PANCHIMALCO

Talented Art Students And me

Mural in progress

Artists working

    Panchimalco is a beautiful village still inhabited by many Pancho Indians who are descendants of the Pipil tribe who were strong in the hills around here, and they fought off the Spanish troops longer than most Indigenous people in El Salvador.  Today I had the opportunity to meet and discuss the possibility of working at the Cultural Center with young local artists on murals and art projects which show their rich and vibrant culture.  Some of the youth are working on a mural in progress now.  Their talent and creativity are amazing, and i thank them for sharing a day of art with me.

MURAL PAINTING

Daniel, painting mural at a school in Santo Domingo de Guzman

Cesar painting mural at school in Santo Domingo de Guzman

   This past Thursday, my fellow MKLM friend Erica invited me to her pueblo, Santo Domingo de Guzman to paint murals with 2 Salvadoran artists Daniel & Cesar at an Elementary School.  I admire these 2 brothers who brighten up the lives of kids with their murals.  They also have about 50 local kids who are helping them paint.  I hope to collaborate on more murals with these very talented artists who are dedicated to the "Artful Life" or La Vida de Arte!!!!!!!!

SURFS UP, El Zonte Beach, El Salvador

BEAUTY of El Sunzal, El Salvador

Nora, workshop with Debbie

El Zonte, coast, El Salvador

     The BEAUTY of the Pacific Ocean Beaches here in El Salvador is something that no words can describe.  Surfers from all over the world come here to ride the waves whenever the "Surf is up".

CHILTUPAN BEAUTY

Beautiful Vista from Chiltupan

Maryknoll Lay Missioner Director Debbie leading a Workshop

    Chiltupan is a beautiful village in the Hills above the great surfing beaches of El Zonte and Sunzal.  The name "Chiltupan is an Nahuat Indian name meaning "Chil" (red) and Tiupan (Temple).  Our Maryknoll Lay Missioner Director, Debbie was leading a workshop there, and I was invited along to see some of the great work that she does on social and health issues that affect the people here.

SANTO DOMINGO DE GUZMAN

Santo Domingo De Guzman

Pottery Ladies

Erica, Maryknoll Lay Missioner

     Indigenous (Native Indians) here in El Salvador are surviving in small numbers despite the past history of  government and military efforts to totally massacre them into extinction.  The Nahuat (Nawat) language is still spoken in El Salvador in Santo Domingo De Guzman.  Erica, a fellow Maryknoll Lay Missioner is volunteering to help the Indigenous people save and appreciate their culture which is rich in art, music, history, and spirituality.  I was happy to visit the pueblo, and watch the women make beautiful clay pottery, and hear a man play their music.  We also had a lesson in the Nahuat language which comes from the Uto-Aztecan family.  In El Salvador, their language was almost extinct in the 1980s where only about 200 spoke it.  There have been efforts made by the government and other volunteer groups to save their language, and over 3,000 people speak it now.

A LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL

"A LIFE" is Beautiful Sophia

     I had the opportunity a couple weeks ago to visit an Orphanage with Nan.  Nan is a fellow Maryknoll Lay Missioner who arrived about a year & a half ago.  She volunteers with the Nuestra Sra. de Lourdes Parish here just outside San Salvador, and is very dedicated to youth work and the children at the St. Vincent de Paul Orphanage.  The children range from newborns to about 12 or 13 years old, and they come from many kinds of problem homes or tragic situations.  The Orphanage provides a safe and loving place for them.  Nan loves all the children very much, and you can feel that they love her too.

NAN, Maryknoll Lay Missioner

     I know that God is with all the children, and you can feel the LOVE of all the Sisters, staff, and volunteers who care for them each day, and hope for better futures.

FACES = LOVE

HOLA

     This past week I have been visiting some of my fellow Maryknoll Lay Missioner's volunteer sites along with our Pilgrimage Delegation from Minnesota.  I want to show you some photos of faces filled with love despite the difficult challenges for families here in El Salvador.  Later, in the next couple weeks there will be more photos highlighting the people  that we share our lives with and their stories.