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 The Tzeltale Tribe
The Tzeltales are short and dark, wearing colourful, ornately embroidered clothing made from hand-woven cloth. They also speak their own language. Their villages don’t have electricity, running water, drainage or roads, but the land is fertile and the scenes of farmers tilling the fields have changed very little over the generations. Life in the Chiapas revolves around the crops and rain on which the people’s survival depends. Men spend long hours in the fields growing maize, beans and other vegetables and fruit. Most produce enough to feed their families, but little extra to sell. Traditions and beliefs of the Tzeltale are based on ancient Mayan culture and still dictate the flow of community life. Men hold a higher position than women in both the family and community, and are not seen together in public. Family decisions are made by elderly relatives under an intricate system of social norms. Pedro Méndez Girón grew up in a traditional Tzeltale family in Matzam in the Chiapas. His father was an abusive alcoholic. “He would drink for days, then he would come home and beat my mother. But then a preacher came and talked to him and things started to change.” Pedro’s family became Christians. He grew up determined to do what he could to change the inequalities in his community – starting with the children. In 2008 Pedro’s church became a partner with Compassion, and established the Filipos Child Student Centre. Pedro’s seven year old son, also named Pedro, has been sponsored through the centre and although the family only earns about $30 a week, they are able to make ends meet. More than 200 of the community’s children now attend the Compassion centre. “It is a benefit to the children,” says Pedro. “I have seen the changes in my son, ever since he started attending the Bible classes. He knows the authority and acknowledges it.”
The church has managed to build flushing latrines, running water systems and many other facilities for the children – luxuries virtually unheard of in the village. The children also receive health care, education, medical check-ups, tutoring after school, meals to complement their diet, sports activities and Bible classes. The centre has recently provided anti-parasite treatment and a two-month course of vitamins to improve the children’s health. However the centre has set its sights on tackling more than just the physical needs of the community. During activities at the centre, boys and girls are treated equally and are seated together – a big social shift in the community. Staff teach the children that despite the fact that women in the community are often not treated fairly, in God’s eyes, men and women are equal. Although attitudes won’t change overnight, the centre believes that the next generations will bring transformation. Find out how to sponsor a child here |
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Sunday Morning Favourites 6 - 9am Sunday |
Nathaniel Garvin 9am -12noon Sunday |
Keith Dobson 12noon - 5pm Sunday |
Hot 25 Countdown 5-7pm |
Open House 8pm to 11pm Sunday Night |
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