Octogenarian Jimmy Tomlinson (right) enjoys the respect of many in the tiny enclave of Aguilallas, just about a mile and a half north of Ixtlahuacan. “It’s so small that it doesn’t even have a church,” she says. Moved by a lot of other things the community doesn’t have, Tomlinson has taken it upon herself to give these folks, mostly women and girls, a hand up. She moved into a large home in the barrio so that she could have more room to teach classes in what she calls “life skills.” The kitchen is big enough for eight cooks and at least two of the five bedrooms have been converted to a classroom and a studio. She also has four cows (soon to be five) to provide milk for her cooking classes and for local children. Tomlinson is familiar with Mexico. She and her deceased husband spent 40 years commuting between their Kentucky home and Lakeside. She worked as a registered nurse and midwife in various parts of the United States for half a century. Always on the go, she slowed down just long enough last week to talk to Jeanne Chaussee about her labor of love.
How did you find this tiny community?
I’ve always been curious about what’s over the next hill. I ran into some people who told me that there were lots of poor people in this little spot. I hopped in my van and came upon this enclave. And yes, these people are poor.
What do you mean by ‘poor?’
They really have no facilities at all. Most of them do have bathrooms of sorts; but they aren’t what you and I would consider bathrooms. We’re a little past the hole in the floor; but they have a bucket sitting next to the stool to flush it with because they have no running water to the toilet. There is no sink or shower head … just a pipe protruding from the wall. Many of their kitchens have no running water and they can only use the top burners of their stoves. The oven (and I use the term loosely) has no thermostat. My Christmas present to one family last year was a door because there was nothing but a tarp over the doorway and there were five little ones piled together in there under clothes and the tarp flapping in the wind. When I brought the door to them, you would have thought that I gave them the moon.
You say that you are teaching them life skills. What kind of skills are we talking about and who are the people you are teaching?
This program (Soccoro’s Pride) is open to anyone who wants to participate. We have bought the four cows from the profits made from sales at the Monday Market. I have taught these women how to bake on a commercial oven and the one in my kitchen. We specialize in all kinds of baked goods and hors d’oeuvres, particularly those that are gluten free. Besides selling these at the Monday and Tuesday markets, we do catering jobs, some of them for very large parties and custom baking also. The whole point of the program is for these women to learn the baking skills and to market them so that they can make some money for their families and survive.
Why cows?
I was talking to the woman who cooks at the local school and realized that there was no milk on the menu. I ended up buying 25-pound bags of powdered milk continually. It dawned on me that since there was some space, actually having cows might be the answer. I’m thrilled. We have one heifer that has just calved. She’s a full-blooded Brown Swiss. We have another Holstein-Brown Swiss cross that is guaranteed to give about 30 liters a day.
What about the feeding program?
I was at the school one day while they were passing out the breakfast. The lady in the kitchen told me that at least 60 of the kids came to school each day with absolutely nothing to eat, either before they got there or to eat later in the day. She pointed out that under the DIF program (Department of Family Development) the kids had to pay five pesos for a meal. These kids didn’t have five pesos. So I asked her what she would need to provide for these children. She said “Senora, if I had a gallon of oil a week, ten kilos of sugar and five kilos of eggs, I could feed each of them breakfast and fix a snack for each of them to have before they went home. That would probably be all they would have until they came back the next day.” It makes me furious when I hear people say that they don’t want to help because the kids’ dads are probably squandering the money. Maybe they do, and maybe they don’t … but whatever it is, it’s not the kid’s fault.
You’re teaching needlework, too, aren’t you?
Yeah. I don’t remember what I was doing that day … apparently not much; but I always have some kind of handwork going on when I’m sitting around. The principal came out of the school and asked me if I could teach the kids to crochet. I said “Sure.” Classes with as many as 17 girls have evolved from that and the children are doing great. I’m waiting on a shipment of sewing machines on its way here from the States. We’re going to have sewing classes.
Are the kids making things that they can sell?
So far they are just making things for their families. That’s why I’m thinking about having a little place where they can sell their baked goods, crocheted items and eventually the things that they sew.
Do they get paid for their goods?
All of the proceeds from the things we sell go to them. I pay for the supplies.
Do you want help with all of this, or would you rather be just on your own?
Oh, my goodness. There is so much to do over there that I could use a lot of hands for teaching sewing, baking, crochet and such. We would also like to start an English as a Second Language program. I decided after a short time that teaching English to 200 kids at a time just wasn’t going to work. So … I guess I’ll start by teaching the teachers and they can pass it on. We have had some volunteers but they don’t last long. This program needs committed volunteers. We have to be consistent or it won’t work at all.
What are some other basic needs?
There aren’t enough school supplies, even pencils, paper and chalk; and can you believe, there are nine teachers in the school and only one computer. Computer use is meted out according to seniority, so the newest teacher gets to the school at 6 a.m. so she can access the computer. Obviously, we also need computer classes. We need computers. We also need yarn…any kind of yarn.
Why are you here in Mexico? At 80 years old, wouldn’t you rather be with your family?
I love Mexico. I love the people and the ambiance, even though it has really changed in the last 40 years. If I went back to the states, I’d probably do nothing but sit around in a rocking chair. Here, I can still be productive. I can make a difference and even if I make a difference for just one family, I will have done something worthwhile.
Readers who would like to learn more about Jimmy’s project and are interested in ways that they can help should call her at (376) 766-1910. You’re more likely to reach her if you call after dark.