A Lull in the Action: May 2013

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Siempre Mas

1/5/2013

"Siempre Mas."

On our final morning, I woke up early and made pancakes for the entire group while others cooked eggs. After a tearful goodbye to Sr. Gloria and Lynnette, we got on the bus at 10, and headed to the airport. The airport was a zoo, but we made it through in time to catch our flight. Leaving was very bittersweet. My time here as taught me so much about El Salvador, myself, and the world around me. I dont know when if ever I will be able to return, but I am excited to call upon this experience to help move me and guide me towards my future, whatever it will be.
On our final day Brittany and Ellie told us a story about their first trip to El Salvador. They had built a house for a woman and her family, and the work had seemed endless. Every time they would clear a pile of rocks, they would return, only to find more. Their mantra for the week became "siempre mas," words in Spanish that mean "always more." There will always be more rocks to clear. There will always be more work to do, things to learn, places to discover, and people to meet. Siempre mas.
I am sad to leave El Salvador and all the wonderful people that I have met, but I am so excited to return to the U.S. and share these amazing stories and experiences with my family and friends at home. It has been a long nine days, and its great to be back!

Until next time,

Julia Marie

The mural in the dining room at the volunteer house (painted by a Villanova professor)

Our group on the steps at the volunteer house

Fernando (the housekeeper's son) with Ellie

Me and Joleman

Brittany, Lynnette, and Ellie

Shannon, Mackenzie, Lynnette, Hiba and Morgan

Dan, Deena, Lynnette, Taylor and Sr. Gloria

Ellie, Sr. Gloria, and Brittany

1,000 Cinderblocks

1/4/2013

"Do not give to the poor expecting to get their gratitude so that you can feel good about yourself. If you do, your giving wil be thin and short-lived, and that is not what the poor need; it will only impoverish them further. Give only if you have something you must give; give only if you are someone for whom giving is its own reward."
- Dorothy Day

Today we woke up and got on the road for our final day of service. I returned to Ciudad Arce one last time. In the morning, I played with the kids. We brought paper bags, string, and other craft supplies for them to make puppets with. Lots of kids showed up, since there had been a parents meeting at the school that morning. Lots of families hung around afterwards to clean the schoolyard, dig a new water and sewage trench along the side of the hill, and to help with building the classroom. I played a quick pick-up game with some of the boys, and a few of us Americans had a dance-off to Michael Jackson music that the El Salvadoran kids got a huge kick out of.
In the early afternoon, a truck with 1,000 cinderblocks pulled up to the site, and we unloaded them all in 30 minutes! Daniel and Chele helped us, and we created a huge assembly line. One person picked the block up off the truck, and swung it over the fence to the next person, who swung it down the line to the next person, and so on until we reached the pile of blocks. Don Miguel was at the end, expertly stacking the blocks into a neat pile. By swinging the blocks down the line, we were putting the least amount of strain on our backs, and lightening the load rather than trying to lift each brick, walk it to the pile, and then set it down. It was really tough work!
Next week, the group that is volunteering will begin laying the cinderblock walls. By the time we packed up to head home, the foundation was 3/4 of the way dug. Just 2 of the 7 walls still had to be pickaxed. We compared the view to the first day, and were shocked at how much we had been able to accomplish. At the end of each day it looked like we hadn't done much, but now that we looked at pictures from the first day, we were able to see just how much we had been able to do in only 8 days. Although we won't get to see the finished product, we were a part of it, an integral part, and the work we did set the foundation for hundreds of kids in Ciudad Arce to be able to get a better education. I thought that was pretty cool.
As we loaded up for the last time and pulled away from the school, there were tears in my eyes. The boys I had gotten to know and played with all week stood on the steps of the school and waved as Don Miguel closed the gate behind us. Before we left, he had gathered us around and gave us a really heartfelt speech, thanking us for what we had done and for caring so deeply about the people of his little country. He sang us a song that was really beautiful, whose lyrics focused on the unity of humanity and the beauty that exists when we all work together as one. Before I left I hugged him, and wished him continued success with the rest of the project. I found my boys and hugged them also, and told them thank you for being such good friends and that they better study hard in school next year. Hopefully someday I will be able to return to El Salvador and to Ciudad Arce, see the finished product, and play soccer with them once more. I don't know if or when I will ever return, but I left a little piece of my heart in Ciudad Arce and will always have them in the back of my mind.
On the way home we stopped at the UCA, the University of Central America. That is the place where 6 Jesuit priests were murdered in 1989. We visited their graves, as well as the seminary where the murder took place. In the yard where the bodies were found there was a beautiful rose garden, planted by the gardener, whose wife and daughter were also murdered in the massacre. Underneath the seminary is a museum that has pictures of the murder as well as personal artifacts from each of the priests. The museum tells the stories of the priests and their murder by the National Guard. We learned that nobody has ever been charged in the deaths of the 6 priests and 2 women, even though their deaths were brutal, violent, and deliberate, and attracted international attention. It was a very chilling experience, especially to see the pictures and walk on the grounds. It was hard to stomach, but the experience was an important one that really helped us to understand more fully the history of El Salvador.
When we got back to the house, we showered and ate quickly before a group of El Salvadoran singers arrived. The six men played traditional instruments and sang songs to honor Oscar Romero. They were a very funny group, and the music was very beautiful. Their whole show centered around audience participation, and they taught us a lot about El Salvadoran culture through their songs. They made me get up at one point and sing the refrain of the song by myself in front of the entire group! It went, "Romero, oh Romero, Romero, Romero de El Salvador!" After they left we quickly began packing, because we were leaving early the next morning!

Hasta luego,

Julia Marie

A rare bird found at our worksite on the last morning!

Our tired crew in front of all the cinderblocks!

Dan with a big pile of dirt

The whole group at Ciudad Arce on the last day

The final view of the worksite

"If they kill me, I will rise again in the Salvadoran people"

A shrine to remember the lives of those killed at UCA

El Salvadoran art

Part of the shrine at UCA

A Romero statue at UCA

The rose garden where the bodies of the men killed were found

A stone honoring the place where the gardner's wife and daughter were found murdered

The clothes and personal artifacts of Rutilio Grande, Romero's friend. Grande was killed before Romero, and his death made Romero realize that he had to do something to help and stop the violence.

Many of the belongings of the men that were murdered were destroyed as well, like this bible that was found in one of the men's rooms.

Center for Human Rights at UCA

Sweatshops, Sugarcane, and More Soccer!

1/3/2013

"If they kill me, I shall arise again in the hearts of the Salvadoran people."
- Oscar Romero

Today at the last minute I made the choice to go to Ciudad Arce again instead of Las Delicias. I knew I would miss the boys I met there and I really cherished the friendships I had built with them, and thought it would be more beneficial to strengthen them again rather than start over in Las Delicias for only one day. I am sad I won't get to see the progress on the house in Las Delicias, but the bonds I formed with my soccer buddies are precious and will stay with me forever. When we arrived at the site the boys were nowhere in sight, so I grabbed a ball and began kicking it around the gym. Within minutes, I began to see their little faces peeking out from the windows of the surrounding houses. One little girl, Josselyn, came to the fence and asked me if they were allowed to come play. I told them of course, and within minutes she had rounded up all the boys and we started a game of pick-up. I was still exhausted from yesterday, but I was having so much fun and I was glad I had made the choice to stay at Ciudad Arce. The boys are so good - I haven't heard one swear word from any of them all week, and they are so quick to help the younger ones that come to color, do crafts, or play with the games that we bring each day. At one point, Kevin, Irving, and Gerardo started coloring me pictures. Irving also kicked my butt in checkers...but they play with some crazy rules here in El Salvador! We started teaching them the names of different colors and animals in English, and they told me a little bit about school and their families. Irving and his older brother Cesar live in one of the houses that backs up to the gym, and they told me that their father and their aunt live and work in the U.S. in NYC and LA. They are only 10 and 12 years old, and don't know when they will get to see either of them again. Gerardo's stepfather and grandmother are in New York City. Josselyn's mom is in the U.S. as well, so she lives with her Aunt and cousin, who is Kevin. I can't help but feel sad about this, since many of them haven't seen their parents or loved ones in years. I can only imagine what kind of an effect that has on them. I also think about their family members in the U.S., and how dangerous it must have been for them to cross the border. They are able to make so much more money working in the U.S. and they can send that money back to help their children have a better life, and I admire the parent's dedication to their children, but there has to be another way - one that does not leave these kids parentless and one that keeps the parents safe yet able to provide for their children. The economy of El Salvador is so greatly affected by the U.S. economy. They use the U.S. dollar as their currency, and many U.S. companies have their manufacturing plants in El Salvador. The main companies are Crocs, Nike, and Coca-Cola. Many of the parents of the kids from Ciudad Arce work in the factories, and the conditions are very poor. Our drier Joaquin put it well when he said that when the U.S. economy catches a cold, El Salvador gets pneumonia Sadly, I think it is that way in many parts of the world. I think we often forget how much of an impact we have on so many different parts of the world, and we often dont realize that our economic and political power, although it might seem like it is wavering to us, has the ability to directly impact the lives of people all over the world. Because of this I think we have a responsibility to recognize our impact, and always be mindful of how the decisions we make affect others both within our borders and outside of them.
El Salvador grows a lot of sugar cane and coffee beans, and they used to grow indigo when there was still a market for it. Every car here also runs on Diesel, which costs about $4.10 a gallon. We saw a protest going on in the street on the way to Ciudad Arce this morning. Bus drivers were protesting because the government cut their subsidy down from $800 to $400 (the subsidy helps them keep their rates low and affordable) yet when they tried to raise their prices from 25 cents to 30 cents a ride in order to offset the costs, the government told them they couldn't. Now they are on strike, and they were burning tires in the street causing a big traffic jam.
At Ciudad Arce today I noticed that when Daniel showed up he was chewing on a large piece of raw sugar cane. I thought it was really strange, but probably delicious at the same time. However, now I know why El Salvadorans have such terrible teeth! Unfortunately, for many of the poorer children, a chunk of raw sugar cane to suck on might be their only food for breakfast. Daniel and Milton (who everyone calls Chele) continued to try and teach me new soccer tricks. They are such nice kids, and I am so hopeful that they wont fall prey to the gangs which are so prevalent in El Salvador.
After Ciudad Arce we drove to the place where Oscar Romero lived when he was an Archbishop. It is a convent and a hospital now. There is also a church there, which coincidentally is the church that he was killed in. He was saying mass, and a man pulled up in a car and shot him through the passenger window of his car and through the open door of the church while Romero was preparing the gifts. They say that before he died he had been getting many death threats, and suspected that he might be assassinated. He started giving his homilies from behind the altar rather than at the pulpit, because he didn't want any parishioners to be in the line of fire if someone were to try and kill him during mass. Since he was standing directly at the center of the altar when he was shot, many say that he was able to see his assassin as he pulled up and aimed the gun out the window. We got to stand on the altar where Romero was standing when he was killed, and it was a very erie feeling to look out the big wooden doors outside at the road, and imagine what it would be like to see your killer only moments before dying. Romero was shot directly in the heart, and was killed instantly.
Next we saw his house, which is on the same property. At first he lived in a small room behind the altar by the sacristy but then the nuns built him his own house. It was very simple, but he needed the additional space to greet visitors. The small, 3 room house is now a museum, and they have all of his old clothes, books, personal items, furniture, even his car on display. They also have pictures of the murder scene up for people to look at, as well as the blood-stained clothes he was wearing when he was killed. We spoke to an old nun, Bernardita, who told us stories about him and explained the artifacts in the museum to us.
When we got back to the house, an American priest who is doing mission work here in El Salvador said mass for us, and then talked to us about his experiences in El Salvador and with Romero. He was actually at Romero's funeral, in the square when the people started rioting and the police started firing shots. It was awesome to hear yet another firsthand account of someones experiences here during the war. Tomorrow is our last service day, and then we go to UCA (Universidad de Centro America) in the afternoon!

Hasta luego,

Julia Marie

"My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that has been made in this place: for now I have chosen and sanctified this house so that in it my name remains forever. Here will be my eyes and my heart for the rest of time."

A mural depicting Oscar Romero

Looking out at the church from the altar where Oscar Romero was killed

"Nobody has more love, than he who gives up his life for his friends"

A plaque on the spot where Romero was martyred

A view of the altar where Romero was killed

The altar where Romero was killed

"On this altar Mons. Oscar A. Romero offered up his life to God for his village"

The gardens at the convent

The altar

Historical Center of Oscar Romero

The shrine to Romero outside his house, where his heart is buried (they buried his heart at his house, and the rest of his body at the cathedral)

Mons. Romero - Prophet and Martyr

Romero's car

The clothes he was wearing when he was killed

A portrait of Romero in his house

Some of his awards and medals

Romero's glasses (top shelf)

Romero's bed

Plaques honoring Romero that were removed from his gravesite and brought to his house/museum

The outside of Romero's house

The shrine where his heart is buried

Joaquin playing some more guitar

Back massage train after a long day of work!

La Copa Mundial - Americans vs. Salvadorans!

1/2/2013

"I hope you come to find that which gives life a deep meaning for you. Something worth living for - maybe even worth dying for. Something that energizes you, enables you to keep moving ahead. I can't tell you what it might be. Thats for you to find, to choose, to love."
- Ita Ford

Today I returned to Ciudad Arce to continue working on the schoolhouse. When we got there, there was a young mother and her two sons that had already begun digging a new trench. It was really nice to see their commitment to the project and the community - it made me feel like the work we were doing was appreciated and that the community was excited about making the school a better place for the children. However, when we arrived the children were waiting for us, and I jumped right into playing soccer with them. All the boys from Monday with the exception of Elias returned, and a few new boys came as well. Gerardo, who was 10 (the same age as Kevin and Irving) as well as Tony, Milton, and Negro who were 13 and 14 years old, came to play. Tony was really good, and was wearing a Ciudad Arce jersey with his name on the back. I'm not sure if he plays for the high school team, or if he is on a professional team for the town, but he had some amazing moves. He was really good when he played with the younger boys, he always gave them a chance to have the ball. But when one of the older boys or one of us volunteers went to challenge him, he would flip the ball behind his back, up in the air, or wherever he needed to in order to keep it out of our reach! I wouldn't be surprised if someday I see him on TV! He was good enough at age 13 to make any U.S. college team, in my opinion.
We played straight from 9:30 until 3:30 when we were pulled off the field by the other volunteers to get on the bus and go home! I was absolutely exhausted, but had so much fun. We even took a break at one point and I taught them how to play basketball. None of them had any idea how to dribble or make a basket, and I had a ball trying to teach them to shoot, dribble, and bounce-pass! It was nice for once to be the one scoring on them, not the other way around! Daniel began giving me lessons on how to do fancy soccer moves, in exchange for me teaching him how to dribble a basketball between his legs.
After lunch, Don Miguel and Joaquin played with us. All the volunteers were on one team, and all the El Salvadorans were on the other. We started calling it the "World Cup," and crammed at least 30 people on to the tiny court. It was utter pandemonium, and we got totally creamed, but it was so much fun to be out there laughing and falling down and making fools of ourselves with the kids. The boys remembered me from Monday, and seemed excited that we had come through on our promise and returned. They liked saying all of our American names, and started coming up with Spanish nicknames for some of us. It made me sad to see that many of the boys were wearing the same clothes as on Monday, and many only had crocs or flip flops to play in. One boy didn't have shoes at all. Tomorrow I will probably go to the other site, and I am excited to go see the house that the other group is working on in Las Delicias. I will miss the soccer boys in Ciudad Arce though! They have become very special to me, and I will be sad to say goodbye to them on Friday.
I didn't end up doing much work on the schoolhouse today because I was playing with the kids, but Lynnette explained to us in the bus on the way home that playing and working with the kids in the community is just as important as the construction project, because it builds trust and camaraderie between the people in the village and Project H.O.M.E. If the people in Ciudad Arce realize that we are nice people and look forward to us coming back, the more likely it will be that the community members will be receptive to helping out with the project and maintaining the site once it is complete. Half of our job is to build schools, community centers, and houses, and the other half of our responsibility is to build relationships with the community members. However, the schoolhouse is coming along well. Almost all 4 foundation trenches have been dug for the first classroom, and all the grass has been cleared from the site.
Tonight after dinner we watched the Oscar Romero Hollywood movie. It was really interesting, although the story was a bit dramatized. After reflection I fell in bed, exhausted from so many hours of soccer!

Hasta luego,

Julia Marie