After a very, very long bus trip from Guatemala City (we had about 1 1/2 hours pause for what we were told was a parade or demonstration - Andrea and I watched three entire movies en route), we returned to San Salvador and to the base house where we rejoined Eleanor Gilmore and where I am now at home. What a pleasure to wash clothes, begin to arrange my room, and start to live here - even while continuing in vacation mode.
Today we went up to Suchitoto (about an hour north of San Salvador), stopping at Aguilares and El Paisnal for brief visits with doctors who've been part of previous PazSalud missions. Conversation is still a huge challenge for me - I answered "yes" to Doctora Nidia's question only to learn that the question was "When will we meet again?" May all these pits and pitfalls be pure comedy to my gracious Salvadoran hosts.
Aguilares and El Paisnal hold a special memory of the life and martyr's death of Padre Rutilio Grande, SJ, who was Pastor in both towns and was killed in 1977 (along with a young boy and old man who were driving with him) on the way to El Paisnal. In El Paisnal, a new altarpiece (above) shows Archbishop Romero and Padre Rutilio celebrating at a table with Salvadoran friends and foods - Una Mesa para Todos, One Table for All, says the legend. May we all gather at the one table of Jesus, the table of friends.
I can picture you in Suchi, Aguilares, El Paisnal & the base house seeing as I was there with you ... can it be a year & a half ago???
ReplyDeleteEnjoy settling in!