On 29th June, a mass for the health of our brother Alfredo took place, organised by his classmates - "Amantes para el progreso" - from the school Santo Toribio de Mogrovejo, Zaña.
The mass was both face-to-face and virtual.
The classmates gathered afterwards to send messages of encouragement and affection together - or from the places where they are now - to their classmate Alfredo, who was president of their class.
Thank you very much for all this presence!
Our sister Shirley Gonzáles, who is working in Huamachuco, has made an offering to the earth and the mountains with the children of her school.
These offerings have also been made for the health of our brother Alfredo.
Thank you, Shirley for your enormous solidarity and affection!
In Rural Libraries we take volunteering seriously: we work quietly for the good of the community, without advertising.
However, it is nice when people or entities outside our work take notice of what we do, recognise the value and meaning of our work and spread it.
Alfredo Mires Ortiz, our general coordinator, has been writing, designing and publishing books for almost 40 years. To date, more than 200 titles have been born out of his initiative and with his support - silently and without expecting anything in return.
That is why we are delighted that on 2nd June, the Provincial Municipality of Cajamarca awarded Alfredo the "Municipal Laurels" in a private and meaningful ceremony.
On its website, the Municipality comments:
Municipal Manager Ricardo Azahuanche, on behalf of Mayor Henry Alcán-tara, presented the recognition to this illustrious character for being "Promoter of the Rural Libraries of Cajamarca and the Country, as well as for his important literary and intellectual contribution and his contribution to the promotion of reading in the rural communities of Cajamarca. It is worth remembering that Alfredo Mires was recently awarded the House of Literature Prize for his "renovating vision of books, reading and literature, in dialogue with the needs of the community.
Congratulations, Alfredo. A well deserved recognition.
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Doña Yolanda Ortiz, Mamá Yola as we affectionately call her, honoured us with her visit to the great family of the Network.
Thank you Mama Yola, your visit is not only a reason for joy because of the great affection you show us- your conversations motivate, educate, inspire, teach. By educating your children you have already sown that little seed of community, a seed that your son Alfredo has been consolidating in this great proposal of Rural Libraries, as a space to value ourselves as we are, to appreciate the value of our fields, to learn in community and to be community.
Your presence and strength always teaches us, come back soon.
I am the now and the always
I am yesterday and tomorrow
I am truly what you long for
I am the truth if you seek me
I am truly what you want.
This is one of the verses of the poem "The Mountain Declares", we find it in the new book "Romance of the mountain", it is the 100th title of the Numbered Series, the book contains 48 poems written by Alfredo Mires Ortiz.
We celebrate the poetry always alive and present in our community.
To this joy of knowing that children and teenagers from Jaen will be delighted with the wonderful stories of our books, we can add the joy of having the presence of little Daniel, volunteer and reader of the Network. Daniel leaves his games and joins in the work to organise the boxes with books, encouraging us at all times and making everything more bearable. He confidently says when you have to climb the ladder to bring down the box with books - 'don't be afraid, you won't fall, and if you do, I'll help you' - or - 'I think these books are being mistreated in this location' and 'hurry up and help me with another flannel because with my patience when will we finish' - at his young age he makes us understand that everything is possible and that the books need our care.
May the children and young people who receive these books not only read them, but also take care of them and continue to share them; may the magic of reading be completed with their tenderness and curiosity; may they continue to motivate us to continue telling our history and valuing the wisdom of our grandparents.
With excitement and hope we prepare the books for Jaén, thanks to the initiative of our friends, coordinators and librarians, who have integrated four more titles from the books of the Rural Libraries Network, authored by Alfredo Mires, into their school's reading plan. Here are the verses of "Coplita de los Coplares" and "Resuellos"; "El Puma al acecho" telling a little of our history in the form of theatre and "El duende del laberinto" with the stories that motivate us to always find our way out of the labyrinth.
