It has been a few days now since we've returned to our families and homes. What a wonderful scene in the airport -- hugs from my husband and children, and a chance to meet each other's families. I am inspired to post a Top 5 list of things that I am savoring at the moment, knowing that the experience will continue to change and evolve as time passes. Here's what's on my mind:
1. I love that David has had a chance to Skype with Erika and Alex, connecting in a personal way about ideas that have been generated around how we might best be able to help the community there.
2. I cherish telling stories to my boys about the experience, showing them photos from the trip and answering their questions. Nick, my 8-year-old, is anxious for me to come to his classroom to share a slideshow.
3. I bought the right sizes of soccer jerseys for the three of them, and Joe, my four-year-old, recogized someone in my photos wearing the same El Salvador soccer jersey he received. They have been wearing their new shirts all day, and have been sleeping in them!
4. Everyone at my office has been so supportive and kind, asking good questions and honoring the magnitude of the trip.
5. I received a recommendation for the best papusas in town: Gloria’s Secret Café in Beaverton. I look forward to checking it out.
Still marveling at the wonderful people I met -- both on our delegation and in El Salvador. Incredible blessings and much to be thankful for as we enter the holiday season.
There is one piece from Archbishop Oscar Romero that, for me, captures much of the spirit of the experience. Let me share it with you:
In general, education in our Latin American countries is directed toward the desire to have more, whereas today's youth demand rather to be more, to realize themselves through service and love.
Let us not develop an education that creates in the mind of the student a hope of becoming rich and having the power to dominate. That does not correspond to the time we live in.
Let us form in the heart of the child and the young peron the lofty ideal of loving, of preparing oneself to serve and to give oneself to others.
Anything else would be education for selfishness, and we want to escape the selfishness that is precisely the cause of the great malaise of our societies.
The church must propose an education that makes people agents of their own development, protagonists of history, not a passive, compliant mass, but human beings able to display their intelligence, their creativity, their desire for the common service of the nation. Education must recognize that the development of the individual and of people is the "advancement of each and all from less-human to more-human conditions."
Amen.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Lessons Learned
Delegation Selection
-Helpful to have some Spanish for every member
Pretrip Contact of Resource Person
-Helpful for support
Preparation/Needs Assessment Prior to Trip, Contact list
-Fondo physician
-Tierra Blanca Unidad director
-Jiquilisco hospital lead physicians
-HIV Clinic in San Salvador
-CIS
-Dean Brackley
Pretrip briefing session
-Need to be clear with goals of medical visits
-Ideally team is made aware of local projects in process (renal failure study)
Itinerary
-Ideally R&R day on Wednesday
-After lunch sitting limited to 30-45 minutes
-Best combination is sitting then walking
-Continue morning and evening reflections
-Need to have more sharing of medical visit experiences
-Keep Romero home/chapel visit
-Keep Dean Brackley visit
-Iterinary should include meeting with Fondo doctor and Tierra Blanca Unidad
Computer Access
-Need better access in the evening, & morning
-We can supply a wi-fi router for less than $100, have constant access
Medical Visits
-Need a formulary for teams
-Ideally backpacks could be pre-packed with formulary meds
---Tylenol
---Multivitamins with iron
---TUMS and H2 blockers (Pepcid, Zantac)
---Hydrocortisone cream
---Antifungal cream
---Antibiotics – oral, topical
- Standardize history and demographics
---Preprinted H&P forms?
---Possible to get demographics from animador?
-Improve process for arranging follow-up
---Currently up to Sisters Fran/Elena
---Ideally could impart some responsibility to animator
Future Considerations
-What should be the depth of involvement?
---Periodic/Annual social/medical home visits (current level of involvement)
---Periodic/Annual health advisors to community leaders
---Partnership with local physicians
---Community public health needs assessment
---Permament or intermittent Providence clinic
---Providence hospital
-Who is the focus of future efforts? Delegations or Communities?
-What should be the scope of effort?
-Worldwide scope vs focused regional projects
-What process should be used to move forward?
Discussion Points of the Group
-International mission needs to be linked with U.S. mission
-International efforts need to be supporting local community, NOT directing community
-Plan must be sustainable, impactful, partnered with grassroots efforts
-Should include health and business development
-This requires more of a presence
-Local relationships already developed by Sister Fran who has created a legacy
-Entering new communities would take years
-Latin America geographically convenient relative to other parts of globe
-Internal Providence process for development of a strategic plan
-Intentional focus on personal formation relative to immersion
-Helpful to have some Spanish for every member
Pretrip Contact of Resource Person
-Helpful for support
Preparation/Needs Assessment Prior to Trip, Contact list
-Fondo physician
-Tierra Blanca Unidad director
-Jiquilisco hospital lead physicians
-HIV Clinic in San Salvador
-CIS
-Dean Brackley
Pretrip briefing session
-Need to be clear with goals of medical visits
-Ideally team is made aware of local projects in process (renal failure study)
Itinerary
-Ideally R&R day on Wednesday
-After lunch sitting limited to 30-45 minutes
-Best combination is sitting then walking
-Continue morning and evening reflections
-Need to have more sharing of medical visit experiences
-Keep Romero home/chapel visit
-Keep Dean Brackley visit
-Iterinary should include meeting with Fondo doctor and Tierra Blanca Unidad
Computer Access
-Need better access in the evening, & morning
-We can supply a wi-fi router for less than $100, have constant access
Medical Visits
-Need a formulary for teams
-Ideally backpacks could be pre-packed with formulary meds
---Tylenol
---Multivitamins with iron
---TUMS and H2 blockers (Pepcid, Zantac)
---Hydrocortisone cream
---Antifungal cream
---Antibiotics – oral, topical
- Standardize history and demographics
---Preprinted H&P forms?
---Possible to get demographics from animador?
-Improve process for arranging follow-up
---Currently up to Sisters Fran/Elena
---Ideally could impart some responsibility to animator
Future Considerations
-What should be the depth of involvement?
---Periodic/Annual social/medical home visits (current level of involvement)
---Periodic/Annual health advisors to community leaders
---Partnership with local physicians
---Community public health needs assessment
---Permament or intermittent Providence clinic
---Providence hospital
-Who is the focus of future efforts? Delegations or Communities?
-What should be the scope of effort?
-Worldwide scope vs focused regional projects
-What process should be used to move forward?
Discussion Points of the Group
-International mission needs to be linked with U.S. mission
-International efforts need to be supporting local community, NOT directing community
-Plan must be sustainable, impactful, partnered with grassroots efforts
-Should include health and business development
-This requires more of a presence
-Local relationships already developed by Sister Fran who has created a legacy
-Entering new communities would take years
-Latin America geographically convenient relative to other parts of globe
-Internal Providence process for development of a strategic plan
-Intentional focus on personal formation relative to immersion
What happens next - Saturday
In the gospel reading for Saturday, the Sadducees proposed to Jesus the dilemma of what happens in the afterlife when a woman has had seven husbands due to their sequential death. The purpose of the question appears to have been to catch Jesus in a logical conundrum of the future. Jesus' response suggests that the Sadducees would be better off focusing on the concerns of today. For all of us, Saturday was a day reflecting on the previous week, and the future of what will come in El Salvador.
We began the day with a visit to Centro de Intercambio y Solidaridad (CIS) (see link top right). CIS has a variety of programs, ranging from forming and guiding small business cooperatives to running a Spanish language school with the mission of promoting solidarity and cultural exchange between Salvadorans and their american neighbors. We met Friday night with Leslie Shuld, the director of CIS, who shared insights and experiences from working in El Salvador with CIS for 16 years. She shared with us that although coffee replaced indigo as the primary export of El Salvador in the 1870's. indigo is making a comeback as a natural dye to the point where local cooperatives have a hard time buying it affordably. In our visit to the CIS office in San Salvador, our goal was to find presents for friends and simultaneously support grassroots cooperatives with fair prices.
After this stop, we visited a more typical artesan (read tourist) market where goods were many and Maestro Mateo demonstrated his haggling acumen. Across the parking lot was our lunch stop, yes, a pupuseria. After this we visited the Contrasida (Against AIDS) Foundation, and met with one of their health educators who gave us a sense of HIV/AIDS in El Salvador. This was dramatically illustrated with a story of Juan and Miguelito and... well, let's just leave it at that.
To close the week, we made a pilgrimage of sites associated with Oscar Romero, the Salvadoran archbishop, who was murdered on March 24th, 1980 after being archbishop for only 3 years. If you enter any Salvadoran church, you are more than likely to see an iconic image of the man who was transformed from a shy and bookish scholar to the chief voice and inspiration of the poor in El Salvador during the government repression of the late 1970's. A 1993 report by the United Nations identified Roberto D'Aubuisson, founder of the ARENA party, in ordering the death of Romero by a death squad. The murder was the spark which ignited the 13 year long war between the government, let by the ARENA party and the FMLN. 1993 marked the end of the war, but ARENA has remained the dominant party for the last 16 years.
We visited the home of Archbishop Romero, a very small one bedroom house, near a small chapel called "Divine Providence". We saw the garments he wore while celebrating mass. One can clearly see the hole made by the single bullet which struck his heart while holding up the eucharist. We had a chance to meditate in the chapel and consider the deeper meaning of his assassination in the conscience of El Salvador. Lastly, we drove to the Cathedral of San Salvador which houses his remains in a crypt below the church. In 1997, John Paul II declared Romero "blessed" (first of three steps to become a saint).
At the end of the day we sat down for a debriefing session of the week, discussing what worked, what could be changed, and future possibilities for Providence in El Salvador.
We began the day with a visit to Centro de Intercambio y Solidaridad (CIS) (see link top right). CIS has a variety of programs, ranging from forming and guiding small business cooperatives to running a Spanish language school with the mission of promoting solidarity and cultural exchange between Salvadorans and their american neighbors. We met Friday night with Leslie Shuld, the director of CIS, who shared insights and experiences from working in El Salvador with CIS for 16 years. She shared with us that although coffee replaced indigo as the primary export of El Salvador in the 1870's. indigo is making a comeback as a natural dye to the point where local cooperatives have a hard time buying it affordably. In our visit to the CIS office in San Salvador, our goal was to find presents for friends and simultaneously support grassroots cooperatives with fair prices.
After this stop, we visited a more typical artesan (read tourist) market where goods were many and Maestro Mateo demonstrated his haggling acumen. Across the parking lot was our lunch stop, yes, a pupuseria. After this we visited the Contrasida (Against AIDS) Foundation, and met with one of their health educators who gave us a sense of HIV/AIDS in El Salvador. This was dramatically illustrated with a story of Juan and Miguelito and... well, let's just leave it at that.
To close the week, we made a pilgrimage of sites associated with Oscar Romero, the Salvadoran archbishop, who was murdered on March 24th, 1980 after being archbishop for only 3 years. If you enter any Salvadoran church, you are more than likely to see an iconic image of the man who was transformed from a shy and bookish scholar to the chief voice and inspiration of the poor in El Salvador during the government repression of the late 1970's. A 1993 report by the United Nations identified Roberto D'Aubuisson, founder of the ARENA party, in ordering the death of Romero by a death squad. The murder was the spark which ignited the 13 year long war between the government, let by the ARENA party and the FMLN. 1993 marked the end of the war, but ARENA has remained the dominant party for the last 16 years.
We visited the home of Archbishop Romero, a very small one bedroom house, near a small chapel called "Divine Providence". We saw the garments he wore while celebrating mass. One can clearly see the hole made by the single bullet which struck his heart while holding up the eucharist. We had a chance to meditate in the chapel and consider the deeper meaning of his assassination in the conscience of El Salvador. Lastly, we drove to the Cathedral of San Salvador which houses his remains in a crypt below the church. In 1997, John Paul II declared Romero "blessed" (first of three steps to become a saint).
At the end of the day we sat down for a debriefing session of the week, discussing what worked, what could be changed, and future possibilities for Providence in El Salvador.
Changing the System - Friday
We awoke on Friday knowing it was our last day in Bajo Lempa. The gospel reading of the day told of Jesus turning over tables in the temple because of all the unjust business practices going on there; "You have made it a den of thieves". Mino made a direct connection between the corrupt dealers in the temple and the immoral political and business leaders in El Salvador, and shared the desire to follow in Jesus' footseps, driving them out.
On our last day, we visited the community of Papalote, a small village to the west of Tierra Blanca. Again, we divided into three teams to visit various homes. We visited a home of an elderly woman, who lived alone with her husband, but her house was full of 7 children, 3 grandchildren and 4 children of a helper. The school year runs from January to November, so the kids were out of school, as they have been throughout the trip.
After this we returned to Centro Romero to pack, and say goodbye to Morena (cook at the center) and Sister Elena. We donated the remainder of our medicines to Adrian, the physician who works at the Fondo de Emergencia. He shared with us, that as a physician for the Fondo, he earns less than his wife who works as a nurse in San Salvador, where he returns each weekend to be with his family. He expressed the hope of becoming the next director of the Unidad (Government run health clinic) in Tierra Blanca.
We boarded the bus with Hernàn for San Salvador, stopping at a highway Pupuseria along the way. For anyone who has never eaten eaten them, pupusas are uniquely Salvadoran. They are made by frying up a thick tortilla filled with cheese, meat, beans, or vegetables. Generally they cost 40-60 cents.
We arrived in San Salvador where we had been one week before at the Universidad de Centroamerica (UCA), and had an hourlong session with Dean Brackley, S.J. who is a professor of theology there. He is truly a font of knowledge about Central America and shared with us a fraction of this, which I have summarized here:
Demographics:
Median age of El Salvador, 23
Minimum wage: $170/month
Average wage: $250/month
Poverty rate: 65-80% (depending on definitions)
Typical education: 6yrs
Percent unable to get enough calories: 40%
Economy in crisis:
Father Brackley described the "baseline" economy as being similar to the U.S. during the great depression. In the last 2 years, the economy has had 2 major crises: the gas crunch of 2007-8, and the collapse of U.S. banking system in 2008-9. This has hurt El Salvador in 2 ways: decrease in remittances (money sent from Salvadorans in the U.S.) from $3.8B (which is 18% of GNP). as well as direct effect on economy due to decreased exports, access to credit.
Taxes & Trade:
All food and retail products are subject to a 13% value added tax. This of course hits the poor disproportionately, while many rich are able to evade this tax. There is no income tax. In recent months, the newly elected President, Mauricio Funes of the FMLN party, has attempted to make small changes in closing tax loopholes, to the whining and howling of the wealthy. For Salvadorans, CAFTA (Central American Free Trade Agreement) is considered neither "free", nor "fair".
Signs of Hope:
In June of 2009, Salvadorans elected a president from the FMLN for the first time in history, Mauricio Funes. In addition, 13 legislators previously aligned with the ARENA party have broken away, opening the possibility to pass legislation to correct some systemic injustice. There is a new attorney general who has promised to investigate killings which still occur occasionally. For example, there have been recent killings, appaently motivated by opposition to mining companies eager to come in to El Salvador and extract gold with cyanide. There are 4 new supreme court justices appointed by the new president. The greatest source of hope is the youth of the country, growing up in the post-war years.
All of us were enriched to have spent the hour with him, and wished for more. Needless to say, we were all left with the anger Jesus felt in seeing the injustice of the system.
After our visit we headed back to our hotelito, where some crashed after dinner, and some had the energy to go out with Erica, aka "la loca bailando".
On our last day, we visited the community of Papalote, a small village to the west of Tierra Blanca. Again, we divided into three teams to visit various homes. We visited a home of an elderly woman, who lived alone with her husband, but her house was full of 7 children, 3 grandchildren and 4 children of a helper. The school year runs from January to November, so the kids were out of school, as they have been throughout the trip.
After this we returned to Centro Romero to pack, and say goodbye to Morena (cook at the center) and Sister Elena. We donated the remainder of our medicines to Adrian, the physician who works at the Fondo de Emergencia. He shared with us, that as a physician for the Fondo, he earns less than his wife who works as a nurse in San Salvador, where he returns each weekend to be with his family. He expressed the hope of becoming the next director of the Unidad (Government run health clinic) in Tierra Blanca.
We boarded the bus with Hernàn for San Salvador, stopping at a highway Pupuseria along the way. For anyone who has never eaten eaten them, pupusas are uniquely Salvadoran. They are made by frying up a thick tortilla filled with cheese, meat, beans, or vegetables. Generally they cost 40-60 cents.
We arrived in San Salvador where we had been one week before at the Universidad de Centroamerica (UCA), and had an hourlong session with Dean Brackley, S.J. who is a professor of theology there. He is truly a font of knowledge about Central America and shared with us a fraction of this, which I have summarized here:
Demographics:
Median age of El Salvador, 23
Minimum wage: $170/month
Average wage: $250/month
Poverty rate: 65-80% (depending on definitions)
Typical education: 6yrs
Percent unable to get enough calories: 40%
Economy in crisis:
Father Brackley described the "baseline" economy as being similar to the U.S. during the great depression. In the last 2 years, the economy has had 2 major crises: the gas crunch of 2007-8, and the collapse of U.S. banking system in 2008-9. This has hurt El Salvador in 2 ways: decrease in remittances (money sent from Salvadorans in the U.S.) from $3.8B (which is 18% of GNP). as well as direct effect on economy due to decreased exports, access to credit.
Taxes & Trade:
All food and retail products are subject to a 13% value added tax. This of course hits the poor disproportionately, while many rich are able to evade this tax. There is no income tax. In recent months, the newly elected President, Mauricio Funes of the FMLN party, has attempted to make small changes in closing tax loopholes, to the whining and howling of the wealthy. For Salvadorans, CAFTA (Central American Free Trade Agreement) is considered neither "free", nor "fair".
Signs of Hope:
In June of 2009, Salvadorans elected a president from the FMLN for the first time in history, Mauricio Funes. In addition, 13 legislators previously aligned with the ARENA party have broken away, opening the possibility to pass legislation to correct some systemic injustice. There is a new attorney general who has promised to investigate killings which still occur occasionally. For example, there have been recent killings, appaently motivated by opposition to mining companies eager to come in to El Salvador and extract gold with cyanide. There are 4 new supreme court justices appointed by the new president. The greatest source of hope is the youth of the country, growing up in the post-war years.
All of us were enriched to have spent the hour with him, and wished for more. Needless to say, we were all left with the anger Jesus felt in seeing the injustice of the system.
After our visit we headed back to our hotelito, where some crashed after dinner, and some had the energy to go out with Erica, aka "la loca bailando".
Friday, November 20, 2009
A New Generation
This is a country that has lived through a terrible history of war and persecution and which still suffers from great inequality and injustice. I have become convinced over the last week that perhaps the greatest opportunity to correct those wrongs is the new generation of Salvadorans.
A couple of times this week, we have had the opportunity to be introduced to young students, recipients of Providence scholarships. On Monday, we met them at the Romero Center. Students with hope for the future, despite the circumstances in which they live. They understand the past, they know the experiences of their people, but it is not an anchor for them. They are not consumed with anger. They have a bright hope for the future in which they can pursue careers that will allow them to serve their people, giving them a voice and giving hope to many future generations.
As I sat listening to their stories, I tried to understand where that hope came from. While I don't know them well, I can guess. They have been given a gift, certainly. A scholarship to pursue their studies. But they have more important gifts than that. They have someone to believe in them and encourage them and love them. Sister Fran is a blessing in their lives. That blessing is a gift we can all give to a young person who needs a simple vote of confidence, to know that they are a child of God and have great potential.
They also have a reason to succeed beyond themselves. My own motivation to study in college and do well as a student was only my own. A rather selfish focus on my own success. Each of these young people spoke of how they wanted to return to these communities and serve their people. They will undoubtedly measure their success by how they are able to help the poor of El Salvador.
On Tuesday, we met them in their local village and went off in three groups to meet their families. I was impressed with how they approached this and how they treated their families. There was a remarkable absence of hesitance or anxiety about American gringoes seeing their homes and families. These teenagers live in extremely humble settings. They don't have their own room, or electronic gadgets or stylish clothes. My friend Atilio (picture above) lives in a house that doesn't have a door and has a dirt floor. There was a tin roof, a stick and barbed wire fence, chickens running free and an open fire for cooking. Yet, he was proud to take us to his home and to meet his family. What an amazingly humbling experience.
I will bet on that combination of determination and humility to deliver success any day!
Clearing the way in El Salvador
Today we left Tierra Blanca inspite of the hardships of living there, I think everyone felt a sense of separation. Jungle life was hot, noisy at night and filled with challenging travel situations (see video). We travelled to San Salvador and stopped for lunch at the pupusa strip mall. Twenty pupusa stands in a row next to the road selling the same thing and with identical signage. I am not sure how they differentiate themselves, but Sr Fran found the best place. They were very good.
We also met at the University of Central America, I will let others speak to the educational sessions of the afternoon and evening.
I feel in the "lap of luxury" with a bathroom and shower in the building. Still no hot water, but the temperature and humidity are much more tolerable. It may be we are so acclimated to the jungle anything would feel better.
This was another busy day. We are winding down. Tomorrow is sightseeing and buying gifts. This is a great group of people and I have enjoyed them immensely. We have spent nearly every waking hour working on or thinking about very difficult and sometimes painful issues. This has been a great team with which to share that experience.
Getting out of the boat - Thursday
We started with our reading from the gospel of Luke with the story of the storm on the se of Galilee. The apostles are crossing the sea in a boat while Jesus is walking to spend time alone. A storm begins and tosses the boat about and the disciples freak out. If that is not enough, they see someone walking toward them across the water and get spooked further. Finally, Peter is asked to step out of the boat and does so, lasting a few seconds before starting to sink.
Each morning, Sister Fran reads the gospel with us, along with a local couple, Mino (husband) & Transito (wife). They have several children children, and for the last many years have read the gospel with their children on a daily basis, trying to decipher meaning and guidance. Fran acts as interpreter. In short, it has been a way to consider the gospel through Salvadoran eyes.
Today our trip was to San Marcos, a small village along one of the main thoroughfares through El Salvador, where CA2 (Central America 2) crosses the Lempa river. In 1981 the army came through and slaughtered everyone still remaining in the village. People began trickling back in later years. One group met a man who had lived in there for forty years.
We encountered a woman with cataracts in both eyes, who was waiting for surgery. The governments of Cuba and Venezuela have established a program to bring Salvadorans to Venezuela for cataract surgery, or vision problems due to droopy eyelid. She lived in a small round yurt-like structure, but was unable to take care of herself due to having lost her husband and son in the war. She told us of hearing voices at night since the war and had difficulty sleeping due to this. As we have found, some psychologic issues are not uncommon in those circumstances.
Every morning while 9 or 10 of us head out in medical teams, 5 or 6 stay behind doing a community project. This year it is painting the Centro Romero. James says, "It is like being on the inside of a cantelope, baking in your own sweat" (note, that is a haiku). This is to indicate the colors chosen for the walls.
The afternoon was spent in diversion, a trip to the beach for some R&R. The water was wonderful, beach almost deserted, and we enjoyed each other's company. Arrival last night back to Centro Romero was quite late.
Each morning, Sister Fran reads the gospel with us, along with a local couple, Mino (husband) & Transito (wife). They have several children children, and for the last many years have read the gospel with their children on a daily basis, trying to decipher meaning and guidance. Fran acts as interpreter. In short, it has been a way to consider the gospel through Salvadoran eyes.
Today our trip was to San Marcos, a small village along one of the main thoroughfares through El Salvador, where CA2 (Central America 2) crosses the Lempa river. In 1981 the army came through and slaughtered everyone still remaining in the village. People began trickling back in later years. One group met a man who had lived in there for forty years.
We encountered a woman with cataracts in both eyes, who was waiting for surgery. The governments of Cuba and Venezuela have established a program to bring Salvadorans to Venezuela for cataract surgery, or vision problems due to droopy eyelid. She lived in a small round yurt-like structure, but was unable to take care of herself due to having lost her husband and son in the war. She told us of hearing voices at night since the war and had difficulty sleeping due to this. As we have found, some psychologic issues are not uncommon in those circumstances.
Every morning while 9 or 10 of us head out in medical teams, 5 or 6 stay behind doing a community project. This year it is painting the Centro Romero. James says, "It is like being on the inside of a cantelope, baking in your own sweat" (note, that is a haiku). This is to indicate the colors chosen for the walls.
The afternoon was spent in diversion, a trip to the beach for some R&R. The water was wonderful, beach almost deserted, and we enjoyed each other's company. Arrival last night back to Centro Romero was quite late.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Solidarity
I can´t believe it is Thursday. There is much difficulty at home and all I can do is ask everyone to send prayers to Sherrie, our close friend who is in Swedish hospital.
We are having a great immersion trip experience. The Salvadoran people are wonderful and generous. The immersion team. was a group that came from many places and did not know each other well.. We have come together in solidarity in a very short period of time. Great chemisrty and everyone brings different skills.
and perspectives. The spirit and mission of Providence is at work. Sr Fran says Emily is dancing in heaven¨ watching the People of Providence. The team is ; revealing God´s love for all, especially the poor and vulnerable, through our compassionate service. We feel it every day in a real way. It has been a gift for me to use my clinical skills on a daily basis. I am humbled by the skillful physicians and nurses on our team. The team is dedicated and courageous.
By the way, we are having fun. This is an adventure. We had to cut our way through the jungle yesterday afternoon to get to a cooperative. There was a song fest on the bus that included such hits as Green Acres and Rawhide. These related to the coop in the jungle and a cattle drive that we followed down the highway last night respectively.
The poverty is overwhelming. The political and economic challenges are daunting. I am hopefull that Providence Health and Services will find ways to increase and optimize the international ministry, especially in El Salvador.
Thos of us here thank all of you there, friends, family and People of Providence for your support and prayers.
Making an Investment - Wednesay
Our gospel reading of the day (Luke 19:11-28) was the parable of the wealthy man who left ten gold coins with ten servants as he went off to rule over another land. On his return he demanded the account from each of his servants, castigating the one who had not done anything with it. Today we struggled with this, seeing many gifts in our Salvadoran acquaintances and how they have succeeded or not in finding return on investment.
This morning we visited a small remote village called Marillo II. As with many of the other settlements we visited, the community is largely made up of guerillas relocated here after the war. The community was named after the wealthy landowner that sold the land to the government. Marillo II is in the region of "Bajo Lempa", which can be translated as "region of the lower Lempa river".
We again split into 3 teams, this time visiting only one home. Matthew, Sandy, & Lynda visited a home where the patriarch had stomach cancer, which had been diagnosed by endoscopy. He had elected not to undergo treatment, saying he was "too old" at 85.They were raising a fighting rooster and kept a special bird, a "quirquir", which was used to train the fighting chicken and bring out its aggression. Christine, Mitch, and I visited a home where the matriarch, had lost 4 sons and one husband in the war.
Our guide, Nora, is also employed as a "promotora de salud" (health promotor). She explained that her role is to work with individuals and groups from 8 villages in preventive health, as well as family planning, and mild illness. She had a small pharmacy where villagers could buy over-the-counter medications inexpensively. Patients sick enough to require more urgent care are brought to the clinic (unidad de salud) in Canoa. Women in labor or people who are more ill are brought to the hospital in Jiquilisco (see previous entry).
We ate lunch with a group of three women who are part of an order of eight sisters known as the "Pequña Comunidad". They have been an order for almost 40 years, taking vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience to the christian community, although they have no hierarchical link to Rome. One of their number, Sylvia Arriola, who had joined them after working as a secretary for Oscar Romero, was murdered in 1979 with 5 others. They are an amazing example of service to the community, earning their way through hospitality at their center and selling hand made goods.
One of the community projects is the Cooperativa, which is a group of 63 men and women who collectively operate about 1400 acres of land in Bajo Lempa, growing sugar cane, coconuts, cashews (mariñones), mangoes, almonds, dairy products, and beef.
They showed us their coconut grove, where we saw some 700 trees growing after hacking some limbs down so the bus could pass down the road. The previous ARENA party administration blocked the co-op to export their products, and were told that their products were "contaminated".
It is suspected by that former president Alfredo Cristiani, who happens to control nearly all of the sugar production in the country, had something to do with this. As a result, the cooperative has been struggling to survive, having difficulty obtaining loans for machinery and access to markets. They are hopeful the new FMLN administration will help with access to credit and markets.
When we arrived home late in the day, Sister Elena treated us all to traditional Salvadoran dances performed by some women and children from Tierra Blanca. The women performed dances called "Comaleras", where they danced holding very large wok shaped clay bowls on their heads, and "Traviesas", translated as "female trouble makers".
Overall the day left us pondering the questions of how to invest the ten gold coins we are given.
This morning we visited a small remote village called Marillo II. As with many of the other settlements we visited, the community is largely made up of guerillas relocated here after the war. The community was named after the wealthy landowner that sold the land to the government. Marillo II is in the region of "Bajo Lempa", which can be translated as "region of the lower Lempa river".
We again split into 3 teams, this time visiting only one home. Matthew, Sandy, & Lynda visited a home where the patriarch had stomach cancer, which had been diagnosed by endoscopy. He had elected not to undergo treatment, saying he was "too old" at 85.They were raising a fighting rooster and kept a special bird, a "quirquir", which was used to train the fighting chicken and bring out its aggression. Christine, Mitch, and I visited a home where the matriarch, had lost 4 sons and one husband in the war.
Our guide, Nora, is also employed as a "promotora de salud" (health promotor). She explained that her role is to work with individuals and groups from 8 villages in preventive health, as well as family planning, and mild illness. She had a small pharmacy where villagers could buy over-the-counter medications inexpensively. Patients sick enough to require more urgent care are brought to the clinic (unidad de salud) in Canoa. Women in labor or people who are more ill are brought to the hospital in Jiquilisco (see previous entry).
We ate lunch with a group of three women who are part of an order of eight sisters known as the "Pequña Comunidad". They have been an order for almost 40 years, taking vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience to the christian community, although they have no hierarchical link to Rome. One of their number, Sylvia Arriola, who had joined them after working as a secretary for Oscar Romero, was murdered in 1979 with 5 others. They are an amazing example of service to the community, earning their way through hospitality at their center and selling hand made goods.
One of the community projects is the Cooperativa, which is a group of 63 men and women who collectively operate about 1400 acres of land in Bajo Lempa, growing sugar cane, coconuts, cashews (mariñones), mangoes, almonds, dairy products, and beef.
They showed us their coconut grove, where we saw some 700 trees growing after hacking some limbs down so the bus could pass down the road. The previous ARENA party administration blocked the co-op to export their products, and were told that their products were "contaminated".
It is suspected by that former president Alfredo Cristiani, who happens to control nearly all of the sugar production in the country, had something to do with this. As a result, the cooperative has been struggling to survive, having difficulty obtaining loans for machinery and access to markets. They are hopeful the new FMLN administration will help with access to credit and markets.
When we arrived home late in the day, Sister Elena treated us all to traditional Salvadoran dances performed by some women and children from Tierra Blanca. The women performed dances called "Comaleras", where they danced holding very large wok shaped clay bowls on their heads, and "Traviesas", translated as "female trouble makers".
Overall the day left us pondering the questions of how to invest the ten gold coins we are given.
Going out on a limb - Tuesday
Our gospel reading with Sister Fran this morning was the story of Zaccheus, the tax collector who climbed up the tree to see Jesus because he was too short to see him. He was not too popular because of how he had cheated people over the years, but he became changed by his encounter with Jesus.
Of course Zaccheus was not the only one to be changed by his encounters. Today we divided again into 3 teams and visited the village of Angela Montano. This is the community where Sister Fran and Sister Pauline live. Sisters Fran and Pauline belong to the Sisters of Providence founded by Emilie Gamelin in Canada in the 1840's. There are no other Providence sisters in El Salvador. Angela Montano has a strong spirit of taking care of each other, in part due to the work of the sisters over the years. Like San Hilario that we visited yesterday, the community is mostly made up of people who fought on the side of FMLN and were resettled in the village as part of the peace negotiations brokered by the United Nations.
In the afternoon, Sister Elena taught Melinda, Erica, and Alex (Erica and Alex are assisting with the scholarship program described in yesterday's posting) how to make her famous salsa recipe. Sister Elena belongs to the order Saint Joseph of Orange and grew up in Ontario, Oregon. She has lived in Tierra Blanca for 20 years and operates the Centro Romero where we are staying.
Meanwhile providence happened (can we get a bumper sticker made?) Our Providence Beginnings Social worker sent some clothes to bring to a young son (2 1/2) and daughter (13) from her mother who currently lives in the Portland area. The mother left her home in El Salvador 2 years ago, paying a coyote $7,000 to bring her to the U.S, placing the care of her two children in the hands of her mother. Sister Elena assisted me in calling the grandmother (Ana) and arranging for a man from the same village to drive us their to deliver the clothes. It was privileged to meet her children, deliver the clothes, and take some photos back to their mother.
Meanwhile the group traveled to Hacienda, a community built on the grounds of a former estate, sold to the government during the peace treaties. We were led around the community by young men and women who receive scholarships from Sister Fran and Pauline for high school and university studies. Keep in mind these are the Salvadoran baby boomers, the first generation to grow up after the war. Most have dreams of completing university training and returning to the community to create new futures for themselves and their community.
In the evening we visited a local artisan market in Tierra Blanca which sells locally made goods. The shop receives some assistance by Sister Elena, and donates some of the profits to the Fondo de Emergencia, the fund which is used as a sort of group insurance for medical urgencies.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Learning to see - Monday
We started today as we start each day, with breakfast, and then a reading of the day's gospel, followed by discussion and meditation. Today's gospel told the story of the blind man who shouted out to Jesus for help, even when everyone else told him to shut up. He didn't shut up.
Although Jesus sent his apostles in teams of two, Sister Fran sent us out in teams of three, perhaps figuring we needed a little extra help. The goal was to "con vivir" (share life) with people in the village of San Hilario (Saint Hillary), a very rural village with about 400 people. The village was founded in the early 90's, as part of the peace settlement following the civil war. The people we met there fought with FMLN (rebel alliance) during the war and consider their lives better off now than before the war.
Our team (Sandy, Elizabeth, & Chris) visited 3 families as part of the experience. With each family, we sat down to talk about the medical concerns of one family member, which was a bridge to talk about life in general. We encountered the most difficult situation meeting a young mother with a 2 1/2 year old daughter who was mostly confined to a hammock since she did not have the coordination or awareness to stand up. We also visited a family who had recently harvested the yearly corn crop and share a roasted ear with us. On the front door was a small flag with "fmln" and a check mark to signify their recent vote for the fmln party. Olga, Melinda, and Linda formed one group, and managed to perform a urinalysis on site. John, Lisa, David, and Christine formed the third group. All of us discovered John's hidden talent in creating instant designs and mesmerizing children with pipe cleaners.
In the afternoon, we visited the nearest hospital in the town of Jiquilisco. There we met the hospital director Dra. Juana Idelia Lopez de Cortes and Dr. Ulloa the director of the hospital residents. Due to the hierarchical nature of the Salvadoran health care system, the director of the hospital was newly appointed since the election of the new president in June. On the bright side, with a president from the FMLN party for the first time ever (Mauricio Fuentes), the hospital staff felt hopeful that there will be better funding for healthcare in general. Also, people can come to the hospital and get treated for free (wouldn't that be nice in the U.S.) On the downside, when Dr. Ulloa was asked what medications they had a hard time getting at the hospital, he told us that for 2 weeks, they had no iron tablets, folic acid, or Tylenol.
Our day ended with a joyous visit with 5 young men and women who have been recipients of scholarship money through Sister Fran. 2 are currently in university, 3 in high school. Delmi studies law while acting as a community catechist and rainsing her 6 year old daughter. Lorena studies broadcasting and runs a community TV and radio program discussing youth issues on the radio. We were inspired by their desires to further the causes of their community in justice, freedom, and solidarity with the poor.
Although Jesus sent his apostles in teams of two, Sister Fran sent us out in teams of three, perhaps figuring we needed a little extra help. The goal was to "con vivir" (share life) with people in the village of San Hilario (Saint Hillary), a very rural village with about 400 people. The village was founded in the early 90's, as part of the peace settlement following the civil war. The people we met there fought with FMLN (rebel alliance) during the war and consider their lives better off now than before the war.
Our team (Sandy, Elizabeth, & Chris) visited 3 families as part of the experience. With each family, we sat down to talk about the medical concerns of one family member, which was a bridge to talk about life in general. We encountered the most difficult situation meeting a young mother with a 2 1/2 year old daughter who was mostly confined to a hammock since she did not have the coordination or awareness to stand up. We also visited a family who had recently harvested the yearly corn crop and share a roasted ear with us. On the front door was a small flag with "fmln" and a check mark to signify their recent vote for the fmln party. Olga, Melinda, and Linda formed one group, and managed to perform a urinalysis on site. John, Lisa, David, and Christine formed the third group. All of us discovered John's hidden talent in creating instant designs and mesmerizing children with pipe cleaners.
In the afternoon, we visited the nearest hospital in the town of Jiquilisco. There we met the hospital director Dra. Juana Idelia Lopez de Cortes and Dr. Ulloa the director of the hospital residents. Due to the hierarchical nature of the Salvadoran health care system, the director of the hospital was newly appointed since the election of the new president in June. On the bright side, with a president from the FMLN party for the first time ever (Mauricio Fuentes), the hospital staff felt hopeful that there will be better funding for healthcare in general. Also, people can come to the hospital and get treated for free (wouldn't that be nice in the U.S.) On the downside, when Dr. Ulloa was asked what medications they had a hard time getting at the hospital, he told us that for 2 weeks, they had no iron tablets, folic acid, or Tylenol.
Our day ended with a joyous visit with 5 young men and women who have been recipients of scholarship money through Sister Fran. 2 are currently in university, 3 in high school. Delmi studies law while acting as a community catechist and rainsing her 6 year old daughter. Lorena studies broadcasting and runs a community TV and radio program discussing youth issues on the radio. We were inspired by their desires to further the causes of their community in justice, freedom, and solidarity with the poor.
From Melinda
So much to say. Highlights. We rode in the back of Sr. Fran's pickup truck El Salvador-style to Mass last night in a neighboring community. I saw lightning bugs for the first time on the road. Fr. Pedro's homily was riveting. We were welcomed by the community. Today we made home visits in San Hilario. The town was named after the husband of a woman that my team had the privilege of visiting today who was killed during the war. I have no doubt that the people we visited gave much more to us than we gave to them. We learned much about ability to pay as a barrier to care and about the challenges El Salvador faces in providing adequate nutrition to all citizens, urban and rural, poor and middle class.
In the afternoon we visited a hospital, where we met the dynamic new director. We learned about the shift occurring in health care policy in El Salvador with the new government administration that is in the process of providing access to care and medications without respect to ability to pay. We toured the hospital and came face to face with the contrast between our hospitals and theirs.
At dinner we were inspired by the commitment to community of 5 young adults sharing with us what they hope to be doing 5 years from now. Every morning and evening begins with a period of reflection and sharing. We are graced by the presence of Sr. Fran and Sr. Pauline in our days here. And I am amazed by the inspiring presence of the members of the delegation.
Melinda
From Lisa
Monday
Instead of walking the halls of our Providence buildings, today, your delegation was walking the dirt streets of a small village in Tierra Blanca. There were three medical teams that made home visits. Our goal wasn't to fix anything or anyone but to be together with the needy in the community -- to learn about where they live and how they live and to somehow make a connection, to offer a healing presence. All of these words seem so trite when, in fact, everyone in the group is struggling to articulate what is going on in our hearts and in our heads. Just know that we are stretching ourselves and are relying on our families at home to help keep us grounded and centered. Making the children in the homes laugh and smile with some old dinosaur stickers on index cards or a single piece of candy was a delight. The visit to the hospital here -- to see the stark halls, the dogs walking through the meeting space and to hear the children crying was another experience. Even after years of traveling to various corners of the world, I, indeed, feel like I am becoming a citizen of the world.
Lisa
Monday, November 16, 2009
Transition - Sunday
We traveled from San Salvador which sits in the hills and stays fairly cool, to the lowlands of Río Lempa, where Tierra Blanca warms you like a July day in Dixie. From the largest city in El Salvador filled with cars, smog, shopping malls, paved streets, to a village of a few thousand where pigs, cows, dogs, and chickens roam the dirt streets. From being students of historical violence to becoming connected with a living community.
Hernán, our driver, navigated our fire red bus from San Salvador for our 3 hour trip to Tierra Blanca. Along the way, we stopped at Zacatecoluca, where 4 catholic women (3 sisters and one missionary) were found after they had been raped and murdered in late 1980 (see link above for more information). We read a letter written by Ita Ford, one of the nuns, to her niece. The caretaker of the chapel built on the site showed us around and told us the story of the women, whose pictures are posted inside. She also shared with us that they had just lost their crops and when asked where they would get food, she answered "Providence of the Lord". Needless to say, Providence had arrived.
Shortly after we arrived in Tierra Blanca at Centro Romero, with time to unload and watch a fútbol game in the town square between the local team and a team from across the river in San Marcos, who called themselves Mata de Piña (pineapple killers). Score at half-time was 1-0 after the local team scored ¡gooooooooooooooooooooool!
We were introduced to "Fondo de Emergencia", a community organizing group which connects people with medical attention as ability and resources allow. Best of all, we had a meeting of our two respective leaders, John Koster, and Don Julio, discussing future connections.
Several of us went to mass (yes, mom, I did go) after Sister Fran drove us down dirt roads, with several of riding in the back of her 4x4 truck (no, honey, I didn't ride in the back). We experienced a beautiful local mass led by a Belgian priest, Padre Fernando, who has worked there for 40 years. Sister Fran interpreted throughout the mass to us English speakers via a microphone and headsets, just like the UN.
Lastly we had a chance to unwind a little, and plan a little for the week. We will be going out in groups of three to homes in various communities each day. Each day some of us will have an assignment of painting Centro Romero as our community project. More to come.
Hernán, our driver, navigated our fire red bus from San Salvador for our 3 hour trip to Tierra Blanca. Along the way, we stopped at Zacatecoluca, where 4 catholic women (3 sisters and one missionary) were found after they had been raped and murdered in late 1980 (see link above for more information). We read a letter written by Ita Ford, one of the nuns, to her niece. The caretaker of the chapel built on the site showed us around and told us the story of the women, whose pictures are posted inside. She also shared with us that they had just lost their crops and when asked where they would get food, she answered "Providence of the Lord". Needless to say, Providence had arrived.
Shortly after we arrived in Tierra Blanca at Centro Romero, with time to unload and watch a fútbol game in the town square between the local team and a team from across the river in San Marcos, who called themselves Mata de Piña (pineapple killers). Score at half-time was 1-0 after the local team scored ¡gooooooooooooooooooooool!
We were introduced to "Fondo de Emergencia", a community organizing group which connects people with medical attention as ability and resources allow. Best of all, we had a meeting of our two respective leaders, John Koster, and Don Julio, discussing future connections.
Several of us went to mass (yes, mom, I did go) after Sister Fran drove us down dirt roads, with several of riding in the back of her 4x4 truck (no, honey, I didn't ride in the back). We experienced a beautiful local mass led by a Belgian priest, Padre Fernando, who has worked there for 40 years. Sister Fran interpreted throughout the mass to us English speakers via a microphone and headsets, just like the UN.
Lastly we had a chance to unwind a little, and plan a little for the week. We will be going out in groups of three to homes in various communities each day. Each day some of us will have an assignment of painting Centro Romero as our community project. More to come.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Los Mártires de UCA - Saturday
November 16, 1989, University of Central America, San Salvador
In the middle of the night, 6 Jesuit priests and 2 women helpers were murdered by the Salvadoran army. The priests were killed for speaking out against the abuses of the army which had been waging a war backed by the U.S. for the previous 8 years. They were dragged out of their rooms, shot in the head, and left on the grass. The army blamed the guerilla group (FMLN) despite the fact that army battalions surrounded the campus. Despite much research and evidence indicating involvement of senior military leaders and politicians, only 2 junior military men spent any time in jail (about 18 months) prior to amnesty being granted for war crimes by the Salvadoran legislature (run by ARENA party) in 1993.
Today we experienced the Salvadoran resonance that started from that event. To Salvadorans, the shootings of the priests and women are a deep connection with their own lives and with the suffering and death of Jesus. We are here on the twentieth anniversary of the murders and were able to witness an annual pilgrimage and procession to honor the memory of all men and women who are martyrs in El Salvador.
We visited the Romero Center on the campus of UCA where the artifacts and memories of the priests are preserved. We saw their clothes with bullet holes, their tombs in the chapel, and the rose garden planted where their bodies were found. Outside of the Center, we saw groups of college kids creating elaborate alfrombras (murals using salt, and colored rice flower. It amazed us to see the dedication and effort required to make pictures on by putting colored salt on the paved surface. After the sun went down, 10-15 thousand people came out to make a procession, walking the course around the university and along the pathway of the alfombras. Steve had the honor of carrying a palm branch with the face of Joaqúin López y López.
After this was an enormous mass, celebrated by the cardinal of Edinborough Salvador. Of note, the major media sources did not cover the march, apparently viewing the murders as old wounds better left alone.
In the middle of the night, 6 Jesuit priests and 2 women helpers were murdered by the Salvadoran army. The priests were killed for speaking out against the abuses of the army which had been waging a war backed by the U.S. for the previous 8 years. They were dragged out of their rooms, shot in the head, and left on the grass. The army blamed the guerilla group (FMLN) despite the fact that army battalions surrounded the campus. Despite much research and evidence indicating involvement of senior military leaders and politicians, only 2 junior military men spent any time in jail (about 18 months) prior to amnesty being granted for war crimes by the Salvadoran legislature (run by ARENA party) in 1993.
Today we experienced the Salvadoran resonance that started from that event. To Salvadorans, the shootings of the priests and women are a deep connection with their own lives and with the suffering and death of Jesus. We are here on the twentieth anniversary of the murders and were able to witness an annual pilgrimage and procession to honor the memory of all men and women who are martyrs in El Salvador.
We visited the Romero Center on the campus of UCA where the artifacts and memories of the priests are preserved. We saw their clothes with bullet holes, their tombs in the chapel, and the rose garden planted where their bodies were found. Outside of the Center, we saw groups of college kids creating elaborate alfrombras (murals using salt, and colored rice flower. It amazed us to see the dedication and effort required to make pictures on by putting colored salt on the paved surface. After the sun went down, 10-15 thousand people came out to make a procession, walking the course around the university and along the pathway of the alfombras. Steve had the honor of carrying a palm branch with the face of Joaqúin López y López.
After this was an enormous mass, celebrated by the cardinal of Edinborough Salvador. Of note, the major media sources did not cover the march, apparently viewing the murders as old wounds better left alone.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Initial thoughts - Saturday
"It all began in the hammock!" JH
"Whoda thunk salt and rice flour and dye could make so much beauty?!" CA
"I love the art for the day -- the alfombras on the street." ML
"We are pilgrims on a journey." LS
"We've discovered some new models of health care reform here in El Salvador -- they involve pupusas!" SB
"If we apply microeconomic principles and macroeconomic principles at the same time we might be able to get more cervezas!" DC
"Singing with Sister Fran was a highlight." JK
"I saw a red turtle in the bushes when I was looking for my ... papusa!" LD
"The most photographed scene of the evening was of Steve ... the only gringo carrying a palma!" SG
"We wouldn't need health reform if everyone ate pupusas!" MN
"It's like reliving my childhood ... POPS and pollo compero." OJ
"I inhaled exhaust, I sang with nuns, I bought a $5 FMLN tshirt and celebrated the martyrs all in one day." MB
Friday, November 13, 2009
En Route - Friday
4:15am, Portland International Airport. 11 pilgrims arrive to set out on a mission to El Salvador. 5 hours later, we are in Houston at the George H.W. Bush International Airport, waiting for our 3 colleagues from Washington state. We had a chance to do some wi-fi, have some coffee, and read the NY Times before leaving the comforts of the states.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Leaving on Friday
Hard to believe we leave on Friday. El Salvador has been in the news with the torrential rains in connection with Hurricane Ida that passed through the area. Here's the most recent report from our trip leader: The most recent reports indicate that at least 130 people have died from flooding and mudslides. We spoke with Sr. Fran Stacey to learn about conditions in her area. Thus far the communities in her area have not experienced any severe problems. The main areas where there have been lives lost are near the city of San Salvador and in an area called San Vicente. Most of the deaths have been related to landslides and mudslides. On the positive side Sr. Fran said the rains have stopped and the reports are that there should not be any further rains. She feels that it will not impact our ability to travel within the country or to the rural communities we plan to visit. So the storm does not impact our plans, but it will undoubtedly be something we will hear more about once we arrive.
I am very much looking forward to the trip -- my bags are packed and some special surprises are arranged for my three boys -- Andrew (11), Nick (8) and Joe (4) -- for while I am gone.
I am very much looking forward to the trip -- my bags are packed and some special surprises are arranged for my three boys -- Andrew (11), Nick (8) and Joe (4) -- for while I am gone.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Getting Ready
Today we met at the Providence POPs building in Portland to plan and get ourselves ready for our November trip to El Salvador. We had many questions, where are we going, how are we going to get there, what should we bring, what shots do we need, how will we be communicating with our families???
Mark Koenig, our fearless leader, Sister Ana, and Sandy, who have all been to El Salvador before, answered our questions and shared their experiences with us. We viewed a video on the history of El Salvador, which emphasized the murders of six Jesuit priests in 1989 and the subsequent Moakley commision which investigated the murders and traced them to the Salvadoran minister of defense. We also watched a slide show of the Providence 2005 Mission trip to El Salvador which answered a lot of questions. We each received a journal to record our impressions and thoughts throughout the trip.
This gives us the next few weeks to gather supplies, donations, and get some vaccines.
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