Charco Redondo

CHARCO REDONDO

The last of the visits to the promotores. It was perfect that it was in Charco Redondo where a year before, after a community clinic with a group I had made the internal promise to come back and teach. Charco Redondo is home to a group of people who are descendants from Africans. Their community has been extremely marginalized. We learned this time that the community had been across the road but the government decided to put in a reservoir and move the community. Everyone was given plots of land but the money promised to rebuild never came through. They have had very limited access to health care. They have received lots of broken promises so when CECIPROC came to work with them there was a lot of mistrust. CECIPROC followed through with projects of the eco-toilets, gardens and teaching about nutrition and gained their trust. It was why we were able to go there last year and why I felt it so important to follow up and give them what they asked us for last year, the opportunity to have more auricular acupuncture clinics.

We arrived by collectivo. The very old truck had a tarp over it and we sat on wood sideboards. It felt very adventurous.

We arrived to Lucy's home – an open air kitchen with a thatched roof and adobe stove. A clinic where I watched a baby chick walk through the legs of someone receiving a treatment. In the shade of the building next to us a woman played with the children of those receiving sessions. They were using the crayons that I gave to Lucy for just this reason. People relaxed and enjoyed the session.

For me, the best part was what came after. The group stayed and talked for a long time. One outspoken woman complained about her gastritis and how she went to a doctor and he gave her medications without even giving her an exam. She had side effects from the medications and things are the same or worse. It brought up the conversation of how bad the doctors are (although they keep going and there are no longer midwives in the pueblo because everyone goes to the hospital). Someone gave the example of a home remedy for very swollen knees – fill a pot with 2 liters of water and potatoes. When it boils down to 1 liter, drink the water. It might take a few days to work and it will bring down the swelling. They shared with each other more remedies of local herbs. For the gastritis she had been given some bottles of aloe vera juice that was very expensive. We talked about making it herself since aloe grows there, all she needs is a blender which she has.

One woman asked me about her migraines. I have a favorite point on the top of the foot that is very effective for headaches. I showed it to her and how to use pressure. Another young woman asked about the point so I had the first woman become “la doctura” and show her where it is. Then they switched. It increased my desire to return and teach self-help acupressure that everyone can use for basic issues. I showed everyone a method of pain relief with acupressure. This is all information that I share annually at Culture Jam, the teen summer camp that I volunteer at. It is so easy to learn and annually I have had reports back of success stories from the teens using it. In one day with the promotores we could cover a lot of information.

Rico and I stayed for a simple lunch of beans and tortillas. It was so serene there that it was hard to leave.