El Salvador Update

Friday, June 25
Villa Esperanza
Santa Ana, El Salvador

We have been doing a lot of digging this week, including sidewalks and many kinds of holes for the cistern system. Jim was digging at the bottom of a 9'-10' hole on Wed. Chester dug a huge round hole buy himself with a little help from Jody. We also wheel- barrowed a lot of sand and bricks and did a lot of painting. Our team has served well on the build site.

On Wednesday we celebrated a cultural day with the community. After dinner we had the traditional soccer game with our El Salvador friends (masons, workers, community members) and also team members from the two other teams who were working with us. Anyone who wanted to participate was welcome and we all divided up and had a really fun game. Back at the community center women from the community were busy preparing a traditional El Salvadoran meal with papusas, being the highlight. They were happy to teach us how to make them. After everyone feasted, a traditional band entertained us. The young man on the pipes seemed very talented. Then of course, we had a pinata. The children were quick at gathering up the candy.

Friday is our last day at the building site. It is a very sad day because we have to say good by to all of the friends we've made. Even though they have new groups each week, I think our mason and worker friends are also sad to say good bye to us. We have made some very good friends which we see each time we return. Since we need to get on the road, we quit right after dinner and have the good bye ceremony. We are each presented individually with a certificate by one of the masons or workers. Then the day care children put on a very cute little program for us. Just when we're all feeling very sad a Mariachi Band bursts through the door and everyone cheers up and dances to the lively music.

Friday night we are scheduled to go back to San Salvador and on Saturday we are planning to tour the Flower and Coffee trail. It includes a visit to a coffee processing plantation and also several smaller scenic towns farther up in the mountains.

It has been a great week and anytime anyone wants to see pictures or talk about the El Salvador trip please let me know.

-Jody Simeck