April 18 - Meeting The Directiva of Muñoces

 Tuesday April 18, 2017  9:00 a.m.

The meeting with the Directiva of El Caserio los Muñoces.

We met at the Church/Community Center.  We moved our chairs into a semi-circle and sat down and then just sat for a while, looking and smiling at each other, wondering who was going to speak first.  Seemed like a long wait.  I decided that I ought to go first.  If I lead I might be able to control the meeting a little.

I thanked them for welcoming me and said I was happy to have this meeting. 

I thanked Manual and Juan Carlos        

for setting up the meeting with the

directiva this morning.

I said we had received their letter informing us that they had decided to terminate the relationship and that we were sad so we had written a letter explaining the problem from our perspective. 


I said we had a letter for each family and asked them if they wanted me to read it.  After some discussion Fredy, President of the Directiva, said yes. 


I gave each a copy and proceeded to read it.  I told them we hadn’t wanted to end the relationship but that, sadly, we would respect their decision to end the relationship.

I explained that our issue centered on a document we had received from Compañeros and the Equipo Pastoral which described some of our friends, neighbors and members of participating churches in Newton as bad people.  We knew them to be kind, good-hearted, and loving people.  Because we knew the people weren’t as described, we objected to the document and wouldn’t agree to its statements.  






Then they quietly, in voices which I couldn’t hear, discussed the content of our letter and what I had said.

Then Fredy talked about the rules which the community had adopted.  He said that there were about 6 to 8 families which weren’t participating as expected and that had caused morale problems for the rest of the community.  That was the reason we weren’t permitted to visit them in 2015.

I said we understand that a group has to have rules and that it is difficult for a group (community or family) to function efficiently when some people weren’t doing their part. 

I then said we wanted to be friends with everyone, that we felt bad when we had to walk past the homes of people who we considered friends.  It was painful for us and we didn’t feel comfortable being used as a carrot or stick (I couldn’t come up with the words to express this so I used the words for (dulces i acido = sweet and acid)!  They understood.  

Although they understood, nevertheless, Fredy held to his position. I don’t think everyone agreed but no one else spoke up.  

It became a somber moment.

Again I thanked them for their hospitality and generosity.   

… for sharing their lives with us, inviting us into their home and allowing us to take pictures of them.  I said I hoped they enjoyed the pictures we brought back to them. 

 

I gave them some pictures from our 2015 trip and requested they give them to the pictured people.  I encouraged them to continue taking pictures (and left several more cameras) and develop a place to share them with the rest of the community, such as a bulletin board at the church.  I encouraged them to keep pictures as a way to maintain a history of the community for generations to come, 50 to 100 years in the future. 

I encouraged them to work with Equipo Pastoral and search for another church with which to connect. As they have enriched our lives and we have learned from each other, there is another church waiting for such an opportunity.  I didn’t say it but I was thinking that they need a new source for the assistance for fertilizer, scholarships, medical and other needs they have been receiving from our church .  I left some community directories and told them they can be used to demonstrate the organization in their community to an NGO who might come in with some plans.

I thanked them for all the meals we had shared together.  

  

We will long remember all the fiestas and the piñatas we enjoyed as well as the fine music their community band provided. (pics from 2015) 

I reminisced about the memorable trip when I needed a place to lay down and rest until my stomach settled down.

Finally, again I thanked them and then… I stepped in it! I mentioned that I was very worried about my visit.  They asked me why I had been fearful.  I said I thought they might be angry and feel like throwing stones at me.  As soon as I said that and heard their gasp, I felt terrible.  I tried to make it out as a joke but my excuse was feeble.

There was some discussion by the group and then they asked if I would take a letter to our church if they wrote it quickly and got it to me before I left.  I said I would be very happy to deliver it to our church.  (See an entry later in this blog.)

April 18 - Finally I get to Muñoces... but not with Napoleon

April 18, 2017   While waiting for la Tortuga to show up I see an old fellow who use to ride out with us to a plot of land to work. I call out, “Hola, Napoleon,” and walk over to greet him. He mumbles something indistinguishable, I smile and say, “si,” and he continues to talk and I smilingly I nod my head in agreement. 

There’s a beautiful lady with him who I believed to be his daughter who will accompany him to the fields. 

We talk and then he stands up and points.

La Tortuga has arrived and he, the lady who was with him, the teachers and I get aboard for the ride out.

How he got in and out of the truck was a miracle.

But interestingly he didn’t get off at his plot of land.  He rode all the way to Muñoces and then got off… with the help of some folks I knew.

 

It was then that I realized this wasn’t Napoleon but Maugdaleno, a fellow who is one of the patriarchs of the community.  He lost his wife, Paulina Evangelina Reyes Muñoz, one of our favorites, several years back.

 

Then we start the hike to the church, up the steep dusty road seeing more and more of the people of Muñoces

First the students on their way to school…

Then Vilma, a mother with a basket of food on her head walking with a small child heading toward the school…

Then Manual and his wife, Aminta, and their children…. We weren’t permitted to visit them the last time we were here. But this time I marched into their yard and gave them hugs.

I tell Manual he sure looks different without his uniform.

 Then I spotted Juan Carlos and Rene and his kids, calling another little girl to come over and get in the picture.



Aren’t they the most handsome group you’ve ever seen?

You’ll have to wait one more day for my meeting with the Directiva.  I promise you it will be written about next.

April 16 - Easter Sunday

Last summer, 2016, the congregation of First Presbyterian Church was given a letter from the Directiva in Muñoces ending the relationship that we had enjoyed for nearly 10 years. It was clear from their short message that they had been told that we had not wanted to follow their rules which was simply not true.  We had questioned the policies of the Compañeros committee of Presbytery and the Pastoral Team in Berlin and had worked diligently to try to resolve those issues but we had never questioned the right of the community of Muñoces to make decisions for themselves. The “middle men” decided to end the relationship against our wishes and without our knowledge.

It was difficult to end the relationship on that note of untruth and with the community thinking that we had disrespected them. A letter was composed to the community to share our love and respect for them and to let them know that, although we hadn’t desired to end the relationship, we respected their right to do so. The next question was how to deliver it?? There is no postal service and we could no longer trust the Pastoral Team to deal with us fairly and honestly.  

I volunteered to take it to the community in person. This involved traveling to El Salvador, taking a bus to Berlin, and making my way to Muñoces in the back of the truck that Linda and I used to take each day to teach at the village school. 

I didn’t know how I would be received. Would they be angry with us? How would I deliver the letter to each of the nearly 40 houses? I tried to hire a translator to help with the nuanced language that would be necessary to navigate the delicate feelings of this emotional “break up,” but the translator didn’t show up on the morning of the trip to Muñoces so I was on my own. Here is how things transpired:

On Easter Sunday afternoon I took a city bus to Terminal Oriente to catch the bus to Berlin. I sat close to the front since it is recommended for safety.  $2.50 and about 2 hours later I was in Berlin walking to Casa Mia with my backpack and a box with the letters and pictures I was going to give to the folks in Muñoces.

I settled into my room.  Later I walked into the market and saw Heidi and her daughter Mily (familiar faces) and asked if Mily could translate for me.  

She couldn’t, because she was working in the mayor’s office, but she would see if a friend of hers could. I told her my plan was to go with the teachers in la Tortuga (the turtle) at 7:00 tomorrow morning.  Back at my room I prepared my thoughts for Muñoces Monday.  

April 17 - Ready, Set, Go.....Whooooo!

April 17, 2017

Monday morning at 5:15 I’m awake and ready to go but it is still dark outside so I cool it until I see some color in the sky.

I walk to La Tortuga’s stop and after visiting with some acquaintances I’m told the teachers are still on Easter vacation and won’t be going out until tomorrow. What to do?

I walk to the police department on the other side of the park and ask if they knew of anyone who might be interested in taking me out to Muñoces.  They thought I wanted a police escort.  I tell them just transportation.  They make several calls but aren’t able to locate anyone.

I really want to get this task completed today.  I walk down to Heide’s Pupuseria but she knows of no one. 

I’m out of luck for today. 

I’ll have to wait until Tuesday so I’m walking back to Casa Mia when I hear someone call my name. It’s the familiar face of one of our former English students, Lidia, the daughter of Juan Carlos.  

Then I spot Juan and his wife and other members of his family.  He’s a former guerrilla who told us in 2015 about his war years.

It is very comforting to see people from the community that I know, especially since they seem happy to see me.

Moments later I hear my name called again and this time I recognize the voice.  

It’s Manual Chavez.  We all talk and I tell them my reason for coming.

  

Since I have copies of the letter on me I give each a copy. We read it together.

They tell me that they will assemble the Directiva to meet with me tomorrow.

And so I’ll finish this part of the blog tomorrow.  

It will be good to talk with the directiva and since Juan and his family and Manual seemed happy to see me maybe it will go well on Tuesday.

April 14 - ¿Qué haría Jesús?

April 14, 2017 Good Friday

Woke up very early after a lot of dreaming, Head full of Good Friday. And a theological question.

¿Qué haría Jesús? - What would Jesus do?
...  if no one would pick up the hammer and nails, and said, “Not going to do it.” and no one else would. ¿Qué haría Jesús?

The “Spearer” refused the order and said, “Not me.” and no one else would either. ¿Qué haría Jesús?

What if no one would have obeyed the command that Friday. And it has to be done! ¿Qué haría Jesús? - What would Jesus do?

Would you do it? Someone you know do it? Think I would? Of course someone would do it, someone sick, crazy, angry enough. But what if on that day no one would? What would that act of disobedience mean? I can't imagine anyone I know doing such a barbaric act. That's a compliment to you, the reader. Those are the ramblings of my mind for what ever they are worth this morning.

Outside there's noise, The neighbors are creating street pictures (alfombras) depicting the 12 stations f the cross. An artist draws the design on the pavement with chalk and then the people, old, young, boys and girls start filling in the pictures with colored salt. Some very colorful and others a little more somber.

Lots of conversation and supervising from those standing by offering advice.

I'm told the pictures take about 1 ½ hours to create and that about 10:00, from the church several blocks away, the Via Crucis begins.

Sorry no pictures of the peregrination. My card reader destroyed them while I was down loading them to my computer.  I'm lucky to have the three showing in this blog.

At the head of the procession are the clergy waving incensors, then some teen-aged boys in the role of Jesus, the guards and soldiers, all in appropriate dress. There is a girl dressed all in white who is standing close to Jesus and two figures all dressed in a somber black which on this hot day seems really punishing. Rounding out the procession are neighbors and onlookers who follow the route from station to station.

At each of the stations there is a shrine with flowers and a picture. The group stops and the story is re-enacted for the onlookers. The priests speak and there is some music. 

At the conclusion the group moves on with music while the guards continue whipping Jesus, I thought a bit vigorously. When his shirt was removed at the 10^th station red welts were visible.

The first station and the last two stations were accompanied by Ennio Marricone's, “Gabriel's Oboe” which I didn't recognize the first time, perhaps due to my attention on other things. But the last two times, the scenes and actions accompanied by the music brought tears to my eyes.

Check out "Gabriel's Oboe" on YouTube and treat yourself to one of the rarest of all human talents, the ability to create a melody of overwhelming beauty.

The procession walks on, through the alfombras which seemed disrespectful to the artistry and labor, although interestingly, I noticed that some of the pictures appeared recognizable the next day.

Ate some street vended ice cream in a cone with my fingers crossed. More on the conclusion tomorrow so stay tuned.

Planning to visit some friends tomorrow (Sunday) morning and then take 303 bus to Berlin. I'll really be glad when this next part of the trip is behind me.

Sorry about the pictures,  Warren

April 15 - Double Rats so you'll have to take my word

April 15,2017, Saturday - Better night of sleep.  Didn't wake up until about 4:30 to the sound of birds.

Heard men's voices last night and this morning there were a couple of 40 year olds, speaking French, I think.  Spoke in quiet voices and couldn't tell exactly.  Only a brief greeting and then back to each other.

I saw some cases that look like surf boards.  Perhaps they will be going to the beach today.  El Salvador has a reputation, among other things, of having some fine beaches as well as great surf.

I hear them speaking with the staff in  Spanish.  Observation - We Americans, with the exception of Tom Mott, speak only one.  Can you name one person in Newton who is fluent in another language with the exception of a language teacher at the high school?  Oh, I forgot, Lawrence!  How much, I bet, he would like some of us to learn a greeting or a word or phrase in his native tongue.

Going to give you some pictures of where I'm staying.  The shower is so hot I had to turn off the electric element.  The food is really gourmet and I think of the contrast here in comparison to where I'll be visiting in a few days.  A different world.  Such a disconnect in this world; between those who have and those who don't.  I'm glad I'm part of the former and not the later.  In truth, the only people I really know are those who "have" in abundance; the only people who will read this are those who have.  Except those in Muñoces and, as has been pointed out to me recently, I don't even know them.  Sad.

Well today I'll make my way to the center of town and, if I'm feeling strong, walk through Mercado Central.   It has been several years since I've done that.  It seems to be the most lively place on the planet which I'm sure is the case for every market in the world.  I wonder if I'll see anyone I met on my first visits there?  I notice the police seem to keep an eye on me and that is comforting.  Hopefully, those who might see me as easy pick'ins are aware of the police even more than me.

Should be another hot one so I'm going to get going just as soon as breakfast is eaten.  It's terrifically dry and I'm having a difficult time drinking enough water to feel hydrated.  I'm not sweating except while walking.  I've been drinking and drinking but don't seem to get ahead.

Oh yes, importantly, the YUCCA, the ice cream and potato have all been welcomed in my gut. Enough said.  I'll be more adventuresome today.  I hope my system is becoming stronger.  I've been careful about brushing my teeth but that may change, We'll see.

Just noticed the 2 guys are gone as well as their cases.  It's been nice being the only one residing here.

Caught Bus 26 to Mercado Central.  Not many people riding today.  Must be the holiday weekend.
The final route was different than I remembered so I had to jump off and re-oriente myself.   Good thing that I like to walk.  My philosophy is to walk rapidly even if you're not sure where you're going.  If anyone is watching they will think you not lost or weak.

Bought some things in the market; 4 AA batteries .25, 5 mangoes .50, Mas .25, bag for my small laptop $6.00.  They really don't use the paper dollars.  They get gritty and dirty, so the dollar coin is often given in change.

The market is like a living organism.  Tiendas that were there last time I was here are gone.  Some of the streets have no shops.  Others where there had been none are now too crowded. It's difficult to pass without bumping into others and trying to dodge cars and pickup trucks threading their way through the tangle of humanity.

Not really so busy as I might have led you to believe so it was an enjoyable stroll,listening and smelling (oh add fish and fruit to the list of  aromas I wrote about the other day) that stimulate the nose.  You might be able to get a whiff if you look intently enough at the pictures.  Dang no pictures

I think that locals seeing a gringo strolling through the market might buoy their feeling that if he is walking around here it can't be too bad.  Although right after I had the that thought I bought a Mas news paper and it was full of articles about folks being killed, including a 45 year old coconut vender shot and a picture of her body laying beside her tienda.
Back at Oasis. The girls read the church's letter to Muñoces and I filled them in on the history and the current project.   They gave me some feed back on my remarks to each family.  Sorry just one picture.  But it's a good one of my three Spanish tutorizadas.

Not going to have much time so I'm planning to give each family the letter and tell them that we have received the decision to end the relationship, that we're sorry they are making that decision, that we had hoped this would be a long friendship, but that we respect their decision and, in saying good-bye, thank them for their kindness and hospitalidad. We wish them nothing but the best and they will  forever be in our hearts.

I'll be glad when this project is in the review mirror.

I'm going to attempt a couple of visits tomorrow and then board the bus to Berlin.  More later.

DOUBLE RATS my card reader has lost all my pictures from today and some from yesterday!  Sorry!



More later, and that will be from Berlin!    Ojala,  Warren

April 13 - Wet Streets and Friends

Thursday April 13, 2017
Up early and down to the patio to read, think and plan the day. 

I thought it was about 7:00 but in fact Dora told me it was 6:00. So I' d been up since 4:30.



She told me she remembered me from my stay here several years back.  Nice to have a personality that people remember even after several years.

 7:30 they invited me to another part of the patio where there was a table, candle and food fit for a king.  Perfect temperature about 70 and sunny with a slight breeze to stir the air.  I hear birds cooing and chirping and only in the background do I hear the sound of buses, the exhaust from their engines starting to turn the air blue.  But here, right now it is about as nice as it gets!  If only my sweetheart were here!



On the streets, which were wet, I walked the familiar route to Piche's, Monsy's and the school.  I feel a little older and slower.  I try to remove that thought from my head but it periodically returns as I feel like I put more effort into the stride over the wet spots.

First stop Monsy's.    She was at the beach but her son Diego called his father,  Ricardo who called his mother, Elsi. And we renew our relationship.  We met Elsi several years back when we brought some items sent by her son.  She was living in Cedar Rapids with another son.

Had a nice chat and then Ricardo and Diego fixed my phone so we called Linda and everyone had an exciting video chat!   WOW! What a wonderfully magical world we live in.  Mustn't let all our advances in technology be lost or  be screwed up!!!

Disappointment  -  Piche's weren't home.  Neighbor thought they might be on vacation.  I'll check back later.

Ate lunch at BurgerKing. Just like Newton's but a more graceful floor designed. Hate to eat as I am, like an American.

Sort of frightened to eat on the street due to the long time I've been out of the country and the short time I'm here.

But I did buy some Yucca from a street vendor and plan to see how it treats my innards.

From there walked to Quesadias por Exportacion and gave Freda a couple of pictures I took on our last visit.  Tried to buy 2 quesadias and a drink but she wouldn't have it.  They were as good as I remember.  You've never had a quesadia until you've had one of her's.  Told me she is a graduate dietician from Universadid  Naccional and got the formula from a girl friend a longtime ago.  She  talked about her family of 3 boys, one living in Toronto  and her three grandsons. Told her I was going to BUY a box before I return home and that I was going to PAY for it.  Stay tuned to see how that episode ends.

When you're doing a lot of walking one needs a rest, it's nice to have a place where you're known, where you can sit a while and be out of the heat. 


That is one of the experiences I appreciate in my travels around the city as a pilgrim.

Having regained some energy from the quesadias and coke I walked to the bi-lingual (actually tri-lingual, since they are also teaching Chinese) school.


No one was there but the security guard Oscar, helped me compose a letter (but wasn't able to read it for spelling errors - sad) telling them that I was going to go to Muñoces, solo and that I had a letter I was going to give to all the folks explaining what had happened.  I hope to make contact with them before I leave so I can repay them for the wonderful meal they treated Linda and me to 2 years ago.

Walking home in the late afternoon heat I became aware of the aromas wafting up from the curb and gutter. Not unpleasant, just not fragrances one would ordinary associate with one another.   Warm water running into the drain from having washed clothes, the smell of dryer sheets, the usual sight of an animal's presence, exhaust from buses "hot-roding" the streets and the aroma of a street vender cooking pupusas or an exotically spiced soup that would spell months of gastro-intestinal attention.  I know that words or pictures don't convey what I'm describing, so you'll just have to try and concoct the formula yourself or -   come to the country and "savor salvador."

Another short video with Linda telling me I need to edit yesterday's blog. 

Then Oasis's owners, Damian and Carolina came by and we exchanged stories about what's happening in each other's world.  I initially stayed with them when I came down for 3 months in 2001 and they came for a visit with their two boys a year or two later, and visited our church. So some of you probably met them.

Their son's are prospering in many ways as visual artist and musician, volunteering to help those less fortunate. 

They are some of the many people taking the napkin's admonishment to heart and not,  "Staying Put."





The phrase, "mi casa es su casa" is embodied by my hosts and their employees.


                                       
And so I'm going to sign off and hope to get some sound sleep for my
brain and mind!



Tomorrow (Good Friday) has yet to be planned in my mind so come back and see, "Que pasara'." what's going to happen

Warren