used to think, now realize

I used to think the certain civic clubs in Chimbote, Peru were bad because they gave out alcohol to minors and that was all they did.

I now realize those civic clubs in Chimbote are involved in a large scale tree planting project, is working with a program to turn trash (kind of ironic if you have ever been to Chimbote--there´s lots of trash around) into houses, has developed a micro finance loan program that is changing the lives of hundreds of poor residents, and is interested in partnering with other organizations to bring about a better water system for the region.

I used to think the Catholic Church in Chimbote was really more of a cult than anything and wasn´t to be included in partnership opportunities.

I now realize that the parish of a man named Father Jack is providing access to services for the poorest of the poor in the area. The organization has developed partnerships across cultural and religous ideological divides and has provided an outlet for countless young people and older people to take part in something bigger than themselves.

I used to think the fish factories in Chimbote only operated a few months of the year and were basically sweat shops when they were in operation.

I now realize that the fish factories are run by honest, caring business men and women who genuinely care about their community and the people and the products of their operations. The factories run year round and provide a modest living to those who work at them.

I used to think the water in Chimbote was no good and probably the reason why was that the people there didn´t know how to provide clean drinking water for the residents.

I now realize that there are water treatment plants in Chimbote with caring passionate men and women working at them who care about what they do, and do so in a professional manner and with great integrity. The water they provide is as good as any anywhere.

I used to think that whatever people told me about somebody or some place was probably true, especially if it was about the person or place´s inadequacies.

I now realize that the truth is, if you choose to see inadequacies, that´s about all you`ll see.

I now realize that if you look for capacity: you´ll see hope and opportunities for relationships, you'll experience imagination like you haven´t since kindergarten, and you will start to believe that you can actually make a difference.

I now realize that it's true not only for communities and society, but for you and me as well.

I now realize I have a lot to learn.