Be a Bridge

The following poem THROUGH OUR EYES by Joseph R. Venerso expressed well what I have learned as I have walked with the people of El Salvador. I added a few pictures and words of my own in italic.

Through Our Eyes

Joseph R. Venerso

Shy at first and awkward we approach uncertain till your smile absolves us of our nervousness.

Neither impressed nor intimidated you span the culture chasm with a simple “Here, Try this.”
From the moment I entered their home, they welcomed me. We did a lot of charades and gestures to communicate. They offered me their favorite foods, inviting me to dance, sing and play. Their smiles dissolved any fear I might have had.

Too familiar faith takes on fresh fervor when we, once so sure we knew Christ and his Gospel, become small again.

The gospel came alive everyday as I entered into the journey with these people. Small miracles and sometimes big were a daily occurance.

Lucky for us we at first do not speak your language, or else we might have no excuse for our silence.
Not knowing the language or culture was VERY difficult, but in looking back silence was a wonderful gift that I was givien. Watching, taking everything in was my best teacher. I was told not to be quick to judge. At times I felt I knew a better way to do it, but when I stepped back or just joined in, I found that it always worked out. Maybe not as quick or as efficient as I was use to, but generally keeping in mind the respect and involvement of all.

In truth we stand in awe of you whose lives lack the luxuries we considered absolute necessities. Amid suffering and hardship you draw from an inner well and seem so solid and full.

And then the shock hits us, who know so much:
We have so very much to learn. From you.
“Keep your dissertations and dogma till later,” you say in your own words and way, something like: “Care for a crazy corn? Have a papusa. Eat some rice and beans!”

Relationships are the most important thing in their culture. When entering a room one always greets each person with a kiss or a hand shake.
They have a great sense of hospitality. When visiting their homes; which is never planned, we just show up and they will stop what they are doing and offer us what they have.

It’s not so much that we see Christ reflected in your eyes and in your face and in your hearts and in your lives
-which we do – but rather that we now also see you so clearly reflected in His.

NEW YEAR! NEW MISSION!

New Year! New Mission!
I have been back to El Salvador for over a month now and have traveled more of the country then I had in the three years prior. What a blessing to have this time to get to know different parts of the country and hear the stories of the people.

My last three years had been with the Parish of Our Lady of Loudres where I did a variety of things (see past entries). I wanted to see and know another part of the country and so I have moved to Suchitoto, a small colonial town that suffered immensely during the war. I feel at home as many of the people are farmers. Every morning as I take my morning run I am greeted by a herd of cattle. I have only been here for a week, but have been very welcomed with beautiful smiles. The people are always so willing and ready to help me find my way.
I had heard wonderful things about how the people of Suchitoto have organized programs most especially to empower the people. There is still a great need for reconciliation and peace in the this country that suffered a horrible 12 year CIVIL war.

No More Violence!

IN THIS HOUSE WE WANT A LIFE FREE OF VIOLENCE!
Over 800 houses in Suchitoto have this painted on their doors.

I have moved in with Rosa and Eva, two school teachers, and am looking forward to living with two Salvadoran people. They have so much to teach me.

Eva, Rosa and I waiting to catch a bus to a vigil in Guadalupe to celebrate and remember the over 500 people who were killed in this massacre.
I am not sure what my work is quite yet. I hope to 'BE' more. I was very busy in the last year of my mission. Just in this past few weeks I have had more time to sit and listen to the peoples life stories.

Jose lost 9 family members in the El Mazote Massacre. In the background you will see a wall with some of the names of the people who were tortured and killed. They think there could have been as many as 1000 killed.

Beautiful faces of the future of El Mazote

I will also be taking pictures for a program called New Horizans. I am excited about this opportunity. It will allow me to see many parts of the country; meet new friends and hopefully help get resources for some of the poorest in the country. The other plus is that I will be near my former mission site and will able to visit with them from time to time.

Hopes for New Housing

The house above was one of the most secure houses because it had pieces of metal. The house below is made of cardboard like most of the others in this community.

Monseñor ROMERO

This month marks the 29th year of the death of Archbishop Oscar Romero.

Above is a picture of a mural of the Last Supper. Next to Jesus (the farmer in the middle) is Romero. Fr. John Spain and Kim Nagy, Maryknoll Missioners took a seat at table with Martin Luther King and other martyrs of El Salvador.

On Top of the World

My housemate Kim and I

It was a perfect place to be. We were on top of a mountain as the sun kept playing peak a boo with the clouds. Looking out we were able to see three Volcanos. I had mixed feelings as I stood in the place where 27 years prior youth were drug, raped, tortured and then killed in the massacre of El Mazote.

I hope that you all are doing well in this Lenten season. As you can see I have had some things to ponder. I ask that you please keep the people of El Salvador in your prayers as they all go to vote this Sunday, March 15th. For the past 20 years they have had the same party in power. My prayers are that there will be no violence and that they are just (fair) elections.

PLAYING GAMES

They loved to play and so I put my skills of facilitating to work. It was VERY challenging the first few times. I did not know very much spanish, but found out very quickly that they loved to play. Above a group who met with children each week came for a training on how to lead parachute games. The woman in the far right with the skirt and white hair is 83 years old.

FACILITATOR TRAININGS

My facilitators! They met for eight classes to learn large and small group games and a two day training to learn how to facilitate Cooperative games. I could NOT have done it without them. Groups were always large 60-250 people.

Confirmation class and thier leaders. This is one of three groups that we facilitated games.

YOUTH RETREATS

TRAININGS AND RETREATS

The Elephant!

PARACHUTE FUN

THE ESPERANZA PROJECT

When I first arrived in El Salvador I had no idea what I was going to be doing. Little did I think I would be teaching trumpet lessons or Aerobics. But, when a few trumpets were donated to our church and they found out I had played in high school, I was asked to teach. Being a former Editor of my high school and college yearbook, taught me to always be on the look-out for a good picture. I found out very quickly that the people loved to get their picture taken and they made beautiful subjects. What saddened me was to find out that many did not have pictures of any of their special occasions.

The Yanes Family

A grade school friend, Kristen said that she wanted to come and visit. I remembered that she was a photographer and so I asked if she would bring her camera and take pictures. She brought her lights and set up a studio and took beautiful family photos. I bought a photo printer to develop them and this was the beginning of the Photo Project.
Someone then gave me the idea to ask for used digital cameras. After receiving a few I began to teach a group of our youth in the church how to use them. It was wonderful to see them learn and watch their confidence grow as they began to take pictures at festivals, first communions, confirmations, birthday parties, etc. It was a service within a service. We sold the pictures at a low cost and used the money to buy food and medicines for the poorest in their community. The people were so happy to have pictures and memories of their special times.

Part of being a Franciscan Missioner is telling the stories of these people that I walk with daily for many will never have the opportunity to cross cultures (read Being a Bridge entry). Sharing stories and pictures is important, but so is sharing resources. There are so many needs here and not enough.
The ESPERANZA (Hope) Project is a way in which people can purchase notecards or make a donation in someone’s name which in turn will help provide basic needs like food, medicine, shelter for the people of El Salvador.
Perhaps you want to give someone a gift for a birthday, anniversary, Christmas, but they have all they need. Make a donation in their name to the Esperanza project. To order cards contact my sister Renee Riehle Jackson at 2breallyhopeful@gmail.com

Some of the pictures on the cards