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BACK TO SCHOOL?!?!?

I am back at school... back in thestates and images from last week are

haunting me. Faces and images of

buried lives flash through my head

when I'm trying to sleep, to walk, to

study, to....We all walk around as if

we are invincible and although we

may feel something close to sadness

when we see the headlines about

floods in international news, our

thoughts soon shift to upcoming foot-

ball games and Thanksgiving plans

just as fast as this news makes its way

out of the media. Yet in El Salvador it

is not passing and it will be a long,long haul.

JENNA KNAPP NOV. 19TH

It was heartbreaking, standing there in

the ruins of the house littered with the

shattered remains of the familys life,

listening to this man tell us about his

sister and her family. The hardest part

was knowing that their deaths could

have been prevented.

DECEMBER 8TH

UNNATURAL DISASTER BY

MAGGIE MATTAINI

How long can a child with

diarrhea live without clean water?

BETH TELLMAN

NOV. 11 2009

Newsletter

21 December 2009

WHO WE ARE

Heavy rains in El Salvador on November, 7th

2009 killed over 190 poor Salvadorans andhave left 15,900 homeless. On November 8th

Sam Baker, Santa Clara alum, received a call

from Mercedes Monge, from the community

Santa Maria de la Esperanza in Santiago Tex-

acuangos. 4 community members died, and all

were without food and water. Could we bring

supplies? Of course.

When we arrived, we realized this was more

than landslides and heavy rain. The entire mu-

nicipality looked like a scene from an apoca-

lyptic movie, and we quickly realized this was

a full blown disaster. On the drive back to San

Salvador, Mercedes called to thanks us, and ask

w if we could come back the next day to helpanother community. We returned.

Our rag tag disaster team grew from a group ofNorth Americans volunteers to happened to bein the country in conference in mid-november,into a movement of hundreds of students, NorthAmericans donating and reading the blog, andSalvadorans who dreamed that another worldwas possible.

After two weeks of deliver basic food andwater supplied on foot, we realized our rag tagteam needed support of an NGO, because thereis no local NGO in Santiago Texacuangos.We have thus become the link between affected

communities and NGOs like the SHARE Foun-dation, CRS, and the UNs World Food Pro-gram.

We have consolidated into a working group

that meets weekly in San Salvador composed of

NGO workers and students. We are Salvadoran

and North American. We are all volunteers.

We are a budding organization trying to fill in

the gaps where the government and other

NGOs fail, and will do our best with the re-

sources we have to rebuild physical and emo-

tional lives for as many people as we can afford

to reach.

From the states, it feels as though there is so very little that we can do

but spread news and gather our financial resources for those in need. As

so many of you have written, this "disaster" is due only in part to the

rains; more truthfully, those suffering have been most marginalized and

simply forgotten by the senselessness of symbolic but oppressively

controlling powers. Mudslides like this one carved their way down to

not only the basin of the lake, but the flatter lands where most local

farmers were growing their beans and corn. Both of which would pro-

vide not just food stuffs but the only income some campesinos would

generate.

DEC. 8 KATY ERKER

Each community we visited was so thankful to receive these resources. One community, although still verythankful, expressed that they had a concern beyond hunger. They brought us to the one remaining wall from a

house that had fallen down the mountain. The wall now stood as a towering threat over many houses below.

With the foundation of the Earth currently in a very fragile state, the natives of the town said that they were

unsure what to do. They did not have the resources or knowledge to securely and safely demolish a wall, so we

told the community that we would inform organizations that can provide assistance with this problem. But

what are they to do in the meantime?

NOV. 25 BRIAN BELCHER

Design by: Jonathan Velasquez; Photos by Chris Hallberg, Ashton Easterday, Beth Tellman,

and Danielle Mackey; Translation Marvin Cortez

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TRAUMA THERAPY:

This program include therapy and psychological attention for inhabitants of 4-5 communi-

ties affected by hurricane IDA, with the objective of helping people overcome post-event

trauma. A team of psychologists and social workers will assess emotional health of the com-

munity and implement intervention work in groups. The goal is to move community mem-

bers from being victims of a tragedy to becoming agents for change, uniting the community

in a desire to work together. In addition to crisis intervention therapy (which lasts about 4

weeks), we hope to work for 6 months in a process of social-cultural animation. This will

also add to community resilience and adaptive capacity in future disasters. This project will

be lead by Dany Portillo from CRISOL (Solidarity Group in Response to Crisis Interven-

tion) with additional Support from the Quino Caso Foundation to include poetry and paint-

ing therapy, organized by Jonathan Velasquez over the next 6 months.

FOOD SECURITY:

This program would consist in filling the primary and urgent food and water

needs of the communities (500 families) who are not covered by the World

Food Program or covered by other NGOs. While we work to find institucional

aid for these communities, we will fill immediate food needs. The secondphase of this program would include workshops, technicians, fertilizar and

other inputs needed to revive the agricultural systems destroyed in the hurri-

cane. We will focus on organic agricultura, as it will simultaneaously stimu-

late local economic growth, reduce crop loss vulnerability as organic systems

tend to withstand climatic stress, and will empower the community with new

knowledge and tools to feed their families. We will work with UNES

(Salvadoran Ecological Unit) and other local partners. Beth Tellman, Mer-

cedes Monge, and Sara Garcia will oversee the project, which we hope to im-

plement until the next harvest, approx. 12 months.

OUR THREE PROJECTS...

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION

AND RISK MANAGEMENT:

This program consists in organizing communities with a special atten-

tion to risk management. This program includes leadership workshops

for local community leaders, a disaster prevention committee to prepare

communities for future disaster with emergency planning, and democ-

ratic participation and political empowerment. The objective is to teach

communities how to help themselves by contacting international NGOs,

manage community funds, and organize and demand aid from their lo-cal government. This serves as a basis for community growth, and will

be essential in maintaining good data collection (family surveys, medi-

cal needs, setting and measuring reconstruction goals etc.). Mercedes

Monge will be in charge of this project, and will work with NGO UNES

(Salvadoran Ecological Unit), who will send experts to identify vulner-

able community areas and possible solutions. This will include mitiga-

tion such as building live barriers a.k.a basic terracing with native spe-

cies such as the izote plant. We hope to accomplish basic mitigation and

increased organizational capacity over the next 4 months.

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NEWSLETTER Pgina 3

Letter From Mercedes to the Friends of Santiago Texacuangos, December 3 2009

Hello Friends,Hello Friends,

It is a pleasure to communicate with you. On this day, Thursday, we have a meeting with all the communityIt is a pleasure to communicate with you. On this day, Thursday, we have a meeting with all the community

leaders of Santiago Texacuangos to explain the difficulties we have had with the local priest, who did not takeleaders of Santiago Texacuangos to explain the difficulties we have had with the local priest, who did not take

into account elected community leaders for the World Food Program for the victims of Hurricane Ida. He didinto account elected community leaders for the World Food Program for the victims of Hurricane Ida. He did

not listen to community leaders because he did not share their ideology or religious creed.not listen to community leaders because he did not share their ideology or religious creed.

This is a violation of human rights. In a disaster or public calamity people should not be marginalized due toThis is a violation of human rights. In a disaster or public calamity people should not be marginalized due to

religious belief nor political ideology.religious belief nor political ideology.

Friends in solidarity with Santiago Texacuangos are indignant for this inhuman act demonstrated by the Catho-Friends in solidarity with Santiago Texacuangos are indignant for this inhuman act demonstrated by the Catho-

lic hierarchy. As if this was not enough, the same priest said in public pass that we who have asked for help arelic hierarchy. As if this was not enough, the same priest said in public pass that we who have asked for help are

taking advantage of this same help. Only the leaders can give testimony to the communities that represent us.taking advantage of this same help. Only the leaders can give testimony to the communities that represent us.

This is an unjust accusation by the priest.This is an unjust accusation by the priest.

For this reason we are publicly denouncing the priest because it is necessary to stop the corruption. This priestFor this reason we are publicly denouncing the priest because it is necessary to stop the corruption. This priest

professes a false god, and not the God of life and the God of the poor. We know that Monseor Romero accom-professes a false god, and not the God of life and the God of the poor. We know that Monseor Romero accom-

panied his people in the fight for justice of an oppressed people during many years.panied his people in the fight for justice of an oppressed people during many years.

To give the poor a Little bit of food is to be rebellious. To give all of your physical and emotional energy to serveTo give the poor a Little bit of food is to be rebellious. To give all of your physical and emotional energy to serve

your people is to be dangerous. Everyone who knows me known that I fought for the poorest of the poor foryour people is to be dangerous. Everyone who knows me known that I fought for the poorest of the poor formany years. I have the work of my life to unconditionally support my testimony. For this reason, I ask for yourmany years. I have the work of my life to unconditionally support my testimony. For this reason, I ask for your

solidarity with me and my people that suffer all kinds of misery. God is here in every human being thatsolidarity with me and my people that suffer all kinds of misery. God is here in every human being that

breathes.breathes.

Thanks for building the true reign of God. Romero illuminates us and gives us the wisdom to do things well andThanks for building the true reign of God. Romero illuminates us and gives us the wisdom to do things well and

act with justice. It is time that the people rise up against injustice and corruption against the large economicact with justice. It is time that the people rise up against injustice and corruption against the large economic

powers and the religious that maintain their privilege while the poor die of hunger. God illuminates us and Ro-powers and the religious that maintain their privilege while the poor die of hunger. God illuminates us and Ro-

mero said YES to the reign of God that is built in every human being and in the poor people. For this we allmero said YES to the reign of God that is built in every human being and in the poor people. For this we all

fight, we who believe in true justice. Thanks for being with me and my people.fight, we who believe in true justice. Thanks for being with me and my people.

Mercedes Monge.

SANTIAGO TEXACUANGOS

WE ARE SERVING:

-30 COMMUNITIES

-OVER 1,200 FAMILIES

- NEARLY 6,000 PEOPLE

Santiago Texacuangos sits onbeautiful Lago de Ilopango,

just 30 minutes from the capi-tal, San Salvador. It was notthe epi-center of the disasterNovember 7th, and has thusremained on the margins ofaid, forgotten by some, but not

all

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Financial OverviewFINANCIAL REPORT AS OF 12.13.09

TOTAL REVENUE

(donations) 12,235

EXPENSES: $ 5,898.65

Food $ 3,784.95

Water $ 415.00

Communication (Calling

Cards) $ 160.00

Housing Repairs $ 100.00

Gas and Transportation $ 804.00

Clothes D

Blankets/mosquito nets $ 362.50

Medicine $ 152.20

Paypal wire transfer fees $ 70.00

Other $ 50.00

Total Expenses $ 5,898.65

CASH AVAILABLE $ 6,336.35

D = donated

Song to resurrectSong to resurrect a deaddead mothermother

I singI sing with the dead of the land.with the dead of the land.

With all the eyes ofWith all the eyes ofthe dead children, I sing.the dead children, I sing.

YouYou mustmust sing, while you can.sing, while you can.

AA woman sings with hope.woman sings with hope.

AA peasant sings his misery.peasant sings his misery.

A child singsA child sings his mother s silence.his mother s silence.

We all sing.We all sing.

The smile of theThe smile of the oneone who leaves forever..

I sing with the silence.I sing with the silence.

With every tear which kisses the land, I sing.With every tear which kisses the land, I sing.

We must sing together.We must sing together.

To raise the fist.To raise the fist.

To burst the glass.To burst the glass.

The windows.The windows.

To powerfully scream the spell fife.To powerfully scream the spell f ife.

To set fire to the ancient gods.To set fire to the ancient gods.

With the ire of the death.With the ire of the death.

To fill with our blood,To fill with our blood,

The four points of the earth.The four points of the earth.

The woman sings that is necessary.The woman sings that is necessary.

We all sing child.We all sing child.

Like a bird in flight.Like a bird in flight.

Like a wounded mountain.Like a wounded mountain.

Like a springing river.Like a springing river.

Like a waterfall in a forest.Like a waterfall in a forest.

We all sing together because,We all sing together because,

It is the only thing left.It is the only thing left.

We all sing together children, andWe all sing together children, and

You will see that,You will see that,

Your mother has not died.Your mother has not died.

She comes with the rain, andShe comes with the rain, and

Their fishes.Their fishes.

She springs like a fertile cornfieldShe springs like a fertile cornfield

From heart of the land.From heart of the land.

She sings tooShe sings too

From the other side of the mirror.From the other side of the mirror.

So that we all come back to life..So that we all come back to life..

____________________________________________________

Jonathan Velasquez.Jonathan Velasquez.

(Quezaltepeque, El Salvador)(Quezaltepeque, El Salvador)

Luisa Vala, Rogelia Aguila, and JesusVillanueva lost their lives 2 weeks agoin Santa Maria de La Esperanza, Santi-ago Texacuangos, El Salvador, not be-cause of a natural disaster. They diedbecause they were poor. They died be-cause there is no territorial zoning in ElSalvador, because they fled their homesin Chalatenango during the 80s to takerefuge on a mountainside that wouldlater fall upon them and crumble theirtemporary housing that due to poverty,became their permanent home. This

does not have to happen.

I am overwhelmed with the magnitude

of suffering and injustice at this entire

situation. But I am equally over-

whelmed in the next instant with the

over powering generosity and resilience

of humanity.

Beth Tellman, Nov. 20 2009

There was one wall left standing of a house that was completely demolished in a landslide.Its cracked pattern resembles delicate china that has been damaged; and indeed, the housetumbled something akin to that under the weight of the rushing earth. The family of fourwho lived here were buried in their sleep and found at 7:00 the following morning. Theirnames: the father, Carlos Alberto; the 26 year-old mother, Mirna Guadalupe; daughterAzucena, who just celebrated her 9th birthday; and daughter Guadalupe Lizbeth, 10 months

old.

Mirna's wooden bed-turned-coffin (photo below) She was unearthed with her arms around

little Guadalupe.

Danielle Mackey, Nov 23 2009

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Dear Friends,

I hope you are enjoying the warmth of family and friends in this holiday season.May God bless you with the gift of love as you have blessed so many Salva-dorans with the gift of solidarity. I realize that your contribution came out of agenerous place that many of you hold in your hearts for this struggling country ofEl Salvador. Without your donations, we would not have been able to feednearly 1,000 families. You have given enough to enable the space for Mercedesand I to dream about how we can aid the reconstruction process. I can-not express the energy Salvadorans receive when I have the privilege of tellingthem that Xavier College Prep raised nearly $1,000 dollars. Nearly a week later,

St. Peters Catholic School in Kansas City MO raised a similar amount in a [SaveEl Salvador Campaign*. Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School in Indianapolis, IN(my alma mater), raised $3,500! Mercedes thoroughly enjoyed getting to Skypethe students and see the faces of those who still care about the victims of the hur-

ricane.

Thank you for reading the blog, sharing our stories, organizing your schools, andgiving hope to Salvadorans. The disaster is far from *over*, but we are startingto shift from crisis to rebuilding. Your support has been essential in crisis inter-vention, and will continue to be critical until the next harvest, October 2010,

when people can begin to feed themselves.

I want to personally thank those who have provided me with emotional and spiri-tual support in such tumultuous times. There are more of you than can be named,but special thanks is well deserved to my mother, father, and brothers who were

integral in turning short-term relief into a movement, to Robyn Caponi who readmy plea for aid at the Brebeuf Presidents dinner, to Father Mark Ravizza and hisanonymous supporting families who got us cash for supplies during pay palglitches, to Jenna Knapp and Jen Latimer who spoke and organized workshops atthe Ignatian Teach-In in Fort Benning Georgia, to Mercedes Monge for showingme that the Salvadoran Martyrs are truly alive and working, to Enrico and Sabinefor organizing Seattle University to fill their luggage with supplies that enabledus to give bedding to those sleeping on the floor a week after the storm, to theCasa de la Solidaridad Program for making hundreds of college kids fall headover heels in love with El Salvador, to the SHARE foundation, whose last minutedonation will enable to deliver last minute critical aid Christmas Eve morning, toDanielle Mackey and Laura Hershberger whose advice has been invaluable, andto Jonathan Velasquez who has taken care of me when I have been unable to take

care of myself.

The media forgot the storm in 4 days, the Salvadoran government declared theemergency over after three weeks, but for thousands of Salvadorans, the emer-gency is certainly not over, and is not ending in the near future. But you havenot forgotten, and you have kept giving. Of course, we need money to buy seeds,rebuild crops, send community leaders to risk management workshops, etc. How-ever, most importantly, you donations have been a sign of hope for thousands ofSalvadorans- because they know they are not forgotten. Each one of your namesgives us the hope that we can rebuild, that we can work together, and that in theface of the darkest sides of humanity exhibited by blatant corruption, impunity,and injustice, ANOTHER WORLD IS POSSIBLE. There is another brighter sideto humanity exhibited by students raising thousands of dollars, North Americancollege kids hiking the mountains for hours alongside tired Salvadoran counter-parts, and the resilience of women like Mercedes who refuse to be a victim andbecome an agent of change.

The story of a not so natural disaster is not unique to El Salvador; in fact, nearly

every natural disaster is rooted in economic injustice, political impunity, and alack of environmental planning. I hope this causes all of us to reflect on how webuild our world. What we buy, eat, and build is connected to WHY El Salvadorhas no territorial zoning, WHAT business fight this law every time congress triesto pass it, WHO is stealing the little aid available, and HOW it came to be thattemporary housing for displaced victims of war in the 80s became permanenthousing the literally killed human beings in 2009. We will have learned nothingif we do not place this disaster its necessary political and economic context. Wemust learn to take care of our resources if we ever intend to treat the poor with

any sense of dignity.

Feliz Navidad y Ao Nuevo!

Beth Tellman, December 21 2009

Good morning Ignatian family. As we gather here todaywe remember the Jesuit martyrs urgent call to social ac-tion with the poor in a world that often seems to be fallingapart. Just two weeks ago on November 8th the world didindeed fall apart for thousands of Salvadoran familieswhose homes were buried in mudslides and washed intorivers as four-months worth of rain poured down. Myfriends and I were in the country, and as the body countrose we received a call for aid from the community ofSanta Maria de la Esperanza. With a pickup truck andbackpacks full of water, we began what would evolve into

a massive relief effort.

After walking down a mountainside of uprootedtrees and undistinguishable roads, Mercedes, the commu-nity leader took my hand and tearfully led me to the re-mains of a home where her friend Rojelia had been buriedin bed when the mountainside literally fell on top of her.Her orphaned children now reside on the church flooralongside the rest of the community where they overhearplans about how to move forward with no water source, noinhabitable homes, and no crops remaining. Mercedesknew we had not brought enough food to last themthrough one day. Yet she told us they had to be in solidar-ity with the many communities around lake Ilopango thathave received no aid at all and so she sent us with the self-less spirit of the martyrs to continue bringing supplies toother isolated communities.

As the week carried on the 192 dead ceased tobe a statistic and became 9-year old Josue who ran up tothe church for safety and was buried alive on his way. The75,000 in need of humanitarian aid became Vanesa, whoseslender frame may not hold out against the diarrhea plagu-

ing her body from drinking unclean water. And our re-sponsibility to partner with Salvadorans in order to createsustainable communities in the wake of this not-so natural

disaster became all the more real.

Jenna Knapp, Ignatian Family Teach-In

School of the Americas Protest, Ft. Benning Georgia

November 19th 2009

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Jason ParryBrebeuf Jesuit Preparatory SchoolFroehle Family-Mrs. Laura Halls Sixth GradeHomeroom and K-8 Students of St.Peters Catholic School in KansasCity, Missouri

The Caponi FamilyThe Knapp FamilyThe Ravizza FamilyThe Tellman FamilyXavier College Preparatory School,Californiamartha lehmanJanine SheppardCathy PlumpCatherine FordMargaret WatersMyles MintonAshton EasterdayDenise KolenzThe Altemeyer FamilyBrebeuf Jesuit TeachersThe Angulo FamilyAlexis MielkeKatherine GerlichRichard BelcherVictoria SheltonKimberly CoppinBrian BelcherThe Belcher FamilyEmma CordesKatie PowerDave Graf/ Power of TouchN. Karen DemingPatrick SchweigerGrace NixonMary LynchChris and Dale CollinsBill Easterday FamilyJim ForestLisa EnrightJenna KnappEmory LynchKaty ErkerFrancesca McKenzieTay House Christian CommunityNew OrleansSam BakerSadie BeauregardAdrian SandstromFrances LobergAshton EasterdayCheryl DieterlyMichelle Bezanson

Christopher ProctorParvaneh AngusKira HarveyCarol CounsellAllison FordBecky DieschbourgMichelle ReillyMary Ann WallaceMarkus SchaufeleErin WhinneryElizabeth FatoutJulie KingMarta PetersenDebbie SahmThe Mancher FamilyTessa WestonNatali RodriguezShintaro DoiJohn MarrinAnne SchaufeleJoe and Liz KulesaLauren TroutThe Hupomone FundMaggie HargraveJim LochheadMichael TellmanMatt TellmanCarol CrenshawStafford and Clara PileTessa BrownLauren RossiThe Sullivan FamilyJoeseph HeithausJL KatoThe Jesuits of the Uni-versity of CentralAmericavarious anonymousfamiliesThomas CounsellBilly Sladekkimmanleyort.com

Bradley CoffmanBud FrutkinJennifer MoyanoChristopher WahoffJaclyn DittrichLeslie GarrisonBrain BirdAmanda SkinnerCharlotte KarneyLaura RedelmanAu Soleil Healing Inc.

Carrie ClarkMichelle BezansonErin SchlittsThomas CounsellBilly Sladekkimmanleyort.comBradley CoffmanBud FrutkinJennifer MoyanoChristopher WahoffJaclyn DittrichLeslie GarrisonBrain BirdAmanda SkinnerChristopher ProctorParvaneh AngusKira HarveyCarol CounsellAllison FordBecky DieschbourgMichelle ReillyMary Ann WallaceMarkus SchaufeleErin WhinneryElizabeth FatoutJulie KingMarta PetersenDebbie SahmThe Mancher FamilyTessa WestonNatali RodriguezShintaro DoiJohn MarrinAnne SchaufeleJoe and Liz KulesaLauren TroutThe Hupomone FundMaggie HargraveJim LochheadMichael TellmanMatt TellmanCarol CrenshawStafford and Clara Pile

Tessa BrownLauren RossiThe Sullivan FamilyJoeseph HeithausJL KatoThe Jesuitsof the Universityof Central AmericaNana and Papa Tellmavarious anonymous famCarrie Clark

Generous doners

Castleton Family DentistryKennedy FamilyAmy FisherMike and Annie MartinBob and Karen DietrickEmily Pollomthe Pollom FamilyInner Peace Yoga StudentsLinda HegemanWynn McShaneJanie Shumakerthe Sapp Familythe Brumleve FamilyAllie DunnePat FlajoleMegan RaimondiBetsy PurnerSkander and Tracy NasserMeredith SwinehartShelece EasterdayKatherine GerlichNicholas SanchezAnna KolhedeOlivia AmadonNick KlingerJesuit Community BrebeufJesuit Preparatory SchoolJulie WalkerG Paul PetersonDavid DecosseEmma Jehle

Allison StohlLara BrandstetterKimberly CarbaughMallory SchwarzMary WolfAlicia QuirosMarisa OrnelasSarah ShaneRonald MeadEddie AlexanderMaria Eduarda CardosoMandy Sobrepena

Allison RauschCharlotte KarneyLaura RedelmanAu Soleil Healing Inc.Jason ParryMandy Liebscher PearsonKyle OzawaRachel BlantonCarley KnappJennifer GrontkowskiPaul Knapp