6/20/2012

TUESDAYGreetings everyone!The delegation had a safe and pleasent journey to San Salvador yesterday. Our flights were on time and free of hassles. We landed at the San Salvador international airport around noon and had the rest of the day to experience and enjoy the city. Especially considering the fact that it was cooler in temperature in San Salvador then it was in Des Moines! Our first dining adventure was a buffet-style restaurant serving traditional dishes such as chicken, rice, beans, and pupusas, the national food of El Salvador, which are small, thick tortillas that taste similar to rice and are almost always accompanied with a sweet cabbage spread, similar to cole slaw. For our first educatonal visit, we went to the military museum, which displays various artillery, art, and other memorabilia pertaining to the Salvadarian armed forces. From there we went to the guest house until dinner. I ordered the fish and was surprised when I recieved a whole fish- without ANYTHING being cut off or removed. We ended the night with reflection time, as we will every evening. It is a prime opportunity to share our thoughts and feeling with one another. WEDNESDAYWe began the day with a light breakfast at the guest house before heading out to the civil war memorial wall- which displays all known names of civilians who were victims of the war. (about 35,000 names were on the wall) From there we went to Divina Providencia, a hospital for cancer patients that includes the chapel Oscar Romero was killed in and Oscar Romero's home. Our next stop was UCA- the University of Central America. It also includes memorials that depicts the gruesome Salvadorian civil war. We then went to lunch and shopping at a local marketplace. After we filled our bellies we headed off to Berlin in our micro-bus. Our driver Alfredo is very brave as driving in El Salvador can be quite terrifying! After a spectacular drive thorough the mountains we arrived at the pastoral house in Berlin. I was amazed at how differently city living is compared to rural living even though it's in the same country. After unloading our luggage we met Blanca and Cecilia, two of the pastoral team members who look after us and the surrounding communities. We now look forward to another day, new experiences, and discovering how our minds will be opened even further. Adam