Hernan Rosa Martinez: solidarity at the heart of all successful community development in Ecuador
After studying philosophy, theology, sociology and anthropology, Hernán Rodas engaged as a priest in the movement of liberation theology. Listening to the poor, he was one of the main members of the team that re-translated the Bible from the perspective of Amerindian peasants – a version that has later known hundreds of reprints in Spanish and other languages.
The distinctive characteristics of Hernàn are personal warmth, empathy, deep appreciation of life and peaceful but exuberant energy. Through music, painting, architecture, poems, theater, public discussion, and mostly through simply working together, Hernán supported the self-organization of many rural, marginalized communities of Ecuador, his native country. He worked on the one hand for the satisfaction of the basic need of people (food, water, shelter, work, human closeness), on the other for the comprehension by people of the forces that oppress them by creating and reproducing systems of power.
With respect to other similar situations, Hernán’s work is remarkable for its success: the banana plantation workers of Zhumiral who, twenty years ago were exploited under painful working and living conditions, produce today organic vegetables for export in their own fields. The residents of Paute, who lost everything in a “natural” catastrophe, are today at the forefront of youth training, free legal assistance, women organising, community exchange programmes and mutual credit schemes. The saving and loan cooperative of nearly 90,000 members supported by Hernán is considered by the Interamerican Development Bank (BID) as the most efficient of Latin America… and this even if the cooperative refuses the logic of pure economic profit and seeks benefits in social, environmental and political terms as well. The secret, would say Hernán, is that it has roots in real communities, tied to one another by mutual knowledge, respect and solidarity.
See also : https://www.pkfeyerabend.org/fr/2020/05/21/the-savings-and-loans-cooperative-jardin-azuayo/
P.Hernan Rodas.
Soy Rosa Once , le conocí a través del P.Joxemari Garmendia cuando fuimos a Paute por apoyo para formar una pequeñita cooperativa de A y C en Santa Rosa en el Oro..
Quisiéramos hablar con Ud.
Que gusto saludarle no se cómo está y donde está de Párroco…
Reciba un fortísimo abrazo de todos nosotros y cuidense.
Hernan, por la foto que veo, casi seguro que eres tu, aunque no veo mucha informacion. El Hernan al cual me refiero debe tener unos 60 + anos. Estudio en el seminario mayor de San Luis, Cuenca. Tenia talento natural, sociable, pintor, poeta y gran amigo. Me gustaria saber donde esta y que es de su vida. Quiza se recuerde de mi, Antonio Capel, profesor y sacerdote del Seminario menor San Luis, los anos entre 1967-1969
Gracias un abrazo donde quiera que estes.
Hernan que gusto saber de usted. Una gran persona con muchos valores . Siempre recuerdo su música, sus pinturas, sus comidas y sobretodo su amistad.
marysol, buscando saber de Hernan me di con el mensaje de usted; yo tambien atesoro recuerdos (lejanisimos pero igual de vibrantes y tiernos) del Hernan total. enhorabuena, Carlos
Hernan,
como decirte que estoy feliz de verte nuevamente, y seguir desde aqui, tan lejos de ti, tan lejos de Zhumiral, de Paute lo que haces. Donde estas ? seria tan feliz de saber mas de ti. He vido los otros publicaciones en Youtube, !
Damé tu nueva direccion, por favor !
Mluce
mariluz
Hernan, como decirte que estoy feliz de verte nuevamente, y seguir desde aqui, tan lejos de ti, ta