Inaugural conference

As we mentioned in a previous note, between 17^th and 21^st September, the VI National Congress of Public Libraries was held in Bogotá, Colombia.

Our brother Alfredo Mires Ortiz was invited to give the inaugural speech at this congress: "From librarians: books, reading and community processes", was the title of this dissertation.

Now you can see the video of the conference at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdWU3_Dwnw4&list=PLPmsdKQQbnWndrrSzwfOlnZwTYPT7wuM8&index=2&t=0s

All in one in all

Through the veins of this giving land,

fertilizing valleys, meadows and consciences,

a message of harmony is already overflowing:

"Everything is one and one is everything; our essence

is made up and is part of this beautiful

symphony that we call existence ".

Roots and fruits, grave and cradle,

they are an indivisible whole, a single entity

that breathes sun and emanates moonlight

We are channel, we are water and we are source.

David Osoro

The Day of Here We Are

Will Manco Capac ever return with his golden plow?

And will the Indian speak again?

Will it be possible

to rebuild with these sherds

the luminous vessel?

To work again

upon a long wall

the monoliths

that not even a knife fits in the joints?

Restore broken roads

of South America

towards the Four Horizons

with its old post?

And the universe of the Indian will be an Ayllu again?

Ernesto Cardenal, "Economy of Tahuantinsuyo"

En Huamachuco

Although Huamachuco is the jurisdiction of the Departament of La Libertad, a good time ago we opened ten rural libraries in the area, thanks to the impulse and coordination with Proyecto Amigo.

And there we went again, for a few intense days of visit, training, coordination and, above all, sharing.

The dedication of the mothers of family who attend the rural libraries in the neighborhoods of Huamachuco is an example of life. With Jesús Fernández and Aurora García we visited the libraries of Cumbicus, 9^th October, Fatima, Vista Alegre and Los Laureles, as well as sharing a meeting with the librarians to read together and see how we can keep walking and reading.

The coordinators of Proyecto Amigo have made possible the support with reading encouragement by volunteer students of the Higher Pedagogical Institute: with them we approached the task of the critical reading, its importance and methods.

And with the central team of the Project we shared a series of reflections on the rescue of the Andean peasant culture.

It is encouraging to see how the road, the proposal and hope are consolidated by the efforts of all.

Reading Circles in Montegrande

We greet the students of Social Sciences - Semester II of the Higher Pedagogical Institute "Víctor Andrés Belaúnde", of Jaén. They are carrying out their initial placement with children in First Grade of secondary school at the Immaculate Conception Educational Institution, using the Reading Circles, a way to meet as a community in our Network of Rural Libraries of Cajamarca.

The students of the Institute are already companions and brothers and sisters of this journey with books in the countryside. We thank Professor Sara Moreno for the effort and constant support to ensure that more children, young people and adults read, write and talk.

Congratulations and hugs: you are a true example to follow!

In our 13!

We are encouraged encouraging.

Until just a while ago -and for many years- we were present only in ten of the thirteen provinces of Cajamarca, until they were encouraged in Santa Cruz and Jaén to form their libraries. Then, ten libraries were opened in Huamachuco, which belongs to the Department of La Libertad, promoted by our friends from the Amigo Project. And now, a little while ago, the spirit of teacher Sara Morerno has made possible the opening of a rural library in the northern province of San Ignacio.

In the hamlet Cruce Naranjos, Huarango district, they already have their rural library located in the Educational Institution 16643 San Pedro. The librarian is teacher Olga Mego and she has been working since August 20.

What more pleasant news for this dream that deepens and expands!

Monseñor Romero: "The challenge of going on living"

On 14^th October 2018, Monsignor Oscar Arnulfo Romero was canonized. Romero, for his commitment to the poor, was murdered on 24^th March 24 1980, while saying mass in San Salvador.

Our brother Alfredo Mires was in El Salvador in the mid-90s and, on his return, he published "The challenge of going on living: Review of walks in Guatemala and El Salvador".

The book opens with two texts of Monsignor Romero located as epigraphs:

"A restructuring of our economic and social system is necessary, because you cannot be absolutizing that idolatry of private property."

"It's still time to take off the rings so that they will not take the hands off."

We share here a small excerpt related to "San Romero de América":

"Lord,

if you save El Salvador

do not save those who, as they killed,

enjoyed it.

To the cruel assassin,

the raider of the poor,

the rapist, the pig,

condemn them,

Lord.

I do not want to forget the tomb of Monsignor Romero, nor the corner where the killers killed him, who walk free if they kill and who jail if they are looked at.

In the room from where they dragged the six Jesuits of the Catholic University, to shoot them point-blank, a picture of Monsignor has the glass broken by the flame of the flamethrower with which they tried to kill his memory and only managed to fan his memory.

And in another painting he has another bullet in his chest, because those who killed him must dream at night and maybe they still are not convinced that he is dead. Maybe they believed that by killing a man they could annihilate his dreams.

I do not want to forget the dark corner of the sacristy where Romero lived, that kind of saint with the smell of a town, nor his clothes torn, nor his blood spilled. El Salvador has so much pain that I do not know where it fits."