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Friday, 25 April 2008 |
Katie Doerr is a 2004 graduate of Saint Louis University and is currently a 4th year medical student at Saint Louis University School of Medicine. She is volunteering in El Salvador through May 2008.
 This week in Guarjila has been a true adventure. From the moment we arrived last Sunday descending from a super crowded old school bus to this weekend’s political rally for the 2009 FMLN presidential candidate, we have been taking it all in and learning so much. In the clinic, we travel around with health promoters, meeting families and ensuring that their housing and water situation is up to a set standard. We share stories and bear witness to the enormous amount of suffering this town endured during the war in the 80s.
On Saturday, we went to Arcatao in an attempt to meet Padre Miguelito, a Jesuit working with that community who was friends with Ann Manganero. Despite his absence, parish workers showed us the community, church, and local museum. In the church, pictures of the war are immediately adjacent to each of the Stations of the Cross, signifying the weight of the cross the Salvadoran people have carried through the years.
The generosity of the people is remarkable. Sunday afternoon, Andy and I learned how to cook chicken soup from scratch (removing feathers and all!). The sopa de pollo indio is a special dish here and it was unbelievable. Following our lunch, we traveled in the back of a large truck to Chalatenango to see the 2009 FMLN candidate, Mauricio Funes, speak. We proceeded into the city in a large procession of trucks, cars, buses, bicycles, etc ... What a trip! The enthusiasm of the crowd was overwhelming as was the strength of the candidate´s speech.
This week brings more “consultas” or doctor’s visits along with home visits, physical therapy visits, and health meetings.
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