Serving... And learning! (By Gretel Corsa, in English)

Today we took the students to visit the famous local and beloved figure, Father Mariano Oberlin. On the way, we reviewed why we were visiting and why Father Mariano was such an influential and important person in Cordoba. Father Mariano is the son of “uno de los desaparecidos”, his father was one of the many who were abducted, tortured, and went missing during the Dirty War. He was later compensated by the government for being a son of the missing, “indemnizacion de la Nacion.” He used that money to buy a large lot where he now hosts teenagers affect by drug abuse in the community. Our students were able to not only see his church, but also his community. When we arrived to the church, we were met not only by the deeply gracious Father Mariano himself, but also by a flurry of activity from the local tv news station and newspaper. Channel 10 news quickly went live and interviewed Jojo and Ryan, who were excellent ambassadors for not just Poly, but the U.S.

We then went to Father Mariano’s compound and helped his kids plant trees along the property, while others cooked our delicious lunch of Choripan. Afterwards, we all gathered around a long table and ended with a group blessing.

The idea of service during international trips can be a difficult topic for some, for me as well. I believe it should be organic and both sides should learn from, and respect, one another other. That can be hard to achieve, but I honestly believe that rare genuine cultural interaction happened today. Our Poly students, as well as Father Mariano’s wonderful kids, had a great time planting these trees, chatting, learning about Father’s incredible plastic brick houses, eating ice cream, and finally, gathering around for a final blessing. Father’s kids wished for our student’s futures to be bright, appreciated our gifts and visit, and wished for our safe travels home. There were some tears, many hugs, many goodbye kisses, and quiet on the bus back as our students sat reflecting. Several students said “that was my favorite part of the trip so far.” At the heart of any international trip, is the small chance of a genuine cultural exchange. We were honored to visit Father Mariano’s church and community, and I was honored to watch that exchange happen today. Our next steps include how to continue this relationship with Father Mariano back in the U.S., which the students discussed on the bus as well. A common thread of conversation throughout this trip hasn’t been so much the food, or the sights (although both great), they’ve been the people and how kind everyone has been to us. It’s truly been heartwarming to watch these connections happen, and we hope to continue them.

Gretel Corsa

Comments

Anonymous said…

Having met Mariano Oberlin, I am not surprised at how organic and memorable this day was. I am so pleased that our group was able to connect so well with the kids from the compound.

June 7, 2018 at 10:54 PM

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Poly GIP Argentina 2023-25

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