Esther Rodriquez

Esther Rodriquez is an ATD Fourth World Movement Activist who has lived in Gamerco, New Mexico, for 21 years. She has two daughters, has one son who has passed on, and is raising two of her grandchildren as her own. She is also a foster parent. She worked as a custodian at the University of New Mexico until she got hurt on the job and now is in early retirement. She volunteers with ATD Fourth World on Fridays as a Story Garden Facilitator. 

She answered the following questions on August 3, 2021.

 

How did you meet ATD Fourth World?

About six years ago I met ATD when Volunteer Corps members would come to my house.  At first I wouldn’t allow my granddaughter to go to the park with them [for the Story Garden].  I didn’t really know who they were. They kept coming to my house and wanting to see if my granddaughter could go across the road. One day I just said, “Okay, you can go.” But I kept on looking out the window, to see if she was okay, if she was there. And the same thing on Saturdays, we would walk by at the flea market and I would see them. And slowly get to know them, trust-wise. Then one day I just said, “Okay, go.” 

They helped my family out, helped my granddaughter get the IEP (at her school) and came a couple times to IEP meetings to help explain stuff to me I really didn’t understand.   

The one part I really liked was that they knew my granddaughter had reading problems and sat with her one-on-one to slowly build up her self confidence. And she did good! She knew they were going to come once a week to the park. She would go right across, “I’m going, bye!” She had fun. She got the help she needed. That really worked out for us.

What do you do with ATD Fourth World? 

I go on Fridays to the Story Garden in Gamerco and interact with the little kids. My favorite part is when the Story Garden started in Gamerco, I will always remember, little kids running behind the cars when they arrived, “Yay! They’re here!” That is so cool. And they love to help, these little kids, preschoolers, kindergarteners, they are helping, helping carrying chairs to where they set up. It’s beautiful to see the little ones. They all come and interact. “Look at my picture!” and they are smiling. That’s the best thing. We get to see it first, what they drew, and their facial expressions. They are proud of what they do, you can see it in their eyes. It’s awesome. 

I went with the grandchildren to the Story Garden. For two years I just let them do what they did. Then I started to sit with one granddaughter who was three at that time and I showed her books and played with puzzles with her. 

I don’t remember how I became a facilitator. Maybe it was when my own kids walked away from me. I was trying to be at the kids’ level, playing. That’s how I started, just watching them, working with them. Some of them, when they first came in, had stuff going on at home. So for me it was just trying to get their thoughts out of what was going on at home, and focusing on what’s right at the moment, right here.  Telling them, “You did an awesome job! Wow! I didn’t know you could do that.” Things that they need to hear.

I wanted us to make our own banner, for the other countries. The kids enjoyed it. It was that celebration that I first spoke at. Because someone was supposed to have spoken and didn’t show up, so I went in there and started talking. 

Participation with partners: 

Why did (and do) you decide to work with ATD Fourth World?

What I see first is their smile and what they make. “Look! Look!”  We are the ones who get to see it first. Then they go home and show it to their parents. THAT’s the reason why I like it.

The second reason is because I don’t really know how to read. I don’t really know how to spell words. When I’m reading with the kids, they think I am joking, I ask them, “What’s that word?”  

They look at me, “You don’t know that word?” 

“No, I don’t know that word.” So they help me sometimes. So that they know not to be ashamed to not know how to read or spell. “Don’t worry, I don’t know either, let’s figure it out.”   

What has been transformative? How have you or your life changed?

I learned patience. You are up here, the children are down here. You have to learn eye-to-eye contact. I scoot down and I talk to them. It’s been a lot of patience and remembering they are only children, they are going to teach you something. What is the lesson of the day for me? 

Esther is teaching us how to be eye-to-eye with adults. - Nathalie Artignan, ATD Fourth World Volunteer Corps member on the team in New Mexico. 

What is the highlight of your work with ATD Fourth World? What are the most important projects you’ve worked on?

I took my grandson to the flea market. He was very upset. He was mad, standing there angry.  Before we left he was smiling. He learned how to play Uno right. Some girls taught him how to play. He was having fun. That’s how much he changed within that couple of hours. He was 14 then.  

Also, we painted a trailer. That was awesome. We helped paint and put fishes on the trailer, just helping out, being a part of the activity. Telling the kids it’s okay to volunteer your time. There is a lot to do, with the little ones, read a book. Everything is not always about money.

Do you talk about ATD Fourth World with other people? 

I talk to everyone I know. I like to brag. I show my kids’ paintings. I tell them to come. 

What are you looking forward to being part of next with ATD Fourth World? 

I want to do more things in the office.  

Is there anything else you’d want someone who doesn’t know ATD Fourth World to know? 

They should give it a chance. I wish they had more facilitators in every town and small community. If it wasn’t for them, I don't know what I would have done. I wouldn't have known how to get stuff for my granddaughter. I would have been stuck. They have the patience.