| Vicki
Kline
Class of 2005
La Salle University
Participation
in Los Ninos is one of those experiences that’s extremely
hard to explain to those who haven’t been able to witness
it first hand. It’s one of those experiences that plants itself
into one’s heart, and challenges the worldview of every student
who participates. My own two trips to Tijuana, Mexico have been
amazing, transformative experiences. As a social work major and
someone who has been involved in service for a large part of my
life, I’ve always been attracted to social projects that seem
to have a great impact on their communities and are also effective
means of greater social change. But until Los Ninos, I had never
witnessed such a powerful grassroots effort that has the ability
to genuinely influence everyone who participates. It is such a privilege
to be welcomed into these communities in Tijuana, to be allowed
to witness the deep joy that accompanies the severe poverty that
the people we encounter confront.
What
an invaluable educational opportunity to explore the culture of
another country, to be immersed in another language and forced to
discover the multitude of communication forms, and to be provided
an outlet to reflect and process with peers who are experiencing
similar emotions. It is a rare gift to be somewhere for the specific
purpose of meeting new people who will share a lifetime of experiences
with us, to be allowed into the stories of strangers, to allow our
common humanity to transcend the physical barriers that prevent
us from truly loving and knowing one another.
The
Los Ninos program does more than mix cement and teach about the
justice issues in the border region. It teaches about the human
spirit; it stretches the imagination to think about a world in which
such programs wouldn’t be necessary. It highlights the efforts
of parents and children working together to take ownership of their
communities, to create a space that is theirs, that is safe, that
is what they deserve. These community efforts reject the idea that
change has to come from someone else, they display the determination
and personal sacrifice that is so often what it takes to create
lasting change. The Los Ninos program provides both Mexican communities
and students the opportunity to battle the stereotypes that long
ago became embedded in our consciousness. And, as Albert Einstein
once said, it teaches us to “enlarge our circles of compassion.” |
