Tropical Storms hit El Salvador

Posted on June 8, 2020 by sisterparishinc

El Salvador will not give up

By: Julieta Borja
Thursday, June 4, 2020

*Updates on Sister Parish communities below.

For the last three months, we have faced many difficulties in El Salvador.  We were first challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic that pushed our government to order a strict quarantine that has been extended again and again as COVID-19 cases increase.  We have now been observing strict quarantine measures for 3 months. We comply with social distancing and sanitation measures as much as possible.

The rainy season started in May in this difficult context.  Now on top of the pandemic that has only exacerbated preexisting inequalities in the country, we are also facing natural disasters. While the three powers of the state of El Salvador fight to dispute power, people all over the country are facing one of the worst crises in history.

Guarjila collects supplies and food for families affected by the storm.

The weekend of May 30-31, Tropical Storm Amanda caused extensive flooding, landslides, and damage to infrastructure in El Salvador, killing at least 27 people and leaving 10 missing. Entire families died when they were pulled into the rapidly rising river. Many other families were displaced from their communities due to the high risk of flooding and landslides.  In the middle pandemic, resettling people and placing them in shelters carries additional health risks.

As of today, we are expecting more damages to come with Tropical Storm Cristobal, now threatening our people. El Salvador’s territory is so small – the whole country is in chaos right now.  The health system is doing everything possible to save people’s lives, even when sometimes emergency rooms are not enough.

The government and local authorities are not responding adequately to address the emergency.  Instead, some are taking advantage of the situation and the suffering of the people. Some politicians are going to affected areas to hand out bags of food and take pictures to post on social media.  But the population sees this more as a publicity stunt.

The Salvadoran people know we can overcome these disasters, as we have overcome other crises in the past.  People are not waiting for government aid. They organized themselves in the communities to support those in need, an example of love and solidarity to the world, once again.  Our dear Sister Parish committees in Chalatenango and La Libertad have done just that. Community members and committees have gathered food, clothing, hygiene supplies, medicine to distribute with their own vehicles.

Guarjila sorts through clothing donations for affected families.

No storms, no pandemic, no broken government will stop us.  Nothing will break the Salvadoran people’s hearts. We will overcome this by  helping each other and  sharing what little we have with our brothers and sisters that need it now.

Do you want to join us and help? Please do, we will be very thankful forever.

You can donate to our emergency aid fundraiser that will support Sister Parish communities in El Salvador and Guatemala affected by the coronavirus pandemic. The aid projects will be decided by the communities in Central America, depending on their needs.

El Salvador will not give up!

Distributing aid in Guarjila.

Updates from Sister Parish communities

San José la Montaña – People in the community are doing okay. No families were hurt in the storms and there were no damages to houses or infrastructure in the community. The tropical storms did cause landslides on the road from Las Vueltas to San Jose La Montaña. This left the community without access to the town or communication for a couple of days. People continue to observe the recommended sanitation measures and quarantine to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Guarjila – On May 26 there was a very strong storm, even before Tropical Storm Amanda, that affected Chalatenango. The storm damaged houses, community buildings, and forested areas of Guarjila.  Many trees fell down due to the strong wind and some trees fell on top of houses. Tropical Storms Amanda and Cristobal did not cause major damages in the area, but some houses started leaking. No one was hurt, thanks to God. The Guarjila Sister Parish Committee and community board (Directiva) have organized to bring food and necessary clothing and supplies to people that have been affected by the storms. They also continue observing the sanitation measures and quarantine to slow the spread of COVID-19.

San Antonio Los Ranchos – There has not been major damage to infrastructure in the community due to the storms, but some crops were damaged/lost because the soil is too damp. The community continues to  observe quarantine the best they can, also maintaining the sanitation measures recommended nationally and locally by the mayor’s office.

Potrerillos – The Río Lempa flooded some of the lower roads in Potrerillos’ municipality, Nombre de Jesús.  So far, no one has been hurt and there has been no other infrastructure damage reported in Potrerillos. They are working with the mayor’s office in Nombre de Jesús to coordinate all of the public health measures to protect the community from COVID-19.  So far, there are no reported COVID-19 cases in the immediate area.  People continue to observe the quarantine. Some people are stressed about it, but they know that this is necessary for their own health.

ACOMUJERZA in Zaragoza – The tropical storms caused numerous landslides in Zaragoza.  Both the main highway that connects the city with the capital and the highway that connects the city with the port La Libertad were shut down due to the landslides, leaving Zaragoza without access to transportation for a few days.  A nearby river overflowed, washing away houses in different communities. There have been two deaths, one caused by the mudslide and the other by the flooding of the Chilama River. There are two people still missing. Emergency shelters have been set up for the families who lost their houses or live in high-risk areas close to the riverbank. The storms have subsided for now, so the community is organizing to bring support and relief to the affected families.

As part of an urban community, the story is different here in terms of  how people are experiencing the quarantine. ACOMUJERZA  members are doing well. The cooperative has been closed since February, but employees were working two days a week to keep the business going. In mid-April, the cooperative stopped all operations to observe a more strict quarantine after the first 4 cases of COVID-19  were announced in Zaragoza. Currently there are 7 people diagnosed with COVID-19 in Zaragoza and 1 person has passed away as a result of COVID-19.

More information on Tropical Storm Amanda

From Cristosal, as of June 5, 2020 – https://www.cristosal.org/

The toll in El Salvador from Tropical Storms Amanda and Cristóbal includes

  • at least 27 dead, 10 missing
  • roughly 30,000 families affected
  • flooded/broken roads, landslides, floods, destroyed/damaged homes
  • 154 mudslides from Amanda alone, 83 of which were severe and caused complete obstruction in those areas
  • 50 pumping stations for potable water were damaged in the first (worst) day of the storm, 15 of those located in San Salvador
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Life under quarantine in El Salvador

Posted on May 6, 2020 by sisterparishinc

The President of El Salvador declared a nation-wide emergency due to the pandemic.  The population is under mandatory quarantine.  People can leave their homes for basic needs twice a week according to the last numbers of their ID.  Events, church services, meetings, and non-emergency doctor’s visits are all cancelled.  Only citizens and residents are allowed to enter the country (and they were only allowed entrance as of May 1).

Unemployment and underemployment have soared. Conditions are particularly difficult for people that relied on the informal market and daily income to provide for their families.  The central government has approved a number of economic relief efforts, such as a $300 bonus for eligible families.  One of the factors that determined eligibility was a low use of electricity.  Unfortunately, this leave out families that do not have electricity and are, arguably, some of the most in-need.

Deportations from the U.S. have continued the whole time, even when all other international entry was prohibited.  Approximately 1,500 people were deported between mid-March and mid-April alone.

The government has been criticized for the treatment of prisoners and denounced for the abuse of authority in the enforcement of public health measures.

In spite of all of the difficulties, there are beautiful examples of solidarity in this time of crisis.  Some people are organizing for the collective well-being of their communities in inspiring ways.

What does life look like for the Sister Parish communities in El Salvador? Below members from each community tell us more.

Distributing food to families in Guarjila.

Guarjila 

Carlos – We think Guarjila is complying with the public health measures about 90% for the days we have been in quarantine – what is it now? 40 days? 50 days? 90 days? Haha. We have looked for ways to support families that don’t have food.  Our movements are not so restricted right now.  We can go to Chalatenango 2 times a week.  There is a checkpoint on the road that has been set up coordinating with the municipalities and community leaders in the area.  There are no cases yet in Guarjila and we believe we are stronger than a virus.

Marleny – The community board (Directiva) has worked closely with the soldiers and police to carry out the measures currently in place.  The health clinic is also working hard. They are doing home visits, house by house in the entire community, to talk about the measures and why they are important.  It is sad to see the streets so empty when we go out.  The majority of the families here received the $300 (part of the relief package offered by the federal government), but the mayor did not give Guarjila anything (the mayor of Chalatenango did hand out food baskets in other communities). The Directiva asked the mayor to provide some aid, but the mayor said no.  The food aid we have been able to hand out to almost the whole community was made possible by families in the U.S. that came together and sent money to help Guarjila.  They told us they have more possibilities, but we actually see that they might be worse off than us. They have to pay rent and bills – we don’t pay rent or bills. They have to pay for all of their food – here many people have corn and beans from their harvest.  The first food baskets were $15/basket, later a little less at $11/basket to be able to cover more families.

Holy Week – With services canceled, people in Guarjila celebrated Holy Week by listening on the radio or watching on TV.  On Good Friday, the priest went through the town by house to offer blessings for those who wanted them.  The Faribundo radio station is broadcasting a daily mass in the afternoon.

Gurajila farmers are starting to prepare their fields for planting now that the rainy season has started.  The farmers are hoping to increase production given the projected increase in the demand for food in the region.  Guarjila is looking at whether or not they might be able to use the school as a center to store and distribute seeds, fertilizer, and other agricultural products for farmers.

Checkpoint for disinfection and health checks in Los Ranchos. Photo: Mayor’s office of San Antonio Los Ranchos.

Los Ranchos

Consuelo – Most people are following the recommendations.  People go out but just to buy food or what they most need. The police are on call. The municipality gave food baskets and masks to every family in Los Ranchos.  The municipality also already has a program that provides elders with food baskets on a regular basis. Most people are using the masks. There was a checkpoint at the entrance to the town, but since there is now one in a nearby town, they removed it. The health clinic is separating patients who come in with a fever or a cough, providing care in an area in front of the clinic.  There are no cases in Los Ranchos yet. People are very worried about their family members in the U.S.  People in Los Ranchos have family members in the U.S. that have been infected and gone to the hospital and they are not treated. They were sent home.  Thankfully, no family members have passed away at this point.  We are also worried about our family members in the U.S. now that unemployment is so high. We are worried they could be evicted and there are no policies to protect renters or support migrants financially.  The church is closed – there are no masses.  The priests are anxious.  There are only 2 pupuserías open now and they only take to-go orders. Some people have received support from others in Los Ranchos too – for instance, some people, seeing a family or an elder in need, have donated their food basket or help out other ways economically.

Holy Week – Here people celebrated Holy Week by connecting to services on the radio, the TV or Facebook Live.  The priest went through the town on Good Friday so that people could receive a blessing.

Haydee – In Los Ranchos we need to look at how to support people that didn’t receive any help from the government.  (The federal government provided $300 per family to qualifying families and many local governments in the area have given out food baskets).  I have talked to some families that received nothing.  We should figure out a way to help them.

Consuelo – It is sad to see our town so empty. Who knows when we will be able to visit each other again. It is sad not to be able to be with family or friends who are grieving too – like Carlos from Guarjila whose father just passed away.  It is very hard.  I am very worried.  And at least here, we can go out to find a mango on a tree, but in the U.S. our family members are in small apartments, they have to buy their food.  My little granddaughter wants to go out.  It is very hard on the kids in the U.S. We pray to God that this will pass and that we will be able to see each other and go back to some kind of normal.

Packaging food and basic supplies to be distributed to families in Las Vueltas, the municipality where San Jose la Montaña is located. Photo: Mayor’s office of Las Vueltas.

San José la Montaña

As of  April 27, there were 6 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state of Chalatenango: 2 in Chalatenango, 3 in Nueva Concepcion, and 2 in San Miguel de Mercedes.

Erlinda is taking extreme measures because of her job in health care. She goes to work in the clinic in Las Vueltas every day.

Juventina is supporting the disinfection and health control stations at different points in the municipality.   They are trying to control who comes in and out of the municipality as much as they can.  Juventina is also visiting different families in the municipality and helping to distribute food baskets and explain public health measures to each family.  They talk with each household about handwashing, disinfecting, and the steps to take when coming back to the house after running errands in Chalatenango.

People in San José la Montaña are still working in agriculture.  People are starting to promote the use of green houses and family vegetable gardens.  Some people are panicking. This is very stressful.  But the quarantine experience in rural areas is very different. Surviving is more hopeful in the rural areas. People have food and resources.

In terms of public transportation, there are just two options, one at 5:30 and the other 6:40 (but the latter is not guaranteed).  The municipal government is giving bags of food to all families in the municipality. The majority of the families have received $300 from the central government as part of the national relief package.  There are about 5 families from the community who did not receive the bonus.

The CCR is working on food security and sustainability. Policies should focus on supporting people in producing their own organic, locally grown food.  The fact that the rainy season is just starting is an advantage.

CORDES and CCR are also campaigning with the women’s movement in Chalatenango to address domestic violence and violence against women.  People are concerned about the rise in domestic violence and other types of violence under quarantine.  There have been 13 femicides in the country since the beginning of the mandatory quarantine – 1 in Chalatengango.  The organizations have a wonderful campaign to support and encourage people living with violence to report it and look for help.  The campaign is important since people may have lost their usual support networks due to the quarantine and restrictions under shelter-at-home orders.

Making masks at ACOMUJERZA. Photo: ACOMUJERZA.

ACOMUJERZA

Ana and Julieta – In Zaragoza, there is now a checkpoint at the entrance to disinfect cars and people entering the town.  The municipality has handed out food baskets ($15 of food and basic supplies) to a large portion of the people in the town center.  In San Jose Villa Nueva, where Ana now lives, they have handed out anit-bacterial gel, gloves and masks, but not many food baskets in the town center. The food baskets were handed out in the outlying areas. Everyone in El Salvador is under mandatory quarantine and there is a curfew in many municipalities. There have been no cases in Zaragoza, but there have been close by.

Ana – From what I have heard, the ACOMUJERZA members and their families are doing well.  None of the members received the government stimulus of $300.  ACOMUJERZA has been closed since March 21, but we are looking at ways to start work on the uniforms again with measures. Maybe 2-3 people will go in at a time. As a business we have to keep paying our members and our bills and our taxes, but we have had no income since we closed.  So we are looking at alternatives.  We currently have an order for masks.  And we are talking about what else we could do to diversify our sales.

Disinfecting public spaces in Nombre de Jesus, the municipality where Potrerillos is located. Photo: Mayor’s office of Nombre de Jesus.

Potrerillos

In general people in the community are doing well.  The majority of the population is following the recommended health measures and observing the quarantine.

Farmers are already preparing their land for planting now that the rainy season is starting. The municipality is registering all families that plan to plant this year.  They want to ensure that people receive fertilizer, seeds and other agricultural products needed at this stage in the growing season.

Working with the mayor’s office, the community board (directiva) is trying to promote family gardening projects. The gardens are one response to the food crisis and general economic crisis expected as a result of the pandemic.

Access to water is still a challenge in the community, but the community board (directiva) is trying to reorganize to make sure all families have enough water in their homes. Community leaders want families to be able to carry out the recommended hygiene and sanitation measures.

Medical care is provided for emergencies only. Patients with chronic illnesses and monthly medications are still able to go to the health clinic to pick up what they need. Health promoters and nurses try to do weekly home visits to all families in the municipality to check on people’s health. The home visit medical team prioritizes the patients that have more delicate health situations.

Schools are closed across the country. Some students are receiving classes online, but the internet is not accessible to all children and youth.  Some teachers also prepare printed school work that the parents can pick up at the school, so students can work on the packet during the week. Teachers have also formed groups in the phone application WhatsApp.  They can send pictures or study guides to families and parents can print some things to work on with their children.

Two people from Potrerillos who were living in the U.S. have died of COVID 19.

Posted in El Salvador, General, News | Tagged | Leave a comment

Life in Guatemala with coronavirus measures

Posted on May 1, 2020 by sisterparishinc

Check online for up to date numbers of coronavirus cases in Guatemala.

Social distancing and public health measures in Guatemala

As of April 30, 2020, Guatemala continues to be under curfew from 6pm to 4am.  There is  no public transportation. Private vehicles can have a maximum of 3 people.  Interstate travel is limited. Many people in Guatemala have family members that live and work in Guatemala City seasonally. Now those family members are stuck in Guatemala City, many with no jobs and no ability to work because of the lack of public transportation. Returning to their home communities is often not an option, as local authorities are limiting who can come in and out, even people that are very well-known to the community.The lack of work in the city is creating great economic strain for community members that live in the city.

The federal government in the past month has declared that they are going to help alleviate financial strain by offering Q1,000 and food relief to qualifying families. The distribution of this aid is in motion. However, many rural communities are still in the dark as to whether this support will reach them. Many doubt that it will. In the city, many people are not eligible for unemployment benefits if their employers were behind on paying social security or never paid social security for their employees.  Businesses with financial trouble are declaring bankruptcy, getting loans from the central government to re-open under a new name, and laying off their former workers without wages or severance pay.

As of Sunday, April 12, the use of face masks is required by law in public and private spaces. The government has placed heavy fines on those that do not wear masks in public and those who violate the national 6pm curfew.

The situation is very difficult, but there are also many examples of how communities are organizing to support each other.

Las Margaritas 2 and Virginia, Ixcan, El Quiche

Many people in LM2 are concerned with if/how restrictions will affect the selling of their harvests in the coming months. If there is an ongoing need to restrict movement, the market value of their harvest could fall or transportation costs involved in getting their harvest to market could rise.

Chontala, Chichicastenango

Chontala is a town that is very dependent on commerce from tourism, as well as access to the municipality of Chichicastenango to sell its harvest and other products. Public transportation to Chichicastenango before the virus cost Q5 per person. Since there is only private transportation available now it costs Q70 per person. Many people also have family members that work seasonally in Guatemala City which is about 5 hours from Chontala. Some of these seasonal workers have been stuck in Guatemala City since the beginning of the national stay-at-home orders that started in mid-March. The community of Chontala is not allowing people from Guatemala City to enter the community because of fear of infection. Guatemala City has the highest infection rate nationally. This has created a group of people that are without employment, stable housing, and food.

Chichipate, El Estor

In general, people are able to still work within the community of Chichipate. People that relied on traveling to the nearest municipality for work have been hit the hardest economically.  Without public transportation and with the informal economy shrinking, these families have no way to make money right now. They may not have access to enough land to provide food for their families throughout the year.  In Chichipate, many families have to rent land to plant on because they do not own enough land to provide for their family. With the increase in large monocrops, like African palm and biofuel crops, some families have had trouble accessing plots in recent years.

UPAVIM, La Esperanza, Mesquital, Guatemala 

In the month of April, UPAVIM was able to pay its salaried workers. Work from home on crafts was permitted for those who work in the crafts department. For May, all pending craft orders have been completed, so there is no longer work available for those UPAVIMas that work in crafts. UPAVIM is continuing to evaluate if they are able to pay its salaried workers for the month of May.  UPAVIM is composed of those that are salaried and those that work as contractors (their pay is based on the quantity of crafts produced or services they provide).

Tierra Nueva 1 and Tierra Nueva 2, Chinautla, Guatemala

This community has been directly affected by virus infections since it is near Guatemala City. The health authorities are working around the clock to test potential patients. Some people have been placed in quarantine in their homes. Streets have been blocked off in certain areas of the community to prevent people from entering and leaving.  People are trying their best to comply with stay-at-home orders but because most families rely on a daily income to eat, many people still need to leave their house and the community each day, some walking long distances because of the lack of public transportation.  Tierra Nueva 1 and Tierra Nueva 2 have organized food aid for some of the most high-risk people, including families in quarantine, elders, and single mothers.

San Andres Itzapa, Chimaltenango

San Andres is one of the many communities in Guatemala that has suffered from drought the past several years. Many families are heavily dependent on their crops and/or ability to access the municipality of Chimaltenango. With the history of drought and now travel restrictions food insecure families are falling deeper into poverty and families who once had stable income are also suffering.

San Antonio, Cunén

San Antonio is a small, agricultural community. People can still work in their fields and families can do social distancing.  They have said the stores run out of food quickly, but can restock.  In addition to their crops, most families also depend on additional income because their plots of land are very small.  The drop in income from family members working in construction, the sugar cane fields, and other jobs in the city or the U.S. will very much affect the community in the mid-to-long-term. For now, people are more worried about their family members in the U.S. because they have heard about the infection rate and unemployment.  They know that, while they are poor, they have food, but their family members in the U.S. have to pay for rent, bills and food to survive.

Food aid in Tierra Nueva 1 for families in quarantine and others in need.

Food aid in Tierra Nueva 2

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Tierra Nueva 2 entrega víveres a la gente necesitada

Posted on May 1, 2020 by sisterparishinc

English

En un esfuerzo por frenar la propagación del nuevo coronavirus mientras preparan hospitales de campaña, el gobierno guatemalteco ha cerrado escuelas y muchos negocios no esenciales.  Ha prohibido la mayoría de los viajes internacionales y el transporte público, y ha declarado un toque de queda de 6pm a 4am . El gobierno también ha recomendado que las personas se queden en casa siempre que sea posible.

Sin embargo, en un país como Guatemala, un gran porcentaje de la población depende de su salario diario para comer, creando una tensión desgarradora entre prevenir la propagación del virus y alimentar a una familia.

En Tierra Nueva 2, las personas se están adaptando a la vida en cuarentena y se quedan en casa tanto como sea posible, mientras continúan trabajando tanto como puedan sin el transporte público. Las personas con problemas previos de salud esperan nuevas fechas para sus citas en los hospitales públicos. Los niños están todos en casa estudiando sus tareas. El personal de la clínica en Tierra Nueva está haciendo todo lo posible para prepararse con recursos limitados. Después de dos semanas de cuarentena nacional, algunas personas ya han acudido al sacerdote de la iglesia en Tierra Nueva 1 para pedir ayuda porque no tienen qué comer.

Con una generosa donación de su hermanamiento, Santa Juana de Arco, el Comité Hermanamiento en TN2 está preparando bolsas de víveres y productos de higiene para la gente de la tercera edad y madres solteras en su comunidad, a quienes consideran los más vulnerables. Esperan también comprar tres termómetros digitales para la clínica, pero actualmente están agotados en el país. La entrega de víveres no resolverá los problemas creados por generaciones de desigualdad, pero es una gran ayuda en un momento de gran necesidad. Y quizás, lo más importante, las personas en TN2 saben que no están solas. Son amadas.

El Comité de Hermanamiento de TN2 envió un enorme agradecimiento a sus hermanos y hermanas en Santa Juana de Arco. Les agradecemos a cada uno de los miembros del comité en TN2 también. En un momento de crisis, cuando sus familias intentan adaptarse y prepararse, cuando sus familias tampoco saben de dónde vendrá su comida, tomaron el tiempo y se arriesgaron para ayudar a los más necesitados de su comunidad. Se ve y se aprecia: un hermoso ejemplo de la solidaridad.

Con las medidas de distanciamiento, se preparan para entregar los víveres.

Se preparan las bolsas de frijol.

Se consiguieron pasta, frijol, Incaparina, arroz y otros víveres, a pesar de las dificultades de la cuarentena.

Entregaron los víveres en la iglesia con todas las medidas de prevención.

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Unidos en la oración y la solidaridad – Iglesias Hermanas en los tiempos de coronavirus

Posted on May 1, 2020 by sisterparishinc

English

Querida familia de Iglesias Hermanas,

La pandemia de coronavirus está afectando a todos. ¿Cómo son los hermanamientos en medio de una pandemia? Aunque los detalles del día a día cambiarán, nuestra misión sigue siendo la misma. Continuaremos compartiendo nuestras alegrías y nuestras tristezas y nos uniremos en la oración y la solidaridad.

Por el momento, Iglesias Hermanas está tomando todas las precauciones disponibles.  No realizaremos delegaciones ni visitas a las comunidades, pero estaremos disponibles para ayudar con la comunicación entre ustedes y sus hermanos del norte. No duden en comunicarse con nosotros con cualquier duda o pregunta. Favor de compartir sus oraciones, sus preocupaciones, sus esperanzas y su amor con los hermanos del norte. Quieren saber cómo están y escuchar de ustedes.

A corto plazo, nosotros
– Vamos a platicar con los hermanamientos sobre cómo Iglesias Hermanas puede ayudar a los esfuerzos comunitarios para ayudar a la gente más necesitada.
– Vamos a seguir en contacto con sus hermanos del norte, al compartir oraciones, saludos, mensajes, video, y fotos con ellos.  Podemos organizar llamadas de Skype o WhatsApp o Zoom con miembros del norte y del sur.
– Hemos cancelado las delegaciones de marzo, abril, y octubre y también las reuniones de representantes.  No sabemos cuándo se va a poder retomar las delegaciones, las reuniones o las visitas pero estaremos en comunicación con cada comunidad para decidir juntos los pasos a tomar.
– Estaremos en contacto con todas las comunidades de Iglesias Hermanas para tomar decisiones sobre los hermanamientos al largo plazo.

De lo que hemos escuchado de los hermanamientos del norte, están bien por el momento. Cada ciudad tiene sus propias medidas, pero en la mayoría se ha cancelado las escuelas y la población está en cuarentena para frenar el brote de coronavirus allá.  Aunque la mayoría de los miembros de Iglesias Hermanas está bien, mucha gente está sufriendo.  Igual que en Centro América, este virus en los EEUU expondrá todas las desigualdades y otras “pandemias”, como el racismo, el hambre, la desnutrición, y la falta de acceso a la vivienda, el agua y la salud.

En este mundo, todos estamos interconectados y dependemos el uno del otro – esta crisis lo ha revelado. Mantenemos en nuestras oraciones a todos en el mundo que lloran por sus seres queridos, los  que están enfermos o ansiosos o se sienten solos. Mantenemos en nuestras oraciones a quienes enfrentarán más dificultades económicas, hambre, falta de vivienda, discriminación y racismo a causa de esta crisis. Agradecemos en nuestras oraciones a las personas que siembran y cosechan y empacan la comida, todo personal de salud, y todos que están trabajando duro para mantener a sus familias.

En este momento de incertidumbre y dificultades, ojalá encontremos nuevas formas de cuidar a las personas en nuestras comunidades, nuestras familias, nuestros hermanamientos y a nosotros mismos. Tenemos nuestra fe para sostenernos y organizaremos nuevos sistemas de apoyo mutuo. Es lo que nos da esperanza. Así es como lo superaremos juntos.

Un abrazo para todas y todos,
Carrie Stengel

Posted in El Salvador, Español, Guatemala, News, United States | Tagged | 1 Comment

Distanciamiento físico y la solidaridad – Iglesias Hermanas en los tiempos de coronavirus

Posted on May 1, 2020 by sisterparishinc

English

Querida familia de Iglesias Hermanas,

En nombre de la Junta Directiva del Norte, quiero compartir con ustedes que, en medio de la pandemia, nosotros, como organización, estamos comprometidos a practicar el distanciamiento físico y la solidaridad social. Si bien el distanciamiento físico es un cambio para nosotros, ya que ha impactado significativamente nuestras delegaciones y las visitas comunitarias, seguimos comprometidos con la solidaridad y seguimos trabajando por la paz y la justicia.

Como Junta Directiva del Norte, nos damos cuenta de que somos afortunados de contar con nuestros trabajadores de Iglesias Hermanas que ya trabajan desde sus casas.  La forma de comunicarse con las comunidades cambiará mientras no se permiten las visitas, pero seguirá siempre una parte importante del trabajo. Favor de seguir en comunicación con los trabajadores de Iglesias Hermanas para que puedan compartir sus noticias, sus oraciones, sus alegrías y sus luchas con sus hermanos del norte.

También estamos explorando qué podemos hacer para apoyar a las comunidades de Iglesias Hermanas en el sur durante estos tiempos de incertidumbre y mucha necesidad. Siempre nos hemos enfocado en fortalecer los lazos de amistad y compartir la cultura y la fe.  Seguiremos con el mismo trabajo pero a la vez sabemos que habrá necesidades materiales en las comunidades.

Estos desafíos no tienen precedentes, pero no son insuperables. Pedimos sus oraciones y apoyo para la salud y la seguridad de todos los miembros de la familia de Iglesias Hermanas, Norte y Sur. Que sigamos unidos en la oración y la solidaridad, ahora más que nunca.

Sinceramente,
Maria Van Der Maaten
Presidente de la Junta Directiva del Norte

Posted in El Salvador, Español, General, Guatemala, United States | Tagged | 1 Comment

How is COVID-19 affecting our brothers and sisters in Guatemala? – Las Margaritas 2

Posted on April 20, 2020 by sisterparishinc

How’s COVID-19 Affecting our Brothers and Sisters in Guatemala?

by Trevor Thompson
Director of Justice and Peace, Catholic Community of St Francis of Assisi
Originally posted in church newsletter

One of the things I have been doing over this last month is checking in on my family members, colleagues, and friends more than usual. Life seems so disorienting, unpredictable, and fragile right now, and so somehow these conversations feel grounding. They also express well the sense of solidarity that we are all feeling right now, how small the world is, how interdependent we all are, how universal are our fears, anxieties, questions, hopes, and dreams.

In this spirit, one of the relationships I have been checking in on over the last month is with our Sister Parish, the village of Las Margaritas II (LM2) in Guatemala. We watch the news to get a sense of what is happening in our cities, states, and in our nation, but we likely get only a vague and piecemeal vision of how our brothers and sisters in other places are experiencing COVID-19. As many of you know, we have had a dear relationship with LM2 for over 25 years now. LM2 is a rural village of about 100 indigenous Mayan families located about a 10-hour drive northwest of Guatemala City. It might be fairly easy for us to imagine how our brothers and sisters in New York or Ohio or even Italy are faring, but  what about our friends in Las Margaritas II, Guatemala?

Through a series of emails with Brian Tyler, the Sister Parish staff person who lives in Guatemala and our liaison with LM2, I have been able to get a bit of a picture of what things look in Guatemala and in the village in particular. I wanted to share this with you to enrich your sense of solidarity and prayer during this time.

In response to COVID-19, Guatemala has enacted a nationwide curfew 4pm to 4am, suspended all public transport, closed borders, limited transportation in private vehicles to 3 persons, limited the amount of people that are allowed in open air markets, restricted travel within country, and made it an obligatory by law to wear face masks in public.

Even before COVID-19, most people in LMII struggle economically, with farming as the main profession, which rolls on with the seasonality of life and the vagaries of weather and markets. At this point, the national restrictions have not prevented the village from continuing their planting, harvesting, and selling of their crops, but much depends on the future re-normalizing in terms of how things will affect them long-term. In order to supplement family income, many LM2 family members travel to and even live in neighboring urban areas, other farms, or in even in Guatemala City. With travel restricted and the economy halted, there is a great economic strain put on those who remain in the village and there is more pressure on farming to sustain their already tenuous existence.

At this point, most basic necessities are able to be secured in a town about 30 minutes away from LMII. The Guatemala government has made a decision to provide stimulus aid of 1,000 Quetzales (about $130) and some food aid to individuals, but LM2 community members are still in the dark as to whether this support will reach them. Many doubt that it will. At this point, there are only 200 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 5 deaths in all of Guatemala (0 cases in LM2). A large number of these cases are migrants who have been deported from the US over this past month who tested positive for COVID-19. There is very little access to COVID-19 testing in the country, and in areas like LM2, there is very poor health care and hospital infrastructure to support anyone who would be in need of extraordinary care. Guatemala’s economy relies heavily on agricultural exports and tourism, as well as the large amount of remittances sent by Guatemalans living in the United States to relatives in Guatemala. All of this is being affected in negative ways and will undoubtedly affect the most vulnerable most severely.

Although many of the Holy Week services and festivities were curtailed in Guatemala, LM2 continues to find solace in their new church they have been building over the last five years. They send us their prayers.

I invite you to please keep our brothers and sisters in LM2 in your prayers during this time when we are all feeling so distant and yet so connected.

Posted in General, Guatemala, News | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

TN2 responds to needs in community

Posted on April 8, 2020 by sisterparishinc

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In an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19 while they prepare field hospitals, the Guatemalan government has closed schools and all large, non-essential businesses, banned most international travel and public transportation, and declared a curfew from 4pm-4am every day. The government has also recommended that people stay at home whenever possible. In a country like Guatemala, however, a large percentage of the
population depends on their daily wage in order to eat, creating a heartbreaking tension between preventing the spread of the virus and feeding a family. This virus will expose all preexisting inequalities and other deadly “pandemics”, including racism, hunger, homelessness, malnutrition, lack of access to water, and lack of access to health care. This is, of course, also true in the U.S.

In Tierra Nueva 2, people are adjusting to life in quarantine and staying at home as much as possible, while continuing to work as much as they can, even without public transportation. People with ongoing health problems await new dates for their appointments in the public hospitals. The children are all at home. The clinic staff in Tierra Nueva 1 is doing their best to prepare with limited resources. After two weeks of the national quarantine, some people have already gone to the priest to ask for help because they have nothing to eat.

With a generous donation from their partner church St Joan of Arc, the Sister Parish Committee in TN2 is preparing food baskets for the elders and single mothers in their community, those they consider most vulnerable. They hope to also purchase three digital thermometers for the clinic, but there are none currently available to purchase. The emergency aid will not solve the problems created by generations of inequality, but it is a huge help in a time of great need. And perhaps, most importantly, people in TN2 know they are not alone. They are beloved.

The Sister Parish Committee in TN2 sent a huge thank you to their brothers and sisters at St Joan of Arc.  I also made sure I thanked each of the TN2 committee members. In a time of crisis, when their families are trying to adjust and prepare, when their families are also worried about where their food and water will come from, they are taking time and putting themselves at risk to help the most needy in their community. This is seen and appreciated – a beautiful example of true solidarity.

TN2 Sister Parish Committee using masks and social distancing measures while preparing food baskets for families in need.

Food baskets included rice, beans, pasta, sugar, oil and Incaparina, among other necessities.

Preparing food baskets, weighing the rice and beans.

Preparing food baskets, weighing the beans.

Posted in Emergency Aid 2020, Guatemala, News | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Uniting in prayer and solidarity – Sister Parish and COVID-19

Posted on April 6, 2020 by sisterparishinc

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Dear Sister Parish friends and family,

We know the coronavirus outbreak is causing disruptions in everyone’s daily life at this point.  We wanted to reach out to connect and to let you know what we are doing in the short-term.  What do our sister parish relationships look like in the middle of a pandemic?  Though the details will change, our essential mission remains the same. We continue to share our joys and our struggles and we unite in prayer and solidarity.

For the moment, Sister Parish is doing whatever we can to flatten the curve while continuing our work.  Please also read this letter from our Board President Maria Van Der Maaten.  We will not be doing community visits, but we will be available to help with remote communication any way possible.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions or concerns.  We are available by email, phone or Skype/WhatsApp/Zoom anytime.  And please continue to share your prayers, your worries, your hopes, and your love with your brothers and sisters in the south.  They want to hear how you are doing and connect in any way possible. In the short-term, we will:

  • Reach out to U.S. communities about the possibility of providing emergency aid if/when it is needed. Right now, we are already seeing an urgent need for food and water in the urban communities in Guatemala due to the social distancing measures.
  • Continue to exchange prayer requests, letters, community updates, and videos, as well as help organize calls by Skype or Zoom.
  • Keep you posted and include all of our communities as we develop more long-term plans for the organization.
  • Evaluate our scheduled delegations on a case by case basis as the situation progresses. We have already cancelled or postponed our March, April and October delegations. This, of course, is a drastic change in our work and in our annual budget.  We know that some are facing economic hardship right now, but if you are able to continue to support us financially, we would really appreciate it.

In terms of an update from Central America, as you all know, the health care systems here are not equipped to deal with a pandemic of this nature. In an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19, the governments in El Salvador and Guatemala have closed schools and non-essential businesses. They have also banned large events, most international travel, and public transportation, and declared curfews or mandatory quarantines.   A huge percentage of the population, however, depends on their daily wage in order to eat, creating a heartbreaking tension between slowing the spread of the virus and feeding a family.  Both Guatemala and El Salvador have passed economic relief packages, but many fear they are insufficient to meet people’s needs. This virus will expose all preexisting inequalities and other deadly “pandemics”, including racism, hunger, malnutrition, homelessness, lack of access to water, and lack of access to health care.  This is, of course, also true in the U.S.

What are our members in Central America saying about their experience?

  • Miriam from Guatemala says, “Please pray for all of us.  We don’t know the way out or what to hang on to at this point.  Our only hope is God. Many of us are affected by the economic impact already, just at different levels.  Faith in God is the only thing that can help us.  We will pray for all of you – you are in the same situation. Maybe we are experiencing this in different ways, but we have many of the same feelings. We are all feeling shut up inside. We are all worried about what will happen.  It is so good that we are united in prayer.  We feel stronger and closer to you. We know we are not alone.”
  • Consuelo from El Salvador says, “Families are very worried about the virus because our health system has very little capacity to provide adequate care for an epidemic like this that is advancing so quickly.  People here also have a lot of family members who are migrants (in the U.S.).  The situation is very difficult for them because their workplaces are closing.  We know that this is done to prevent more people from getting infected with the virus, but we are worried about how long they can stay in their apartments and we are worried about their health.  We are praying for all of our brothers and sisters in the church and for protection for our elders, emigrants, and prisoners.  On March 24, a mass was transmitted by audio and we listened to it from our homes.  The mass was to commemorate and remember the 40 years since the assassination of Saint Oscar Arnulfo Romero.”

In this world, we are all interconnected and we rely on each other in ways that have now been unveiled for all to see.  We hold in our prayers those all over the world who are grieving, those who are ill or anxious or lonely.  We hold in our prayers those who will face more economic hardship, hunger, homelessness, discrimination, and racism.  We hold in our prayers the people who are feeding us, providing medical care, delivering to homes, and cleaning buildings – they are stepping up to care for us all, sometimes without the guarantees or pay they deserve.

In this time of uncertainty and hardship, may we find new ways to care for people in our communities, our families, our sistering relationships, and ourselves.  May we rebuild our global society based on the values of equality and mutual care.  We have our faith to ground us and we will find new ways of holding each other up. This is what gives us hope. This is how we get through this together.

Carrie Stengel

p.s. Even though international travel is banned to Guatemala and El Salvador, the U.S. continues to deport people from detention centers (some of them have already tested positive for COVID-19).  The returning people have nowhere to go but back to their communities (if the communities have not blocked their entrance), easily spreading the virus to communities with no health infrastructure.  If interested, you can sign a petition by the Latin America Working Group to ask the U.S. government to halt deportations during the COVID-19 outbreak.  There is also a national campaign to free immigrants from U.S. detention centers and limit immigration enforcement right now in light of the health risks posed for immigrants and society at large.

Posted in El Salvador, General, Guatemala, United States | Tagged | 2 Comments

Physical distancing and social solidarity – Sister Parish and COVID-19

Posted on April 6, 2020 by sisterparishinc

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Dear Sister Parish family, friends, and supporters:

On behalf of the Sister Parish, Inc. Board of Directors I want to share with you that in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we, as an organization, are committed to practicing physical distancing and social solidarity. While the physical distancing is a change for us, as it has significantly impacted our delegation schedule and community visits, we remain committed to solidarity and fostering mutual understanding, peace and justice.

As all our staff members currently reside in Guatemala and El Salvador, we are taking precautions to protect them and maintain their livelihoods. As a Board, we realize that we are fortunate to have such capable and committed staff members who already work from home and we know that their communication skills will be different while community visits are not permissible (Guatemala and El Salvador are both essentially closed and under curfew), but will remain a key component of our mission. We are also exploring what we can do to support our Sister Parish communities in the South during these uncertain times. While the focus of our mission and vision is relationships, we know that there will be some specific material needs that communities will face if or when they are impacted by the crisis.

These challenges are unprecedented, but not insurmountable. We ask for your prayers and support for the health and safety of everyone in the Sister Parish family—North and South—and ask you, if you are able, to continue to support us financially as well. The loss of delegations (our main source of revenue) will be felt this year and possibly for years to come, however, we can already see glimmers of hope and opportunity for the relationships we have been building for years between and within countries to come together, especially at times like this. Sister Parish has social solidarity covered.

Sincerely,
Maria Van Der Maaten
President, Sister Parish, Inc. Board of Directors

p.s. See also this letter from Executive Director Carrie Stengel.

Posted in El Salvador, Guatemala, News, United States | Tagged | 2 Comments