The following reflections are from the December 2007 Delegation members who visited Chiapas, Mexico.

View the complete set of photos from this delegation visit!

Some religious societies have what they call a “third order,” a way of incorporating lay people into their mission. The Jesuits have chosen to do this without spending a lot of energy on organization.  They do it by co-laboring. I have, as a lay person, collaborated in the work of the Jesuits for nearly thirty years. I’ve never seen myself on an organizational chart and know I would never be considered a Jesuit with a capital “J.”  Nonetheless, I feel very much associated with their work and with their co-laborers. It was, therefore, no surprise that I felt right at home in the mission at Bachajón. The Jesuits were familiar; their Tseltal collaborators were familiar. Though I had never met these particular Jesuits or a Tseltal person, I immediately felt part of a family. Could this be Kingdom . . . come!  Mike Mains

It has already been three months since our delegation returned from our short but powerful pilgrimage to Chiapas. We four travelers stay in touch with each other these days and are plotting our next bit of mischief… a gathering of folks who may be interested in hearing about our encounters to that beautiful, but poor, Mexican state.

I often wake with a sense of the countryside...the mountains, the vistas, the morning mist. I see, in my mind’s eye, the open faces of the Tseltal children and the tired eyes of their grandparents. I remember with deep appreciation, the conversations, the wonderful laughs, and the kindness of the Jesuits with whom we stayed. I hold them and Alicia in my hearts, their faithful spirit and good work always in front of me.

It takes time for important experiences and encounters such as those to orient themselves in us, and it takes time for us to ground ourselves in their meaning and truth. I am patient and open and hopeful as this process continues in me,  and I look forward to whatever step I may be called to  make. Diane McQuiston

How is your heart today?” This Tseltal greeting reflects what we experienced in Chiapas in December: the well being of the individual as an inherent part of the well being of the entire community; the world view that the common good is a core value; that care for the Earth and each other are the “heart” of the matter; that there is a seamless integration of faith, hope and the commitment to the hard work and formation that are required to sustain these values under the difficult circumstances that the people of Chiapas experience daily. Their lives are not simple or easy and the problems within the communities are real: alcoholism, oppression, prejudice, hunger, and poverty to name a few. Yet we experienced in the Tseltal people, and in the people of the Jesuit Mission that serve them, such a natural integration of their daily lives with their faith.  The resulting hope gives birth to continued efforts despite the many obstacles.

Many moments in Chiapas seemed like a dream. Perhaps a dream come true. Being in Chiapas put me back in touch with the Earth, with my faith, with myself. The fruits of this trip will continue to unfold for some time to come.

“How is your heart today?” A part of my heart is still there. Carolyn Hickman

As I live my Seattle life, I am aware of how much of Chiapas I carry in my heart. In the morning as I wake to the sun rising over the Cascades or to the gray curtain of cloud and rain, I think about mornings in Chiapas. The Tseltal expression for morning is “sakubel qu'inal,” which means the “whitening of the environment.” In the mountains of Chiapas, morning arrives gently, blanketed in low clouds and fog. I try to take time to feel grateful for the beauty I see every day.

When I wake to remember snippets of my dreams, I am reminded that the Tseltales say that God speaks to us in our dreams. One year during a visit to a community, we discussed how the pressure of poverty was driving people to look for work in other parts of Mexico and the United States and ripping the fragile social fabric of Tseltal communities. When we retired for the night, community leaders asked everyone to dream about this problem. In the morning, we shared our dreams with one another in our common search for responses to the problem of migration. I try to take time to pay attention to my dreams and wonder what lessons God might be trying to teach me.

As I run around Seattle, full of “things to do,” I sometimes stop and remember what my friend Rosalina told me many years ago. We were ambling down a street in Chilón on our way to a meeting. I asked her what sort of traits Tseltal communities look for in potential leaders. What she said made me reflect on how our definition of leadership falls short: “We see leaders are people who walk slowly, listen more than they talk, and offer service to their communities.”

The Tseltal People offer our troubled world many special gifts simply by the way they live. I am  deeply grateful for what they have opened up in me. Every day I try to leave space in my heart to allow the wisdom and beauty of the Tseltal People to take root and grow. Jeannie Berwick