Youth/Adult
El Salvador Delegation July 2002
Latin America
Taskforce Network and Religious Education Program
River Road Unitarian Church
Companion Communities Development
Alternatives (CoCoDA)
REFLECTIONS
Youth/Adult
El Salvador Delegation July 2002
Latin America
Taskforce Network and Religious Education Program
River Road Unitarian Church
Introduction
This was the fifth youth-adult delegation organized
by the River Road Unitarian Church - Latin America Task Network (RRUC-LATN)
with CoCoDA. It is an immersion
experience in El Salvador and in some small ways contributes to community
development efforts there.
This year, more Salvadoran leadership was involved in
planning and coordinating the trip. Amos
Rodriguez, a Salvadoran student at Manchester College in North Manchester,
Indiana, went early to El Salvador to prepare. His mother, Marta Elena, helped, as well as
did Alfonso Rivas, CoCoDA's Projects Coordinator in El Salvador.
In Santa Marta, CoCoDA colleagues at the Association
for Economic and Social Development, Santa Marta (ADES) worked with Antonio
and Vidalina, two Santa Marta residents, to make arrangements and to
corordinate the delegation visit in Santa Marta. Also
this year, a weekend visit to Suchitoto, Cuscatlán, was planned and coordinated
with another associate organization of CoCoDA, the CRC (Committee for
Reconstruction and Social and Economic Development of Communities of
Suchitoto). The weekend break
in Suchitoto included a hike in the Cerro
Guazapa that was a major battle front during the war. It is a beautiful natural resource that the
communities are hoping to preserve for the health of their environment
and where they are planning to develop "ecotourism," as a way
to build the local economy.
Accompanying the Maryland group this year were four
people from Berea, Kentucky, who are part of the "Blue Grass CoCo
Project," which has sent several delegations to El Salvador with
CoCoDA over past years. They
have supported education and women's development projects in Suchitoto. John
Capillo, from Berea and with many years experience in El Salvador, was
the second full-time CoCoDA coordinator.
The
visit to Santa Marta
The delegation spent 8 days in Santa Marta, a rural repopulated community in northern El Salvador,
just south of the Lempa River that is the border with Honduras. People of Santa Marta and surrounding small
communities were either exiled by or involved in the civil war from 1980
to 1992. Under their own initiative,
with great resolve and courage, the residents of Santa Marta returned
from the refugee camps in Honduras to repopulate the
area during the war. The repopulation
process in Santa Marta took place between 1987 and 1991. Today one finds a diverse community there
and in the other ex-conflictive zones. These
communities are changing year-to-year with many difficulties but with
notable advances, too.
All in the delegation stayed with families in their
homes. Santa Marta recently installed
a new water system, with support from CARE and their own labor. This means there is water piped to each house,
although it runs for only one day in a week and the family has to draw
on what is stored in the pela the other days. This
water is treated and potable, but the delegation was provided with bottled
water for drinking.
The Project "Cancha
de Fútbol en Valle Nuevo"
The work project for the delegation was helping with
(and contributing to it financially) fixing up the soccer field ("cancha")
in Valle Nuevo -- the name of the neighborhood across the road from the 10 de Octubre school in Santa Marta. The
delegation assisted by hauling rocks, mixing cement, for the wall and
fence that is to go around the cancha. The
Lutheran Federation is also funding part of this project, which is being
coordinated by ADES and the Unión de Jovenes de Santa Marta, Monseñor
Romero - a recently formed youth organization in Santa Marta
Reflections
on the Experience
Now in their own words are the final thoughts on the
experience from first the youth and then some of the adults.
Youth Reflections:
Dorothy Boehm
This was my third, and probably my final
trip to El Salvador. The whole
experience has been wonderful. I
remember the last night we were in the village. The
dance had ended and we began to head home. Michaela
and I were talking about how we wished the night would never end because
we weren't ready to leave Santa Marta yet. We decided to go with some of our friends from
the village and a couple others from our group to a little restaurant
to hang out. We sat in the
dark and told ghost stories as we all huddled around our last pachinga
(a water canister). Soon two
of the boys, Ramiro and William, began to tell war stories. These
boys were not much older than we were, but as their stories went on
I could see how much they had been through. In
past years we have heard stories from the elderly people of the village,
and although those stories taught me a lot, the stories we heard from
William and Ramiro really touched my heart. The
people of Santa Marta have come such a long way. They are all so strong and passionate. I could
never forget all of the people I have met there. I know I will stay in touch with all of my
friends from Santa Marta, they have become a big part of my life. I
know that even if I can never get back to see them, they will always
be in my heart.
Julian Boggs
Initial Final Reflection
The term “changed my life” is not often used lightly. It suggests that a single event has somehow
altered your existence and you will never return to your original self. Having such a powerful self-meaning, it is
often used mistakenly. How often
we become obsessed with a new thought, especially as young people, only
to let that thought fade into memory as we continue our lives.
I am guilty of this many times over. Each time I convince myself that these new
values, these new ideals are there to stay. Each
time I lose them over them as I forget, not in my brain, but in my heart,
the experiences that gave me those ideals in the first place.
Going to El Salvador was an amazing experience. It opened my eyes to an entirely different
reality than that which I have know growing up. The people I have met and the places that I have gone have been
truly phenomenal. I have not
had an experience of such magnitude in my life. And
I think, hope, that these past few weeks have changed my life.
Final Reflection Reconsidered
Many things
have changed since I wrote my original reflection on the plane to Dulles.
Well, only one thing, I suppose, that has initiated a chain reaction
of many realizations about my life. That
one change, of course, was returning home.
El Salvador was fantastic. I had a wonderful time, I
met countless fascinating people, I became aware of entirely new world
that became the reality of my trip. As
I readjusted to my life in the United States, though, I realized that
that reality was not my reality at all. El Salvador was a dream world,
not in the sense that it a paradise that reflected my sense of a perfect
world, but that it transcended what is real in my life. In
my life, children are not bright-eyed, friendly, and eager to share and
learn. In my life, I do not think twice about a flush
of the toilet or a five-minute shower. In
my life, I do not strive for goals of education and family and peace,
but of wealth and power and fame. This
is the reality of El Salvador, but it is my dream.
Perhaps for some the two realities became integrated,
even as the dream world faded and we awoke in our air-conditioned homes
and ate our prepackaged breakfasts. The Salvadorans tried with all their
heart to force their real world so far into our minds that a piece of
it may still survive in ours. But,
alas, at least in my case, the dream cannot live in the real world.
I hope that it is not the case with the whole delegation. I
hope that some of you found the strength to bring your experiences back
into your life and live in both worlds. But
if you haven't you aren't alone, and it's not your fault.
Corey Chao
On one rather bumpy bus ride, I found that several painfully
- mindless games of war could actually come to some good. As I shuffled through the cards, I was learning
more and more about a small Salvadoran boy beside me. The day went on, and we grew closer. Drawing pictures, tossing paper airplanes, and teasing each other. Between
everything else, I came to realize how similar we were. Not
just my new friend and me, but his friends and my friends - his people
and my people. I was becoming
aware of the obvious truth that too many people can't comprehend - these
people - my new friend - are as human as I am. What
was before just numbers and figures now became daunting realities: 100,000 people died in the Salvadoran war. 100,000
human beings. 100,000 people just like my Salvadoran friend
- just like my other friends. 100,000
people died who were just like me.
Mandie Chao
I guess that what I most want to do now is to say good-by
to the Maryland and El Salvador people, one at a time, because making
new friends was one of the most important aspects of this trip for me.
Adults Reflections:
Don: I
appreciated your leadership and kindness during this trip. Thank
you so much for planning this wonderful trip and inviting Corey, Julian
and
me to come along because I know this was an experience I will never forget.
John Sr.: your thoughts were
very profound and I think it’s wonderful how much curiosity you have. I also wish that you didn’t have to go so quickly, because in my
opinion you missed the better half of the trip. I’m grateful to your family also for letting me stay at your beautiful
home and I hope you will consider visiting up in Kentucky.
Debbie: I admire you so much. You are so talented and intelligent and your
medical knowledge was very useful to me in my time of need!
John Capillo: I
know you live in Berea too, but before this trip I didn’t know you hardly
at all. Now I see what an interesting and dynamic person you are and as
the said in your poem, you inspired us to think about things we’d never
considered before. Also what
you said back in Berea about changing your perspective – I found that
to be one of the most valuable pieces of advice given to me on this trip. Thank you.
Pedro: your
smile and your unique personality really made this trip a great one. Keep
making puns, you always made me laugh. Oh
and by the way, I thought of the three things: kind, patient and empathetic.
Amos: you were one of my favorite
people on this trip. Not just
because I had a huge crush on you, but also because you were always smiling,
and so
positive about everything. I
loved having you as a guide in San Salvador. I
always felt so much safer when you were with us. I
love your artwork and I know you make your mother proud.
Antonio, Vidalina, Marta Elena: thank
you for coordinating this and for sharing your stories. Hopefully, someday things will be better for El Salvador.
Brenda: thank you so much for
taking care of me when I was sick! That
meant so much to me. I was
feeling very lonely and miserable and it was nice of you to keep me
company and
comfort me until I got better.
Dorothy B: you
always made me smile. You are so much funnier and cooler than I! I
hope you never change.
Michaela: thank
you for opening up to me right away and being so nice to me even though
you didn’t really know me that
well. I wish I could speak Spanish as well as you. I
think we made really funny boys.
Kaitlyn: I
felt a bond with you right away, because we’re both in the same boat:
first time in El Salvador , no Spanish,
not really sure what to expect. Hopefully,
you had as good of a time as I did.
Amanda: it
has really been an honor. You are one of the smartest most mature, most
refreshing people I have ever met. I
have so much respect for you, and I ‘m so grateful that you stayed with
me because you were practically my seeing eye dog: Some day when you run for president you can
count on my vote. Also, never
forget this trip because we killed those cockroaches!
Jon (Fabien): I am glad that you felt a calling
to do that mural. I know you
will do a great job! Also what
a piece of yourself to leave behind in Santa Marta. What
a rewarding thing to do
. Eric: you
are a nice guy… I think… and it was great knowing you. Remember
not to eat ice cream right after being sick. Keep
playing the guitar; you’re really good. Don’t
get stung by bees. Come and visit
us in Kentucky.
Well, that’s it pretty much.
Moma, Corey, Julian: we did it. Now it’s time to return to good old Berea and Wal-Mart. This has been a great trip.
Jon Clark:
El Salvador changed my view of the world,
the United states, and myself;
I feel as if I now have a broader picture
of the rest of the world,
and my own government,
and my place in both.
Kaitlyn
Fowle:
This delegation was to say
the least amazing. I had the
trip of my life and will never forget it. There
are so many amazing stories and memories that I don't know where to start. I was especially impressed by the youth in
Santa Marta. Although they had
almost nothing by our standards, it was as if they had everything. If they found some small opportunity they
would do everything needed and possible to make it a reality. The youth were eager to learn and never complained,
their energy, knowledge and happiness was always present. They were fun to be near.
The youth were very active
and did lots of cool stuff. For
example, the COCOSI meeting with the youth was very productive and lots
of fun. COCOSI traveled all over to educate people
about AIDS, even though it meant going against the [local Catholic] Church. I
was really amazed that COCOSI was able to do this, and that they did
do it, it was a brilliant accomplishment. Not
only were the Youth in Santa Marta inspirational, but the rest of the
community really taught me a lot. Everyone
was so friendly and relaxed. When
we were two hours late for the bus nobody seemed angry or mad, in the
USA everyone would have flipped out and gone crazy. However,
in Santa Marta nobody did. People
seemed to adjust to whatever was thrown at them. They
didn't have every second of their lives planned out. It made me so happy to see people still like
that: relaxed, calm and enjoying the moment. I hope to take the attitude
of the people in my memories forever. So,
if I get mad at something, I'll try to remember that it is just life. I can look back at the people in the bus and
think about them, who knows what or even how to express it in words. Just
random mystical thoughtless thought. Maybe
memories of El Salvador, maybe nothing more than a relaxed happy feeling.
Most of the rest of the trip
cannot be explained in words in any form; paper, ink or email alike. Now
they are pictures and movies in my head that I hope to never forget. They don't have words just colors, feeling
and emotion. The lone white church
on the green lush hilltop with the dark gray sky behind it. Adventure, peace, friendship, community, struggle,
peace. Even though the language
was a large barrier it never seemed to get in the way. People used emotion and expressions to tell
their stories and the words were merely there for extra support and understanding.
This delegation of travelers
was the Best! Everyone was really
great and I don't think that a better group is remotely possible, except
for the fact that about half the groups' names sounded exactly the same.
Thanks to everybody who went. You made all the difference.
Michaela
Sachs:
This
was my third trip to El Salvador and Santa Marta, and it was also the
best time I have had there. This year, due mostly to the fact that we
had different leaders, we spent more time with the youth of Santa Marta.
This is what made this trip special for me and it is the reason I had
such a great time. I have known many youth in Santa Marta for two years,
this is my third time seeing them. Some of them I think of as my close
friends and it is hard only seeing them once a year, so I grateful that
I spent so much time with them this year.
My
experiences with Santa Marta and the youth delegation will never end.
I look forward to seeing the whole delegation in December in Kentucky
and I’m keeping in contact with my friends and family (the families I
have stayed with) in Santa Marta.
Thanks
to the people who made this trip happen, even the people at CoCoDA whom
I don’t know personally, but who helped out. Also thanks to everyone
in Santa Marta who shared so much, especially Vidalina and Antonio. Thanks
to the leaders, and the youth of the delegation, thanks for being there
and making everything so damn funny.
Eric Torelli:
The trip to El Salvador had a much greater impact on
me than I expected it would. I
only really noticed this when I got back to the United States. Everything here looks so different now. Some of it I appreciate more, like having tap water and sitting
down on a nice American standard toilet, of which I can just toss the
paper into and flush when I am done.
I have also come to realize more of the faults of the
US. First of all, I never knew
how totally screwed up the English language is. That
whole thing Antonio was teaching his class about how the negative is
placed in different parts of the sentence depending on what kind of sentence
it is...we should just all compromise and learn Hungarian like that foreign
service lady is. Another thing
I've noticed is how cold the average United States of American can act
towards you. The people in Santa Marta were so nice to us, in the US,
it's tough to find communities like that.
Amanda
White:"We
are, we are all innocent…"- the chorus line of this song played
in my headphones as we sat in the San Salvador airport, waiting to
go home. We were trying to embrace all the sentiments
that we possibly could- searching for Pollo Campero, picking up some
Diana snacks- but then I sat down and listened to this song, hearing
this guy saying that everyone was innocent. So
then why did so many amazing people have to live in places like Santa
Marta, where some couldn’t afford shoes; and the streets of San Salvador,
where a real home was too much to ask? They
were the ones who embodied innocence. They were the ones who
deserved the air conditioned houses, running water and constant supply
of food that we took for granted. Chunga,
the phenomenal woman who took me and Mandie in, she barely ever saw
her husband, she only had a strict amount of water to use every week;
she suffered every single day with the basic tasks of living and mothering-
yet she took care of us. She sacrificed two beds and her limited water
supply to makes us feel more comfortable; and all we saw was a smile. We
barely had time to say goodbye to her some mornings when we were off
to Aida’s, but all we saw was a smile, and all we heard the day we
left was that she hoped she gave us a good home, that "las puertas
siempre estan abiertas,"- her door was always open. She is one
of the most magnificent people I have ever met, yet she still suffers…….but
she doesn’t. What we would
consider a daily struggle, they greet with smiles, optimism, and the
simple satisfaction with the beauty of living, with the love of family,
with the hope for a peaceful future. And that is
what makes the people of Santa Marta better than most; that is
the most beautiful and amazing thing that can be taken away from this
experience.
Last
year I came to El Salvador and Santa Marta to learn about the struggles
of the war, and the culture that exists. This
year I returned to become friends, true friends with these remarkable
people. And that is what made
it even harder to leave the second time. I
have reserved a part of my heart purely for them- purely for Chunga,
and Julia, and Jaime, and Vidalina, and all of the youth, and all of
the people that have taught me to look at life through a completely
different perspective. We are all innocent, yet some must endure
more than others. One of my
peers asked me that if we’re the ones working hard to earn the money
and riches in this world, why should we feel the need to help those
less fortunate if they haven’t earned it our way? It’s
simple- we are all innocent, and for that very reason we need to help
those around us- for that very reason we need to change the world. El
Salvador has taught me to change the world, so that the impoverished
families, the maquila workers, the struggling farmers, the starving
children, the innocent- so that the innocent can be saved.
Adult
Reflections:
Dorothy
Chao
Dedicated to the People of Piña Blanca
The sunlight filters through a heavy canopy of green.
Shadows dance across the ground; across me.
And across the remains of an adobe house.
Plants grace these abandoned walls –
Plants lovingly watered and tended.
I can almost hear the cries and screams
Of the ones so violently forced to abandon them.
But today other sounds drift through the forest.
Laughter and shouts in Spanish and English
Easing the pain in the hearts of the ghosts of the past
In the way that only the happiness of the living can
do.
And I know that love and compassion really are stronger,
And out of the ashes of death and destruction
We will surely build a better future together.
*******
Survival “The Jolting Ride”
From where I sit in the truck bed
I can really feel the motion:
We are bouncing and jarring up the road.
We are late;
we are flying along
In an effort to catch up with the others.
From where I sit in the truck bed,
I can’t see where we are going.
All I can see is a weaving of hands –
All different sizes and colors –
Hanging on to the grab bar;
Within a tangle of arms surrounding each other.
From where I sit on this earth,
I can’t see where the monstrous economic powers are
taking us
But I can certainly feel the motion.
I know instinctively with all my being
That as long as we hang on tightly to each other
They will never, never be able to shake us loose!
Final Thoughts –
I have a dream of a world in which the well being of
people would come before accumulation of money and property. It is easy for me to become discouraged, because
most everything seems to indicate that we are going in the opposite direction,
and we have live in such a materialistic culture. I have been especially distressed since the
U.S. has been openly engaging in armed conflict in Afghanistan and Colombia,
and it looks as if the conflict is widening even further.
My time spent among the people of Santa Marta provided
me with a chance to be among people who believe in and are working for
a better world. What bright,
committed people!! It has renewed
my sense of hope and given me strength to join in the struggle again. Thank you CoCoDA for bringing us all together.
John Clark - Reflection on El Salvador
Trip
I remember first hearing about Don Chery’s trips to
El Salvador five years ago, just after our family arrived in Maryland
and joined the River Road congregation. I
remember thinking that they sounded fun and exotic, but that I probably
would never go myself. When my
wife and I encouraged our son Jonathan to go this year, I agreed to join
almost as an afterthought.
The actual trip was for me a remarkable experience in
many ways. What I anticipated
would be a simple service project in a developing country and an opportunity
to be with Jonathan, turned out to be so much more. Because
of the care with which the trip was planned and managed, and our reception
by the people of the country, Jonathan and I and in fact the entire group
of us, were immersed in the culture of El Salvador, the feeling of the
towns of Sensuntepeque and Suchitoto, the people of Santa Marta and the
people and organizations that are striving to build and strengthen them
all. I learned a great deal, but the lasting impression
has been one of feeling, emotion. In
a very short time, I came to feel a part of these people and places.
History and Politics. I was surprised at how much of the trip was devoted to teaching
our group of the history and political development of El Salvador and
Central America. I learned a
great deal and what I learned helped me feel closer to an understanding
of the communities we visited and the people we met. I
would like to have known more about the broader context of the history
of the region and the economic and social forces that must be fought
to help improve this country and the lives of the people we met.
Children and Youth. The
children and young people of Santa Marta were beautiful and enchanting. Their
enthusiasm was contagious and the opportunities we had in getting to
know them were certainly some of the most memorable and fulfilling of
the trip. I hope that we will be able to sustain the
relationships that we began.
Development issues. I
was not really prepared for the extent to which this trip exposed the
group to the development issues of the communities we visited. So much of what we saw and did exposed us
to development issues and the overwhelming feeling I got, especially
from our youth, was a yearning to help. My
own background did not prepare me to evaluate what was most needed and
how our group’s natural compassion could be best channeled and directed. RRUC has invested so much in this community. The
kids are primed to do more and we should help them choose appropriate
ways they can.
Leaders. I
was very impressed with the high quality of leadership and dedication
shown by the people in charge of ADES, Equipo Mais and the other groups
that we got to meet. These organizations
seem driven and energetic and they have already achieved much more than
one might expect in rural communities still suffering from the ravages
of the war. It was humbling that they were willing to
give so much of their precious time to the relatively distracting tasks
of welcoming and teaching us.
What was best about the trip? For me, the best part of the trip was meeting
and living among the children and young people of Santa Marta. These beautiful children and vital young men
and women were so friendly and open, so hospitable and generous with
us, I could not help but be enchanted by them. I
recall their smiling faces most vividly.
How could the trip have been better? Of course, I unfortunately left after only
one week, so I missed out on half of the experience. Even so, I developed some ideas about future visits and, without
meaning in any way to slight the superior management and planning we
enjoyed from Don and the others that put this trip together, offer them
here for what they may be worth.
(1).
I would have been glad to have prepared a little more before trip. I would have been perhaps better prepared
to understand what I was seeing if I had watched the video and learned
of some of the history and travails that these people are working out
of.
(2)
I would encourage more organized sports and joint activities with the
youth. Some of the most fun and
vivid memories of this trip were created on the volleyball court, playing
soccer, on the long hike and at the impromptu ultimate Frisbee game. Sports is a great people mixer and universal
translator.
(3)
I would like to see our kids get more involved in the education of the
Santa Marta youth– let them help with the computer class, bring teen-popular
computer games and teach the Santa Marta kids. Let them plan an English class – even the
ones that don’t speak Spanish.
(4)
Help the youth (and adults) keep up relationships with the people of
Santa Marta. Perhaps an informal
program of pen-pal relationships could be established.
(5)
I thought the work project was great, but perhaps a bit separated from
the locals. I would like to see
more joint work projects that better used kids’ (and adult’s ) skills,
or perhaps used our physical skills (such as they are) as this project
did, but work more with the Salvadorans, instead of next to, but apart
from, them.
The future. I
hope that I can keep up with the progress and development of these people
of whom we have become so fond and the communities in which we lived. I hope that we can help River Road and Don
Chery build on the remarkable assistance to these people that the church
has so far provided. I hope to
be able to help my son Jonathan paint a mural at the Santa Marta school,
and perhaps one at the clinic.
I will follow through on my promise to seek assistance
for Radio Victoria and Chico’s remarkable micro-loan program. And I hope to build on the friendships that
we have initiated here.
I will always carry warm feelings about this trip. My sincere thanks to all of those who made
it such a fine experience for us all.
Pete Salinger -- The Baseball Game
In El Salvador and especially in the village of Santa
Marta, I was touched in a number of ways:
- with
the on-going struggle -- the "lucha" -- of the people
to reclaim their land and their farming way of life after the
12-year civil war;
- with
the beauty of the land but of the economic poverty of the people; and
- with
the family that hosted me for 10 days.
The Pre-Game Warm-up
On the last evening of our stay in Santa Marta, it started
to storm just as I reached the home of Pastor and Anna, my host family. Several family members -- there were 5 kids
ranging in age from 6 weeks to 16 years -- were caught outside, and we
all laughed and screamed as the warm, heavy rain pelted us.
The kids had been shy with the Gringos, peeking at John
Capillo (the other guest) and me as we came and went. John, the CoCoDA co-leader and translator, describes himself as
a labor, environmental and economic radical. We're
close in age, and I got to know and like him immensely. Unfortunately, John had "work" to
do, and was stuck elsewhere during the storm.
So … gathered in the bedroom set aside for John and
me, I showed the kids (for the first time) and the parents (again) a
photo that I'd brought of Ruth and me, and a photo of our cats. Anna wanted to see my wedding ring, and I finally got it off. Anna
then asked what the inscription inside the ring said. Now,
this was getting tricky, because I don't speak Spanish, and they don't
speak English. I pulled out a
piece of paper and a pen, and drew out the ring and the inscription: "Pete
y Ruth … 1 Sep 1966." They
understood what I meant, and after a few more minutes, the parents went
into one of the two other rooms in the house. The
oldest girl, Rosibel [sic], age 16, asked me what sports I played --
she's on the Santa Marta traveling soccer team and is studying English. We pantomimed the games, practicing pronunciations of the words
in Spanish and English, while the younger children giggled. Then, I had an idea.
The Game
I created a baseball field in the room with perhaps
8 feet between bases, and pretended to throw a baseball. Then, I ran forward and hit a long drive. Everybody laughed. So I persuaded one of the kids to get into the batter's box, and
pitched her a ball. She hit a
clean single! The next batter
also hit a single, and the lead runner stole third. After
she scored she proudly announced "Uno" (to which I confirmed "Si
-- uno, zero … one, zero"). Then
I drafted her to play as the shortstop, and we fielded some of the subsequent
hits. As the game progressed,
we'd all yell out the score and number of outs, the kids laughingly correcting
my Spanish.
The Outcome
What a peak experience. The
kids and I really and finally connected (in more ways than one). I
was more than a Gringo with a smile -- I was someone who would engage
them, as an equal. Our ages, backgrounds, nationalities, and
language didn't matter. We all
had fun learning and playing together.
Deborah Schumann, M.D. -- El Salvador: A
Country of Contrasts
After two weeks of immersion
in El Salvador, it is hard to know where to begin: with
the beautiful tropical environment or with the warm personal connections
which each of us formed while we were there. We learned about history, politics and economics
of this small but populous neighbor to our south. What I learned, however, is far from simple. I
learned more than I could have anticipated and yet the trip left me with
more questions than I had before going.
El Salvador is a land of great
beauty… and gross ugliness. Driving
around the countryside reveals the cones of distant volcanoes and cloud-filled
valleys, while passages along the highways and city streets reveal deep-seated
squalor and suffocating air pollution. Mango
and avocado trees can be seen in the poorest of yards, but many of the
possible agricultural products never make
it to the dinner table where the most common fare is pureed red beans,
unleavened corn tortillas and platanos fried in lard. In Santa Marta, the rural community where
we stayed, the few vegetables that appeared on the table were imported
from outside the country, in spite of the fact that El Salvador has a
twelve month growing season. Public
water supplies are contaminated so that bottled water is necessary if
you are not drinking the ubiquitous Coca-Cola products which are distributed
from Coke’s Central American bottling facility located near the capital: San Salvador. Milk, something
we take for granted in the U.S., never appeared, and the only cheese
we were served is something called queso duro (a hard salty, not very
appetizing cheese) even though there are cows everywhere.
It is not surprising that the
health care system is struggling considering that, on average, countries
spend between eight and eighteen percent of GDP on health services and
the average per capita income in El Salvador is $2000 (average per capita
income in the U.S. is more than ten times that number). Nevertheless,
in the face of challenges such as Dengue fever and inadequate access
to birth control, the current government is privatizing this important
infra-structure system. Privatization
doesn’t even work here in the U.S. where we are spending more than $3000
per capita on health care alone but have 40 million citizens marginalized
through lack of health care insurance. Dr. Arestides, who is currently single-handedly taking care of
not only the people but also the public health in Santa Marta, doesn’t
even have a copier, let alone a computer to use in his clinic. His typical day is filled with forty patient
visits, after which he goes into the community to look for mosquito breeding
sites. He hopes to inform the
population so that Dengue fever, which is spread by mosquitoes, can be
controlled. The dentist is so
short of materials that he has been instructed to ration restorations
to one per person.
In contrast to these bleak
images, I was blown away by the grass-roots program of the Santa Marta
youth in terms of sex education and STD (sexually transmitted disease)
control. Twenty-year-old Lorenzo, one of the leaders
in this area, had at his fingertips the statistics of AIDS in El Salvador
(50,000 cases) as well as the fact that most of the HIV is spread by
heterosexual contact with only a small portion attributable to homosexuality
and IV drug use. A test for HIV
costs about $12 while 3 condoms cost about 50 cents. While
family planning was largely unknown in prior generations, there is clearly
hope that this new generation of leaders can help educate the people
so that they can choose family size and stay healthy.
We heard from Equipo Maís (a community-based
education and information organization) about the history of the civil
war in El Salvador which was heating up during the 70’s as a result
of political activism followed by brutal repression at the hands of
the army and the national guard. Several
sectors ultimately coalesced into the political movement called the
Frente Farabundo Martí de Liberación Nacional or FMLN (some of us remember
hearing that acronym in the news up until the 1992 peace accords). The
war was touched off by the incendiary assassination of Archbishop Romero
in 1980 while he was conducting mass. We
visited an exhibition at the University of Central America where we
viewed photos of that assassination as well as a display describing
the rapes and murders of six North American church women several years
later. A presentation by the Association for Economic
and Social Development (ADES) in Sesuntepeque (department capital of
Cabañas where Santa Marta is located) introduced us to this active
NGO which has been supporting the popular education teacher program. Later in Santa Marta we got to see this program
in action. It consists of volunteer
teachers who are working toward certification so that (hopefully) someday
they can get paid for their work. Antonio
is one of these popular education teachers. He graduated from high school in Canada and
is a highly intelligent, bilingual, motivated, compassionate young
man who is teaching English, without pay, to high school students because
he believes in his people. Our
other host in Santa Marta was Vidalina. While
she speaks no English, she was able to connect with everyone in the
group with her saint-like presence. When
we left I gave her my high-tech rubber shoes to protect her feet as
she walks the half hour from the village to her home. Every
day she made her trek in flip-flops from her vivienda to the center
of the town where we were staying. In
Santa Marta there are “casas” and there are “viviendas,” which more
resemble a campground than any U.S. neighborhoods. We
never saw where Vidalina lives but I’m sure that no matter how little
money she might have, she lives her life with grace and dignity raising
her four sons.
Dorothy and I stayed in the
“casa” of Julia (who turns 55 this month, just one month younger than
I am). She lives there with her husband and seven
other family members. It is one
of the biggest houses in Santa Marta, with its latrine totally hidden
behind the main cinder block structure which houses the kitchen with
its wood burning stove. Our house
was particularly luxurious having a large pila (a cinderblock cistern
for the water that comes to the town once a week and an attached drain
board which is used for dishes and washing) and even an enclosed place
to bathe with a bucket to scoop water from the pila. Twelve-year-old
Alfredo, youngest of Julia’s seven children, has to get up at 5:00 a.m.
to help his father milk the cows. The
reason that they have a big house is because of the “remesas” which two
of her grown sons send back to them from the U.S. where they are working. Around 50% of El Salvador’s GDP is based on
this source of income.
A high point of the trip for
me was our hike up Peña Blanca, the trail which goes up and over the
last ridge before the Lempa River Valley which forms the border with
Honduras. William and Ramiro, two handsome young men
from Santa Marta, led us up the mountain, Ramiro on horseback because
of an old leg injury which received inadequate medical attention when
he was a child. During the war,
thousands of people from this region of El Salvador made that trek to
escape military repression. Vidalina
told me stories of pregnant women delivering babies on that flight. She said that they would stop for a short time, cut the umbilical
chord with a rock and then continue on. Some
groups arrived at the river only to be shot at from helicopters which were part of the $5 billion
military investment the U.S. government made to support the Salvadoran
army against the FMLN, which was viewed as a communist threat. Many civilians lived in refugee camps in
Honduras for several years during the war: the
civilians living in fear of the Salvadoran forces on one side and the
Honduran forces on the other.
We heard more first-hand recollections
of violence against civilians in our walk around Palo Grande, where we
heard about a group of thirty-five women and children murdered by the
army. There were also several
bomb craters where the school had once stood. Five-hundred
to one thousand pound bombs had been dropped from U.S.-provided planes
leaving a permanent reminder of the violence.
While the stories of violence we heard from
the men at Palo Grande were deplorable, that part of the trip also
included our walk around the charming colonial town of Sushitoto, a
glorious swim and frisbee game in the local rushing river and a night
in a guest house with a lovely garden courtyard and running (cold)
water showers. On the bus ride back, our police escorts (two
armed national police who escorted the group everywhere except while
we were in Santa Marta) played guitar and sang Salvadoran songs. It was one more example of the contrasts and
contradictions that we saw in the country. A
police uniform used to mean terror; now it can offer protection and
solidarity.
So with the beautiful tropical environment,
the historical backdrop of the brutal civil war and the inspiring spirit
of the people, we also heard a bit about the economy, especially “libre
comercio” or free trade. An economist
from the Dominican Republic gave us an outline of El Salvador’s economic
situation and we heard first-hand descriptions from Marta Elena and Fátima
about the “maquilas” or sweat shops which exploit the workforce of women
in San Salvador. This work in
the maquilas is a two-edged sword. While
it offers only low pay, hazardous working conditions and no job security,
the alternatives are no better or non-existent. Libre
comercio has been encouraging this form of commerce as multinational
corporations seek out cheap labor. The
labor movement in El Salvador is weak, with a significant fear factor
on the part of employees.
Don Carlos, the charismatic
leader of the flight to Honduras and the return to Santa Marta, has an
alternate vision: he described
his dream of communal lands and agricultural development. He
dreams that his people can first become self-sustaining agriculturally
and then later move into using agricultural products as a stepping stone
to income on the world market. For
example, canned tomatoes could be exported as they now are from Italy.
In Nejapa, a town close to
San Salvador, we learned about a water purification project, saw the
modern landfill and swam at the new sports complex which boasts three
pools, several soccer fields and a conference center. From
FMLN party member, Saúl, we heard that these projects are demonstrations
of the motivation, ingenuity, energy and abilities of that liberal party. In
spite of the ethnic purge of the 1930's, El Salvador still clearly exhibits
its Indigenous American roots which focus on the value of the community over
the value of the individual.
I think that this high regard
for the community is one of the reasons why Vidalina (ADES coordinator
from Santa Marta), Alfonso (CoCoDa representative in El Salvador), Antonio
(volunteer teacher of ESL) and Amós (our 23-year old, bilingual, cell-phone-carrying,
energetic, smiling, intelligent, diplomatic and charming Salvadoran coordinator
who is studying at Manchester College in Indiana) could welcome and take
care of us even after what the U.S. government not only allowed but caused to
happen to the Salvadoran people. In
Spanish “la gente” means the people while the word “el pueblo” refers
more to the community of people. We’re
all part of the American pueblo, we Gringos and we Salvadoreños. While the problems of the pueblo of El Salvador
are overwhelming in material terms, the people have great faith and love. And
after all, those gifts from God are what make all of us human. My
trip to El Salvador allowed me to hear the voices of that pueblo, our
neighboring pueblo in this environmentally challenged, shrinking world. I want to thank all the people who worked
hard to make this trip happen. Muchísimas
gracias. Nos vemos.
Don Chery
It
was a good trip, a good delegation. With
each of my successive trips to Santa Marta, this being my fifth delegation
trip, I am impressed with the outward changes that I observe. There is much beneath the surface that I do not know, but still
changes are apparent. I use
to stand in the campo and look up in awe at the milky way, so clear
and distinct arching from one side of the dark sky to the other. This
time as Amos and I stood in the campo looking up, we had to shield
our eyes from the glare of several mercury vapor lights at the other
side of the campo and in the school yard.
The
school is functioning as impressively as ever and now has added high
school classes. A young adult
Salvadoran from the community, Antonio, who was with his family as refugees
in Canada and is fluent in English, has returned and is teaching English
in the school. The computer center established by River Road
Unitarian Church two years ago is operating at full capacity with all
the original 10 computers and an added eleventh functioning well. The clinic complex, that last year’s delegation
helped fence, is looking better than ever. Final details were being completed on a major renovation of the
large clinic building. New roof,
interior offices, dropped ceiling, lighting, showers and toilets have
brought it up to a standard that any from the USA, Canada or Europe would
consider very good. Now it needs
to be equipped with appropriate medical equipment. A
full time doctor and dentist are attending to the needs of the community
and expressed desires of continuing on in the facility into the future. Some of these staffing plans depend on the
future of government funding for medical services in El Salvador. “Privatization” is looming on the horizon.
The first meeting in the renovated
clinic was an extremely interesting exchange between the youth of delegation
and a Salvadoran youth group, COCOCI, who provide sex and HIV/AIDS education
in the Santa Marta and surrounding communities, even as far as into Honduras. One evening the girls soccer team made an
impressive presentation on their equipment needs to participate in a
tournament later in the summer. We
were all sympathetic with their needs and returned with desire to help
when the detailed request came through.
This
year with the interpretive skills of Amos, we had interesting evening
discussions on the porch with Vitelia and Gregoro, our hosts, about the
visits of Congressman Joe Moakley during the time he was investigating
the killing of the six Jesuit priests. They
described how the helicopter landed throwing up a great cloud of dust
and blowing large rocks around. They
told who where the leaders that met with him. They
still had vivid memories of the first visit and then the second about
a year later. The stories of the struggles and suffering
are still with the people, but the events are receding further and further. Only
the older youth have some experience with the events of the conflict.
What
is the future for the intelligent young people being educated in the
school? The delegation youth had some discussions
with them about their futures. They
have nebulous plans for jobs in the larger cities in El Salvador and
even getting to the United States. I
sense a potential for a rural education and health care complex in Santa
Marta that could provide services for a large underserved surrounding
area. Is it hopeful? What will we find next time we return?
Farewells:
Youth Farewell Lyric to Amos
Rodriquez
(CoCoDA Youth Leader of the
2002 RRUC/CoCoDA
Youth/Adult Delegation to El
Salvador)
Amos is a really great guy
But sadly must say goodbye
But as hard as it is to say
goodbye to this friend
We know who it will be hardest
for in the end.
It happened on a bright sunny
day
When on the mountain we did
play
And in the field those two
did lay
They looked like lovers some
did say
Eric even brought beautiful
flowers
To romance him with his enticing
powers
But each will go his separate
way
When we must say goodbye today
This trip was filled with lessons
learned
Of people, places, stories
unturned.
And we have one man to thank
for this
Amos, whose care and devotion
we will dearly miss.
There are many memories and
much more to come,
Because our friendship with
Amos will never be done.
Youth Farewell Lyric to John
Capillo
(CoCoDA Adult Leader of the
2002 RRUC/CoCoDA
Youth/Adult Delegation to El
Salvador)
John Capillo has much to say.
He encouraged us to think day
after day.
His feelings he spoke and his
politics he shared
That went to show how much
he cared.
We thank him so much for all
that he’s done,
But now were really got to
run.
So for this man we have one
more thought
We’ll never for get all that
he’s taught.
And how we must teach what
we know
So his stories and passion
will flourish and grow
And PS one more thing,
In our minds your laugh will
always ring.
Additional
Background information taken from information prepared by Tim Crouse,
Executive
Director of CoCoDA.
Community development projects in Santa Marta
In Sensuntepeque (the capital of the departamento of Cabañas, where Santa Marta is located), the delegation
meet with leadership from ADES, which is the local non-profit, non-governmental
organization (NGO) with which CoCoDA coordinates in projects for community
development in Santa Marta.
"Popular Education"
One of the most important projects in which CoCoDA has
been involved with ADES over the years is their education program. Scholarships for popular teachers have helped the communities of Santa Marta build
locally managed and staffed basic education programs ("popular education" is
a national movement in El Salvador in which rural communities have developed
their own education programs after the war, with instruction being done
by local residents known as "popular teachers"). This is a very important time for the 37 popular
teachers in the schools of Santa Marta, because they are now graduating
from the university, and intend to get certified to become fully salaried
teachers by the Ministry of Education of the Salvadoran government. The delegation learned about are some complications
with this process. Delegation
visits and on-going support of popular teachers in Santa Marta is much
appreciated and important. There
is also much that can learn from the philosophy and experience of the
Salvadoran popular teachers.
"Santa Marta Computer Center"
Over the past two years, RRUC-LATN has funded the establishment
and first year and a half of operations (through June, 2002) of the Santa
Marta Computer Center. There
are continuing issues of expanding the Center, sustaining the operation
and what the outlook for the future is.
"Radio Victoria"
The movement of community radio stations in El Salvador
is another post-war victory for rural communities, in that they have
developed into viable, professional, accessible media in service of those
communities, with full legal access to their own FM frequency. Radio Victoria is the community radio station that serves Santa
Marta and communities throughout northern Cabañas. This year the Radio celebrated its tenth anniversary July 13-14. The past two years, CoCoDA and ADES with other
friends and supporters of Radio Victoria have cooperated with the Radio
to purchase their building, renovate it and to upgrade their radio equipment. RRUC-LATN is one of the contributors to Radio
Victoria. This year, Radio Victoria
is raising money to take advantage of a $7,500 challenge grant (to match
dollar for dollar what the Radio can raise by September 15, 2002 up to
$7,500).
"Santa Marta High School"
This is the first year of high school
being taught in Santa Marta. The
program has limited funding, which is coming from friends through ADES,
not the Salvadoran
government. A group from DePauw University in Greencastle,
Indiana is raising some money to help fund salaries for the high school
teachers, but ADES and Santa Marta are still a long way from meeting
the financial needs of their high school classes at this time.
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