Oxlajuj B´atz´ or Thirteen Threads

Our group spent Thanksgiving at the offices of Oxlajuj B´atz´, an education project of the umbrella organization that includes Mayan Hands. It is a sister project that focuses on education and empowerment and sends community faciliatators into the field to work with many of the same weavers groups I have written about.

In the morning we listened to a presentation by Ramona, the director and an American living here in Pana and her three community faciliators, Hilda, Lucia and Maria, all Mayan women.

The turkey was roasting and it was inspring to listen to the three personal stories of Hilda, Lucia and Maria. They have struggled to combine work and family, to empower themselves and then to offer that to the women they work with in the villages. They show incredible patience and stamina. Their smiles would light up any room they walk into.

They joined us for a Thanksgiving feast! We had 22 around the table representing three Mayan languages, English and Spanish. Everyone offered thanks as we went around the table before tasting the turkey, potatoes, gravy and much much more. There was even pumpkin pie for dessert. Thank you Deborah Chandler for the organization and effort that went into the meal!

We were grateful for many things, most of all the opportunity to share our cultures with each other, learn about work being done and strive to build the bridges between people and countries that may help us to create peace and justice in the future.

Meltiox! Thank you!