A WHOLE NEW WORLD OPENS UP!

By John Poole

Two years ago, our group from Sonoma County in California had a wonderful experience with ESNA in El Salvador. Most of our group understood and spoke Spanish well enough, so that everyone who spoke to our group spoke in Spanish. We were clear that we were there to accompany the people, instead of just trying to help them via a project in which we would be doing most of the work.

We visited a number of sites in the capital to get a clearer sense of the history and current conditions in the country. Then we traveled to a couple of communities for short visits. In Suchitoto, we visited with Sister Peggy O’Neill, learned about the Center of Arts for Peace, and stayed overnight. In the community of La Mora, we visited with a group of the local people, and stayed overnight in their homes.

 

Out in Las Trincheras, we became immersed in the lives of the community for 10 days. We lived the way people there live in terms of their working to build an Early Childhood Development Center, their socializing with a party and some dancing, and traveling to the beach to spend a Sunday together. A whole new world opens up, when we are open to accompanying people whom we visit.

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