ยก d a l e !

(give it up!)

The pictures below tell the story of sixteen weary pilgrims out to get a better glimpse of the world through the stories of El Salvador, travelling over 5,000 miles on their April vacation. Click on any thumbnail to enlarge a photo. 

This is the second trip for BERSI to El Salvador through International Partners in Mission.

 If these photos inspire you to do so, please consider making a donation to one of the two partner-sites who hosted us: Mujer Y Comunidad (Women in Community) and the Lidia Coggiola School. Your donations will help abused or displaced women find meaningful work and fund salaries for the teachers at the school.
 

Taca Airlines, JFK, Sunday Morning.
 
 

Women making "pupusas."
 
 

On the bus.
 
 

San Miguel Volcano.
 
 
 
 

Sunrise over the Honduran border.
 
 
 
 
Breakfast.  "Even though the people here have so little, they'll do anything to accommodate you."   ~James
 
 
 
 
 
 
Artifacts from the Guerrilla Museum in Pelaquin.
 
 
 
 
Crater from "A U.S. Bomb"
 
 
Mario, former guerrilla.
 
 
 
 
El Mozote massacre site.  Read about it here.
 
 
 
 
"At the massacre site, it suddenly hit me that the U.S. could possibly be involved in something like that.  We don't live in the best country."  ~Jonathan
 
 
 
 
"Everything's been given to us.  Salvadorans have to work for what they have.  But what they get in return is more than we can understand."  ~Richard
 
 
 
 
"Faith comes from an interaction with others."  ~Marco
 
 
Guest house, San Salvador.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
"God is like a hallway with many doors.  Hope."  ~James
 
 
Ann Grieg, Maryknoll, cooking with soy products.  "In Ann I saw Christ -- dedicating everything she has to everyone there."  ~James
 
 
The four martyred women are everywhere.
 
 
Rutilio Grande, Romero's good friend, killed in 1978.  Note the "666" on the forehead, graffiti that shows continued tension.
 
 
Dish duty.
 
 
Free-trade zone.  Every Salvadoran we spoke to asked us to stop CAFTA.
 
 
Site of the four martyred women.
 
 
 
 
Zaragoza.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Local music: Horizontes.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Center for Exchange and Solidarity
 
 
Grocery shopping.
 
 
With Sister Bernandita at the site of Romero's assassination.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Jesuit Professor Dean Brackley, Jesuit University of America.
 
 
Memorial for the six martyred Jesuits.
 
 
 
 
At Women in Community in Zaragoza.  "These women hardly even knew us, but when it came time to say goodbye, I didn't want to leave."  ~Jonathan
 
 
William Aragon, founder of Fundacion Aragon, anti-gang program.
 
 
The Lidia Coggiola School.
 
 
Martita, a teacher at Coggiola.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
"We must break the stereotypes down--and tell each individual story when we return."  ~Corey
 
 
 
 
Empanadas.
 
 
With the Fundacion Aragon at a local pool.
 
 
Earth Day Celebration in Soyapongo.
 
 
Salvadoran arm wrestling.
 
 
 
 
Richard and Bryan participate in a dance.
 
 
"And now, boys, you are in trouble --because you have been called.  To be disciples."  ~Julieta
 
 
"Liberation theology here is alive and well."  ~Peter
 
 
Site of Rutilio Grande's assassination.
 
 
Lago de Ilopango.
 
 
At the beach.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
JFK, returning.
 
 
L i n k s

  Romero: On the Twenty-Fifth Anniversary (NPR)

  Overlook Farm

  Soy in El Salvador

  Lonely Planet Guide to El Salvador

  International Partners in Mission

  BERSI

 

 

 

  
 
 
T h a n k   y o u

  Joe Cistone, Julieta Borja
  International Partners in Mission
  Fundacion Aragon
  Mario Chocho
  Mujer y Comunidad
  Escuela Lidia Coggiola
  Frank McHugh
  Richard Chisholm
  Dr. Jim Keane
  Professor Dean Brackley
  Ann Grieg
  Leslie Schould
  Horizontes
  All the CM Parents
  Family and Friends