Weavers of Hope: Austin, Texas, USA, and Villa García, Zacatecas, Mexico

I made several trips to Austin to speak to groups about the needs here in Mexico. Several St. Vincent de Paul conferences suggested we begin a conference here. Many who come to our St. Vincent de Paul group looking for help have children who become part of the grant program. Some were victims of the 2002 flood, like Pilar, now a nurse, whose mom lost a leg, and Liliana, now a biologist/chemist who works in a laboratory in Villa García, who came down with cholera.

Every student who is accepted into the program has a story. For example: Alicia, who was learning English with me, discovered she had terminal cancer. Before she died, she asked me to take care of her son, Octavio. Octavio finished his studies as an electrical engineer, and his first project was to open an internet cafe with another Weavers of Hope graduate, Antonio Arvilla, also an electrical engineer, who was caring for his blind father and helping his little brother continue his studies.

There have been significant changes in the field of education since 2003. Students applying at universities at that time were seldom accepted. They didn't have the palanca, that is, connections with someone of influence. Students from the city were given preference. Now, it's mostly tests that determine who will be admitted. Students who have graduated with a degree are helping siblings to continue their studies. For the families in our grant program, it's generally the first in the family to continue studies after high school. Some families have five to seven students studying at the same time, quite a burden for families with a low salary.

One of our first grant students, Jesus Campos, who goes by Chuy, is the youngest of 12 and from the Indigenous community of Paracho in Michoacán. His father was Paracho and his mother was from the Indigenous community of Cheranatzcurin. When I met Chuy, he was living in a room lent to him by Cáritas de Aguascalientes. A full-time student, he was working three jobs and getting three hours of sleep a night. His family never had anyone who went to college, and they discouraged him from doing so. Chuy had been in the seminary — sponsored by a woman in California — but he wanted to be a psychologist and left the seminary. He eventually went on to get his master's degree in family therapy and set up his own institute.

Joel, from the indigenous Huichol community in the state of Jalisco, spoke only his Indigenous language when he began school. He eventually had to learn Spanish, English and French in order to complete his university studies. He graduated with two degrees in 2019, one in gastronomy and the other in business administration. His family, in contrast to Chuy's, encouraged him all the way. His own Indigenous community, however, can't understand his getting more education. Joel wants to be a role model for his community and set up a bakery there. In the photo, you see the kind of bead work done by the Huichol people, including an eagle necklace made by Armando, Joel's father.

Presently, Weavers of Hope is sponsoring 75 students from primary grades to university level. At any given moment, there are about 50 students waiting for grants. In April of this year, 120 students will have graduated and have a career.

Eleven years ago, Scarlett Shaffer became the coordinator of Weavers of Hope here in Mexico, planning programs for the parents of the grant students and for the students who meet monthly. She also translates the biannual letters of the students and is one of the pillars of Weavers of Hope.

You can imagine the satisfaction one gets from seeing families receiving grant help radiate hope. They know they are the fortunate ones for having been chosen to enter our program.

[Sr. Frances E. Smith is a member of the Sisters for Christian Community. She has ministered in Villa García, Zacatecas, Mexico, for the last 22 years.]