Delegation!

We tore ourselves away from the beach yesterday and headed for the airport to meet Kathy and the delegation from Newton. They arrived right on time and we headed to the guesthouse....Villa Serena Flor Blanca....a really lovely place....probably the nicest place I've ever stayed in El Salvador. There's even hot water at the tap!! This morning after breakfast we left for a day of visiting important sites in San Salvador. We began with Cuscatlan Park (above) where there is a fabulous mural depicting the history of El Salvador and a wall with thousands of names of the dead and missing from the 12 year civil war. While the group moved on to Divina Providencia, the site of the assassination of Archbishop Oscar Romero (see blog post for Monday, March 5), Warren and I broke away from the group for an hour to visit our Salvadoran family, Carlos and Yolanda.

They looked great and the hour flew by with lively conversation....and I could even understand much of it! We rejoined the group and went on to the UCA, the site of the assassination of 6 Jesuit priests, their housekeeper and her daughter. We took time for lunch and shopping at an artesenia area and then visited a military museum...a first for all of us. We encountered an English speaking military man who gave us much food for thought and discussion about the war and the role of the military. Our driver, Alfredo, suggested a drive around downtown where we saw the National Cathedral....closed and occupied by veterans protesting the lack of pensions.

We also visited a nearby church that we have often noticed but never visited....well, Warren had visited but it was new to the rest of us. It looks like an old train station or war bunker for the outside but the inside is magical. The stained glass lights up the interior like a jewel. It is very modern in design and contains many unusual works of liturgical art. The name...Iglesia El Rosario.

Meals are a delightful opportunity to try new foods and enjoy discussion of the events of the day. It's great to have the group all together in El Salvador and we're looking forward to more visits tomorrow and our arrival in Berlin tomorrow night.