OCTOBER 10, 2004, SPEAKER AND PROGRAM
Domestic Violence Is Not Inevitable in San Miguel

Sibille Hackel, a young German woman who is studying at the CASA Midwifery School—the only professional midwifery school in Mexico—will address the issue of domestic violence in Mexico on Sunday, October 10, at 10:30 a.m. at the Posada de la Aldea.

Sibille is the first and only foreign student enrolled in the Midwifery School’s three-year program. She came to San Miguel as a CASA volunteer to get experience attending births, and was so impressed with San Miguel and CASA that she decided to go to school here.

Domestic violence is a worldwide problem. Mexico’s special dilemma, according to Sibille, is that such abuse is widely considered a private family affair, and the nation has only recently begun to break down the barrier to silence. CASA, the Center for the Adolescents of San Miguel de Allende, addresses domestic violence in all of its programs in numerous ways, ranging from medical services to legal assistance to professional psychological counseling.

Sibille will also speak about the program’s upcoming fundraiser, the San Miguel Walk, a repeat of last year’s successful event. CASA supporters will join the pilgrims for three days as they walk to the Virgin of San Juan de los Lagos in January 2005. Sibille was part of the 2004 Walk and will describe some of her experiences.

From the President
As “they” say, you lose some…and you win some!

The two most troublesome factors in the administration and strength of our fellowship remain the extremely transient nature of our congregation and the reluctance of all but a faithful few to volunteer their time and effort.

Nevertheless, we seem to be gaining ground: witness the recently inaugurated pre-service Juice and Cookies Hospitality Table, designed to welcome regulars and visitors to our midst and encourage interchange and fellowship. Although—again—a few regulars eagerly jumped in to get this concept started, we really need a coordinator to keep it organized and keep it going! (The Coordinator needn’t come early on Sundays, or for that matter, even BE there. All it requires is a calendar and a telephone!)

After a long hiatus, Circle Cenas are on the agenda again, with some thirty participants plus five host families signed up by Vice President Dorie Beach for Tuesday, Aug. 31. Many, many UU groups have made the Circle Suppers a strong and important feature of their monthly programs; let’s keep this endeavor alive as a worthwhile, fun activity for all! This just in! Dorie Beach—Bless her!—reports that an even greater number have signed up to participate in the second round of Circle Cenas on Tuesday evening, September 28. Hopefully we can keep this show on the road!
With only four members in town, the June Board Meeting was canceled. July’s meeting, though poorly attended, inspired the aforementioned Hospitality Table and resumption of Circle Cenas, as well as unison reading of a UU Statement of Purpose as part of our weekly service.

A Membership Committee, Jean Miller and Virginia Wheelwright (with Rulo Kidd gone indefinitely, we seek a replacement), will staff the Sunday Welcoming and New member Sign-Up function. Our name tag system is also being revised to make it simpler and more effective. Can you help?
Special Music Options—other than classical music exclusively—were discussed, and actually implemented on August 22 with Sue and Eugene Otis performing. Your suggestions are welcome!

Sandy Brooks is looking into the idea of having a consultant from Boston visit SMA to advise our Fellowship on alleviating some of our growing pains.

The possibility of our having a web page in “Portal San Miguel,” an Internet site created by Unísono, was suggested by Judy McKay and is being checked out by Kendal Butler.

One more important slot to fill: Suffering from burnout and work overload, your Prez announced at the July Board meeting that he would no longer do the weekly Order of Service after August 22. Judy McKay and Lee Veal have filled in on an emergency basis, but we desperately seek a person—possibly to be paid—to take over this vital responsibility. For information, please see Bob, Peggy Bell or Lee Veal.

Closing on a happy note, Thanksgiving will be celebrated by our Fellowship at a very special place, to be announced in the October issue of The Forum!

With help from all of you, our truly unique Fellowship should continue to thrive and to provide spiritual, social and intellectual growth for its members—but ONLY with your help!
—Bob Hesdorfer
President, UUFSMA

'One Sunday in St. Bartholomew's in New York, an usher noticed a man wearing a large hat seated in the front row. The usher discreetly asked him to remove it. The man would not. The head usher was called, made the same request, got the same response. The president of the women’s group also asked, but to no avail. Then the senior warden was brought in. He tried to seize the hat, but the man dodged. Suddenly the processional hymn began and everyone stood, including the man who removed his hat and kept it off during the service. After the service, the senior warden asked the man why he had behaved so. The man replied, 'Sir, I've been coming to this church for two years and no one has spoken to me. Today I’ve talked to an usher, the head usher, the women’s group president, and you!’'


Even more telling was a personal survey done by a man who visited 18 different churches on successive Sundays. He was friendly and neatly dressed, sat near the front, walked slowly up and down the aisles, and stayed for coffee afterward. Then he scored points for each congregation thus: 10 for each smile or greeting he received from members; 100 for an exchange of names; 200 for invitations to coffee or to return; 1000 for introductions to other members; and 2000 for invitations to meet the minister. 11 churches scored under 100 points! 5 got less than 20.”
—Dr. Robert P. Tucker
How do you think San Miguel UUs would score?

No, his name is not Preston Foster, his name is George Bell. George has planned the music programs at the Fellowship for over ten years. He was born in New York City, and began playing the violin at a very young age. He attended City College in New York, but in premed, not in music. It dawned on George early that he wanted to make a better living than music would allow, so music became a sideline and a hobby, as he made his living as an entrepreneur and salesman, but never forgot his music, and even played first violin at Radio City Music Hall.

After World War II, George moved to California, where he played with music studios, with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, the Glendale Symphony, and the Santa Monica Orian Quartet. In 1990 he and Peggy came to visit San Miguel, and they liked the Unitarian Fellowship so much that they decided to move here.

About ten years ago, George found a Bosendorfer grand piano available for US$20,000 at an estate sale. Using his expert sales technique he talked the owners down to US$10,000, and the fellowship voted to put themselves in debt and buy it (not without protest). Professional musicians from everywhere love to play this piano, one of the best in San Miguel. George organized music benefits and the Bosendorfer paid for itself very quickly.

George is involved in many other activities. He is a Type A personality, and for over a year he was the champion raffle ticket salesperson for the Hospital de la Fe. If he wants to sell you something, look out, because whether you need it or not, there’s an 80% chance you will buy.
So, George, keep up the good work promoting our Fellowship as The Music Man.
—Paul Temple

Letter from a Friend
Former San Miguel resident and one of our Fellowship’s founders Ruth O’Neal recently sent the following letter to her many friends, and it’s too beautiful not to share with our readers

"Dear Ones, wherever you might be…
Early these mornings, as the sun brightens the grassy area in our back yard, a lady grackle always struts the dewy grasses. She is elegant, with a bright copper shawl over her head, throat and chest, but walks like a Soho tart. Our two doves scorn the grasses, preferring to wobble the length of the tall cement wall…just wide enough for kissing and courting. And about twice a week, a mocking bird visits us from down the street, and sings and sings, bird song after bird song. I do believe (even though I know better) that he's looking right at me when he's pouring glad notes into the morning air.

And this day, I am thinking…I wonder if I can possibly get a letter written to those I love? It was not my intent, of course, to find myself sitting, PLOP!, in Philipino Land. In fact, extremely bewildering…being tossed from plane to hospital, to this Philipino Home for Assisted Living. The Philipinos have taken over small residential Homes throughout California and Arizona, purchasing the Homes, making necessary changes, and hiring, usually, a couple of trained personnel to manage and run the Home. These beautiful young people are soaked in one aspect of their beautiful culture…they LOVE, CARE, RESPECT, the disabled and the Elderly.

They truly love the elderly particularly, and do everything to keep them comfortable. It is not the ambition of our U.S. youngsters to help dress the elderly, change their commodes, guide them slowly with their walkers from bedroom to bath, bathe them, etc. And these young people seem to ENJOY their work with us. So we are blessed. …

July 28, The Next Day
All of you have been contributing to a cornucopia that daily spills caring thoughts over me. And I such a happy recipient! Books, cards, thoughts, humor, poems, jam, cookies, a newspaper from San Miguel!, photos, more photos, more books, babies. Ahhh, the babies! They are my favorite gifts to come tumbling out of that cornucopia…Still under a year, with a nursing mother in tow, these are my most favorite gifts!!! … Babes, rolling about my floor, smiling into my heart, new-found energies growing. Such a delight!

Second favorite gift is probably notes telling me bits of your daily lives and doings. (There's still a big, active world out there…) That's it. Favorites: 1) Babies, 2) What's doing with you, 3) Books, particularly with some humor…I know it's a little difficult to qualify.

But I would be so grateful if you could bring to me a Nursing Baby…or, if, Joy of Joys, you ARE a Nursing Baby, please come. My doors are always wide open to you. I feel gratefulness toward all of you, and much love,

Ruth
Ruth O’Neal died on September 6, 2004. She was 95.

A Report on General Assembly
by Peggy Bell
At the August 29 service, Peggy Bell reported on the annual UU General Assembly, which took place in June in Long Beach, California. Some highlights from Peggy’s report:
A total of 580 congregations were represented by 4700 attendees, of whom 1971 were official delegates.

The opening ceremony kicked off with the banner parade, in which Peggy proudly carried our San Miguel banner. (Two attendees, Peter and Doris of Santa Barbara, California, were so taken with the banner that they have since visited San Miguel to check us out.)

The annual Ware Lecture was delivered by celebrated folk singer Holly Near, who interspersed her discussion of her life as a social activist with her famous songs.

The Exhibit Hall featured over 100 booths, staffed by organizations ranging from Drug Policy Reform to UUs for a Just Economic Community to Fair Trade Coffee to the World Pantheist Movement.

Speakers included Robert Reich, discussing “Why Liberals Will Win the Battle for America”; Amy Goodman, signing her latest book, The Exception to the Rulers: Exposing Oily Politicians, War Profiteers, and the Media that Love Them; and Dolores Huerta, former co-leader of the UFW with Cesar Chavez, speaking about “Immigrants: The New Civil Rights Movement,” and asserting “We didn’t cross the border; the border crossed us.”

UUSC (UU Service Committee) was very much present with two booths and six workshops and a volunteer brunch. A highlight was “Discovering Dominga: Genocide in Guatemala,” a heartrending film about a young woman raised in the U.S. who returns to Guatemala to discover her roots and uncovers a story of genocide.

Another UUSC highlight was “Burma on Trial: Holding U.S. Corporations Accountable.” Ka Hsaw Wa of Earth Rights International related the struggle to use the U.S. Alien Tort Claims Act to hold U.S. corporations, specifically Unocal, accountable for international human rights abuses in Burma.

Delegates passed five Actions of Immediate Witness regarding 1) accountability for multinational corporations, 2) concern over electronic voting, 3) Iraq sovereignty, the United Nations and human rights, 4) opposition to the Federal Marriage Amendment, and 5) renewal of the assault weapons ban.

The next General Assembly will take place in Fort Worth, TX, June 23–27, 2005. That’s close enough that many of us should be able to go. Start making your plans!

Our Caring Community
For some time members of the San Miguel community have been concerned about the needs of residents who are disabled or in need of continuing care. Recently, a group of them came together and decided to put together information that would be useful to all residents as well as short-term visitors.

The result is a 29-page booklet entitled Our Caring Community: Your Resources in San Miguel de Allende.

The book contains information on hospitals, in-home nursing care and residential nursing homes in the area. It includes a section on services available to the homebound such as doctors who will make house calls, delivery services by pharmacies, restaurants, laundry and dry cleaners—even beauticians who will cut hair and do pedicures.

The book reports on Community of Hope with its trained volunteers who visit the homebound in need; the 24-Hour Association, which makes after-death arrangements; available medical insurance; and evacuation for medical help in the US.

There is a section on the role of government agencies including the American and Canadian consulates and embassies, as well as the Foreign Affairs Office of the San Miguel municipal government. There is also a section devoted to financial assistance sources, services provided by Lloyd’s, and will and estate planning.

An important section deals with support groups for cancer patients and lists the time and place of 12-step programs.

Finally, there is a section on how to start a home healthcare help group, in which participants keep information on each other’s medical and personal history so that they can support each other in time of need.

The booklet was edited and designed by Benjie Neal. The material was compiled by members of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, St Paul’s Church, and the Jewish Community. Our thanks to UUs Peggy Bell, Betse Davies, Bob Hesdorfer, Judy McKay, Virginia Wheelwright, Doris Winetsky, and Marge Zap for their valuable contribution to this effort.

Our Caring Community: Your Resources in San Miguel de Allende can be purchased for 50 pesos at the various bookstores in San Miguel as well as at the mail services. For further information please write Marge Zap at mzapster@unisono.net.mx.