full of joy because at last I would share and learn from those who with their wise and generous work give life to the Network of Rural Libraries of Cajamarca, a library family that transforms lives and that transforms and grows from those lives.

It is short, the time I have in this place, but the joy of having met the librarians of the network and of having been inspired by their humility and their work that is guided by love, will endure in me. The remembrance of Alfredo and his family will also endure: they, through their work and internal strength, have taught me the courage to believe in others; they taught me that together we are stronger and that one plus one is one. I will carry each one of them in my heart.

Cajamarca and its people have given me an eternal gift because in this place I began to believe in magic again; in this place I learned from the hand of Alfredo the importance of living solidarity intensely... "Life is just a little while," he told me as we climbed the Apu Qayaqpuma."

Thank you, Lizeth. How gratifying to know that we are together in this journey that always begins!

Welcome to the community!

Jacinto

My name is Jose Jacinto Aguilar Neira, from the community of Carrizal, in the province of Cajabamba. I am zonal coordinator of Rural Libraries. I have been a librarian for more than thirty years.

For me, reading is a step further on the road to respecting our own culture and also to keeping safe everything around us: both by reading it and also describing the history of our landscapes, our own experience.

That's why I encourage communities to engage in reading circles, so that everyone can read.

In fact it has gained much momentum: the people already know more and more. We no longer let ourselves be deceived as before, when they let themselves be deceived because there was no such concurrence of study; now, as they books read, they are already a little more alert to what is going to happen.

Because the situation is a little bit problematic now, especially concerning the environment: we have to be alert, to know what they are doing with us, how they affect the water, affect the air and the land.

That is why our biggest challenge is to meet and among us to evaluate what we must do, how to face the problems: also because sometimes the political authorities are in favour of the destructive companies and we are left out, there is no justice for the poor ... But we have to do our part, to understand among us all in order to live better.

The dazzle of the Qayaqpuma

After enormous efforts - and more disappointment with people who offered to help and then pretended to misunderstand, our friend Francisco Vigo has managed to publish the photobook "Qayaqpuma".

Already, Pancho had taken his photographic exhibition to Lima, Arequipa, Cajamarca and Shangahi, but the idea of ​​the book did not cease.

Just a few weeks ago this book was born. On each page you can see the meticulous care that Pancho has given this edition. Our sincere congratulations go out to you for this excellent work.

Our brother Alfredo Mires wrote the presentation of the book, with the title "In the name of the son", and in it he says:

"... this intriguing perception of heritage is not an archaism, it is not an idolatry nor a Palaeolithic backwardness as some obtuse connoisseurs are determined to point out. The sense of affiliation with the earth is a superior state of human development, an overcoming of civilizing nonsense.

The overthrow of the Andean and primordial world - for now more than five hundred years - has not only meant genocide and ecocide, but also the blatant theft of memory and the looting of its repositories.

And the devastation does not cease: the majestic Apu Qayaqpuma - once venerated and extolled by the founding communities of culture - is not only threatened by extractive usury, but is permanently subject to dumping and disfigurement.

It's pure existence continues to summon us, it's pure fragility continues to call us."

Visit

Just a few weeks ago we received a visit from a group of students, with teachers Elias Rengifo and Guissela Gonzales, from the National University of San Marcos. They arrived with the frank spirit of getting to know our experience.

Before coming, they collected books from some friends and brought them, generously, to nourish our Exchange Center. We recognize with sincerity and affection this gesture of solidarity.

We were able to hold more than one meeting in which we shared various aspects related to our work. We were also able to visit a library in the countryside, where the community dynamics of reading and cultural affirmation could be directly observed.

Solidarity

Some days ago we received a valuable donation of books for our libraries.

Mr. Iván Ledesma Vílchez contacted us to offer us some books from his personal collection and, in this way, contribute to the tasks of our Network in the communities.

He does not know us personally, but he has seen and read about the proposal and he knows that his donation will be well received and used by our readers.

From this space we want to recognize his gesture of solidarity. Thus we also find that in this country and in the whole world - in spite of privatizations and destitution - good people prevail, capable of sincere and disinterested actions.

Assembly!

Each Assembly of the Network is synonymous with meeting, joining, community, the great opportunity to share our ways and wanderings.

"Thank you for notifying me, I am already separating my time", "I am visiting my libraries", "Greetings from my librarians" ... like this, excitedly, responded the volunteer coordinators of the Network when we informed them that the Assembly was already close.

It fell on them to see who would replace them for that time with the work on the farm; to collect the books for the exchange, the registers of readers, the contribution for the common pot. And here, to prepare everything. This is minga: community and volunteer work.

In the background it is a celebration, because it is celebrated and weaved.

Welcome, brothers and sisters!

Valentina

For a couple of weeks now we have had the pleasure of the company of Laura Valentina Bocanegra Villegas, student of Industrial Engineering and Technologist in design, implementation and maintenance of telecommunication systems.

She came by land from Cali, Colombia, to join us as a volunteer. She has had to contend with several days of travel and then with the low temperatures of this time in Cajamarca.

"I was enthusiastic about getting to know the Libraries for what my mother told me," says Valentina, "but I also think that this proposal is a form of opposition to a system that is simply educating us to be consumerists regardless of the environment, a system which is only interested in satisfying whims. Rural Libraries gives another option: to open the minds of people so that they are able to be critical and to can choose a different path. I like to help, I want to make available what I have learned."

Laura Valentina has integrated herself into the daily tasks of the Network, reviewing our communications and electric system, and now helps in the Center of Exchange by preparing the books that the coordinators will bring to the different communities at the next Assembly.

Thank you, Valentina, for your integrity, for accompanying us in the sharing of enthusiasm and joy.

Welcome to the community!

Germinating seeds in Huamachuco

I was honoured with the task of returning to Huamachuco, Department of La Libertad, a few weeks after we initiated 10 new libraries in the outer-city neighbourhoods.

I was cordially received by sisters Yesi and Rocio Altamirano, coordinators and educators of Proyecto Amigo (the Friend Project), the organisation with which we are partnering for this task.

With Rocio we spent an entire day walking between the neighbourhoods and visiting the emergent libraries. It was a joy to see the seeds already taking root; each librarian had lovingly accommodated our books into their new spaces where they wait to receive eager companions to open up to.

In their reception of us each librarian humbly demonstrated their dedication and will to be a vehicle in their neighbourhoods for bringing books and souls together. From young Maribel Agreda who is building her home, to Dona Irma Vera Valderrama who is a local leader in the Ronda (a community justice organisation) in her neighbourhood... the group of new members are as diverse as they are brilliant!

Thank you for the kind welcome and for embarking on this path! 

Lynda Sullivan

Network Volunteer