Reading unites us

On 16th December, as students and teachers of Sacred Heart School in Jaen, we gathered with joy to make the second reading walk a reality. It was great to share moments of reading with first grade students. The chosen site surrounded by greenery nourished our spirits and favoured concentration. We read different numbers of the Cernidas of the Rural Libraries of Cajamarca: Barro bendito, El pueblo del abuelo, Piedra adentro, Prenda querida, Empezó a andar, El pan nuestro, among other interesting Cernidas that are close to our customs inherited from our elders and that make us live, remember and not forget the essence of everything that surrounds our daily life at home, in the countryside, at school, in the neighbourhood and in the community.

Each one of us read and then invited interpretation of what was read, expressing why we read the texts of the Cernidas. With each sharing we commemorated our own experiences, we laughed at the situations that seemed funny to us - such as the one with the chilli bell pepper, of Cernida 12, which highlights the types of chilli bell pepper and one with the name "Pinchoemono" and that it stings too much and can not be eaten, being so small. We got festive with the couplet of Cernida 14 "Dicen que la trinitaria, es una bonita flor, remedio pa las muchachas, que están muriendo de amor" (They say that the trinitaria is a beautiful flower, a remedy for girls, who are dying of love). We also became reflective with the messages that made us think about our own attitudes and what we should learn to be better at - as in Cernida 20, with the title "Hagan cuenta que siempre sigo vivo" (Realise that I'm always alive) where the value of respecting, greeting, working, telling the truth, living together and sharing what we have is emphasized.

Finally, it was also an extraordinary moment to remember Alfredo Mires Ortiz, co-founder of Rural Libraries, who left us the precious legacy of reading, the rural library and other projects that open our minds and teach us to live in fraternity and learn more every day to be a better person and therefore, a better citizen.

Thank you Alfredo, your memory is nestled in our hearts.