7/31/2019 Benedictine Ministry El Salvador Mission Trip Newsletter

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El Salvador10

My recent trip to El Salvador was not my first exposure to extreme poverty; however, it has, for the first time, caused me to reamine the experience, to ask the question, How does the poverty of the El Salvadorans affect me? The answer used to be simple:It doesnt.

e spent the majority of our week-long stay in the community of Manuel, where we built two glorified-garden-shed-size dwellings fo

o families. The work was good. Air quickly becomes stifling in Atchison classrooms for a graduating senior, and Id been looking

rward to the opportunity to escape school and throw myself into some solid physical labor. I spent three days mixing concrete and

tting sheets of metal siding. I got dirty, sweated a lot, and earned myself sore muscles and a good tan. I loved watching the houses g

, and took pride in the work. Unfortunately, I do not speak Spanish, which limited my interaction with the local community.

here is something about sports, however, that doesnt require speech. The last day, I played baseball with some of the kids hanging

ound. I spent the whole morning chasing loose balls and pitching. It was terrific. Pablo was swinging with two bats at once and Hila

ok huge windmill-like flails at every pitch and jumping every time he made contact. Miguel struggled at first, getting frustrated as h

other Pablo out-hit him. At one point, I stopped pitching, picked up a bat and took a batters stance. Like this, I said. Without bein

le to explain what I was doing, I showed Miguel how to stand as if he were squared up at the plate, and demonstrated a level swing

dded at him, smiled, then went back and picked up the ball. Miguel took the stance Id shown him, and knocked my next pitch clea

st the road and into the field behind me. We went nuts. And then, we were friends.

fter lunch that day we returned to the site to bless the houses and celebrate Mass with the whole community. Afterwards, Miguel cam

nning up to me, grinning, and handed me one of the homemade decorations that had been hung in the pavilion. As I took the gift,

iguel threw his arms around my middle and gave me a huge hug. And I realized that I loved him. My chest physically ached as my

tire body welled up with the desire to tell him so. I wanted to tell him how much fun Id had playing with them; how proud I was w

made that hit and that I was sorry I couldnt offer more; that although my chances of returning soon are slim I would always remem

m.

7/31/2019 Benedictine Ministry El Salvador Mission Trip Newsletter

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Reactions

Being among these beautiful people made me re

examine my priorities. They reminded me that th

most important things we have in life are our faith

and our family which extends to the community i

which we live. It was easy to see Christ working iand through the people of El Salvador. I was re-

minded that true joy comes in our daily encounter

with Christ, who comes to us through the people

he has placed in our path. -Angela Glaser

What made a difference is that I was able to

experience their lives and they were able to

experience mine. That is what solidarity is all

about. Holding Jose, playing soccer with Miguel,

talking with Claudia...recognizing them as people

and traveling so far for such a simple act...that is

why it was good for us to go. -Dominic Paolucc

I will never forget my time here because

somehow, despite my complete incompetence, it

did make a difference. I thank God for the chanc

to come together with my brothers and sisters tha

I otherwise would have never met, and I pray tha

this experience will continue to make a difference

in how I live my life. -Lisa Willis

ut I couldnt. All I could do was smile and look at him and smile more and

g him again. My stillborn words built up behind my eyes and I went around

ying goodbye while fighting tears. Miguel came back for another hug.

nd another one. As we climbed into the truck to head home, all of the kids

ood in a mob waving wildly at us. Watching them as we drove away, the

ustration in my heart poured down my cheeks in streams that I tried to hide

hind my sunglasses.

our nightly discussions during the trip, the observation surfaced that wed

id $1,500 apiece to be there. Why? Why not send that money directly to

FCA? Instead, wed invaded these peoples lives and disappeared again,aving nothing but two small houses and a soccer ball in our wake.

he answer to this question, Ive realized, stems directly from the ultimateswer to the first question: What does the poverty of Miguel have to do with

e? Everything. Everything, because of love.

ur first day, before any building began, we went on a solidarity walk

Tecuba. As far as we understood, we were walking 6 km with the

wnspeople, then having Mass. However, when we pulled up on Tecubas

ain street, we thought wed interrupted a parade. Hundreds of people lined the streets, all holding balloons and colorful signs. Weere astonished to learn it was for us; wed done nothing in Tecuba. We didnt even return after that day. One of the staff members late

plained that for those people, we were the faces of their sponsors, those who send money from the U.S. Theyve received money anters from the sponsors, but we represented that

nerosity in human form. The outpouring of welcome

as their response to what they saw as our gesture of

ve: simply being there.

the same way, Miguel became the face of love

r me. I traveled to El Salvador with the foolish

sumption that Id change their lives; instead,

ey have changed mine. We now share a common

perience of charity, of Gods love. In Miguel, I

perienced the presence of Christ in another human

rson whose life circumstances differ radically fromne. Yet we share the same experience of Christ; we

e united by a common tie with a man who loved both

us so much that he gave his life so that we could love

ch other.

ack in Atchison, I find myself frustrated. Why do I sitclass in Kansas? Because, Ive realized, the love I

perienced is not limited to El Salvador. I know that I

m capable of recognizing Christ in others. Wherever I

m, I am called to love.

For more information about the CFCA mission, or to help change the life of a brother or siste

contact the Christian Foundation for Children and Aging. 913.384.6500 http://www.cfcausa.o