VIM EL SALVADOR NEWSLETTER

Volume 1 number 3 San Salvador, October 2001

Canadians visit El Salvador

ks During our stay in El Salvador, we have met many, many Americans and persons from other countries. Really, they have all been wonderful people. Recently, however, we were delighted to receive a group of Canadians mostly from Christ Church Calgary. They had come down to be a part of a construction project of Habitat for Humanity in Santa Elena, Usulután.

Led by Chris and Alison Longson, the group contained ten people including three youths. Hosted by Habitat on the one hand, and by Padre David Alvarado of Iglesia San Andrés and us on the other, we hope our friends had a well-balanced experience of El Salvador.

After a warm welcome to the group by the Bishop, Martín Barahona, Ed and I led the group on a merry chase through San Salvador: the Metropolitan (Catholic) Cathedral with its spectacular tile mosaics and the tomb of Archbishop Oscar Romero, the central and artisan markets, lunch in one of the multitude of fast-food chicken places in El Salvador, and a visit to the chapel of El Hospital Divina Providencia where the Archbishop was murdered, and where is located the museum in the small residence where he lived.
The following day, while I was teaching at the School of Ministry of Women, Ed took the group to an art gallery that features the work of Fernando Llort. Mr. Llort's designs have evolved into the wonderful crosses and other objects with colourful pictures enamelled on them. He also created the mosaics in the Catholic Cathedral. That afternoon, several of the Canadians -- the ones who understood Spanish -- observed classes in the School of Ministry of Women.

The group then joined with a second group from Ireland and helped to build houses for people of Santa Elena who had suffered great losses during the two earthquakes earlier this year. Joined by Ed and Padre David, they worked for a full week in hotter than usual temperatures in this already hot area of eastern El Salvador. The houses are of concrete block reinforced with steel and built to withstand serious seismic disturbance. The houses are designed to provide a safe, clean and dignified environment. The homes in Santa Elena previously built by Habitat for Humanity withstood the earthquakes. Most of these dwellings from prior construction projects have been further improved by the proud families who live in them.

Upon return I conducted the group on what they told me was a rather charming day that included a visit to Cielo Mar, the conference centre on the Pacific beach just outside of La Libertad. En route we stopped for cold coconut milk and then the meat to eat after. At Cielo Mar with its million-dollar view of the ocean, a number of the folk took a leisurely walk on the black sands of the beach, perhaps more safely than usual because it was a national holiday and there were a lot of people about. We then drove to a restaurant perched on a cliff high above the sea, where the proprietor graciously arranged tables all along the balcony facing out so that every one of us had a spectacular view of the sea while we ate nice fish dinners.

Our mini-bus then wound down along the scenic highway toward Cuilapa, where Ed serves each Sunday, San Pedro y San Pablo. Because I missed the turn-off, we ended up driving in circles in the wrong hamlet that gave us a wider view of life in this agricultural area. Due to getting lost and other minor things that put us a bit behind schedule, we arrived an hour late for the Eucharist at which I was to preside. Almost everyone was waiting patiently and gave us an enthusiastic reception. The group had attended a Eucharist at San Andrés in the urban area, but this was a real "country church" with a wonderful simplicity. The sides of the building are half wall and half cyclone-type fencing, so one can look out and see tropical plants and the famous and prolific fire trees -- willowy leaves and bright orange-red blossoms. For the Canadian group the temperatures here were probably mild compared to Usulután. I was drenched in sweat even though I didn't use an alb

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Undocumented Salvadorians face new challenges

es The Rt. Rev. Martín Barahona and members of the diocese have been working to ensure that the El Salvadorian population in the USA is given fair treatment. The USA and Mexico are considering setting up a process for regularising many of the Mexican workers in the USA. As well there will probably be much tighter control of undocumented people entering the USA after the terrorist attack of September 11. Along with this would come a process for deporting illegal workers. Many El Salvadorians are concerned about what will happen to their people in the USA and the families here who are dependent on this income.

Large numbers of El Salvadorian families are able to make ends meet because of money transfers from family members in the USA. Many of these immigrants are illegal. However, various sectors of the US economy wish to keep wages low having these Latin American workers as a significant part of the available labour pool.

Free trade seems to have a strong negative effect on the quality of life for many people in El Salvador. While Europe, the USA and other countries have maintained generous subsidies for their own agricultural products, here products are at world market prices. The dumping of grains further lowers world market prices by supposedly altruistic programmes. These programs have ensured that production of basic subsistence foods is no longer taking place here. The people grow sugar cane, coffee and cotton. These products are now at a low price level. As well, El Salvador, along with Honduras and Nicaragua,

is facing a devastating drought. As well, with the mechanised farming that is dependent on chemical fertilisers, insecticides and hybrid corn seeds, many agricultural economists think that this fertile land may not be able to support profitable agriculture. This problem has its parallels in much of the developed world where the small and medium size farms are disappearing.

El Salvador has also chosen to grow its economy by setting up factories known as maquilas in which much of the clothing and home products that we use in North America are produced here at near slave-labour rates. I have spoken to some of the young women who work in these factories. They have said that only by living at home or with a relative, who absorbs some of the actual costs of living, are they able to subsist. One young woman, whose older siblings had been able to get university education but because of the economic downturn her father lost his income and cannot assist her, told me that the income that she gets does not permit the type of savings that would make it possible for her to take off a minimum of six months to go to university.

In the immigrant situation the Bishop thinks that it is important to inform the people in the USA. He hopes that concerned people or groups will contact the government to encourage it to look at the impact of suddenly sending thousands of productive workers to a situation of scarce jobs and an impoverished agricultural sector in El Salvador.

Diocese of El Salvador
Responds to Attack on USA

ks The Rt. Rev. Martín Barahona, Bishop of El Salvador, called on the parishes of the diocese to a week of prayer in behalf of those who are suffering as a result of the recent attacks on the United States of America. Official prayers commenced on September 23 and were to continue through September 30.

In his letter to the parishes, the bishop expressed the consternation and sorrow of Anglicans/Episcopalians in this country and encouraged the active and positive response of prayer. In addition, a collection will be taken in each congregation for a diocesan contribution to the relief work in the USA. Return Home

Salvadorians pray for peace

A number of the members of the diocese also participated in an ecumenical service on the morning of September 25th at the Holiday Inn in Santa Tecla. Bishop Barahona acted as Master of Ceremonies at the service. Religious leaders included Gustavo Kraselnik, rabbi of the Jewish community, Armando Bukele, spiritual director of the Arab Islamic Centre, a representative of Roman Catholic Archbishop Monseñor Fernando Sáenz Lacalle, a variety of Protestant leaders, and Gabriel Torres from the Bahai community. During this service, "la Reverenda" Kay read a translation of a few statements of a pastoral letter of Archbishop Michael Peers, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, to Canadian Anglicans, and gave a prayer for peace in Spanish.

In Spanish, Bishop Barahona said, "We understand the blow the United States has received, but it is contradictory to say that to search for peace we are going to fight."

The statement from Archbishop Lacalle said, "All of humanity must pray a great deal so that the governments make a decision without provoking a war."

Rabbi Kraselnik stated that, "We must think carefully. We must not allow ourselves to be carried by the instinct of revenge to punish those culpable and their helpers."

Armando Bukele pointed out that "Islam is a religion of peace. The 344 million muslims in the world condemn terrorism."

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Theological Education in Guatemala

ks Most of the clergy and some of the lay leaders in the Anglican diocese of El Salvador travelled recently to Guatemala for a theological course on the church. We boarded a bus at the Marriott Inn in San Salvador and rode through the foothills surrounding Santa Ana into Guatemala. From there we proceeded to the Lutheran Conference Centre in Antigua, a lovely ancient town on the other side of the mountain from Guatemala City. At the centre we met most of the clergy from the diocese of Guatemala. I was pleased to see that there were several women clergy in this diocese, as I am the only one at present in El Salvador.

Ed gave a detailed lecture on the history of the Eucharist and led a Bible study from the Book of the Acts of the Apostles. I gave a lecture (yes, in Spanish) on the development of ministry in the church and evangelism. Under evangelism I discussed inculturation and how the new Anglican Province of Central America might employ aspects of its own histories in its liturgy as a form of evangelism. Padre Boanerges Rosa led a discussion on Anglicanism. Padre Rosa is the Director of CAES, the new advanced theology program of the fledgling province.


Theological Education for Central America

Students from various dioceses of the Anglican Church in Central America participated in a short intensive course at the El Salvador diocesan seaside conference centre, Cielo Mar. These sessions are a part of the students' formation for service with a high-academic level of theological education. The students will receive a degree in conjunction with the Virginia Seminary in Alexandria, Virginia.

Ed led a course in September on Theology of Baptism. "I found that the students took their written work seriously and that they participated in group work in an energetic and intelligent dialogue." These students for all of the courses, present research papers developed from themes in the short courses. The papers are presented at the next session of the school.

In November both Ed and Kay will be leading courses. Kay will be exploring inculturation and the Gospel in Central America. Ed will be teaching a basic course in ecclesiology.

A MODERN GLORIA
(to be sung in free chant)

Let us give glory to the One who has made us,
planter of peace and goodwill in this earth.
We lift up our voices in praise and adoration,
thanking you for the gift of your glory,
Holy One, Tender One, Creator of Love.

Glory be to Christ, Beloved, sole embodiment of God,
for you are bone of our bone, flesh of our flesh.
You came to us poor and empty, strong redeemer.
You are foolish wisdom, who bears our sin.

From the beginning you alone are One Divine.
and you only have become our desire,
for you, o Christ, alone are radiant
lighting us with the spirit's gracious fire,
hear our prayer and have mercy upon us.

--Ksschmitt, based on a Gloria by Janet Morley

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