Saturday, March 26, 2011

3-26-2011 Closing Thoughts

As we prepare for our departure, I am filled with amazement at the possibilities of change evident in the children and the fureza, or strength, and the hope that many of the El Salvadorans have during their daily struggle. Especially given the continuing violence by gangs and death squads and government forces. So in a country filled with a long history of United States bankrolled violence and repression and again, the daily struggle against staggering odds, it is a mystery how such resilience is manifested and maintained in the populace of such an impoverished country.

This hope for change is some of what we experienced in Community Octavio Ortiz in the Bajo Lempa, a place where in family after family you see a community built and maintained by strong loving bonds and children and their parents filled with joy, gratitude and a spirit that is filled with abundant love. I will never forget the words of Mauricio the community directiva president when he said, "I do not make a whole lot of money, but what I do earn is the good will of my fellow man." I wonder what is more important. Dead trees, what we call money or the will and favor of people we interact with. Simple answer is the later by far.

I will also never forget helping bring firewood for the trapiche or sugar mill and watching the whole process work right in front of me. Or wheelbarrow food for Mauricio's cows. OR playing soccer with some of the youth, and scoring the first goal of the game. Watching their smiles and hearing their laughter was almost too overwhelmingly awesome. Some of these kids have so few options and most of them are very negative choices. As some of our presenters have said for the vast majority of the children their options after high school, or for the lucky select few college, are to either join a gang, or join the police or leave the country, mostly for the States, as portrayed so realistically in the movie Sin Nombre.


El Salvador is without a doubt  a microcosm for the world, especially the for the numerous countries where US involvement is historically and perpetually devastating due to direct military intervention or bankrolling, and ¨free trade¨. For one there is nothing free about free trade. It devastates and exploits rural communities world wide, families, and causes assassinations of individuals who protest, livelihoods are at stake for the sake of the greed of the worlds top 5 percent those who can be big shareholders is the World Trade Organization and World Bank.

As one of our presenters said El Salvador is an average country, if this is how the world is, how do I want to live my life? I want to live mine in Solidarity with El Salvador, and this trip was a great reminder to me of the hope that Arch Bishop Oscar Romero, Padre Rutillio Grande and Padre Octavio Ortiz and countless other martyrs and innocent people, see Voices Inocentes the movie, symbolized, lives on in the daily struggles for justice, equality, rights, and livelihoods, a fight that I feel blessed to be able to help them with.


I really loved this delegation, will treasure its memory, and I will always, always as long as I live, show my love and solidarity for the Salvadorans. More posts to come or follow me on Facebook.

There is so much more to say.  Suffice it to say say that I can't wait to come back in the near future.

peace love and harmony

Andrew Drewiske Durham

No comments:

Post a Comment