November 17, 2006, Memories & miracles in La Huerta, By Jesús Ibarra

Casita Linda volunteers meet every Wednesday and Saturday in the Aurora parking lot at 8:30am. Anyone who would like to help out can register by sending an email to Chris Maclane at chris@casitalinda.org The Casita Linda website is at www.casitalinda.org

Time seems to have stopped in the tunnel that connects the road to Guanajuato with the rural community of La Huerta. In this lonely and beautiful canyon where even cell phones lose their signal, Doña Estefanía Olivares García was born on May 8, 1901. She grew with the century and has survived to see its close.

The years have dulled her sight and hearing, but the little old woman with white hair and a lined face keeps herself occupied shelling corn and beans. Two years ago, she lived in a one-room adobe house with a tin roof, the damaged walls little barrier against cold and moisture. Now, thanks to Casita Linda, A.C., Doña Estefanía has a new little house.

Revolutionary recollection in La Huerta

“My mother lived here in La Huerta during the Mexican Revolution,” said José Refugio Luna Olivares, 65, the youngest of Doña Estefanía’s children. “Her parents worked in the old hacienda nearby, and as a very young girl, she and her family used to hide in the hacienda when the federal soldiers came.

The soldiers used to take their tortillas, and sometimes they took one or two young girls, too.” According to Luna, his mother used to tell how the people in La Huerta watched the trains full of soldiers passing by. “One time, they were expecting to see Venustiano Carranza and Pancho Villa, who were supposed to meet in La Huerta, but the meeting never took place. It is said that they finally met in Celaya,” said Luna.

Doña Estefanía’s family

Doña Estefanía had six children, three boys and three girls. Her two living sons reside in La Huerta, two of her daughters live in Comonfort, and her other daughter lives in Chihuahua. “She has 40 grandchildren and a lot of great-grandchildren,” said Luna.

Doña Estefanía, who used to know a great deal about medicinal plants, wants to be active all the time and still is in surprisingly good health. “She spends her time shelling corn and beans,” said her daughter-in-law, Agripina Morales. “Two years ago, she still cooked and washed the dishes, but now she cannot do it anymore.” Agripina added that her mother-in-law sometimes gets a cough, but apart from this, and her poor hearing and sight, she is completely healthy. “She still can walk; we only help her a little. She gets up at 10am and she works until 6pm, when the sun sets,” said Agripina. Although she only has one or two teeth, Doña Estefanía eats soup, beans and tortillas. “When she feels a little bad, she asks for her medicine,” said her daughter-in-law.

Life in La Huerta

La Huerta currently has 854 inhabitants, most of whom earn a livelihood making baskets of carrizo, a plant that grows along the edge of the Laja River. Doña Estefanía’s family also earns its income by making baskets. “When she was younger, my mother also used to make baskets, as well as my father, who died 15 years ago,” said Luna. The family earns about 200 pesos a week for the baskets. A man buys them all every Saturday to resell in Comonfort and San Miguel.

Luna owns five hectares of land, part of an ejido. During the rainy season, he grows the corn and beans that supply the family with food for the whole year.

Casita Linda

Doña Estefanía used to tell her son that she wanted her own little house. Her dream came true two years ago when Casita Linda, A.C., chose La Huerta as the site for a housing project. “The people in the community said that Doña Estefanía should benefit from our program since she is the great-grandmother of the whole community,” said Irma Rosado, leader of the project. Doña Estefanía’s house was the first house built by Casita Linda. It is one only room of 249 square feet with two windows, a shower and a sink. The only furniture is a small bed and a night table. Doña Estafanía is very happy because she is not cold during the night and water does not seep into her room during the rainy season.

Casita Linda has built two other houses in La Huerta, and they are currently working in Los Galvanes on the way to Dolores. The organization provides the materials for the houses and volunteer instructors for construction, among them an architect. The family build the house. Doña Estefanía’s house cost US$1,500.