Rio Grande 4

We continue in accompaniment with the residents, leaders and Oikos to bring improvement in the quality of living for those along the river. David joined Guillermo Friday morning; we drove to Santa Maria to pick up two representatives of the Sindica Intercomunal Rio Grande of San Miguel. They had traveled from San Miguel to be in solidarity with the residents of the Rio Grande living further downstream.

We pull off to the side of the road to wait for another person. When a car pulls up and a man steps out --- I say to myself, I know him. The National Assemblyman, Jorge Schafik Handal, is joining us today. He is named after his father who is a national hero to the poor of El Salvador and the leader of the guerrilla movement during the 12 year civil war. After greetings and pictures our caravan travels to the community.

We arrive at a site on the river, a mile east of the dike that was breached last winter now nearly complete with repairs. But this spot is absent a functioning dike and the flooding of this community is a just two months away.

A review of the meeting is on you tube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvI8X5X7KC4

He is given a petition from the Sindica Intercommunal Rio Grande of San Miguel asking Jorge Schafik Handal to assist these people with the flooding issues. This is read to Schafik at the meeting site in the presence of the community representatives.

He receives it with much applause from those present. He responds with a brief speech of acknowledgement.

When I speak with Jorge Handal, I tell him I am here for two years as a volunteer. I mention I will post the video of the meeting on You Tube. He replied “what’s that?”

The meeting concludes with the following action plan:
 The community will organize into work teams to fill and stack sand bags in the current void in the dike system.
 Jorge Handal will prepare a formal request to the National Assembly to build a dike in this section of the river.

While it seems meager, this is a solid beginning. We hope to follow this process and continue in this accompaniment in the successes and set backs of the residents of the Rio Grande.

David y Nancy