Some people have asked why there were no musings for the last few days. Well there is no wireless access at the church for the Internet so I could not download anything I would have written. This is the same as being in Haciendita Uno. There is no Internet access from the community so any messages have to be sent to a location in Suchitoto and then retrieved when someone comes into town to get them. So, since I have gone fishing for the holiday I have access to a computer and the Internet to write these thoughts.
A couple of nights ago, Mary and I heard a police car on the PA system giving directions to the occupants of a car they had stopped in the church drive way. We saw the spot lights come on. Mary immediately asked if they were speaking to us. I said no that they had a car stopped and were talking to them. It reminded me of the fear the local Salvadorans have of the national police. I was an International Election Observer in March 2009 and was assigned to the polls in the town of Cojutepeque. I had a young Salvadoran girl as a translator. At one point, I told her I wanted to speak the young police officers who were assigned to the polls. She said no that it was dangerous to speak to them. I explained to her that I was a retired police officer from the US and wanted to talk to the officers. She again said no but I went over to the officers and started to talk. She reluctantly came with me. We talked to a young officer who was from another town and had only been on the force for one year. He was married with a young child at home. He told us how he wanted the police to be better at community policing and hated the fear that had developed of the police since the war. There were some army soldiers patrolling the streets of the town and he felt that was a disaster and created tension for the police. After we were done, the young woman translator told me she was surprised that the officer had spoke so freely. She said he seemed like a very nice young man. I asked her to remember that and to try and always say hello to officers when she encountered them. Peace develops in so may different ways.
I will not know how much money was collected over the weekend until it can be counted on Tuesday when the office opens again. I do remember however that we got one cent from a little 7 year old girl. Her mom brought her out after mass and said she had found a penny on the floor in church. She told her mom she wanted to give it to us for the people in El Salvador. So whatever the amount is I know one penny came from her.
I have heard once again how many people have been reading these musings and the comments that keep coming to me are about the quiet we experience here and the slow pace of life. Some people who stop to talk seem to be anxious and ready to move on since they don’t want to be bothering us. I try to have them sit and be at ease and assure them that their being there is all I have to be concerned about. It reminded me of the translators in El Salvador repeatedly telling me how happy he people of Haciendita Uno are that we come and share our time with them. To share time for them is the greatest gift one can offer. The sharing of time and self is seen as a great honor in their culture. I wish we could remember that at so many different levels in our culture. To just sit and be with each other can and is a great gift. With that having been said, I had better return to the lake and sit with family and fish for a while! I will be back at the make shift housing on Tuesday after work!
Peace and all good, Deacon Don
Monday, May 31, 2010
Friday, May 28, 2010
Musing from the make shift housing day five…….
I was thinking last night that some of you may not know about the students we have in college from Haciendita Uno. If you follow this link to the OLGC parish website, you can find pictures and a short BIO for each one in the paperwork there on the scholarship program. Just so you know, Maribel Ventura dropped from college this last semester and will be replaced by one of the students who were on the waiting list. When I get all the info on that person, I will amend the website.
http://192.168.1.4/files/communityoutreach/ES-2009SponsoredStudents.pdf
I took a moment yesterday and located a picture of the river that runs through the La Chakra area of the City of San Salvador and put it here so that you can understand why a “gone fishing” sign is not very appealing. See the river photo above.
I also located some pictures of some homes in La Chakra that are representative of this make shift housing so that you could see what a potential move to the city could mean for these kids if they don’t get a good education. See the housing photo above.
Fr John was teasing me about colleting money to keep me in the make shift housing. I told him to be careful or I would start leaving my plastic bottles and plastic wrappers from food gifts around the house and church lawn. He wondered why and I told him that would be more representative of the conditions in Haciendita Uno and the rest of El Salvador. There are very few garbage collection processes in the country. There are plastic containers scattered everywhere. Quite often, the community collects up trash and then burns it which causes a tremendous amount of air pollution. The La Mora Clinic down the road handles several cases of lung and eye infections and irritations from this kind of trash disposal.
I have been amazed at the number of parishioners who have stopped by and commented that they have seen this kind of housing throughout several foreign countries they have traveled in. They thanked us for making the visual here so that they could be reminded and that their children could become more aware of this kind of reality. I heard the comment the other day to a young boy from his mom that a lot of people in the world live like this. It struck me that when push comes to shove, it is possible that the majority of the world may live like this. I personally have seen these kinds of living conditions in the Mexico dumps, major Mexican cities, El Salvador and Uganda. People find whatever they can and try to make a shelter for themselves and their families.
A mom stopped by late last night to visit with us. She said she had just come from the kitchen at church and wanted to stop by. I asked her later what she had been doing in the kitchen and she said she was dropping off left over food from her daughter’s party for the PBJ Outreach Ministry. She later thanked us for what we were doing and said it was raising her awareness. I thought to myself, “This woman already gets it because she was here for PBJ and is aware of the local poverty in the downtown areas.” I remembered once standing along a railroad track in San Salvador and thinking to myself about the make shift housing that I was looking at, “This is better than what I just saw in the Mexico city dumps!” I was then hit with the realization than we cannot compare poverty from one place to another. Poverty is poverty no matter where it is. It smells and looks the same and the people suffer the same. This young woman was already aware of that.
I got an envelop last night with a good amount of cash in it. The woman who dropped it off said her daughter had collected it as part of a service project collecting pop bottles. Much of the money her note said had been given to a local hospital to help some kids but she wanted us to have the rest to help the kids in El Salvador. Generosity at its best.
A good friend of ours brought dinner for us last night. It was great spending time with her and eating the wonderful meal she prepared. She had called earlier and asked if there was a way for us to keep extra food as she would bring more if she could. I told her thanks but many people in El Salvador in this kind of housing would have no way to keep food so I did not think it was right to try and keep extra. It reminded me of the fact that the main staple for people even in Haciendita Uno is a small round 4 inch in diameter tortilla. They are cooked for every meal and often are the only snack the kids may have between meals. They taste great with some salt and hard cheese!
Everyone’s overwhelming generosity has been greatly appreciated. It reminds me of the time I was in Haciendita Uno and was making a map of the community. When I was done, the family I had met invited me for lunch. I was a little surprised as I had not seen any food when I was going from house to house. However, I accepted and walked to their home. The dad sent a young boy out when we got there and then he motioned for me to take a siesta in the hammock. About an hour later, the young boy returned with a small bag of rice and some beans. The mother cooked them and we had lunch before I left to return to Suchitoto. I have always been amazed by this kind of generosity and hospitality. It is good to see the same thing here each night in Plymouth.
My final thought today is about remembering. A woman last night said thanks for helping us to remember the needs of others. One of the main things the people in Haciendita Uno have told us that is of great value to them is that, “You remember us.” They live in a world disconnected from us in so many ways but they know they are not alone since the people of OLGC pray for them and keep them in our hearts. This is the true meaning of solidarity.
We have collected $14,231.47 and have only $18,768.53 to go!
Peace and all good, Deacon Don
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Musings from the make shift housing day four
Wow…lots of people have called or stopped by saying they wanted to keep getting the parish emails on my musings. They, like me, are technologically challenged so the emails work for them. If you are getting these and do not want to read them, please just delete them when you see the title come up about my musings. I do not want to be forcing my thoughts on you.
Having said that, my first thought last night as I was watching people enter the church for a presentation, was that I am holding the parish captive until it can come up with the funds to send these kids to college. I sometimes wonder how fair that is but then I thought, “These kids in El Salvador are held captive by the poverty that surrounds them and the lack of opportunities to succeed in any meaningful way.” If holding a few people captive here in a symbolic way helps them achieve a degree of freedom then I guess I can live with it. I hope you can too.
The other night a man in a pick up truck drove by and stopped to talk. He was not from the parish but said he had seen the make shift house and the people standing around. He just wanted to see what was happening. Before he drove off, he asked how he could donate. As he drove away, it made me think of all the times I have been in Haciendita Uno and seen the “one” pick up truck that is owned by a member of the community. He drives us everywhere in the flat bed of that truck. The community must rely on him or walk or take a bus to travel. It makes me cringe to think of the entirely overloaded pick up trucks I have seen driving around with people hanging out the back end. Too many accidents and injured people.
Some asked if I could put a gone fishing sign on the door if I wasn’t going to be around because they had stopped and I wasn’t there. I smiled and thought to myself, “I’ve seen the lakes and rivers around Suchitoto and San Salvador and you couldn’t pay me enough to fish in them...” However, I always see Salvadorans fishing in those polluted lakes and rivers. It reminded me of the fish farms some of the members of the OLGC community helped Sr Peggy O’Neill develop in the little community of El Site Cenicero a few years ago. They were able to develop a small business of selling farmed fish to the local communities and markets. So I guess if I get a chance this weekend to get away for the holiday weekend, I’ll put a gone fishing sign on the house and you can all think of us as we sit on my little deck boat in Lake Lapeer.
My wife and I have borrowed a car for a few weeks because our kids in far away places needed to borrow our two cars. We have been trying to coordinate our schedules to get to and from work. Yesterday, I road my bike into the office from church down the large hill on North Territorial Road. It reminded me of the day I road a bike from Haciendita Uno to the La Mora Medical Clinic which is about the same distance from Haciendita Uno as my office is from the church. We were visiting the community and had a young nursing student with us. She wanted to go and work at the clinic for a day and the community truck was not available. A couple of young boys offered us their bikes and so we took off down the rocky dirt road to the main roadway. We rode up that long hill in the burning sun. Riding to work made me think of how blessed we are to have cars and bikes to get around with. So many people in El Salvador walk or take a bus for which they can barely afford to pay the 40 cent fare.
Cub Scout Den 9 Troop 781 took up a collection last night and the den mother came by and gave us $7.00 from the den for the kids in El Salvador. The Den will come by next week to visit us. We promised to talk to them about what we have experienced in El Salvador over the years. I almost felt like I was taking candy from some kids but I am very grateful for the thoughtfulness and concern of these little scouts. The Cubs also sent us some frozen fruit popsicles. They were a delicious treat in the hot evening. I thought of the time we bought ice cream for the kids in Haciendita Uno when celebrating a birthday party there. We rode 8 miles into town to get it. By the time we got back, it had softened to liquid syrup that we eventually poured over the cake we had been able to buy. Nothing in El Salvador seems to be easy.
Again, thanks to everyone who has donated and stopped by to visit. It has been great catching up with so many of you.
We are at $13,205.34 and have only $19,794.66 to go!
Peace and all good, Deacon Don
Having said that, my first thought last night as I was watching people enter the church for a presentation, was that I am holding the parish captive until it can come up with the funds to send these kids to college. I sometimes wonder how fair that is but then I thought, “These kids in El Salvador are held captive by the poverty that surrounds them and the lack of opportunities to succeed in any meaningful way.” If holding a few people captive here in a symbolic way helps them achieve a degree of freedom then I guess I can live with it. I hope you can too.
The other night a man in a pick up truck drove by and stopped to talk. He was not from the parish but said he had seen the make shift house and the people standing around. He just wanted to see what was happening. Before he drove off, he asked how he could donate. As he drove away, it made me think of all the times I have been in Haciendita Uno and seen the “one” pick up truck that is owned by a member of the community. He drives us everywhere in the flat bed of that truck. The community must rely on him or walk or take a bus to travel. It makes me cringe to think of the entirely overloaded pick up trucks I have seen driving around with people hanging out the back end. Too many accidents and injured people.
Some asked if I could put a gone fishing sign on the door if I wasn’t going to be around because they had stopped and I wasn’t there. I smiled and thought to myself, “I’ve seen the lakes and rivers around Suchitoto and San Salvador and you couldn’t pay me enough to fish in them...” However, I always see Salvadorans fishing in those polluted lakes and rivers. It reminded me of the fish farms some of the members of the OLGC community helped Sr Peggy O’Neill develop in the little community of El Site Cenicero a few years ago. They were able to develop a small business of selling farmed fish to the local communities and markets. So I guess if I get a chance this weekend to get away for the holiday weekend, I’ll put a gone fishing sign on the house and you can all think of us as we sit on my little deck boat in Lake Lapeer.
My wife and I have borrowed a car for a few weeks because our kids in far away places needed to borrow our two cars. We have been trying to coordinate our schedules to get to and from work. Yesterday, I road my bike into the office from church down the large hill on North Territorial Road. It reminded me of the day I road a bike from Haciendita Uno to the La Mora Medical Clinic which is about the same distance from Haciendita Uno as my office is from the church. We were visiting the community and had a young nursing student with us. She wanted to go and work at the clinic for a day and the community truck was not available. A couple of young boys offered us their bikes and so we took off down the rocky dirt road to the main roadway. We rode up that long hill in the burning sun. Riding to work made me think of how blessed we are to have cars and bikes to get around with. So many people in El Salvador walk or take a bus for which they can barely afford to pay the 40 cent fare.
Cub Scout Den 9 Troop 781 took up a collection last night and the den mother came by and gave us $7.00 from the den for the kids in El Salvador. The Den will come by next week to visit us. We promised to talk to them about what we have experienced in El Salvador over the years. I almost felt like I was taking candy from some kids but I am very grateful for the thoughtfulness and concern of these little scouts. The Cubs also sent us some frozen fruit popsicles. They were a delicious treat in the hot evening. I thought of the time we bought ice cream for the kids in Haciendita Uno when celebrating a birthday party there. We rode 8 miles into town to get it. By the time we got back, it had softened to liquid syrup that we eventually poured over the cake we had been able to buy. Nothing in El Salvador seems to be easy.
Again, thanks to everyone who has donated and stopped by to visit. It has been great catching up with so many of you.
We are at $13,205.34 and have only $19,794.66 to go!
Peace and all good, Deacon Don
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
It looks like we have hit the blogshere with our makeshift housing project. I am getting notes from people and calls asking where donations can be sent to. While I never expected such a response to my musings, if anyone is so inclinded to help us help the students in Haciendita Uno, El Salvador you can send a donation via check made out to OLGC with "HU College Fund" noted on the memo line to:
Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church
Attn: Deacon Don Leach
1062 Church St.
Plymouth, MI 48170
Peace and all good, Deacon Don
Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church
Attn: Deacon Don Leach
1062 Church St.
Plymouth, MI 48170
Peace and all good, Deacon Don
Musing from the makeshift housing day three……..
Many of you, I am sure, have been very patient getting my musings emails but may not be interested in getting them. I spoke to my son Chris yesterday as he is more savvy at the technology stuff than I am. He set up a blogspot for me to use. So if you would like to read these musings, from now on you can go to deacondonleach.blogspot.com and read them there. It struck me that having a son who can do these things for me is exactly what we are trying to accomplish in El Salvador. So many parents in El Salvador are uneducated and cannot read or write but they want their children to be able to move forward in life. Education seems to be the main way to have that happen. We have been very successful in Haciendita Uno by getting kids through elementary and high school. Now we are focusing on college for many of them. We hope that together these future business owners and professionals will be able to give back to their community and send many others on to college. Perhaps, someday one of the dads there will be able to call his son and ask him to set up a blog site for him so that he can reach out to the world around him.
A man asked me last night if he could bring me a radio to listen to while I was out on the property. I thanked him and said I was really enjoying the silence. I am struck by how much I am enjoying the slower pace of life here. There is no TV, no radio, no mail, or other distractions. Haciendita Uno got electrical lines to their community in 2004. So now they have TV, radio, refrigerators, mechanical corn grinders. So in many ways they are now beginning to experience the distractions that I am now thanking God for not having. I wonder if this is all good progress.
We get up at 6:00 am each morning so as not to be bothering people showing up for the 6:30 am mass at church. It reminds me of getting up in Haciendita Uno and realizing they have been up since 4:00 am. The women are cooking and the men and children are out working in the fields or moving the cattle around. Often, the men are out ready to start cutting sugar cane as soon as the sun rises so that they miss the heat of the day. The kids are collecting cane leaves for the cattle to eat before they leave on their walk to school in the morning. It is all very reminiscent of growing up in rural Michigan farm lands. It is a hard life that many here do not and will not experience.
I am struck by the cars pulling into the church lot at 6:15 am for mass. In Haciendita Uno a priest comes to the neighboring community once a month to say mass. The two community’s share a small chapel. If they can get to mass on Sunday, they have to ride the bus or walk 8 miles through hilly terrain and roads to get to Suchitoto. We are so fortunate to be able to attend mass at so many different times each week/day!
We had a young mother with he two children and a friend stop by last evening to see the makeshift housing and talk about El Salvador. During the conversation, we realized the woman was a former school teacher. Mary and she knew so many common friends. It was interesting to see the interest the kids had and they wrote a few notes to the college kids in El Salvador while they were with us. I am always struck by how well received these little notes are in Haciendita Uno. They are very precious to the people there. We will be traveling to Haciendita Uno in early July so if anyone would like to write a note please feel free to drop it off and we will hand deliver it to the community.
We had two deacons stop by to see us last night. One was Deacon Joe Daratony who many of you will remember from his days at OLGC. We talked about his trips to Jamaica with so many parishioners. He is planning to head to Haiti in late August. Even in has retirement he is still looking forward to sharing the Gospel with so many impoverished people. He is trying to always bring the message of the poor to us. Deacon Bob Schikora stopped by. He is a newly ordained transitional deacon from OLGC for the Diocese of Saginaw. He leaves in a few days for an assignment in the rural Saginaw for the summer. He told me his first assignment is in a community that has no place currently in there rectory for him to stay. He will be staying with a family on a farm. I congratulated him and told him we would all keep him in our prayers. Both of these men who have already given so much reached into their wallets and gave us money for the HU college kids. Each apologized for not being able to give more. Two men who have already given so much, apologizing for not being able to do more. It reminded my of the family I stayed with last January in El Salvador. They apologized to me and the other guest because they had no beef to serve with our meals. Those who have so little are always willing to give so much more.
We had turned in for the night and soon we heard a voice outside calling, “Don, are you in there?” It was a family has come to know over the years at OLGC who had come to visit. We invited them in and they stayed for a few minutes. They wanted their daughter to see what we were doing. The husband told me about how many houses like this he had seen in the middle of many boulevards in Mexico during his travels. When they left, I told my wife that we never get this many visitors at our home in Canton. Perhaps it would be better to just stay here so that we could see more of our friends. I guess I should be careful what I ask for---God has a way of hearing the prayers of our hearts!
We are at $12,295.34 so only $19,704.66 to go!
Peace and all good, Deacon Don
Many of you, I am sure, have been very patient getting my musings emails but may not be interested in getting them. I spoke to my son Chris yesterday as he is more savvy at the technology stuff than I am. He set up a blogspot for me to use. So if you would like to read these musings, from now on you can go to deacondonleach.blogspot.com and read them there. It struck me that having a son who can do these things for me is exactly what we are trying to accomplish in El Salvador. So many parents in El Salvador are uneducated and cannot read or write but they want their children to be able to move forward in life. Education seems to be the main way to have that happen. We have been very successful in Haciendita Uno by getting kids through elementary and high school. Now we are focusing on college for many of them. We hope that together these future business owners and professionals will be able to give back to their community and send many others on to college. Perhaps, someday one of the dads there will be able to call his son and ask him to set up a blog site for him so that he can reach out to the world around him.
A man asked me last night if he could bring me a radio to listen to while I was out on the property. I thanked him and said I was really enjoying the silence. I am struck by how much I am enjoying the slower pace of life here. There is no TV, no radio, no mail, or other distractions. Haciendita Uno got electrical lines to their community in 2004. So now they have TV, radio, refrigerators, mechanical corn grinders. So in many ways they are now beginning to experience the distractions that I am now thanking God for not having. I wonder if this is all good progress.
We get up at 6:00 am each morning so as not to be bothering people showing up for the 6:30 am mass at church. It reminds me of getting up in Haciendita Uno and realizing they have been up since 4:00 am. The women are cooking and the men and children are out working in the fields or moving the cattle around. Often, the men are out ready to start cutting sugar cane as soon as the sun rises so that they miss the heat of the day. The kids are collecting cane leaves for the cattle to eat before they leave on their walk to school in the morning. It is all very reminiscent of growing up in rural Michigan farm lands. It is a hard life that many here do not and will not experience.
I am struck by the cars pulling into the church lot at 6:15 am for mass. In Haciendita Uno a priest comes to the neighboring community once a month to say mass. The two community’s share a small chapel. If they can get to mass on Sunday, they have to ride the bus or walk 8 miles through hilly terrain and roads to get to Suchitoto. We are so fortunate to be able to attend mass at so many different times each week/day!
We had a young mother with he two children and a friend stop by last evening to see the makeshift housing and talk about El Salvador. During the conversation, we realized the woman was a former school teacher. Mary and she knew so many common friends. It was interesting to see the interest the kids had and they wrote a few notes to the college kids in El Salvador while they were with us. I am always struck by how well received these little notes are in Haciendita Uno. They are very precious to the people there. We will be traveling to Haciendita Uno in early July so if anyone would like to write a note please feel free to drop it off and we will hand deliver it to the community.
We had two deacons stop by to see us last night. One was Deacon Joe Daratony who many of you will remember from his days at OLGC. We talked about his trips to Jamaica with so many parishioners. He is planning to head to Haiti in late August. Even in has retirement he is still looking forward to sharing the Gospel with so many impoverished people. He is trying to always bring the message of the poor to us. Deacon Bob Schikora stopped by. He is a newly ordained transitional deacon from OLGC for the Diocese of Saginaw. He leaves in a few days for an assignment in the rural Saginaw for the summer. He told me his first assignment is in a community that has no place currently in there rectory for him to stay. He will be staying with a family on a farm. I congratulated him and told him we would all keep him in our prayers. Both of these men who have already given so much reached into their wallets and gave us money for the HU college kids. Each apologized for not being able to give more. Two men who have already given so much, apologizing for not being able to do more. It reminded my of the family I stayed with last January in El Salvador. They apologized to me and the other guest because they had no beef to serve with our meals. Those who have so little are always willing to give so much more.
We had turned in for the night and soon we heard a voice outside calling, “Don, are you in there?” It was a family has come to know over the years at OLGC who had come to visit. We invited them in and they stayed for a few minutes. They wanted their daughter to see what we were doing. The husband told me about how many houses like this he had seen in the middle of many boulevards in Mexico during his travels. When they left, I told my wife that we never get this many visitors at our home in Canton. Perhaps it would be better to just stay here so that we could see more of our friends. I guess I should be careful what I ask for---God has a way of hearing the prayers of our hearts!
We are at $12,295.34 so only $19,704.66 to go!
Peace and all good, Deacon Don
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Second musings from the makeshift housing……
I was on a conference call last night with several people from around the country. When they heard what I was doing to raise funds for the college scholarships, their reaction was the same as my youngest daughter’s when she heard what I was planning to do, “Is it safe?” When I consider this question, I am struck by how safe the Plymouth community is as whole. However, when we think about doing something different then safety becomes a concern. The Salvadorans are never really safe. They are open to all kinds of violence from within and without. So perhaps another thing that keeps us in solidarity is our common fear of each other and the violence we are capable of doing to one another.
Someone asked me how I was going to keep my clothes clean. Well, I have the great luxury of having a washing machine and dryer right here in the parish office basement. Maintenance staff uses them quite often to clean items they work with. I can get here early and can wash one set of clothes and change into a second set. I think of our Salvadoran friends who have to hand wash their clothes and then hang them out to dry in the blowing dusty air. I am always amazed at how clean their clothing is when they get dressed up for a community event or for church services. I promised Fr. John I would not subject you all to my laundry hanging from a tree on the property!
A friend asked me if I was going to grow a beard. How was I going to bathe and stay clean? Fr John was good enough to have an old shower in the parish office cleaned out and a curtain put back on the entry way for me to use when I come to the office early in the morning. I am so happy to have such a place to work in. In El Salvador I have taken many showers in cold water…I have hot water here. Many places there do not have enclosed shower areas. The people get up and pour a bucket of water over themselves while wearing a bathing suit. They soap up and they pour another bucket of water to rinse off with. While I have found that way of showing to be very refreshing, it is never an easy way to stay clean.
Last night someone asked me if I was worried about someone stealing my things during the day when I am a way from the house. I really suspect that my things are secure there as no one really would want anything I have there. However, in El Salvador people are often robbed and their property taken. It is so hard to believe since quite often those living in these kinds of housing situations have so little to start with. I can’t tell you the number of armed guards we have seen throughout El Salvador trying to protect people’s property. I suspect I will not need an armed guard in Plymouth.
I will leave you with a Salvadoran saying you hear quite often as you travel around the country, “God is first in all things!”
Deacon Don
Someone asked me how I was going to keep my clothes clean. Well, I have the great luxury of having a washing machine and dryer right here in the parish office basement. Maintenance staff uses them quite often to clean items they work with. I can get here early and can wash one set of clothes and change into a second set. I think of our Salvadoran friends who have to hand wash their clothes and then hang them out to dry in the blowing dusty air. I am always amazed at how clean their clothing is when they get dressed up for a community event or for church services. I promised Fr. John I would not subject you all to my laundry hanging from a tree on the property!
A friend asked me if I was going to grow a beard. How was I going to bathe and stay clean? Fr John was good enough to have an old shower in the parish office cleaned out and a curtain put back on the entry way for me to use when I come to the office early in the morning. I am so happy to have such a place to work in. In El Salvador I have taken many showers in cold water…I have hot water here. Many places there do not have enclosed shower areas. The people get up and pour a bucket of water over themselves while wearing a bathing suit. They soap up and they pour another bucket of water to rinse off with. While I have found that way of showing to be very refreshing, it is never an easy way to stay clean.
Last night someone asked me if I was worried about someone stealing my things during the day when I am a way from the house. I really suspect that my things are secure there as no one really would want anything I have there. However, in El Salvador people are often robbed and their property taken. It is so hard to believe since quite often those living in these kinds of housing situations have so little to start with. I can’t tell you the number of armed guards we have seen throughout El Salvador trying to protect people’s property. I suspect I will not need an armed guard in Plymouth.
I will leave you with a Salvadoran saying you hear quite often as you travel around the country, “God is first in all things!”
Deacon Don
Pictures
Below you will find two pictures of the makeshift house that Deacon Don is living in on the property of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Plymouth, MI.
Musings from the makeshift housing…….
I have found it very interesting to see the makeshift housing go up and to hear some of the concerns people have raised. All of them have been for my benefit and comfort. However, I am trying to reflect upon them from the urban and rural poor perspective of El Salvador. Many have been concerned that the roof will leak when it rains. I suspect it will and many of the homes in El Salvador leak in the rains. In fact, just last year we sent nearly $4,000 to Haciendita Uno over a period of months to replace and repair sheet metal roofs that had deteriorated. Some have cautioned me about the mosquitoes that may invade my living space. I recall many mosquitoes in El Salvador and no mosquito netting covering small helpless children. It was not that long ago that malaria was a major problem in El Salvador. Some were concerned about how I would be able to use a restroom when I needed to. (I have a key to the church). However, for many in El Salvador an open pit latrine behind their homes is all they have. Some have been concerned about whether or not I would be able to eat there and offered to bring me food. While I never refuse food, I am struck by the fact that most Salvadorans I know in these types of locations survive on rice, beans and tortillas perhaps with a little cheese at times. Someone was very kind and quietly dropped off several water bottles for me in the night my first night there. How lucky I am that I do not have to walk a long distance to obtain generally unclean water to drink. Here clean and bottled water is delivered to my door by such good friends. Some wanted to know where I would cook my meals and I said I would have to refuse the Salvadoran style of having an open fire in my house as it is an extreme health hazard. So I am lucky enough to have several close restaurants and a car to get cooked meals from.
We live such different lives in so many ways. However, I am seeing even a glimpse of the beauty of Salvadoran life while staying in the makeshift housing. The nights are very quiet. New and old friends stop by to just sit and talk and share some carefree timelessness with me. Many people come throughout the night to pray at the grotto when the church is closed. It reminds me of the constant devotion I see to Our Lady of Guadalupe in Central America.
I am trying to be around in the evenings and on the weekend so stop by and chat for a brief while. We made progress towards our goal this last weekend. We received $9,054.34 towards the goal of $33,000 for college scholarships. Thank you for your generosity.
Peace and all good, Deacon Don
We live such different lives in so many ways. However, I am seeing even a glimpse of the beauty of Salvadoran life while staying in the makeshift housing. The nights are very quiet. New and old friends stop by to just sit and talk and share some carefree timelessness with me. Many people come throughout the night to pray at the grotto when the church is closed. It reminds me of the constant devotion I see to Our Lady of Guadalupe in Central America.
I am trying to be around in the evenings and on the weekend so stop by and chat for a brief while. We made progress towards our goal this last weekend. We received $9,054.34 towards the goal of $33,000 for college scholarships. Thank you for your generosity.
Peace and all good, Deacon Don
Monday, May 24, 2010
Makeshift Housing Project
This weekend the priests will be talking about the necessity of us funding our on going commitment to fund college scholarships for the Haciendita Uno Community in El Salvador. There will be a second collection this weekend to raise those needed funds. We currently have some cas...h and pledges in place for the program; however, we need $33,000 to complete the program as it exists to date. In order to keep us focused on this fund raising campaign, Deacon Don will move into the make shift housing created on the parish grounds to remind us that we are trying to prevent any of our sister community member’s from having to live in this manner. While the homes in Haciendita Uno are not this primitive, it is very common to see places like this in the urban areas or desolate rural areas. If our friends are forced to move to the city to look for wok they may be living in these types of housing. Please support the parish commitment to this community as best you can. Deacon Don will be HOME in the evenings and on the weekend until we have been successful in raising the funds. Feel free to stop by and sit with him for a while at night or on the weekend.
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