Journey of Connection and Discovery in Guatemala: A Transformative Experience with Unbound

Embarking on a journey to Guatemala with Unbound was more than just a travel experience - it was a profound exploration of compassion, community, and personal growth. From the moment we landed in Guatemala City, the warmth and hospitality of the people we met were truly heartwarming.

Arrival and First Impressions

I embarked on this trip with an open heart and no preconceived expectations. My primary excitement stemmed from a desire to learn more about Unbound and to meet the children we support educationally. Having visited Guatemala two decades ago, I was already familiar with my deep affection for the community and culture.

Arriving at the opulent Barcelo hotel was a striking contrast to the reality of poverty we were about to encounter. This initial impression underscored the vast disparities we would soon explore. The first evening, guided by Yovaney and the Unbound team, set the tone for what would be an extraordinary journey. Dinner with the Unbound staff revealed their unwavering commitment and the profound sense of community they cultivate, establishing a foundation of understanding and connection for the days ahead.

Immersive Cultural Experiences

Our journey took us from the bustling Plaza of Guatemala City to the tranquil heights of Acatenango. Every community we visited embraced us with open arms and warm hearts. The reception in Acatenango was particularly breathtaking - rose petals strewn on the ground, vibrant fireworks, and traditional dances created a festive atmosphere brimming with gratitude and celebration. Initially, I felt a bit overwhelmed by this grand welcome, feeling undeserving of such honor. My family and I sponsor these girls, and the financial impact on us is minimal. However, I soon realized that this heartfelt reception was not just for us but a collective gesture of thanks to all who support the 60,000 young people in Guatemala. It was a profound reminder that while only 1% of sponsored children ever meet their sponsors, the collective impact of this support is deeply valued.

Watching Sofia play with local children and receiving a flower from one of them was a poignant moment, illustrating the universal and simple joys that bridge cultural divides.

In Santo Tomas la Union, we encountered Unbound’s transformative Poverty Stoplight program. This initiative empowers families to evaluate their own living conditions through self-assessment and goal-setting. This innovative approach not only addresses poverty but also instills a sense of autonomy and hope, enabling families to take control of their futures and create tangible improvements in their lives.

Personal Connections and Reflections

Meeting our sponsor children was the heart of our trip. Alba and Maria Belen were not mere beneficiaries; they emerged as beacons of inspiration. Alba, despite facing academic challenges, harbors a profound aspiration to become a teacher. Her journey is marked by resilience as she navigates the recent loss of her grandparents and the abandonment by her father. Her determination, supported by her family, is a testament to her strength and hope for a better future.

Maria Belen, with her dream of becoming a doctor, radiated intelligence and perseverance despite a demanding home life. Her commitment to her studies and her aspirations stood out as a powerful example of courage and ambition.

During our time in Guatemala, our family felt compelled to deepen our involvement by sponsoring a third child. Meeting seven-year-old Hermine and her family offered us a poignant glimpse into the daily realities faced by those supported by Unbound. Hermine’s story, alongside those of Alba and Maria Belen, underscored the profound impact of our support and the enduring spirit of the children we have the privilege to help. Honestly, experiencing the Eucharistic Congress a few weeks ago, I do know that this is a direct manifestation of our experience of the Eucharist and sharing God’s love in our world. 

Our interactions with these incredible young people, their families, and their communities brought the essence of Unbound’s mission to life. It was clear that the support from sponsors like us is not just financial - it’s an emotional lifeline that helps them aspire, achieve, and transform their futures.

A Movement of Love

This trip underscored the essence of Unbound as more than an organization; it’s a movement of love and support. The interconnectedness between sponsors, sponsees, and the community through small CODI (Communities of Integral Development) groups is reminiscent of the profound companionship between Jesus and his disciples. It also reminds me of the trinitarian love of our Father. This experience was a powerful reminder of the impact of accompaniment and the shared commitment to uplifting others.

As we returned home, the memories of the vibrant faces, the heartfelt conversations, and the shared moments of joy stayed with us. This journey through Guatemala wasn’t just about witnessing the work of Unbound - it was about becoming a part of it, connecting deeply with the people, and understanding the transformative power of love and support in action.

April 23rd, 2020: My Reflections on Mass & the Eucharist during Covid-19

I wrote this note to some of our USC students. I hope this message can also be useful to you during this time when there are no public Masses. 
______________________________________________

Hi all,

Just want to share some of my reflections over this time of Covid-19 about Mass and the Eucharist.

I am an avid daily Mass goer. Ever since I was in college, the Eucharist has been central to my relationship with Christ. There are times that I remember that the Eucharist was my sustenance, such as when I did a year of volunteer work with migrants in El Paso. I craved the Eucharist so badly during that year, that I found a way, whether I walked or used the community car, to get to the closest church for daily Mass. 

This time of Covid-19 has been very difficult for me when in comes to my relationship with God in the Eucharist; simply because I do not have access to receiving the Eucharist. The night the Archdiocese, and then the staff at the Catholic Center, shortly after, decided that we could not celebrate public Masses, I went to my husband and tears started to roll down my face. 

I have not missed a Sunday Mass, but I had stopped attending daily Mass. The distance between me and the Eucharist was too much for me to bare. When I tried, tears would well up. There is a deep longing for Christ in the Eucharist that I still have. I have been privileged in that this is something I have never had to worry about in the past.

Picture of students and staff
at the USC Caruso Catholic
Center on Ash Wednesday.

Then God, through Fr. Richard and Fr. Joe, challenged me. The recognition and remembrance that at Mass, Christ is present in (1) the priest, (2) the Word, (3) the community, and (4) the Eucharist is important. For me to not attend Mass was denying myself the grace of God in these three areas. In a typical human fashion, I was not allowing God's grace to continue to imbue me through the Mass. I was hung up on not receiving Him through the Eucharist. I was reminded at how consumeristic this felt - if I can't have the Eucharist, physically, then I am not going to partake in Mass. And I was literally getting in the way of God and the grace He wants to give me. Last week I started attending Daily Mass with the Catholic Center again. The Word of God, the homily given by the priest, and the community have really spoken to me in ways I have needed to hear God. 

This message is being written to students who I know were typical daily Mass goers at the Catholic Center. I am not sure what barriers you are having in your own life that is preventing you from attending the Catholic Center's daily Mass; maybe there are no barriers and you are attending daily Mass. But know that if you are struggling, you are not in this struggle alone. I have been there and am still continuing to struggle. However, being the person that is always attempting to improve herself for Christ, I know that Mass and the Sacraments are God's and the Church's ways for us to receive His grace and peace. I knew I had to get over my own barrier to get closer to Him.

Also the prayer of spiritual communion has been a life-line (read the prayer below). I have this prayer posted on a virtual post-it note on my computer. I pray this prayer throughout the day, telling God how much I miss Him. This is yet another way that I am satiating this yearning. He knows my desire to be with Him and there is solace in that.

Lastly, Tricia wrote this reflection on the Road to Emmaus (this Sunday's readings) for small group bible studies. She parallels her reflection with Mass. Its wonderfully written. My small group bible study got a lot out of it last night. Feel free to check it out. 

Anyway, just thought I'd share with you my thoughts about Mass. I hope in some way this has been helpful for you as you continue to grow closer to Him during this season. Feel free to reach out to me if you want to talk more. Also feel free to forward this to others that you think might need to hear this. Know that I am praying for you every day. I miss ya'll!!

Peace,

Rosie

Spiritual Communion Prayer

I wish, my Lord, to receive you
with the purity, humility and devotion
with which your most Holy Mother received you; with the spirit and fervor of the saints.
Amen.

January 7th, 2020: Ministering from the Heart of God

Last week at SLS 2020, a Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) conference, I was asked to be part of a panel on ministering from the heart of God. On this panel we were asked to discuss how we, as professional campus ministers, continue to deepen our pursuit of God's heart in the midst of ministry. After the panel concluded several campus ministers asked me to give them the nine points I described while I was on the panel.  

(1) Stay rooted in our identity as a daughter/son of God. I am in continual discovery of my relationship with God. It's like any relationship, we cannot know God fully, it takes spending time with Him on a continuous basis. When I reflect upon my identity as a daughter of God there are several instances that come to mind as my identity has been formed. When I was an undergraduate student at UC San Diego I entered university without an active relationship with God. Because of a friend's relentless invitation I decided to join her for Mass. After my experience of community and Christ in the Eucharist I was compelled to deepen my relationship with Christ. In particular, there was a priest, Fr. Mark, who within the first few weeks of my arrival into the community, when distributing the Eucharist, said to me, "Body of Christ, Rosie." I felt seen, known, and loved by both the priest and also Christ. This for me began my journey in understanding my identity as a Child of God. Coming back to these moments of clarity in our identity as children of God is important as we continue to unpack this crucial relationship.

(2) Going to the Sacraments often has been pivotal in my staying rooted in my relationship with Christ. Going to Mass daily grounds me in what's important and focuses me on Christ, whom is my compass, companion, and inspiration. Find a way to make this a daily habit. I enjoy going to Mass first thing in the morning. It starts my day off right, with Christ at the center.

Motherhood has also deepened my devotion to the Sacraments. This last year my daughter went to the Sacrament of reconciliation for the first time and also received her first communion. Both of these experiences have convicted me, in an even deeper way, about the centrality of our ministry and faith in the Eucharist and the Sacraments. And it doesn't hurt that after her first communion she said to me, "Mami, I want to receive Jesus as often as possible, just like you." My heart was filled with joy. 

(3) Study. God gave us a mind so that we can come to know Him through study. Read spiritual and theological books. I currently read Christis Vivet and am currently reading a book called Move about evangelization in Evangelical churches. Soon I will also be reading Pastores Dabo Vobis as the team at USC unpacks formation and what that looks like in college students lives. Reading and learning, using our intellect, will help us to know whom God is more robustly.

(4) Work out. Take care of yourself physically. I run. Running clears my minds and is a form of prayer. I am able to center myself on Christ in the midst of running. Working out de-stresses me and allows me to be whom God created me to be. Holistic self care (mind, body, and soul) is important in the spiritual life.

(5) Spiritual direction. Find a good spiritual director and meet with him or her regularly. Also surround yourself with good friends whom can journey with you. My husband and friends are incredible people who support me and also challenge me to be a better minister.

(6) Go on an annual retreat. Lay ministers do not necessarily have this written into their job descriptions. If it is not in your job description, advocate for yourself and your relationship with God. Going on an annual retreat is important for your spiritual life and the spiritual health of your ministry. As I have matured in my relationship with God I have found silent retreats are what I crave the most. Listen to what type of retreat God is calling you to do and take the bold step to actually do it. Going on your own retreat also shows that we as lay ministers are practicing what we preach to our students. 

(7) Go to conferences where you will be spiritually fed by Christ and other professional ministers. Attending SLS 2020 and going to Catholic Campus Minister Association Conferences (CALLED 2020) are spiritual injections that gives me a larger vision of the army that God has created on earth to do His good work on college campuses across the country. Coming together at these conferences builds us to be equipped spiritually and pastorally so we can help uncover Christ's presence in the lives of our college students.

(8) I do not know all that there is to know about God. I allow our college students to help me deepen my relationship with God. Sometimes students ask me questions that I don't know how to answer. Or sometimes I see God moving in a students life that astounds me and helps me to see His love and compassion in a deep way. They show me who Christ is all of the time. Be open to it.  

(9) Take breaks. Use your vacation time. When I first started in ministry I never took vacations. This lead to burn out. Take your days off and take vacations. I promise you this will help center you, deepen your faith, and you'll come back to the ministry that God has entrusted you with, with more creativity and vigor. 

I feel so blessed that God has entrusted me and continues to call me into this ministry. When you do God's work, and through His grace, as it continues to succeed and more disciples are formed, the devil will want to try and mess with God's plans. Keep Christ at the center. Keep looking at Him. Daily I pray the prayer to St. Michael. Staying rooted in ministrying from the heart of God is both liberating and invigorating. 

I live by a quote from St. Catherine of Siena, "Be whom you are called to be and you will set the world on fire." We are called to be His daughters/sons. We are created to be in a dynamic relationship with Him. Abide in this relationship that will challenge and sustain you.

August 7th, 2016: Faithful Citizen

The Stephen Colbert Report recently had a parody of both the Democratic National Convention and the Republican National Convention in relation to the Hunger Games.  The political bantering I have seen from both of these parties feels like a reality tv show, with no obvious choice of who is the best or most qualified candidate to trust.  Perhaps the lense in which we are looking at these presidential elections needs to shift from the candidates to the principles they embody.  Let me be clear, no political party embodies Christ and His teachings.  We must remember that we need to be Catholic first and should vote as Catholics, not by our political leanings.  What does this mean?  Faith and intellect are important components to this question.  Faith and intellect help to form our Christian conscience (Gaudium et Spes, 16).  We must pray to God for clarity and we must engross ourselves in the knowledge of what the Church teaches.  Catholic Social Teaching and the document Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops are two ways we can begin to form our conscience.

Besides the presidential elections we must also read and pray about the ballot measures.  These ballot measures will have immediate effects on the way we live.  

Some might wonder why the Church is entering into the political sphere.  Our faith cannot be limited by what happens inside of the Church walls.  If we only focus on what happens in the Church and do not integrate Christ’s message in the world, this creates a Church that is both irrelevant and ineffective.  Our faith must be integrated into all that we do, and this includes politics.  The Catholic voice is a strong one.  Every election is an important election.  We must vote.  Don’t sit this one out.  We must be faithful citizens.      

September 24th, 2013: The Children of El Salvador

A week and a half ago I watched a movie called "Voces Inocentes/Innocent Voices".  The movie was made in 2004, 12 years after the civil war in El Salvador ended.  Voces depicts the story of children during the Salvadorian civil war (1979-1992).  During the civil war children, especially young boys, not fully understanding what was going on, had to choose an allegiance - either to the guerrillas or to the government army.  Neither group was free of violence.  To see the depiction of the thought process and emotions of these children stretched my mind.  Prior to becoming a mother I had read about child soldiers in Africa, but for some reason that was a bit intangible for me - both because I had yet to have a child of my own and because I have never been to Africa.  Something about going to El Salvador, understanding its history a little bit more, and being a mother, has given me a deeper understanding of the complexity that still lives in the minds of these children whom now are adults.  I recommend watching this movie if you want to better understand the history of El Salvador.

I am going to share some facts that were shared with me regarding cost of living and a little bit about the social reality in El Salvador.  A family of four, just for food, needs approximately $170/month.  Textile and factory workers make approximately $190/month.  Farm workers make approximately $100/month.  Those with professional degrees make between $600-$700/month.  For a family of four to have a modest living they would need to make about $700/month.  80% of all earnings goes towards commercial buys - such as clothes, food, and rent.  The other 20% goes towards healthcare and education.  Many families are single parent homes.

While in El Salvador I interacted with many children.  On Monday, August 5th our group visited a

Me with a mom of a scholarship student.

community, Las Delicias, a small campo, a semi-rual area, of 600-700 people, with urban problems, 45 minutes outside of San Salvador.  In this community people make about $4-$5/day.  If they can find work in nearby factories they can earn up to $190/month.  In this community there is one elementary school, and it is free.  However, to attend school students must have a pair of shoes and supplies for the academic year, which equates to $60 a year.  Many of the children do not attend school due to financial constraint.  There is no high school in Las Delicias.  For children to attend high school its approximately $400/year, which includes the cost of bus transportation from Las Delicias to the high school in the neighboring area.  For most of the families in the area high school is not an option therefore making college even less attainable.            

Yet there is so much hope in Las Delicias!  Here we visited one of the Maryknoll Lay Missioners sites.  Larry, the missioner works with  FUDESCA: Fundación para el Desarrollo y la Solidaridad Cástulo Antonio (FUDESCA).  This organization works on several projects, some of which include, scholarships for youth attending elementary and high schools  and young adults attending college, soccer teams - where their motto is Dios, Estudios y Deportes, computer classes, a small library is accessible to youth to read and study, jewelry making, art classes, and even a break-dancing team!  I was struck by the diversity of the programs for the youth.  Since gangs infest the streets of El Salvador it is necessary that children have healthy and life-giving alternatives - such as school and activities, like those provided by FUDESCA.  While there are barriers to overcome the poverty I saw in Las Declicas, I truly felt a sense of hope visiting this small community.

With children in La Esperanza.

The day that has had a lasting affect in my heart is Tuesday, August 6th when we visited Maryknoll Lay Missioners, Rick's site, in La Esperanza, a squatter settlement along El Salvador's abandoned railroad, 20 miles East of Cojutepeque.  During the Salvadorian civil war people fled the San Vicente area and basically squatted around these railroad tracks.  This area was probably equivalent to the worst poverty I have seen in my life - most people in this area don't have a title or own the land they live on and basic services are extremely limited - if at all existent.  Walking along side the railroad track down a dirt road one can smell the raw sewage.  We entered a small one room building - a multi-purpose chapel space - built by a base community in the area.  Here catechesis for adults and the ministries of taking care of the sick and distribution of food takes place.  In this same room children play and learn English.  Rick also works closely with the older children in the area helping them become promoters of literacy in their community.  There is no school in La Esperanza - the closest is in Cojutepeque.  Upon seeing the conditions and hearing the reality I gave everything I could to the children that surrounded me - pens, paper, rosary, a cross...everything.  I knew this "stuff" was not going to fix anything.  I knew that our visit was not going to change their reality.  But I attempted to love them in the moment.  And they have created a lasting affect in my heart and soul that cannot be removed (as I type I cry).  Retrospectively looking at the situation I now remember Rick telling us, that they never have visitors, and that our presence showed these children that they are valued and loved.  I hope I loved enough that day.   

I know we all left with heavy hearts because we know that many of these children face terrible odds of overcoming the barriers that hold them back.  This community moved my heart.  These children changed my soul.  One cannot see this reality and come back the same person.  Tonight as I was driving home and was talking to my dad on my cell phone I told him - I am too comfortable.  I said, "Papi, I just drove 60 miles - back and forth to work - how can I be okay with this when the children in El Salvador do not have access to go to a school that is 20 miles away from them?"  While I am unsure of where this experience is going to lead me and my family, I know, in the depths of my heart that I am not the same person I was before I left to El Salvador.              

In 2011 the Universidad de Centro America (UCA), a university run by the Jesuits in El Salvador, did a study asking the question, is El Salvador a country for youth?  The study concluded that due to the gang prevalence and violence, it is not.  I did learn, however, that there has been some strides of success in disarming the violence created by gangs in El Salvador.  Time magazine highlights a truce that has been made between two of the most powerful gangs in El Salvdor in an article written in 2012 (Gang Truce).  The sense that I got was that some people believe the truce is working because homicides in certain regions have lowered.  People are grateful that the truce - not more violence - is actually lowering the number of deaths.  However, some people are very skeptical that the truce is actually working.  They believe that the reports on the numbers of homicides are skewed.

Overall I am left with more questions than answers.  What is my role?  What can I do?  I received an email from Rick a few days ago with two notes from two children in his community asking me to write a letter and send pictures to them.  I knew, without thinking, that I was going to respond to these children.  Besides my long distance love of the children of El Salvador - what else am I called to do?  How am I being called to share the story of the children of El Salvador?    

September 2nd, 2013: Water, Gang Violence, Parque Cuscatlán and El Rosario Church

We were told that El Salvador is doing 50% better than all of the countries around the world and 50% worse than all of the countries around the world - when it comes to poverty, violence, education, health care, and access to resources.  We also learned that 90% of all of the drinking water in El Salvador is contaminated, therefore to have clean drinking water, people, if they can afford it, need to drink bottled water.  Many people in El Salvador do not have this luxury.  We visited many people that had a spout where water comes out of.  Depending on the community sometimes the water comes out of this spout one time every other week or one time a month.  Unfortunately those who have this spout have to constantly keep a bucket under the spout because they do not know the exact day and time the water will spring forth - and this water is not clean drinking water.  I have noticed that many developing countries I have visited have a scarcity of clean natural water.  Not having access to clean drinking water creates many health problems which can lead to other issues such as malnutrition, illnesses, inability to work or focus at school, and dehydration.  What are we going to do globally as the issue of access to clean drinking water becomes larger?  What are we doing now to save the water that we do have?       

Gang violence is very prominent in El Salvador.  This explanation on gang violence in El Salvador will be simplistic but will help my readers understand how the gang problem began.  Due to the civil war and the common "push and pull" effects of immigration [push factors such as poverty, conflict and disaster, pull factors such as employment, public benefits, and family members that might already be in the country migrants are attempting to get to] an estimated 1 million people, left El Salvador.  Many migrants left with their children.  Some people ended up in major metropolitan cities such as Los Angeles.  Work was scarce and many people who migrated to the United States continued to struggle.  Even though they were living in a more developed country the migrants were still living in poverty.  For the same reasons many American youth enter gangs, the young babies that left El Salvador - without a memory of their home country - now found themselves as young adults and were looking for protection, an identity, recognition, fellowship, and eventually became part of the gang culture.  Due to the nature of criminal gang activity in the 90s many of these gang members were arrested and then since they were not U.S. citizens they were deported to El Salvador.  "In the last 12 years, U.S. immigration authorities have logged more than 50,000 deportations of immigrants with criminal records to Central America (Maryknoll information packet)."  These young men, did not speak Spanish, did not remember their home country, and learned about gang violence in the U.S., and therefore when they returned to El Salvador this created a tight network of gang culture in El Salvador.  To this day gang violence is active.  The two main gangs in El Salvador are Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and the 18th Street gangs.  The gangs not only affect violence but also affect the children of El Salvador, in that children are the ones recruited to join these gangs.      

One thing that struck me while we were in El Salvador was the prominence of guns.  Outside of every store - big or small, outside of churches, and sometimes even homes, every one had a security guard with a gun.  Coming from a place in California where violence is not in my face all of the time, this was hard for me to see and be around.  Are the guns used for intimidation?  Security?  Or perhaps a subtle reminder of the blood of the war and a reflection of who truly is in charge?  I don't know.  The civil war ended 20 years ago, but I still think the effects of the war, in the living memory of those who are there, is still very real.  I am unsure of what Salvadorians think about the presence of guns everywhere, but I know that for me it was jarring and something I could not ignore.       

Two things about traveling in El Salvador that I truly miss are the notion of time and affection.  In the United States we are addicted to our cell phones and looking at our watches.  We must be efficient and timely to fit into American society.  The notion of time seemed to not exist in El Salvador.  It allowed me to be present to those I was interacting with in a more intentional way.  One of the things that I experienced once I came back from El Salvador was the reverse culture shock of not hugging people and kissing them on the cheek.  In El Salvador every person I met I hugged and kissed.  This is very common in Latin American countries, so it is something I am very used to, since my family is Puerto Rican and Cuban.  When I got back to the United States and people were "stand offish" and needed

Mike at Parque Cuscatlán

personal space I struggled.      

El Rosario Church - Stations of the Cross

On Sunday, August 4th we went to Parque Cuscatlán, mass at El Rosario Church, and we spent some time praying at Romero's tomb in the Cathedral.  In Parque Cuscatlán we saw a memorial wall with 43 panels where those killed or disappeared are remembered.  Then we went to El Rosario Church in San Salvador.  From the outside the Church didn't look like much but once inside you could tell it had a post-Vatican II feel - the seating was unique, the natural light and stained glass was beautiful and the stations of the cross were made with rod iron in a very contemporary rendition.  While I don't remember the exact preaching the priest said that day, I do remember the Dominican friar preaching about distribution of wealth and making sure that we not only take care of ourselves and those in our immediate families but also those whom might not have the same resources that we do (Luke 12: 13-21).  His preaching was poignant and challenging.    

Just outside El Rosario is Plaza Libertad.  During the civil war on October 29th, 1979 there was a massacre in this plaza - campesinos (people from the country) were peacefully protesting the oppression of the government in the plaza and the military opened fire.  People ran for cover in El Rosario Church.  Those running into the church brought bodies with them in hope of either burying them or attempting to resuscitate them.  Once the church was full the doors were shut.  You can still see bullet holes in the church doors.

bullet holes in the door

Twenty-one people died attempting to get into the church.  The people who made it into the church had to stay in there for a few days until Archbishop Romero finally convinced the military to back off.  Due to this waiting period, and the smell of dead bodies in the church, the people whom survived decided to lift up the tiles and to bury the dead.

My next post will focus on my experience of the Catholic Church in El Salvador and Monsignor Romero.  

September 2nd, 2013: Santiago Nonualco

Ever since my trip to Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina in 2008, Maryknoll Lay Missioners (http://www.mklm.org/) have been in my heart.  The core values of of the missioners: Gospel values, option for the poor, conversion, witness, crossing cross cultural boundaries, community, forming ecclesial teams, and building bridges with the U.S. church, really resonate with me.  This particular trip was sponsored by both Maryknoll and JustFaith Ministries (http://www.justfaith.org/).  Maryknoll Lay Missioners were the main tour guides for us while were were in El Salvador.  Maryknoll has been in El Salvador for almost 50 years.  

On Saturday, August 3rd, we visited the site of where four church women - two Maryknoll Sisters, one Ursline sister and a lay missioner - Jean Donovan, were martyred in Santiago Nonualco.  One of the things that struck me most was that we met a priest, Fr. John, who was on site the day the women were found dead.  This same priest had also carried Romero's casket just nine months prior to the women dying.  Fr. John's living testimony was moving and passionate.  These women were his friends.  The story of how these women died was chilling.  It's hard to grapple with how humanity can be so cruel and insensitive.  I found an article, written by a sister who served in El Salvador at the same time as Ita Ford, Jean Donovan, Maura Clarke, and Dorothy Kazel.  Her story will provide you with more insight into what happened the evening of December 2nd, 1980.  

Article from Maryknoll Sister Madeline Dorsey, who served in El Salvador at the time, reflects on those harrowing days and the deaths of her friends and colleagues.     

Prior to their brutal murders all of these women had several chances to leave El Salvador, but they did not.  They felt a deep calling to stay present and accompany those whom were suffering from the effects of the civil war.  It made me question what would I do if I felt threatened because of the ministry I was doing?  It made me reflect upon my time at Annunciation House and leaving after an immigrant, Juan Patricio, was brutally killed.  I left early from my year of volunteer work because of consequences that could have happened, but never did.  I was not even being physically threatened.  I was given an option out and I took it.  Yet these women, in the face of a lot of violence stayed.  At one point Jean Donovan said, "Several times I have decided to leave El Salvador.  I almost could, except for the children, the poor, bruised victims of this insanity.  Who would care for them?  Whose heart could be so staunch as to favor the reasonable thing in a sea of their tears and loneliness?  Not mine, dear friend, not mind."  Do I feel guilt for leaving Annunciation House when I did?  10 years later, even though I can rationally give reasons as to why I left, I can honestly say that on some level I do carry guilt for not standing up for what I do believe in.

What about hope?  Violence is still very prominent in El Salvador.  El Salvador ranks first among the countries in Latin America in violent deaths, 370 homicides a month.  Yet, the presence of those accompanying the people on the margins is alive and relevant.  The humility and love the lay missioners have is akin to the love Christ has for each one of us.  I can only hope that God can give me the grace to aspire to love as deeply and to not be afraid of adversity, even if it means my life.