At the Heart of the Caribbean
Ongoing emergencies, but also much solidarity and desire to get things going again. It is a difficult socio-political scene in Venezuela: soaring inflation, the persistent increase in the number of people living in extreme poverty, the lack of basic human necessities, and violent clashes. In Cuba and Puerto Rico, recontstruction has been hard because of the exodus of thousands of people, and the lack of electricity and drinking water. Yet, in the midst of it all, the vitality of the Caribbean people and the will to begin again has never faded. María Augusta and José Juan, from the Focolare community in the Carribean region report: “The general situation in Venezuela is quite painful, because of the lack of food and medicines, and also because of the growing uncertainty and helplessness and the continuing exodus of the people who are leaving the country. The list of our friends who have already left and of others who are attempting to leave, is long. In spite of this we have to “stay” at the foot of the cross, in the midst of much suffering, in the hope of a resurrection. But we can already see the Resurrection happening in many people, in their depth and in the Christian solidarity that animates them.” 
Ofelia from the Venezuelan community recounts: “It’s not easy to find answers to the problems we’re facing, like the lack of food, clothing and medicines. But we have Jesus’s words alive in our hearts: ‘Give and there will be gifts for you’, which we can live one day at a time. If someone doesn’t have food to eat, we can share a package of rice or medicine and all the things that we receive in thousands of ways. Each of us thinks of the other, life circulates and the community grows. In the midst of the violence and uncertainty, the presence of Jesus among us is like a flame that attracts and gives hope.” María Augusta e José Juan are always the ones to report on Cuba: “Last weekend a Mariapolis was held in Santiago with around 200 people, a sign of hope that continues to rise in the midst of the many difficulties that everyone has to face.” And from the community in Puerto Rico: “As you know, they have been living through truly tragic months due to the devastating effects of the hurricaine which destroyed the island. Very touching testimonies of Gospel love continue to arrive.” Here are a few: “Fifty six days without water, and electricity for only 30 minutes a day. It’s not easy to work in the office with the intense heat, but we do it! The flashlight provides a bit of light, the water bottles can be left in the afternoon sun, so that one has a bit of warm water to bathe with. For the heat, a hand fan or spray bottle of water and alcohol can provide some refreshment…” “Some young people from the Movement and the Inmaculado Corazón de María Parish in Patillas, along with some students from Saint Ignatius College have distributed rations to the needy – 237 sacks of food in all.” “My experience at Palma Sola was quite hard because of the destruction and lack of everything. Offering my service, with my entire family, was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever done in my life.” “We always have something to give, evaluating what we really need and offering the rest to the people who are more in need.” “We went to the Recio community in the Guardarraya di Patillas barrio. It was hard to get there because of the condition of the roads after the hurricaine. Beginning from the outskirts where there was total devastation, we found elderly people with tired and discouraged expressions, people with asthma problems, ulcers on their legs, diabetics (and the problem of finding a way to conserve the insulin without electricity), people suffering from high blood pressure… One boy had a skin allergy. We made an attempt to use the old community aquaduct to make up for the lack of water.” “In Gurabo we were able to know our neighbours better by helping them in their need.” “Carrying on and getting on our feet again doesn’t only depend on the government, nor the military, nor help from abroad. It also depends on us, on me, on you. Together, we’ll get it done!”
Travelling is the method and location is the classroom
The trip, which is organized by the international Dialogue in Architecture network and the La Salle University of Bogota, isn’t tourism, but an experience of living together, getting to know places, cultures, businesses and associations. The departure was from Bogota, south of the city. The puzzled looks on the faces of the Italians showed that they had to “shift their gaze” in order to place themselves with their heart and mind in this land of many contrast and with a different relationship to the environment. We passed over the eastern Cordillera and reach Villanueva, a colonial town in the mountains where time seemed to have stood still. We helped out in an earthquake evacuation drill as we gathered in square with the locals, which allowed us to share in this communitarian moment with them. The journey continued along a long downhill road that twisted through tunnels and led to the discovery of the intense green of the mountains and fabulous landscape views. We reached the port of Llano, Villavicencio. The temperature was hot, just like the warmth of the people we me. A majestic tree shaded us from the sun. We got back on the road and passed through el llano, a vast expanse of land. Here we visited the l’Università Unitrópico, which has begun an interdisciplinary course on social architecture. 
As in all Latin American countries, the architecture in Colombia is an expression of local society and emerges from the relationships with the communities. La Salle’s University’s Utopia Campus can be found in the region of Yopal, a place for young people who come from the rural regions and are often the victims of guerrilla violence. The course provides them with a work-study program that allows them to earn a diploma in Agrarian Sciences, and the possibility to get a job. It’s a concrete peace education experiment that seems to be working. We were halfway through our trip and after a delicious local style breakfast, we headed towards the colonial villages of Mongu and Tunja, Colombia’s original capital. In the grand colonial plazas, like Villa de Lyva, we came face to face with the indigenous populations who convey their strong identity which today is well integrated with their local colonial architecture. We returned to Bogotá in the North. The impact is almost stronger than in the south. We drove through the wealthiest zone that has its houses all surrounded by security walls. The experience continued with the workshop organized by the Urban Observatory of La Salle University on the Altos de Cazucá where we stayed for a week, getting to know families, enjoying their food and sleeping in their homes. It had a strong impact on us. We were in the company of university students from Germany, Bogotá and Yopal. There the poverty level is quite high, but the solidarity and kinds of relationships that exist showed us the real identity of this place. The work experience was quite new to us! We had to finish the exterior work on several houses: gardens, paint work, equipping a library and designing murals that depict the life of the community. An entire family was represented by birds, among them a son who was murdered by local delinquents, a sorrow we shared with them. One of the young people from the neighbourhood said to us: “We’ve worked together and made our neighbourhood beautiful now. We’ll carry on, finishing the roads.” Their gazes penetrated our hearts, and we felt great enthusiasm and hope. The intercultural exchange was real, a true enrichment when doing architecture together. Offering one’s talents as an architect can help to reconstruct the social fabric by providing spaces that help to preserve and grow the identity of a place together with its community.