El Callejon is a small community of people who live just out of town from Jarabacoa. El Callejon actually translates as "Dead End Road", and the name is very indicative of life there. The community started this little village by squatting on government land, probably because they had no where else to go, and because their lives were just like the land they found, a dead end road. The community is as poor as imaginable. So poor, in fact, that the group of people who own the community of houses adjacent to El Callejon built a wall with a barb wire fence at the top so that they would not have to see or deal with the people who live in this little village.
It is very hard to see the poverty in El Callejon and feel helpless to do something about it. But often times our "American" way of looking at things isn't always best. We instantly want to rescue people from whatever situation we deem to be unsuitable, yet that isn't necessarily the best thing, or even more so, God's will. Instead, we are called to share the good news of Jesus with those of a hurting broken world, and to help meet practical needs by "clothing the naked, caring for the sick, & visiting those in prison". It is with that type of love, the love Jesus taught us, that we are to reach out to people in need. And it is that love that has driven Students International to reach out to the people of El Callejon.
So one of the first ways that SI decided to he
lp was to build a preschool, which not only teaches the children, but also feeds them once a day. The preschool, one of 3 that SI runs, allows the children a chance to grow academically in a way that they almost would never get otherwise. In the DR, only about 1 out of every 10 students makes it to high school. Most kids, by the time they are 12, have quit attending school completely. In poor, outlying communities, there is even less of a chance of a child attending school. These preschools give these kids a chance to learn and grow, and hopefully a desire to continue on in their education.A couple of other ways that SI reaches this community are thru women's social work and thru micro-finance. The two are very different, yet can go hand in hand in helping the women of the community. The social work site has meetings and other events for the women and young girls in the village, all with the goal of teaching them about Jesus, as well a
s practical life applications. The girls learn about cooking, housework, taking care of their bodies and many other things, all within the context of the Bible. In addition, the micro-finance ministry allows women to learn about financial principles and practices, and then after a time, will give them a small loan to help them start a business with which to support their family. The community of women that participates create an environment of accountability and care, and these women have had great success in providing a viable commodity to the community, as well as being able to bring in money to help the family. Micro-finance and social work are two great examples of how we can bring help without bringing rescue.Finally, remember that wa
ll I wrote about, the one that seperates El Callejon from its neighbors? During outreaches with students from the US that have art interest, the art ministry at SI will have some of those students make some improvements to that wall. The students can design and then paint these sections, and in so doing, make El Callejon a little better place. It seems like such a little thing. Yet, each piece of the ministry is such an important part in demonstrating love and care for these people. It doesn't matter if its painting a wall or building a preschool, the most important part is showing these people that there are others who care about them. Jesus told us to do just that.
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