In November, after a two-year pandemic pause, WES/Global Connections sent a mini-delegation to our sister-community, El Rodeo.  Peggy Goetz, Susan Runner, Ross Wells, Pam Williams and in-country coordinator Cristina Starr, (all vaccinated and boosted), arrived eager to reconnect.  In collaboration with community leaders, we discussed the feasibility of a June 2022 WES delegation.

WES began its relationship with the community of El Rodeo in 2010, intentionally choosing a sister-community model based upon mutuality and solidarity, rather than charity.  The annual, multi-generational, summer delegations provide the opportunity to nourish our relationships and accompany the community.  Over the years we’ve witnessed small children grow into young adults and become members of the Water Committee or Community Council; babies have been born, elders have died; earthen foot paths improved, new houses built; a multi-phase water system ALMOST complete.  After a decade of collaboration, the isolation from our friends in El Rodeo felt really bad.  Finally, the time to travel had come.  Despite having to be at the airport at 2:00 a.m., we experienced sleep-deprived joy as we boarded the plane for San Salvador.

SAN SALVADOR:

After settling into the “Oasis,” our favorite Guest House, old friend and former deputy in the National Legislator, Damian Alegria gave us background information on the rise of the new authoritarian President, Nayib Bukele and current conditions in the country.  As early as May 2021, the Washington Post was concerned, “For more than a year, we have been warning that President Bukele poses a serious threat to democracy and the rule of law in El Salvador.”  Since then, El Salvador became the first country in the world to institute Bitcoin as an official currency, using their geo-thermal generated electricity to create bitcoin.  Now the government has packed the Supreme Court and is pushing for a 40% tax on charitable contributions given to aid non-profit support groups within the country. 

We also heard from environmental leader, Pedro Cabezas on government efforts to tax and privatize public water systems (like El Rodeo’s) and a drive to re-institute metallic mining, banned since 2017.  The struggle continues…

Our stay in the Capital was not all “business.”  We visited the ceramic studio, Shicali and the iconic Fernando Llort Art Gallery & Studio.  We also fit in ice cream at La Neveria.  The Oasis serves healthy and delicious traditional food and we were looking forward to having dinner on the patio.  We were pleasantly surprised to find WES friend and Takoma Park musician, Lilo Gonzales sitting in the lobby, waiting for us!  Along with a wonderful dinner, we had a great conversation with Lilo, who is anxious to return to El Rodeo with us in the near future.

We said goodbye to our gracious hosts at the Oasis and piled into our rental 4X4 pickup, heading for El Rodeo.  On the way we stopped in the small textile town of San Sebastian.  There, several shops still sell textiles made from wooden spinning wheels and hand-powered looms.  It is also the place where Padre Vidal Rivas, the pastor of San Mateo Episcopal Church in Hyattsville grew up.  Last September, Ross helped the Takoma Distribution of Food Justice-DMV move to his church and had gotten to know Padre a little. He is a tireless activist for immigrants and the disposed in Langley Park, very much in the mold of Oscar Romero.  We met his whole family, who were warm and welcoming and we were treated to a wonderful mid-day meal and conversation.  

EL RODEO:  

It was a tonic to see our friends in front of the school in El Rodeo.  It had been two long years and much had happened.  Ingris, the new president of the village council and other old friends greeted us, as we settled in with our host families.

The following day, we met with 9 members of the ADESCO or Village Council.  Some described their own experiences during the pandemic, including police enforcement of a total lockdown.  Sources of family income were cut off.  People were frightened but they persevered.  Surgical masks, left at Susan’s Dental Clinic, were put into service.  We were told that “having the water system at this time was huge,” and that “the water is of good quality.”  The new water system enabled every person to wash frequently, stay hydrated and expand their home food gardens.  During a time of great adversity, the community showed amazing resilience. Phase 3 of the water project was able to proceed, including composting latrines for all of the houses, grey-water mitigation and home vegetable gardens.  Eventually, vaccines became available and over 70% were able to be fully vaccinated.  When we left, plans were being made to give boosters and vaccinate children over five. 

The ADESCO (Council) also formally invited WES to send a delegation of youth and adults this June.   We reached an understanding that strict health and safely protocols would be put in place by WES and El Rodeo to ensure a safe and productive exchange, as we have had for many years.

During our visit, Pam was able to meet with the teachers at the elementary school in El Rodeo as she usually does. It was great to catch up and hear about their experience during the covid shut down when they would travel to each student’s house to deliver worksheets/pencils and return the next day to pick them up. Wow! What dedication. Now that school has resumed in-person, things are “back to normal” with some upgrades including wifi internet at the school building and a promise of tablets for each student in the coming year. Daily supplies such as pencils and notebooks are still not sufficient. They were thrilled with supplies we brought and we returned with a wish-list of things the next delegation can bring in the summer. Everyone seemed healthy which was truly a blessing.

LOCAL CONNECTIONS:

Four of us drove the back roads to the tiny village of Guacotecti, where our partner NGO, ADES is located.  Founding Director, Antonio Pacheco (Chico), described how during the pandemic, their staff of 20 dwindled to 5, as Covid made the rounds.  However, over time, their work increased to over 60 water projects, home vegetable garden workshops, college scholarships and a commitment to expand the organic greenhouse in nearby Santa Marta.  Chico described their will to commit to the future despite the severe setbacks caused by the pandemic.  It was inspiring and a lesson for us:  under the right conditions, adversity can build strength.

We also met with the leadership at the community radio station, Radio Victoria.  They had many pandemic stories to tell, (several of their staff had covid) but again, they chose to move forward during this time.  In fact, they have formed plans to begin a video recording studio at the station.  In addition to their radio shows, they can now begin to move into a new form of broadcast communication.  

DENTAL CLINIC UPDATE:

An anchor of each delegation is Dr. Susan Runner’s dental clinic.  Equipped with a portable dental unit, she typically provides basic dental care including cleaning, fluoride treatments, extractions, and fillings.  Throughout the mini-delegation, community members and leaders expressed their appreciation for “La Clinica Susana” and how much they’ve missed her care.  Unable to set up a clinic, we delivered toothpaste and toothbrushes to each home.   Susan also took the opportunity to organize and inventory on-site supplies and identified two community members interested in learning how to administer mid-year fluoride treatments. 

WHAT’S NEXT:

We’re still living amidst a pandemic, in a time of uncertainty.  Given that, our intention is to send a delegation to El Rodeo in 2022 from Wednesday, June 22 to Sunday July 3.  As always, we’ll spend a few days in San Salvador getting acclimated and a week in El Rodeo.  Delegation criteria may change as the pandemic evolves.   Some examples of the basic requirements follow:

• Delegates agree to be fully vaccinated and boosted at the time of departure.
• Delegates commit to wear an N95 mask, wash hands, and maintain social distancing as required.
• Delegates commit to bringing antigen self-testing kits.
• Host family members must be fully vaccinated and boosted to be eligible to host delegates.
• The Water Committee will ensure that the water is tested and safe to use.
• We’ll ensure that PCR tests are available in country and know where and how to get them.
• Airline tickets purchased will be fully refundable.

If you are curious and want to learn more, we look forward to connecting with you!  

Please contact either of the WES/Global Connections team co-chairs:  

Peggy Goetz      peggykgoetz@gmail.com

Ross Wells rosswells99@gmail.com

Save the date for an EL RODEO PLATFORM:  MARCH 27!