Xavier University Academic Service Learning Semester Nicaragua 2009 El Encaminador March 29. 2009 Our journey here to this foreign land of Nicaragua has taken us to quite a variety of places. However, included in that list, is a venture to another country as well. By means of an eleven hour bus ride through the cities and countryside of Nicaragua and Honduras, we finally arrived in San Salvador, El Salvador. We were greeted by a sea of red-shirt wearing FMLN (the leftist party running for the presidential election on March 15th) supporters, neoliberal evidence on every street corner and an overall different attitude from that which we have witnessed here in Nicaragua. Throughout our week in El Salvador we were lucky enough to have two guides. Our primary guide for our week Back: Michael Delaney, Anna Russell, Paul Madden, was a wonderful Salvadoran woman named Rosa. She comes Josie Watson, Molly Rehak, Mary Knauff from a family rooted in standing up for those who have their Front: Michael Jonagan, Mary Renda, Jena Galster human rights taken away from them. Rosa, an avid FMLN Not pictured: Erika Vickers supporter, was extremely joyous and hopeful through the entire week and allowed us to experience that spirit of the On our last day, we had the op- election in a full and personal way. Our second guide for our portunity to hear the amazing story of a time was Chris Ortman, an ASLS Nicaragua alum. man, Dani, and about his experiences as While we were there we lived in a kindergarten a gang member. We heard of his time in complex for the week. Our time during the day was spent jail, as well as the work he is currently visiting the historical and cultural sites associated with doing in an attempt to work with people Romero, the Jesuits at the UCA and the demonstrations for in the prison system. We heard and saw peace in the country. It was apparent throughout our time later through Rosa´s tears, about the that Oscar Romero still plays an important role in the daily amazing, peaceful movement that the lives of the people of El Salvador. Mauricio Funes, the prisoners had just completed. Rather current president-elect (thanks to the FMLN win on March than acting with violence as people ex- 15th) refers to Romero as his role model. The Romero shirts, pected them to, amazingly a group of 800 banners and statues all spoke to his importance in the lives gang members decided to react to a vio- Issue 3 of the people of El Salvador. lent situation with non-violent means. It would have been impossible to go to El Salvador After a week of learning a new culture, without learning something about the civil war. In going to being further challenged in our world the sites, monuments and hearing stories the war was made views and eating many pupusas (the typi- a little more real for us. But what made it really come cal Salvadoran food), we boarded a bus to together was when we visited El Mozote, the site of a return to our families and eagerly awaited massacre that left only a sole survivor. The reality of the for what we hoped would be a political remaining town was enough to make us realize the horrible victory for the FMLN. Needless to say like things that our U.S. government has participated in. so many other things on our trip, we were Continued not disappointed! ANNOUNCEMENTS - Mark your calendars! May 1st at 4:00 p.m. in Kelley Auditorium– Nicaragua 2009 presentation - For more information on the Academic Service Learning Semesters please contact Dr. Irene B. Hodgson at [email protected] or call 513-745 -3541 Page 2 Mi familia nicaragűense: The Castillo Family El Encaminador Jena Galster Linet and I always joke about me (21). She also has four grandchildren babysitting for her in exchange for who keep her busy: Nevil (11), Alicia The rooster starts crowing and a day her doing my Spanish homework. I (4), Valeria (11 months), and Iker Abel in the life of the Castillo family be- would love to give you a full profile (2 weeks). There is never a dull mo- gins. My Nicaraguan family consists of of every one of my family members, ment in my house. I love spending my twelve people, including me, who run but I would have to take up the en- time sitting in the rocking chairs in my in and out of the house throughout tire space of this newsletter. One living room while Alicia draws in my the day. Doña Marta is my mother thing that sums them up quite well notebook , Valeria sits on my lap trying and is the chief of the household. As is that they are all wonderful people to grab the glasses off of my face, and you can imagine, caring for the lives who have worked incredibly hard for at the same time I am having a discus- of twelve individuals where the what they have. They have wel- sion with Doña Marta and Raquel about youngest is two-weeks old can be comed me with open arms into their the happenings of my day. Raquel and I quite the task. There is a lot of cook- home as a daughter, a sister, an share a room and have definitely be- ing, cleaning, laundry…etc. She is one aunt, and a friend. I look forward to come like sisters. She is studying anes- of the strongest, most hard-working sharing my life with them as well. women I have ever met. When her thesiology and only has one year left Issue 3 husband Manuel (my Nicaraguan fa- until she completes her degree. At least ther) passed away in February, she one night a week we sit down to help was the glue that held the family to- each other with homework. She helps gether. Her two sons and two daugh- me with my Spanish and I help her with ters also live with her: Linet (30), her English, so it works out pretty well. Manuel (27), Raquel (22), and Ariel Doña Elba Tapia and Don Mario Josie Watson from serious discussions of hand the baby off to me – as CAFTA´s affect on Nicaragua, if no one will notice him shirk- My house is always full of to making fun of me for being ing his grandfatherly duties. people. Out of the front of our a vegetarian and telling me I In addition to oh so many house we run a pulpería (a small have to kill the chicken for that people, we also have a dog, a convenience store) as well as a night´s dinner. puppy, a cat and two kittens, cyber café, and in the back there I also have two sisters, two birds and a chicken are a few bedrooms that we rent a brother, and two nieces. My named Cristina. to travelers. My mother-figure, twelve-year-old niece Hazel With the help of my Doña Elba, is the matriarch of loves to practice her English family, my Spanish has cer- the family and certainly has her almost as much as she likes to tainly been improving, but for hands full as there are usually make fun of my Spanish. My those times when verbal com- nearly 15 people staying in our sister Elba´s baby just turned house. a month old and is the most munication fails, we resort to My father-figure, Don beautiful baby girl I have ever a strange game of charades Mario, can almost always be seen. If I ever walk into the and facial expressions. found at work in the kitchen room, and Don Mario is hold- Spending time talking and making pizza which we also sell ing her, he will glance around laughing with my family has out of the pulpería. My conver- the room (as if to make sure certainly been my favorite sations with Don Mario are al- none of the women are watch- piece of my time here. ways a surprise. They range ing him) and then sneakily Page 3 Living the Gospels: Christian Base Community in El Salvador Anna Russell the women maintain an organic farm which supplies “We are building the earth the way that God in- the nutrition centers with all their food and a guest structed us to build it by caring for the most vulnerable house for delegations, such as ours, to stay in. While and the poorest,” Doña Anita told me one morning at staying in the guest house, we had the opportunity to breakfast, “We are trying to live as Christians, following in engage in theological and personal discussions with the example of Jesus.” Doña Anita is a member of a some of the women, learning how they had the en- Christian base community in the urban community of San ergy to run such a huge project without government Ramón in El Salvador. Drawing on inspiration from the support. When I asked another woman if she ever gospels, Anita and her friends practice a theology of lib- got tired working so hard, she responded, “When I eration which tries to free the people from poverty and get tired I just rely on God. And then I´m not so oppression. Anita told us that many Christians “only think tired.” Jon Sobrino, a prominent Jesuit priest, wrote about the God in the clouds without thinking about the that the Salvadoran people were being actively cruci- people of God all around them.” With determination and fied and believed in a God of life who wanted to free passion, Anita and her friends take their faith to the them from their suffering.