Agros Blog

Manuel jumped into the bed of our pick-up truck, an ear to ear grin on his face as he waved, shouting to his fellow Tzotzil villagers, “I’m off to the Teaching Fields to give our new gringo family gifts of gratitude for this momentous day they brought us!”

Alfonso, an Agros Agronomist, said that Manuel had a surprise for us. A few minutes later he pulled over and both hopped out of the truck, crossed the road bending beneath the black mesh canopied Rose training field, with the glint of drawn knife blades shinning as they began their cutting search. Sensing what was up, I searched for my camera and found it in the knick of time, snapping a photo of grace personified in Manuel’s face.

I did this just before he began to hand each of us a long stem, rain dappled, red rose, saying “Chahall” (which means “thank-you” in his native Tzotzil), and then waving goodbye as he turned for the walk back up to the Agros village of Nueva Palestina, in the hilly region of Southwestern Chiapas, México.

Only a few hours before this tender moment, the seven of us were strangers –wrapped in a cultural bouquet of sights, sounds and smells. Together we were witnessing the renewal of hope of thirty-two families as we signed a covenant of mutual commitment between Nueva Palestina, Apple Physical Therapy (a 260 employee company providing financial and service team support to Agros International), and Agros México, unfolding before us like Manuel’s fragrant roses.

Seizing upon the ceremony as a teachable moment, Sergio Sanchez, Country Director of Agros Mexico, involved all as they streamed forth to sign the symbolic banner of brotherhood. While some could indeed sign, others could only make a thumbprint, followed by one of the village leaders or Sergio, who would write the person’s name above the ink mark.

Once the formalities were finished, the families invited us to a feast of fried free-range chicken, rice, black beans and cups of Horchata; dipped from a new 30 gallon plastic garbage can full enough for all present to have a subsequent celebration drink.

At this moment, while the village waited their turn, a “thorn prick” pained us all –we were to eat alone, while the eyes of children and women watched waiting until we were finished. Here our gentle mentor Sergio emerged again; reminding us that we were honored guests and this was their custom. He said, “Live into their moment for in doing so you honor them.”

Solidarity with the poor means risking life-altering encounters and advocacy. When we are willing to venture forth, trusting tutors like Sergio and a humble villager like Manuel to open our eyes and hearts we walk in the “teaching fields” together, being led among both the roses and thorns.

If you’d like to learn more about entering into teachable moments with us, email me at davidc@agros.org!

The full participation and involvement of the people we serve is fundamental to the mission of Agros. Paola, a 19-year-old woman from Cajixay, Guatemala, has worked as an Agros promoter since 2006. Her passion to improve the lives of the poor has helped many women in Guatemala. She is currently studying Social Work at the University of Santa Cruz.

“Agros began to work with Cajixay in 2002, and I have seen many changes since then, both in the lives of my family and in the whole community. My family has its own house for the first time!”

In November 2006, Agros offered Paola a job as a promoter of the textiles and weaving project. “I teach women how to improve their products and how to sell them more effectively. I work with all the Agros villages in the area, including Cajixay. It is a privilege to help the women in my own community. I am even teaching my mother!”

With the money that she earns, Paola pays for her studies at the university. “I work Monday through Friday for Agros, and I attend classes on Saturdays in Santa Cruz del Quiché. Saturdays are long days; I leave my house at 4 in the morning and return at about 10 at night, but it is worth the effort.”

Paola is studying social work, and her dream is to continue helping the people in her community and in all of Guatemala. “I love my work!” she says.

Paola’s deep conviction to help the poor are reflected in these words, “I want to urge all you who read this - fight to improve your lives. And if you don’t have your own struggles, fight to improve other people’s lives.”

This is a time of great celebration here at Agros as we announce the beginning of two new villages, Villa Hortencia I in Guatemala, and Nuevas Esperanzas in Nicaragua. Over 150 families are now beginning a new life of hope and opportunity.

Agros Village #35 Nuevas Esperanzas, Nicaragua
This community, formerly known as El Naranjo, waited for years to have the opportunity to own  land.  Their primary sources of income and food came from growing basic grains on rented land and working as day laborers on sugarcane and coffee plantations.  Fathers and sons would leave their families behind for months to work in the plantations, struggling to provide enough income to survive.  After so many years of living in devastating poverty, these 36 families are now able to stay together throughout the year, learning new skills to develop agricultural business projects on land they will one day own.  Journeying through the Agros development process, these families will learn to diversify their crops and economic activities, building the necessary infrastructure to ensure growth.  In a way that just wasn’t possible before, they can now seize opportunities for literacy, healthcare, education, and economic sustainability.  You can read more about Nuevas Esperanzas here.

Agros Village #34 Villa Hortencia I, Guatemala
After decades of war, hunger, and profound struggle, one hundred and twenty Quiche families now have the opportunity to flourish.  The 36-year civil war in Guatemala was devastating for the villages in this region, leaving families marginalized, displaced, and forgotten. In 2006 the Guatemalan Land Fund gave these families rights to 688 acres of land in Villa Hortencia.  While this was a hopeful first step, the land they received was rocky, dry, and not very productive.  Lacking the necessary agricultural knowledge and support, the families continued to struggle.

Agros began working with the families in Villa Hortencia last June, exploring a variety of ways to provide assistance.  Last week the Agros Noemi committee approved the long-term support that will be used to provide agricultural training and community development, maximizing the potential of these families to work their way out of  poverty.  Click here to read more.

The story of Agros is written by people who dare to overcome their limitations with hope and hard work.  These are people who, when given encouragement and opportunity, stand up with strength and hope that their dreams can be fulfilled even after poverty has worn their hearts away. 

This is the story of Mario, a leader of the Agros village Brisas del Volcán in Honduras.

For most of his life Mario rented land to grow corn and beans to feed his family. Making less than three dollars a day, he struggled to provide for all their needs. “I was constantly in debt at the local market, so any money I made during the week was already spent.” Whenever his family ran out of food, Mario would go into the mountains in search of bananas or roots to eat. “We had to make sacrifices because we didn’t have any money.”

One day Rosa, Mario’s wife, heard about Agros and after meeting with the Agros staff, she and Mario began to search land for their community. “We approached landowners, but they didn’t believe that we could afford to buy our own land, so they would chastise us, calling us ‘dirt-eaters,’ and dismiss us.”

But Mario and Rosa would not give up. In 2006, they organized a group of families and started Brisas del Volcán. “We were so happy when we started this village. We began by producing the coffee that was already growing in the fields and then we learned new ways to improve the production of basic grains.”

Agros has also given them financial and technical support for sustainable agriculture. “This is helping us succeed and pay for our land.”

Two years into this journey, Mario’s village is producing organic coffee, raising cattle, and diversifying their crops.

“Living in Brisas del Volcán has transformed our lives. Owning land has improved our relationship with God and with people. I was even able to provide for my daughter’s education, who graduated with a technical degree in management. I have food to eat, I’ve paid off my debts and I have money in my pocket to pay for our everyday needs. I see a whole new realm of possibility for my life, and I realize that I am capable of reaching my goals. Working with Agros has given me hope and a life of opportunity for my family.”

In the 1800’s a K’iche Mayan man left his home in Quetzaltenango in search of a new life.  Don Pablo Itzep Utuy settled in the beautiful region of Ixil, Guatemala in a little village then called Asich.  There the mist clings to the green hills and the soil is rich for planting.  Ten families were living in the village at the time and they welcomed him into their community.

The village of Asich grew, as did the family of Don Pablo. When he passed away, Don Pablo left his portion of the land to his son, Don Nicolás. Don Nicolás continued to live on the land with his family until the year 1981 when the unrest and violence that had been spreading through Guatemala for twenty years finally reached the Ixil.  It was a time of terror for everyone.  Throughout the Ixil over 200,000 men, women, and children were killed in a literal genocide.  Entire villages were destroyed, forcing families into exile and despair.  Don Nicolás, his family, nearby neighbors — they all abandoned their houses and moved away together, hoping for safety in numbers.

Many years of hardship passed before Don Nicolás and those who fled with him were finally able to return to their land.  Upon returning after the war, the land land was given a new name. They called it “San Nicolás” after Don Nicolás himself, and the area became its own village. There was not much to return to, however. Many of the houses had been burned to the ground. Very little was left. They began to rebuild their homes, but huddled them together under order of the Guatemalan military. This was so  the soldiers could keep a close watch on the village families. The military also implemented civilian patrol groups, requiring the men to carry weapons and “protect” the people from guerrilla soldiers and the “rebels” living in the mountains. Life both during and after the war was very hard. The people were poor and resources were scarce.

In the 1990’s the war finally and officially ended and military soldiers relinquished their control over San Nicolás. Little by little the people worked to rebuild their community. In the year 2000 Don Nicolás purchased more land, adding to his family’s holdings.

In 2004 the partnership between Agros and San Nicolás officially began.  Agros purchased a plot of land for cultivation not too far from San Nicolás and the families are  working towards paying for the land — one day they’ll own it outright.  With the help of Agros the people have also learned to diversify their crops. They now plant a variety of fruits and vegetables. This is the third year that San Nicolás is cultivating peas, actually exporting them to other countries.  This pea project enables the families to pay back their land loans, buy cows or other animals, or start up other small businesses.

With Agros’ help the families of San Nicolás have gained access to potable water and have created a running water system, as well as now having efficient cook stoves and and composting latrines.  This all contributes to the communities health and well-being.

Today, Don Nicolás is 88 years old. His dream is to live to see 100, and like his father before him, leave behind a home and legacy for the next generation.  Don Nicolás is a living example of ‘Land, Hope, and Life’ becoming real.

Partnership with Agros means more than loans and projects. At Agros we define poverty as ‘broken relationships’, and for the rural poor you can measure this. Relationships are broken as men and young boys leave their families and work for months in coffee or sugar plantations, or when mothers migrate to other countries seeking jobs… relationships break down for the poor when economic, health, education, environmental, cultural structures all break down.

Our development model is focused on restoring broken relationships, in ways that can be measured. We do this not by offering charity, but by empowering families to work their own way out of poverty. Attitudes and outlooks are transformed as opportunities are offered and families steadily create new realities of hope, organization and participation. Here is how Andrés, from the Agros village ‘Espinal Buenavista’ explains it:

Andrés is an indigenous Tsotsil from Bochil, a municipality of Los Altos in Chiapas, Mexico, and when he moved to the Agros community ‘Espinal Buenavista’ he dedicated himself to working the land and using micro loans (enterprise loans) offered by Agros to raise livestock, particularly pigs.

“Agros has always been honest with us, stating very clearly from the beginning that they are not a charity; they provide us with loans and training.  The truth is they have followed through on this with us.”

Andres and many others in Espinal Buenavista are being given an opportunity to use their skills to help their families escape poverty. Though his community has worked with other organizations, no other NGO or governmental organization has provided the scope of opportunity that Agros has. “We feel a strong, trusting relationship with Agros - with the field staff, directors, and partners. Agros is a flexible organization, the first that has made it easy for us to use long term loans and community organization to improve our lives.”

Andrés concludes, “Our community is now open to building relationships with people outside of Espinal Buenavista - this is new for us. We are united, and everyone participates and enjoys coming together for meetings. In this way, we are organized and the families are truly happy… we are content.”

The Agros Development Model enables entire communities to fundamentally break the cycle of poverty for generations to come. With the support of Agros, a group of families from Aduana Dos, Nicaragua, is writing a new chapter in a history previously marked by poverty and lack of opportunity. The following report was written by field staff in Nicaragua:

The families from Aduana Dos, Nicaragua, have displayed an impressive degree of leadership throughout their plantain project. Management skills, accountability, and decision-making have allowed them to grow higher quality crops. The success and growth is impressive.

During this project the families have demonstrated positivity and an entrepreneurial spirit. Seventy-five percent of the families are marketing their crops allowing them to generate more income than originally projected. The news about their success is spreading throughout the region and as a consequence, neighbor communities have started to grow plantains in their home gardens as well. In all of our countries the Agros model impacts not just the village where the model is implemented, but also in neighboring communities as well.

It is important to note how much the women in the community have been absolutely key in the success of this project. They leave their homes early in the morning to sell and market the products in neighboring villages.

“We are grateful to Agros for the opportunity of being part of this project. We have recovered our self-confidence. We can work our land, and most importantly have food to eat with our children.” - Audelys, Aduana Dos.

Distress and struggle are circumstances we all face during our lifetime. For some of us this looks like illness, life transition, or the loss of a loved one. For many others, these struggles are related to the uncertainty of having food on the table, a place to work, the loss of home, or the daily impossibility of living with simple dignity because its been stripped away.

Whatever the degree of our struggle, we all can relate to the relief that comes with tangible opportunity to overcome desperation. This is the story of José Ángel and his journey to fulfill his dream.

“We used to live in a community called Pancasan, on a little plot of land that belonged to my mother. However, four siblings plus our wives and children shared this place, so I decided to look for a piece of land where I could settle my family. When I began my search it was hard to find a loan to buy a plot of land. That is how I ran into people who told me about Agros. I thought it was a great opportunity and Agros staff visited me and invited me to a meeting where they explained their development model to us. I thought it was a good process so I signed up for the project. Nine months later, with the support of service teams who visited us from the US, we began building a well for drinking water. It was a beautiful and unforgettable experience.

After the well was finished, we began building our homes. Although a difficult endeavor, it was an extraordinary experience, and we continued persevering, motivated by the hope of finally having a beautiful and decent home!

We moved to our homes in June of 2001, and until this day I cannot fathom that I have a house when I see it. It seems that it is not mine, because even when I always dreamed of a well-built and beautiful house I could not imagine the possibility of owning it because I come from a very difficult economic situation. I am grateful to God -who used Agros - to make the dream of my life come true.

My life has changed, my mindset has been transformed — my situation has been improved. I’m grateful and very hopeful. Thanks be to God, and thanks to Agros!

My name is José Ángel and Modesta is my wife. We have four children and we have a great vision for the future of our community.”

War, poverty, systemic injustice… these are forces that work to steal the dignity and hope of so many. Here at Agros, it is our mission and passion to challenge the hopelessness and despair that exists for so many. This following is a story about a group of families in Mexico striving for land, hope, and life. They have a unique story, and yet nevertheless also represent the thousands upon thousands of families across Central America and Mexico who face the same struggle — people who are skillful, hard working, with hope and faith in abundance… and yet who lack fertile land and tangible opportunities. The following was written by our International Program Assistant, Christina Cummings.

The readiness of the group was felt throughout the room. Anticipation and hope mixed with desperation from previous dead-end after dead-end. The number of women, children and men that traveled to meet together at the end of a hard workday… the posture of each perched forward on the hardwood benches their own hands had constructed… the questions speaking to their hunger for change and fear of yet another false hope… it all spoke loudly of not only their history of marginalization and poverty, but also their desire for dignity and hope.

These twenty-five Guatemalan refugees were naturalized in Mexico after over twenty years of living on the outskirts of society. They gathered to meet with Agros to discuss the needs and hopes of their families. Currently, they are living on land that is entirely too small to support a healthy community and sustainable growth. “We’re going around in circles on this land,” says one woman in the front row. Even so, most have extensive experience in worm-composting, non-traditional crops, livestock, and other skills passed on from their ancestors. They simply do not have the land needed to grow the most basic crops to feed their families.

Racism and neglect are other issues this group faces, highlighted in their 10-year struggle with the Mexican government to connect their community to a local water system. One frustrated man recalls politicians’ visits — where packages of campaign materials were dropped off in their community while obvious, urgent needs are ignored. Abandoned by both the Guatemalan and Mexican governments, they feel like citizens of “not here nor there.”

Despite the struggle, these families have not given up. As part of a network of over 50 neighboring communities, they are united in their vision for a better future and are meeting together regularly to organize their search for land and opportunity.

Agros defines poverty as ‘broken relationships’, and this can be seen in how families are often forced to live apart, with the men forced to work on plantations, or in other parts of the region. One wife and mother, left behind as her husband was forced to look for work elsewhere, shook with emotion, “Here, the women work even when their husbands are gone; we take on the men’s responsibilities. But it scares me to think about what will happen to us if we don’t find land to work.”

At the end of the meeting the families filed out with hope and determination in their eyes. Conversations will continue as the families and Agros staff continue to explore the possibilities of launching a new project together.

Virtually every Agros village starts this way… with conversations, relationship building, and desire. Because Agros is committed to long term transformation, the process takes time. However, after 33 projects in 5 countries, it is clear that a modest investment in these families will reap enormous rewards. Land, agricultural training, relationship… hard work, commitment, faith… the ingredients are there. It simply takes a willingness to challenge despair and hopelessness.

Nueva Palestina, Mexico, was established as an Agros Village in 2007. Here is a story of two community leaders whose initiative has helped an entire community break free from the cycle of poverty.

Sebastián and Margarita have lived in Nueva Palestina, Mexico, for the last thirteen years. Like so many other families in the Chiapas region, they were forced to flee from their home in 1989 due to religious persecution. They lived the next six years as internal refugees, struggling to support their family on day-laborer wages.

As indigenous people without land or a community in which to settle, Sebastián and Margarita suffered from discrimination and marginalization until 1996, when the Mexican government offered land. During this time, Sebastián and Margarita tried to break free from the grip of poverty but the dream of a better life proved elusive.

In 2005, Sebastián heard about Agros from a friend in a neighboring Agros community, San Pedrito, and for two years Sebastián worked with his own community to form a partnership with Agros. Their hard work paid off and now Sebastián and Margarita are serving as leaders in Nueva Palestina, encouraging all to participate in the organizational and development process.

“I’m happy to have helped my community,” says Sebastián, modestly referring to his faithful leadership as the President of the Ejido Commission, a collective of land owners in Mexico. In order for another community member to take on a more significant leadership role, Sebastián has recently stepped aside as president of the Commission. “I am helping my brothers and sisters so that together we can get ahead,” Sebastián says.

Margarita, just as modest as her husband, has also made a major impact on her community’s development. Just a few short months ago no one in Nueva Palestina knew how to embroider the elaborate clothing that is traditional to their heritage. Margarita has led a passionate, organized group to receive sewing workshops from Agros staff, obtain enterprise loans, and to purchase two sewing machines!

The women are currently producing beautiful clothing, eager to learn new designs and improve relationships with new markets.

Margaria and Sebastián both are true servant leaders.

Graduation from university is always an exciting time in anyone’s life. But try to imagine what it must feel like if you were not only the first one to graduate from your family, but also the first from your town? And then imagine that you took all of your classes in a second language, and even began to learn a third language during your years at university. The joy and excitement would be that much more.

This is exactly what happened for four young women and one young man from the Ixil on November 17, 2007. They walked across the stage in their caps and gowns and received their diplomas as professional technicians from the Universidad del Valle in Guatemala. In the audience were members of their families who had left the Ixil in the Guatemalan highlands at 3am that morning to make the trip. These young people had received scholarships from the University and other non-profit organizations to attend four years of schooling-two years to finish their high school degrees and then two more years to receive technical training in their choice of specialty. Three of them chose to focus on agroforestry techniques and the other two focused on tourism. All five plan to return to the Ixil to find jobs, continue studying and serve their communities.

Just months after I began working for Agros in 2003, these five youth won their scholarships and began their studies. They traveled 8 hours away from their families to the University, and to a whole new world. From their small villages to the city of Solola, from their world of speaking Ixil with their families to taking all their classes in Spanish, which is their second language. It was a tough transition. At times they wanted to just leave and return home. They had to have special tutors and take remedial classes when they fell behind in their classes. The first year was the hardest, but they made it. Since then, they’ve served as support to the 17 other youth from the Ixil who have also gotten scholarships in recent years. On November 17th they served as examples that it can be done. And they were so proud.

I had the great honor of attending their graduation ceremony in November. Sitting in the audience, I thought back to that first year when I visited them as they began their studies. I no longer saw the timid young people who were trying to find their place in the world. Now I saw five mature people, proud of their heritage, proud of their new skills, and excited about what life has in store for them. With dreams and hopes, and the tools to achieve them. What a blessing to witness this, and what a blessing they will be to their communities.

“Every sacrifice has its rewards…” says Felipe as he tells the story of how he came to realize the dream of owning a home for his family and improving their lives.

Felipe’s journey began in 1998, when he moved his family to Costa Rica seeking to obtain a job that would allow them to earn enough money to own a house. However, because he was from Nicaragua he was treated like a foreigner in a strange land, and he was subjected to unfair wages and constant discrimination.

As Felipe recalls, “They treated us very badly; we would not receive a fair salary because we didn’t have the appropriate work permits. I went to Costa Rica with great hope, asking for nothing more than an opportunity to work and go back to my homeland and to my family having something to offer; yet I went back with empty hands… I was sad, but I said to myself — Felipe, do not give up on your dreams.”

Once he was back in Nicaragua, Felipe heard about the possibility of joining the new Agros village development project in San Marcos de Belén. This was his hope and dream! To be given the opportunity to work for his own land.

Felipe shares, “I’ve always prayed with my wife and kids, and we would ask to the Lord not to forget us. I have always been faithful and I knew that with hard work and faith in God, we’d one day get a house - and land.

When we started getting organized for the new village. I prayed to the Lord and said ‘I will fight hard for this opportunity, but you are the one who has the last word on this’, because I saw that there were so many families in need…

I had to walk 25 miles back and forward to San Marcos de Belén, because I didn’t have the money to pay for the bus; my income was hardly enough to provide food for my children. It was a big sacrifice - it took me 7 hours to walk to the first Agros meetings; It was hard, I was assaulted a few times because it was dark by the time we were done with the meetings. I used to walk on dark roads without having eaten, because I seldom had food to eat, I’d first make sure that my wife and kids would have enough to eat. My wife, she always supported me, and of the little food we had, she would always wait for me until I came home late at night with food she cooked or saved from her own plate. But these hardships did not stop me and now that I look back, I thank God for the strength he gave me…

Now I remember all of that like beautiful memories, because those difficulties helped me accomplish what we have now. Before I had just hope, eagerness to struggle, and my family, but also immense poverty, suffering, and a hard life. Now I have my family living happily in their own home, I have land to work, and in a few years, I’ll be able to pay off the land. Now I have a community that supports me; I have neighbors and I live among friends. I’m grateful to Agros because now I can read, I know how to sign my name, maybe not very well, but I’ll get better at writing in the same way my life has gotten better. This is all a blessing from God”.

As the celebration of Christmas is upon us, you might be asking what is it like for the people in the Agros villages. How do they celebrate? How do those outside the Agros communities still waiting for the opportunity, how do they celebrate? There is a quote from Martin Luther King that says, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Can it be that there is truly no Christmas, no real celebrations until all have achieved dignity and the image of God in which we are all created?

Join us and listen to the ways in which villagers mark the passage of Christmas:

Mexico:
With respect to the Christmas celebration, Sergio Sanchez, the Agros Mexico Executive Director writes: “In Nueva Palestina… there are some variations, but in general they will hold a worship service giving thanks in their church and afterwards they will all share a meal among the families of the village, all sharing together in what they have brought. Often the Agros staff is also invited.

Nicaragua:
In Nicaragua, the staff have worked with the villagers to prepare a special time of giving thanks for another year of life, for the harvest of crops, for their families, for the new members of the community. It is also a time to remember the achievements of the communities as well as the challenges… the happy times and the sad times are all a part of our life here and it all helps us to mature and develop.

In each community a symbolic road is drawn, and with the families and staff we all draw our footprints — marking the places where we have walked together. In this way we remember how we’ve shared our lives with one another. We also give thanks for the birth of Jesus as part of our birth, of renewing our commitments as we seek together to construct the Kingdom of God together.

It is a beautiful ceremony in which we share food and have a party with the entire community.

Honduras:
In Honduras Christmas is a family celebration. Villagers often also invite their friends and neighbors to join in the fiesta. In the Agros communities, the families all participate in these family times. The typical food for Christmas is the tamale with chicken, pork, and home-made bread.

On Christmas Eve it is common for the families to come together just before midnight and share in the experience together.

El Salvador:
Traditionally the families of El Salvador begin the celebration of Christmas on the eve of the 24th. They may make tamales of duck, chicken or pork, “gallina de india rellena” (chicken with stuffing) and pan dulce (special breads). Each household prepares a little tree and at the foot of the tree places a representation of Jesus´ birth. The “Baby Jesus” is discovered at midnight or in the morning and usually the honor of placing the baby in the nativity scene is reserved for the youngest or oldest in the family.

What traditions would you share with the people in the villages about your Christmas?

A group of us just returned from a deeply inspirational trip to Guatemala. The following is the first of several reports to come, and was written by Brooke Rufo Hill, the Agros Service & Education Manager.

The First Families Move to La Providencia, Guatemala.

I recently had the privilege to spend time alongside the staff of Agros Guatemala in the remote region of Barillas, visiting the Agros villages in that area. During this time we bumped along rugged roads to visit the established Agros villages of El Edén, Nueva Primavera, and Villa Linda, as well as the newest Agros community of La Providencia. It was an incredible privilege to witness the first families move onto this beautiful and productive piece of land.

The terrain is over 550 acres of lush fields with crops of coffee, cardamom, and sugar cane already growing; it has a rushing river and spilling waterfall to boot. La Providencia is truly a site to see — it exudes a sense of hope and prosperity.

The leaders of La Providencia greeted us when we arrived. Each of the men had smiles ear-to-ear — they were anxious to give us a tour of their new home and the fresh start of opportunity was in the air. We found ourselves crossing a rickety suspension bridge swaying over the river, bushwhacking our way through the coffee plants and overgrowth, and posing under the glorious waterfall for photos. During this two-hour tour, we were able to engage in valuable conversations with both the community leaders and the staff of Agros Guatemala.

One hundred families will make up this village located in the northwest of Guatemala. Almost a half of the families are now in the process of moving onto land; the rest of them will begin to move in early January. Agros Guatemala is working with a professional engineer and architect to help the community design their master plan for the village. In the meantime, the families are choosing temporary locations to place their homes. The day we visited, representatives of all the groups and families of La Providencia were there to receive their plot assignments so they can start planting corn now to have food for their families. Most families also already have members working on the coffee and cardamom harvests. For now the community’s focus is to harvest the crops, plant corn for their families’ food, and construct their temporary houses, as well as working toward overall community organization and integration of the families. The community has already formed their key committees and they are beginning to work on integrating the different groups into the one large community.

La Providencia — both the fertile land and the amazing people who will make up this new Agros community — is alive with a deep sense of hope and opportunity. After visiting La Providencia and spending time with the families and Agros Guatemala staff, I now have a clear understanding of why the Agros tagline is “Land. Hope. Life.”

The following is a story written by Tania, our Human Development Coordinator in El Salvador.
“Huracán Mitch” in Tenango, El Salvador

Three guitars and one bass, all of them crafted by Viviano, come alive in the hands of their skilled players. Setting up the beat, “The Hurricanes” begin the show.

The band members, Angel, José Luis, Viviano and Arturo, they all share an immense love for the land, the community, and music. A few years ago they decided to put together this band in San Diego Tenango, Cuscatlan.

“We wanted to start this band because we felt that it was important for the community to welcome our friends from overseas, to participate in the parties and, who knows, to become known abroad and maybe to be famous one day!” comments José Luis, featuring a big smile while proudly telling the origins of his band.

The name “Hurricanes” came up as a joke to make reference to the enthusiasm and excitement that this band inspires in the crowd when they play their songs, mostly northern “corridos” and worship songs, or “coritos” as they are called in Central and South America.

Recently, an Agros “Journey With a Village” team from University Presbyterian Church (UPC) in Seattle visited the community to share, support, and work alongside the families in the village.

As part of the welcoming celebration, The Hurricanes received the UPC volunteers with cheerful songs, to show the gratitude of the community towards their new visitors. Soon after the volunteers entered the celebration, one of their members, Mitchell or “Mitch”, grabbed his own guitar and without saying a word got up on the stage and started playing along with the band trying to follow the chords.

From that moment on, and during the whole stay of the UPC serving team, The Hurricanes had a fifth member, and among the jokes and laughs from the community, they were re-named as “Hurricane Mitch”.

The experience of musical exchange and integration was enriching for the band as well as for the volunteers, and demonstrated in a very simple and compelling way that no matter language, age, or social condition, we all can share a moment of communion and receive more than what we give away - a theme that continues to resonate in so many ways in all of our Agros villages.

Veronica is a 27-year-old indigenous woman from Nuevo San Miguel, Mexico. She is the mother of 5 children and the wife of Juan. Veronica has been working with Agros since the very beginning of 2004, and her family has received several enterprise loans from Agros to fund different initiatives such as a small weaving business and an irrigation system. Juan and Veronica also received a loan from Agros to start a nixtamal mill to make tortillas, which allows Juan to be closer to his family.

Veronica has developed great weaving skills, and she is very excited working with other women in the productive projects facilitated by Agros. While Veronica hardly speaks any Spanish, she manages to share her weaving skills with other women, and has also created space in her backyard to start a collective bird-breeding project with the rest of the women. This bird farm will provide eggs and meat for local consumption and trade.

Veronica’s fellow workers describe her as a quiet and analytic woman who is eager and able to share her knowledge with everyone. For them, Veronica is an example of empowerment and participation.

Veronica comments:

“I am very proud of being the mother of my children — I have beautiful children.  I’ve learned to support myself working with my own hands; surely Agros has supported me.  It is because of Agros that I have made it through.  Thank God that there is an organization like Agros that teaches us to work and not to wait.”

Aduana Dos, Nicaragua, Plantain and Irrigation Project Story

“It is hard to believe that I was actually able to repay my loan,” says Don Agustín, 41-year old husband to Señora Rosa, 37, and father of five. He shakes his head in wonder as he recalls the results of his first plantain harvest from the parcel of land he received through Agros International Nicaragua.

Don Agustín is an inspiration to many in the village of Aduana Dos, an Agros village located 40 kilometers from the capital city of Managua. Hopeful to obtain a piece of his own land on which he could live and work, Don Agustín attended an Agros meeting in 2003 after friends encouraged him to begin a new phase in life. He heard from Agros that it was possible to leave poverty behind, and achieve the dream of land ownership.

After several meetings with the Agros staff, Don Agustín realized an important truth: Corn and beans are good for making tortillas and bean dishes on a daily basis, but are not sufficient to grow financially and move forward as a family.

The Agros team began working with Don Agustín and the other farmers of Aduana Dos, strategizing on planting new crops. They quickly decided that the plantain, a popular product in the local market, would be a great option. “But how will this work if we have no experience planting plantains? And the debt that goes along with all this? It’s impossible!” Don Agustín thought. Though the plantain had proved itself as a profitable crop in the markets and was shown to have several market advantages in recent agricultural studies, Don Agustín thought he should give the idea some thought, so he asked for some time before making his final decision to move forward.

The time came for Don Agustín to make his decision as to whether or not he would cultivate plantains on his parcel, or to just continue with the familiar crops of beans and corn. Though he had never felt as anxious about any other decision, he decided to move forward in faith. He assumed a loan of $547 to sow 750 seeds on an area of 0.6 acres. He and the rest of the villagers installed an irrigation system and acquired the necessary materials. The conditions on the loan stated that repayment was to be made within two years.

Despite being a new and experimental crop in the region, the farmers demonstrated dedication and care throughout the entire process of weeding, removing leaves, fertilizing, irrigating and facilitating the first production cycle. Sure enough, the plantains were an enormous success! The harvest was extremely well received in the market and provided a solid income for the participating families.

The first thing Juan Agustín did with his profits was to repay the debt of his loan — a year early! Don Agustín had not believed that he was capable of such an incredible accomplishment in his life! He always remembers the difficult times when the struggled with the production cycles of corn and beans.

Today, Don Agustín is emotional as he shares about the results of this project. He now plans to make more payments on his land loan and his house with the profits from the sale of the next harvest of plantains.

Don Agustín shares how the following elements are what have made this project successful:

• The acquisition of the necessary technical knowledge to operate cultivation and to obtain expected results,
• The acquisition of economic resources necessary for the purchase of material and equipment for irrigation systems,
• The development of training and ability to market his products, and
• The farmer’s marketing of 0.6 acres of plantains valued at $2,000, taking account for irrigation costs.

Don Agustín has a new optimism and confidence in life. He has a new faith in the future and is eager to listen to further proposals and recommendations from the Agros team. Today Don Agustín considers himself as having made a huge step closer toward the vision he and Agros share for the future of Aduana Dos. It is their dream to achieve lasting economic sustainability, and to truly harness and develop all of their God-given potential.

In the words of Don Agustín,

“I’ve now learned that nothing is impossible.”

Here are two stories from El Salvador about the power of community collaboration and service:

El Milagro, El Salvador

Through productive initiatives that will allow villagers to generate more income, Agros El Salvador is working hard to empower collaborative work in the communities. In the village of El Milagro, 8 farmers decided to engage in a collective effort to cultivate 4,000 golden pineapple plants. This enterprise involves the equal distribution of tasks, responsibilities, expenses, and profits, as well as the technical training gained through the planting of new crops in the area. The members of this project feel that they can achieve greater possibilities of success in the growth and commercialization of crops if they work together.

La Esperanza, El Salvador

Don Balbino lives in the community of La Esperanza and serves as the coordinator of the community producers. Through the years in this position, he has gained the respect and validation as a community leader not only in La Esperanza, but also in the neighboring community of San Diego.
Because of his active participation, experience, and dedication, Don Balbino has been able to support and train the less experienced families through orientation and collaboration in farm activities. He has become a great support for the Agros El Salvador staff. Don Balbino has demonstrated a selfless spirit of service towards his neighbors, taking on the training of 3 farmers from non-Agros villages who are interested in growing new crops of tomatoes and sweet chili. Don Balbino is an example of selflessness and servant hood - in other words, he is a true leader.

Agros Family of José Angel Villalobo and Modesta Magadalena Chávez
Futuro del Mañana, Nicaragua

The family of José Ángel Villalobos, 44, and his wife Modesta Magdalena Chávez Chávez, 44, is an exemplary case of overcoming the grips of poverty. This young and entrepreneurial couple, including their four hard-working sons, has earned the trust and admiration of many through their creative solutions, service towards those less fortunate and commitment to repaying their land loans.

Five years ago, the idea to hand-craft rustic wooden beds for his family dawned upon José. Seeing the natural beauty and excellence of his work, neighbors became interested in purchasing his beds — beginning a new commercial opportunity for José. Ever since, José and his family have been seeking to build upon their skills and expand to other hand-made wood products. José’s oldest son Roberto enrolled in a nearby carpentry workshop where he learned to refine his designs and how to use industrial equipment. Following the workshop, Roberto shared what he learned with his father and brothers. As they perfected their techniques, their family income began to increase, improving their overall quality of life.

In 2005 José’s family was presented with the opportunity to take a loan through Agros to acquire carpentry machinery and move into a more competitive market. The family decided to take the risk to expand their infrastructure with a loan, and with these new tools, José and his sons increased the quality and design of their work, again improving their economic circumstances, but to a much greater degree. With this advancement, the family has been able to not only repay loans on the machinery, but make payments on their land and improve the production of their basic grains and small livestock as well.

Despite the success of their enterprise, the insecurity of decreasing demand for wood products still exists for José’s family, as expressed by one of his sons, “Every day it’s harder to find wood to use. So we need to go to school so that in case we are forced to look for another type of work, we can have a job in another field.”

Fortunately, José and Modesta know the importance of education. Envisioning a better life for their sons, José and Modesta were led to invest their own lives in their children’s education. Their sacrifice is paying back as all four are currently attending or have completed higher level studies.

Daniel de los Santos is now in his third year of college studying Agriculture Engineering and José Ismael is in his fourth year. Douglas and Roberto Enrique, having passed their final exams, recently graduated from high school.

Modesta, although not extensively involved in the carpentry business, has made a lasting impression through her leadership skills and sacrifice. Serving on the community’s development committee as Treasurer and caring for the sick and elderly through the church she leads with her husband. Through these roles, as well as her concern for the well-being of her family, have returned to her the trust and admiration from the entire community.

Together, Modesta and José, along with their four sons, form a strong family that has brought their community and many others hope that they too, can experience a life of opportunity.

Mario Morales, the Executive Director for Agros Guatemala, has been working hard to demonstrate to the families of the existing Agros villages that they can pay off their land and provide for their children. Here’s a story direct from Guatemala demonstrating how the process can often take time. With the recent and extraordinary news that Pedro and Juana have paid off their land loans, the community now understands the importance and the possibilities for the future.

Here is Mario’s report:

Hello Everyone,

I’d like to share with you that on Thursday, May 25, 2007, I, along with Diego (Cotzal Coordinator), Job (Loan Officer), Jorge (Village Promoter), and families from neighboring and distant communities, met with all the families of Belen.

As a result from our gathering, many men and women realize they have lost a great deal of time and money to the committee that was misusing resources to pay land expenses. These families are now tired from the lack of results. The families also realize that Agros has been supporting their productive projects but due to their reluctance in seeking additional sources of income to repay their land, they realize that they are behind compared to other villages like La Esperanza, Cajixay and San Nicolas.

During the meeting, members of Agros recognized and affirmed the example of Pedro and Catarina, grandparents of Israel (a student at the Universidad del Valle) and parents of eight children, from both Pedro’s first and second marriages. Pedro and Catarina have paid off 50% of their land, and are an example worthy to imitate.

Further, Pedro Raymundo (46) and his wife Juana Sanchez (38), live in one of the houses furthest west of the village. Their house is plain and simple, but always clean. We can see their loving relation in how the speak to one another and their delight in their sons and daughters.

Pedro helps at the Word of Life Church, as an Elder and a servant in the prayer ministry, visiting communities and fasting for the sick and traumatized. His strong faith and wisdom have guided this important step for his family, and have served as a testimony for his community and committee leaders.

Pedro and Juana paid off 100% of their land at a total of Q 10,300.00 (US$1,373.33), and between June 20th and 30th will be receiving their land title. We will celebrate with joy and song, the first family from Belen to repay their land, as others will follow.

We give thanks to God for this journey and its progress — a steady raindrop making its mark on the land.

- Mario Morales, Director Fundación Agros, Guatemala

Many of you who are a part of the larger Agros family have either met or heard of Serbando, from the Agros Village “La Esperanza”, in Guatemala. I’ve had the privilege of spending several days with Serbando over the last year, interviewing him on video, taking walks, sharing stories. I do not know anyone who has come away from a conversation with Serbando unchanged. He has a capacity to see and speak of unnoticed insights and truths, with deep compassion. The following interview with Serbando was taken and translated by Brian and Jeannette Prosser.

“My name is Serbando. I was born in a village called Jua, near Chajul. My dad had land there where he cultivated coffee and sugar cane. My brothers and I worked alongside him in the fields. Things were pretty good, until the war came in 1982. Then we had to abandon everything and run for our lives. We escaped with only the clothes on our backs, leaving behind our house, dishes, tools, clothes, and our animals. The coffee was ripe for harvest, but we had to leave it all.

We went to stay with my grandma in Sotzil, and there struggled to survive. We could not go home to Jua because the guerillas had destroyed the bridge which was the only access into the village. We passed the time in Sotzil in deep poverty; struggling just to have food and clothing. We could not even go out walking because the guerrillas were always roaming about. My dad had a tiny store where he sold goods like sugar, salt, and soap. We lived off those earnings.

Soon we received word that they were going to burn Sotzil too. My older brother arrived and said, “If you want to stay alive, you have to leave right away and come to the plantation with me.” So, we gathered what little we had and headed for a plantation named The Pearl. Those were the most difficult months of the war. It was not safe for people to gather together, and all the time we saw dead bodies left along the roadsides or next to their houses. It was during this sad time that both of my younger brothers died from something we call “susto.” Basically, they were literally stricken with fear, their bodies swelled, and they died. We were full of grief and despair, but the war marched coldly on. Then we received the horrible news that the army had assassinated my mother’s parents. After shooting them all, the army surrounded the house and lit it on fire with five bodies inside; my grandparents, my uncle and aunt, and their five year old little boy.

My family eventually moved back to Sotzil, and in 1989 I left to join the army. I was stationed in Santa Cruz del Quiché and that is where I met my wife, Ana. We got married and in 1994 I left the army. We moved to Ana’s hometown of San Juan Cotzal, where we lived with her parents. I tried to find work, but I did not really have a skill or an education. Once the war arrived, no one thought about the future. It was enough to focus on trying to survive just that day, so I did not go to school when I was young. This made it really hard to find a good job. I ended up working as a mason’s helper, but I only made 10 Quetzales ($1.20) a day. I’m not sure how we survived, but thank God we did —- with hunger pangs, that’s for sure. Later we found a house to rent apart from Ana’s family.

Then one day I overheard someone saying that Agros was looking for people to integrate into a village. I wanted to be a part of that, so I went to the office to find out how I could become involved. In the year 2000, we officially began La Esperanza, and the new community members elected me president. Building La Esperanza was a slow process, but today it is a beautiful place. My family now has our own home, which I am constantly expanding on and improving. During the building process, Agros recognized my masonry skills and asked me to help teach others in the village how to properly build their homes. Later my work with Agros expanded into other building projects throughout the Ixil. Then in January 2007, Agros hired me as a fulltime employee. I am now a promoter for basic infrastructure and I am working on the creation of a large development center for Agros.

One of most beautiful things about Agros is how they care about the whole person. They do not want us to just have houses to live in and land where we can grow food. They care about who we are as people — physically, mentally and spiritually. I am very thankful for the role that Agros has and is playing in my life. I am very blessed and happy. My life has not been easy, but I know that God has been with me through it all. For that, I am very thankful!”

Brian and Jeannette Prosser are a volunteer couple working for Agros in the Ixil region of Guatemala. Their year long volunteer project has been focused on documenting stories and personal histories of Agros villagers throughout the Ixil. We’ll be posting a variety of these over the next months. Here is a first story:

“My name is Catarina. I was born in San Juan Cotzal during the 1940’s, but I grew up in Santa Avelina. As a little girl, I only went to school for two years. When I knew the alphabet and could write my name, my mother told me that I could not study anymore. It was time for me to work. All of my life I have felt sad that my mother didn’t give me the opportunity to continue my studies. I have felt like this is a disadvantage in my life; that maybe I do not know very much or that I am not as smart as others because I only went to school for two years.When I was ten years old my parents sent me to work on the coffee plantation with my father and three brothers. Life on the coffee plantation was very hard. The only good thing about it is that I learned to speak some Spanish. When people were speaking in Spanish, I would pay close attention and listen to what they were saying. That is how I taught myself to speak the language. But I suffered a lot living and working on the coffee plantation. I thought I found an escape from that life when I met Nicolás. He was eighteen at the time, and I was only fourteen, but we got married. Maybe I suffered even more as his wife. We were only married two years and then I left him. He drank all of the time and he beat me. So I took our baby girl, Griselda, and went back to live with my parents.

When I was eighteen, I fell in love and married a man named Gabriel. Oh, those were wonderful years! Gabriel was so good to me. He never drank, never hit me, and he cared for Griselda like she was his own child. We were married over seventeen years, and we had six more children together. We lived in the village of Cajixay.

Then in 1980 violence broke out in the Ixil. One day, I was in San Juan Cotzal taking care of my mother who was sick. Gabriel was at home with our kids. Early in the morning guerilla soldiers arrived at our house. They killed Gabriel. Our children watched it happen. Soon after all of Cajixay was destroyed. They burnt it to the ground and left us with nothing. In order to survive, I took my younger children and went to the coffee plantation. There I would work for several months at a time, earning all of the money that I could. On pay day, I would come back to the Ixil and give the money to Griselda and her husband, who were working to rebuild a home for us. I never returned to live in Cajixay, but stayed in San Juan Cotzal, and went to work on the coffee plantation every several months.

The 1980’s were really hard years for me. I lost my husband, I lost my home, and I lost two of my little boys —one to the measles and another in a horse accident. But God was always watching out for me. In 1989, I married for the third time. Pedro and I have been together ever since. He has helped me to survive.

Now we live in the Agros village of Belén. I am so thankful to be here! We have a home, a place to grow our food, and a little bit of forested land where we can gather firewood. (Before we had to buy firewood.) Agros has helped us a lot and I am very grateful. Probably, the best thing I have received from Agros is learning how to work the land: how to plant, cultivate and reap a harvest. Pedro and I are working as part of the pea project. With the money I earn, I am helping to pay for my grandson’s studies at the university. Today, I am proud to say that all twenty-two of my grandchildren are receiving an education. That has been a dream of mine, something that I was denied as a child. It makes me so happy to see all of my grandchildren studying, and I hope someday when I am even more old and gray that they will all take care of me. I praise God for all the blessings in my life—- for my family, my home and that we now have the things we need. I am very blessed and happy.”

It’s been a few weeks since we’ve posted - pls forgive the delay. It’s been a busy season of traveling, meetings, events, and planning for this next year. There are many exciting things coming in the next few months… but even more, there are so many exciting things happening now.

Tomorrow, several of us will be traveling to Nicaragua where we’ll celebrate the land title ceremony of Don Pedro, who is the first Agros villager in Nicaragua to receive full ownership of his land. This represents so much hard work, commitment, and desire on Don Pedro’s part. I’ve rarely met a man who works as hard, or with as much faith, as Don Pedro.

I vividly remember spending the night outside of Don Pedro’s house last month. I was in my hammock, asleep and gently swinging under an incredible Nicaraguan night sky - and just before 4am I awake to see Don Pedro leaving the house to start his work day. His work day includes smart, hard manual labor in the fields; working with livestock; and also significant time spent helping his neighbors with their crops as well.

This not only represents so much hard work - but it is also the culmination of a long journey that so many Agros families all over Central America are on… a journey into a new future where generations will be impacted by the legacy of land, hope, and life.

We’ll post photos of the title ceremony event next week. Congratulations again Don Pedro!

Her gold-rimmed front tooth reflected the midday sun but it was her bright brown-eyes that outshone the gold of both, reflecting instead a heart-shine radiating from a spirit fired with hope and promise.

Gloria is her name, and aptly so. She has but a 3rd grade education yet was recently elected secretary of the all Lenca (a Honduran indigenous group) Agros village. I met her Friday last when gathered with all the leaders of this village. She waited her turn to speak until all the men had their say, although while translating for them I kept catching her out of the corner of my eye, an eager-eyed face and radiant smile nodding in agreement, lips pursed to extol her perspective.

As the conversation continued, Gloria could no longer contain her joy and began raising her hand, waving it for all to see she too wanted to speak, turning her captivating gaze upon me , declaring the following:

“Now I give God all praise, because of your coming here and telling us about people I’ve never met who are praying for us and seeing too that these here with you Don David have come to help others like us receive the promise of land and place for their families. My heart sings. You must tell them (Bethany Presbyterian Church, Seattle, and North Delta Evangelical Free Church, B.C.) and all at Agros how we thank them for this privilege. God, who is the Father of us all, has given us this open door and a father-figure here in Don Cándido, (one of the original family members of this village and the current village committee president), as well as including and adding our family to the families of Carlos and Armando (two of the other original families). We’ve been here for only a few weeks, but already our corn is sprouting and all of us toil daily making the adobe bricks that soon we’ll build our homes with. Only God could do this because we had nothing before, but now look at all we have. Our children will soon be in school and the Agros staff and Don Cándido are helping the adults already to learn to read. I must tell you all we will pray for you Don David, and these you’ve brought with you, asking also that you pray for us because we know there is hard work before us and more families who could join us to help.”

Finished, a giddy Gloria flashed her golden-toothed-grin, while all present applauded.

Formerly known as Agros Uno, this our first village in Honduras has now chosen a new name, as bright as Gloria’s heart-shining eyes…it’s appropriately called: “Nuevo Amanecer”, meaning “New Dawn”… and indeed it is, resplendent with an infusion of 13 new families who have joined with the original families and are forging new ground together by the sweat of their brows as each day dawns.