Dear WES,

We hope that all of you are well and taking good care of your family and friends.

We at WES/Global Connections (G.C.) wanted to share with you news from our Sister Community, El Rodeo, El Salvador.  (See link below). Our friends are finding how important their new water system is in the time of Covid19. Now that there is water at every home in the village: cooking, staying hydrated, washing hands and bathing are a daily part of staying healthy and virus-free.  The stash of dental masks, left by intrepid dentist, Dr. Susan Runner, has been distributed and put to good use by the people to help stop the spread of the virus. The WES community has been an integral part of all of this.

This is an unprecedented and difficult time for people everywhere. The 2020 WES/Global Connections Delegation to El Rodeo was due to leave for El Salvador on June 24.  Now, for the first time in 11 years, we may be forced to ground the delegation.  Not a done-deal yet but with both countries on virtual lock-down, the chances of our going grow dimmer with each passing day.  At great personal risk, our stalwart G.C. medical professionals Gabriela and Christina, are providing front-line, critical care for Covid-19 patients here in the U.S:  ethical agents at work in the world.  Their health workshops will be sorely missed in El Rodeo.

El Salvador’s authoritarian President, Nayib Bukele is taking no chances… Wearing a facemask in public is mandatory and the police are now authorized to impound the cars of persons who are on the streets without justification.  Following entry into the country from abroad, travelers have been spending up to 30 days in quarantine.  Despite the Salvadoran Supreme Court’s ruling that the police and army must not carry people off to quarantine centers solely for being in the street in violation of the stay-at-home order, 1844 persons are in those centers for just that reason. 

Meanwhile, we at Global Connections are doing what we have always done, embracing the “F” work, flexibility.   We may not make it to El Rodeo this June but we will do our best to send a smaller delegation in the fall.  At that time, our hope is that we’ll be working with our friends on their first community-owned building a “Casa Communal”  (Community Center).

We just received a letter from Elvis Zavala, President of the Community Council (ADESCO) of El Rodeo. We invite you to take a look. (In English & Spanish).  Over the years, many of you have seen Elvis speak at a WES Platform or two.  His twelve year old daughter Izel, wrote the second note. Thanks to your support, poco a poco, (little by little), the journey continues.

Peggy Goetz and Ross Wells 

Co-Chairs:  WES/Global Connections