Walking With El Salvador

The word for mask  in Spanish is máscara.  This word is rooted in Arabic and relates to the idea of something false or hidden.  I recently learned that máscara is the word used for a mask that covers the entire face, and is made of plastic or paper maché.  There is a second Spanish word for mask , which is antifaz.   This word literally means "in front of the face" and is used for the kind of mask that covers the eyes.  Your favorite superhero or masquerade ball attendee might wear an antifaz . You can find inexpensive antifaz  masks at many craft stores or online for a very reasonable price, and if you happen to travel to El Salvador at Halloween, you might like to consider decorating these masks with little ones or adults.  Depending on the type of paper, you may need to use permanent markers.  Adults surely would enjoy adding sequins and feathers, so don't forget to pack the tacky glue.

A small group of women gather in pretty purple house.  For a while it is quiet, except for the whirrr of a few sewing machines.  Then someone makes a joke and the room erupts in laughter.  Outside the house, thunder rolls and big raindrops begin to fall with loud plops onto the leaves of banana, mango, lime, and cashew trees.  Soon the laughter and the sewing machines are equally drowned out by the loud roar of a heavy downpour on the metal roof.  Everyone goes back to work. Women sewing Days for Girls kits  This is a story of determination.  This is a story of community.  This is a story of creativity.  This is a story of women working together in support of one another across boundaries, across cultures and across languages.  This is a story which began with a need for girls and women to have good information about their bodies, which led to a connection with Days for Girls International , which led to giving away more than ...

Sonia told me that her friend really wanted me to come to her house.  I was not exactly sure who the friend was, though Sonia insisted I had met her a couple of times. The friend wished to express her gratitude for the positive impact I had had on her family and the women in her community.  I was   genuinely touched by the invitation delivered through a friend.  We arranged a date, and on a sunny Sunday afternoon, four of us drove out to the farm. The farm is nestled in the hills, down a cobbled and mud path, well-hidden below the main road.  We stepped out of the car and breathed in the warm scent of earth and wet leaves.  Three little sheep blurted out their welcomes.  Beyond the sheep, the pastures opened up into two emerald bowls, framed by trees and wire fences atop earthen rims.  We followed our hostess down a little path toward her house - one of a few homes in close proximity.  This farm is actually a small community made up o...

Medical Care...it's a complicated and messy topic whether you are in El Salvador or the United States or probably just about any place in the world.  The disparity between what is available between one country and the next seems unfair.  The disparity between what is available to people with resources or insurance and people without resources or insurance seems unfair.  The sense of unfairness and awareness of disparities along with genuine desires to do good in the world drive people from the United States to organize mission groups to care for people in El Salvador. The topic of this story:  Medical Brigades. If you are a regular reader of my random stories, you know that healthcare in El Salvador is a topic about which I frequently write.  Search "medical" or any other healthcare type words, and dozens of stories will pop up.  I am not a professional in a medical field, but I have a 17-year history of walking with the Salvadoran people in the areas o...

"Hey, let's drive over to Santa Ana!" We were close to the city center.  Why not? We parked in front of the cathedral.  It amazes me that our micro driver always finds the very closest and most convenient parking spots.  We hopped out of the van:  15 minutes to walk around the town square, because you never know when you might get the chance to be in this particular beautiful place again. Love Life! Neo-gothic cathedral completed in 1913 Best parking spot, except for blocking the view Theater completed in 1910 City hall Doesn't this lamp post look like it could come to life?  

I love lunch hour in El Salvador.  Yes, lunch HOUR. A group of us often gather in the conference room where the lunches are as varied as are the stories shared.  A couple of weeks ago we welcomed a new missionary to the office.  She had a little bit of an encounter on a bus earlier in the week, and so we started talking about the ways in which we navigate getting from place to place safely.  Here are a few gold nuggets from the conversation... On the theme of the wisdom of carrying a bit of money in your pocket:      One time I was on the bus, and a gang member got on and said, "Everyone has to pay $1.  We don't want to rob anyone so you are all in this together.  Everyone $1."        So we all got out our dollars.  This is why it's important to carry a little money in your pocket. You never want to have to dig around for a dollar if you need it.  The older lady next to me pulls out a 5 dollar bill.  I...

One of the core values we hold dear in our sister church relationship is the practice of doing tourist activities in El Salvador  together.    Visiting historic sites, parks, natural wonders and museums gives us the chance to learn about El Salvador together.  It's true that wherever we live, we often have neither the time, the interest nor the resources we need to "be tourists" in our own backyards, and often visitors in El Salvador have been to many more places in the country than their Salvadoran friends have. In our sistering situation, taking excursions together is especially important because our community is divided by boundaries.  Sections are controlled by different gang groups, and families are not able to cross boundaries from one sector to another.  It is very difficult to plan any kind of event in the church or in the community in which everyone can participate, but with careful organization, field trips are something most of us can do to...