Liberation Theology
One of my reasons for wanting to visit (and perhaps work in) Central America is that it is a home to many Catholic ‘base communities’ - independent congregations who seek social justice in their localities - which the Liberation Theology movement of the mid-Twentieth Century gave birth to.
Liberation Theology was one of the more interesting things I learnt about while completing my most recent degree; on numerous points it resonates strongly with 'my kind of Christianity'.
I gained an introduction to the base communities of El Salvador through Fundahmer, a local NGO that continues to work among these Catholic groups.
The Connection
I gained an introduction to Fundahmer through Laura; I gained an introduction to her through a chance meeting, brought about by a case of mistaken identity (she thought the back of my head looked like the back of the head of an old friend of hers), some months earlier in Guatemala.
Laura also introduced me to my new favourite drink - the michelada - which is full of my favourite things (worcheshire sauce, lemon/lime, pepper & beer (a beer cocktail!)).
The Fundahmer Outings
I tried to make myself useful among the many employees and volunteers in the organisation (the room I was renting was attached to their office space in San Salvador).
With several volunteers I was able to make several voyages out into the spectacular countryside to see local communities in various states of action.
I went to visit Sacocoyo with Laura, where she will live (again) next year.
I went to Colon with Jennifier, where she would like to live next year, and where she is currently running the large youth group. (It was every bit as cool as it was unusual to see cult images the revolutionist Archbishop Romero - who is a national hero - complete with the clerical collar (seen below) spread all over the country, it was quite a refreshing site.)
Finally, I made a day long trip out to Morazan with Mercedes, Erika & Jennifier, who had planned an event for the locals in support of the national day 'against domesticated violence suffered by women'.
I opted for a seat in the back of the ute at the super-early-morning check-in so as to stretch out and get a little more shut eye.
A beautiful shady spot beside the river was chosen as the site for the rally.
People came from the five surrounding base communities.
Those who came were provided with morning tea followed by lunch.
The opportunity to dance in the daylight proved to be somewhat less popular than the food.
At the end of the long day of activity there was still before us, the long ride home.
I opted for a seat in the back of the ute again, this time it was for the good company and the chance to stare at the stars (when the rain drops weren't falling in my eyes) at high speed.
During my stay I also made a trip to Jayaque, with the FUDEM group, who are the most exceptional outfit offering eye care that I saw in all my travels.
FUDEM is the largest single provider of eye care in all of Central America; They have 160 employees spread over their three clinic locations, all in El Salvador. (Last year they saw over 200, 000 people, and dispensed over 100, 000 spectacles, at minimal (like US$7) or no cost to the patients.)
FUDEM were so organised that they had a team shirt ready for me on the one day that I joined their mobile team (who travel all over the country and who themselves saw more than 60, 000 patients last year). (And the shirt just happened to come in Dutch orange).
I didn't speak Spanish and this slick team didn't really need my help, so I found myself assisting by exercising some of my less complicated professional skills.
Later that day I did promote myself to a more complicated clinical setting (where I hand selected the easier patients to examine).
This was my final volunteering effort on this trip - I had certainly left the best organisation until last.
The timing of my visit was perfect in at least two ways: Firstly, Angel's father was in town, so I was able to meet him and join in on some of the excursions that were properly arranged for his benefit (such as a trip to the beach, that I can’t show you as I left with no memory card in my camera); and secondly, & most excitingly, I happened to be in town for Thanksgiving (or at least for the night that all the American volunteers were free to celebrate Thanksgiving).
Everybody pitched in with the food preparation.
My contribution to the meal was to make the NZ desert-delicacy ambrosia, which I did (más o menos) with the ingredients shown below.
It was the first time I have ever celebrated Thanksgiving.
There were heartfelt and memorable speeches given as each person present shared what they were currently thankful for in their life.
The night had a particularly Cuban flavour on account of Angel's father's nationality, his ability to make smashing mojitos ...
... and the cigars we smoked together at the end of the evening.
I meet some truly spectacular people during my time in El Salvador:
Mercedes
who won’t mind me telling you that she had her life transformed by an experience of God’s Spirit (who she was doing her best to avoid at the time) such that she ceased being a suicidal workaholic and is now spending her time living amongst & serving the poor in El Salvador. (She also has the cutest voice, which I wish was visible in photographs for you to hear.)
Angel
who is helping farmers throughout the country move towards more ecological and sustainable farming practises, and who I will forever love for introducing me to the tamarind and chilli iceblock.
Jennifer
who is all over the country working among the youth in the base communities.
Luis
the self proclaimed ‘survivor’, who allowed me to place my finger in the hole in the back of his skull where a bullet from a gang member messed him up, causing him to need to learn to walk for the second time in his life. (I bought jewellery that he had made as souvenirs for my sisters and mother.)
El Salvador has the worst reputation for violent crime in Central America, and rightly so, because of the large gangs present and active in the country, my conversation with Luis was fortunately the closest I got to the violence.
Laura
last but by no means least, the girl who made my whole El Salvadorian experience possible by welcoming me into her world during the fifteen minute exchange that resulted from our chance meeting in Guatemala.
Laura has been assigned to Fundhamer by the Art Corps, a really really interesting organisation that connects people with artist skills to local communities that are oppressed so has to lead and encourage them to pursue social justice through the visual arts.
At the beginning of my stay I was able to be included in one of the creative arts workshops that she was conducting for other staff members of the Fundahmer team, (that was when I first discovered my inability to find a puppet voice).
I was also able to help Laura finish painting some of the banners that she was making for upcoming events.
When she had time Laura was also my social events organiser, taking me to listen to jazz in the park along with her friends, for instance.
On account of my collective experiences in El Salvador and thanks to the people above, I left the country with more dance in my step, more poetry in my speech, and far better connected to The Creative Creator of all creativity than I had been for a very long time.
