Throughout our stay in Mexico serving with Lantern Hill, there were two key teachings of the dharma that I thought of regularly.
First, we are all interconnected. We are all part of one big entity. Sometimes people mistakenly say that Buddhism teaches that we don’t exist. That’s sort of true but only in the context of the teaching of interconnectedness or interdependence. Everything we do impacts everyone else. When you consider the poverty in Mexico and how it leads to Mexicans seeking to escape it by emigrating to the states, is it is easy to see how interdependence works.
And with this in mind, it becomes easier to aid and to serve those we met in Mexico. Guadalupe and Maria are as much my sisters as my own sister. JJ said that he had a teenage volunteer who had this breakthrough while serving with Lantern Hill. She noted that one of the girls she met was about the age of her sister and even looked a little like her sister. “She’s my sister!” the girl exclaimed. That’s interconnectedness.
This lesson also answers the question, “Why help them? Why not help the people in your own country?” When one accepts and internalizes the teaching of interconnectedness, borders cease to exist. We realize that borders are a man-made creation. Certainly, borders are necessary to organize countries and to provide some sense of order to the world. But in the context of our humanity, borders do not exist. It is only by the chance of history that the people of Mexico are not our fellow countrymen.
A well-known saying in Buddhism explains interconnection. If the left hand is on fire, the right hand does not ask itself, “What has the left hand done for me? Is the left hand the same religion as me? Is the left hand straight? Is the left hand my race, my ethnicity, my nationality?” Without hesitation, the right hand puts out the fire. It is the same in our service to others.
Second, this trip reminded me of how little I know. In Buddhism, this is called “not knowing.” When we accept “not knowing,” we realize- naturally- that we don’t know it all and that we have a lot to learn. Kind of obvious, right? There is such a vast world beyond our little existence here in the United States, and we would all benefit from learning more of what we don’t know.
It reminds me of that Michael Franti line: “The more I see, the less I know.” Or K’Naan, who said, “Any man who knows a thing knows he knows not a damn, damn thing at all.”
Finally, a note about this series of posts about our trip. While writing these posts over the last week, I constantly asked myself, ‘Which part of my self is writing this? My ego self? Or my true self?’ Service to others for the purpose of looking good is not service at all, and I felt a constant tension over giving the appearance of braggadocio or showing off. Should we serve in silence? Before, during, and after this trip, I wanted others to know about the extreme poverty in Mexico, especially to encourage others to take this trip, too, and serve with Lantern Hill. To that end, writing this was worth the risk of giving a bad impression.
I strongly encourage others to visit Mexico and serve with Lantern Hill. And even if you never set foot in Ensanada, you can support Lantern Hill today by making a donation.
Stay human….
Tags: Buddhism, immigration, Lantern Hill, Mexico, Poverty, social justice
