Wed March 24, 30th commemoration of Romero´s Assessination

“ Despair is the only cure for illusion. Without despair we cannot transfer our allegiance to reality – it is a kind of mourning period for our fantasies. Some people do not survive this despair, but no major change within a person (or a society) can occur without it.” Philip Slater


6:45 am - We are on the bus headed for the mass to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Monsignor Romero’s assassination. We arrive on time & the small chapel is already spilling over with hundreds of people from all parts of the country - all parts of the world. We stand and pay tribute to this great man with beautiful song and prayer in front of the very same alter where he was assassinated.

I survey the crowd. There are no tears – there is no sadness, but rather a great sense of pride – for the man, and from the man that truly did arise in his people. They celebrate his life – they celebrate his word, and today more than ever they – and we – alongside them, carry on his word.

10:00 am – the procession to the Cathedral begins and we watch them traverse the path with music and joy. It is a moving moment of inspiration with energy that pulls you in like a magnet. It feels good to be here. It feels good to take part in his legacy.

11:00 am – Parque Cuscatlan (close to where the 2 mile procession ends) we visit the monument to Truth and Memory. Here 30,000 names of civilians are listed that were either killed or missing during the Civil War. They are listed by year – while for some years half the floor to ceiling panels may be covered. 1980, 1981 and 1982 take up almost 4 panels for each year. There are not words for this – the silence speaks for itself.

Julio Reyes, artist of the mural adjacent to the panels meets us to explain the symbolism and inspiration of his mural. His mural is designed to tell the story of the people of El Salvador beginning with the indigenous people to present time – he fills in the gaps with the richness of that which only an artist that loves his people and country can present, and we are captivated by the textures and colors of a country that reverberates a history of its people that lift you to a higher plane.

1:00 pm – We delight in a traditional Salvadoranean lunch (Almuerzo) and conversation highlights of our morning experiences amongst our group.

3:00 pm – we meet with one of our Delegate Leaders who shares her experiences in working with gangs in El Salvador. We discover that this is a huge problem for the country –as a result of families disintegrating after the war, common denominator – they have not been able to live their childhood.

4:30 – 8:30 – we rest, we dine, we chat, we mingle.

9:00 pm - We begin our daily group reflection…..it is the best of times….it is the worst of times. God Bless El Salvador.

9:30 – It’s party night! Our very special Delegate Leaders have arranged a special event for us before we head out to visit our Partner Community tomorrow. A café is suddenly converted to a dance club venue. We receive a special treat of an all women drum group - live performance! We let go of our frustrations, we let go of our sadness, and we all let loose! We dance and we laugh with our comrades and every single one of us gets out on the dance floor and not only shakes a leg but does some serious hip movements. The moment is festive, the moment is unforgettable. Smiles and laughter have a way of doing that – don’t they?

Rebecca.