Shopping & Wedding

We called our Salvadoran neighbor Gabriel on Tuesday to confirm pick-up at the airport on Thursday. At the airport, we were greeted by Dmitri. Dmitri works for Gabriel and was our driver, but left El Salvador while we were on medical leave. Dmitri married an Italian woman and moved to Italy. After 3 months in Italy, they returned to Batres. She works for an NGO and speaks little Spanish, he speaks very little Italian.

From the airport Gabriel and Dmitri drove us to the computer store to purchase 3 more computers to complete the project at Alambre public school. This business is the base for the Rotary Computer Project. Dmitri was surprised at the low cost of a computer and is now saving to purchase one for himself.

When we arrived at our house, we had a wonderful surprise. Gabriel’s family had cleaned our home the day before we arrived. We were able to spend the night, saving the expenses of hotel and eating out. What a relief!

Friday morning we had two sets of visitors. We accompanied Principal Walter to Usulután to order the remaining student desks and computer desks. After Walter brought us home from Usulután, we enjoyed coffee and bakery around our table. This has been the focal point of developing projects and relationships for the past 23 months; it’s fitting we should be closing with hospitality. The computers and computer desks were stacked in our home for Walter to pick up on Sunday on his way to Alambre. He is spending more time in Usulután since his mother suffered a stroke. On Sunday morning he told us she is improving.

After we said good bye to Walter and his accompanara, Alexis and Edwin stopped in to deliver an invitation to attend the wedding of Juan Carlos and Ana on Saturday at the home of Ana’s grandmother in San Rafael Oriente.

On Saturday morning we shopped in the city for a wedding gift, finding a West Bend coffee maker at the major appliance store, Casa Chamba Flores. In the afternoon Alexis and Edwin picked us up. We traveled familiar roads, but then took a new one to grandmother’s home. Grandmother’s yard was brightly decorated with awnings, flowered arches and decorated tables, another stark contrast against the brown landscape as we are now in the dry season. We sat at a table near the road and noted the cars and trucks that arrived by the dust clouds that drifted around us.

The mayor of San Rafael Oriente and his assistant performed the wedding. The ceremony took place at a large table with the engaged couple, the mayor and his assistant and the two witnesses. There were long speeches on family and community. At last the mayor asked Ana if she wanted Juan Carlos as her spouse. He asked Juan Carlos the same --- both said an emphatic yes. The Mayor announced them married followed by much applause.

Ana’s family came forward to greet the married couple, bringing their gifts. Friends and family of Juan Carlos waited for him and Ana to greet them at their tables, then offering congratulations and the presentation of gifts. Children followed the couple, receiving the gifts and taking them to the gift table.

The abrupt change from 30 degrees to 90 was exhausting and with travel and the busy schedule, we took Sunday off to continue unpacking, do more cleaning and to develop our three week agenda.

David y Nancy