We've got the land

Elizabeth and Enlace in El Salvador

Since the Enlace group recently spent time in El Salvador, we thought it would be the perfect time to highlight another MCC worker, Elizabeth Scambler, who has been working with MCC in El Salvador since 2010. It has been great having Elizabeth as a part of our team and has allowed us to coordinate more group visits to El Salvador, specifically to La Linea in San Martin. Both the Enlace and RJC groups were able to visit San Martin this year and hope to continue strengthening that relationship in the future.

San Martin, and specifically La Linea, is a very difficult place to live and work. Elizabeth "works alongside two different organizations which partner with MCC. One is an NGO based out of San Salvador called ANADES. The other partner is a church, IBCD, situated in a marginalized community (La Linea) about 45 minutes from the capital. With each partner, Elizabeth works alongside their disaster recovery and resettlement projects which are responses to the damage caused by Hurricane Ida in November of 2009." As Elizabeth and her co-worker, Yesenia describe it, "Like much of El Salvador, social violence is an everyday reality. La Linea is associated with a particular gang which exists throughout the country. The main economic activities among community members are working in the informal economy (such as people who work selling in the market or in construction), working in factories, and agriculture. Unemployment in El Salvador, and in particular La Linea, is also a reality. On November 9, 2009, Hurricane Ida hit La Linea. Excessive rainfall created landslides which destroyed houses, buried others, and left other homes hanging off the edge of dangerous cliffs. Since La Linea was no longer inhabitable, everyone had to relocate to a temporary shelter closer to the Panamerican highway. 350 families live in the 5 sectors which continue to collectively refer to themselves as “La Linea.” Since people are illegally squatting, they run the risk of being kicked off this land at any time."

However recently, IBCD and the work they are doing in La Linea has shown some signs of progress; a plot of land where 250 families will relocate has been purchased. Please visit Elizabeth's personal blog to read more about this story and the work she is doing in El Salvador; The end of 30 years of displacement

Enlace's visit to El Salvador included visiting La Linea and supporting the work IBCD is doing there, as well as connecting with the many youth that live in the community; a highlight of the time for sure. The group also visited the area of Perquin and learned about the armed conflict in El Salvador and the church's role during that time. If you are interested in learning more about El Salvador's history, we highly recommend watching Voces Inocentes.


Elizabeth, on left, with past SALTer Katelyn Shank



Enlace, with Elizabeth and Yesenia, waiting out the rain in Perquin

Summer Continued

Another highlight of July and August was hosting and working alongside the Enlace group. It is hard to recap a month's worth of experiences in a few words and images, especially when the group was as dynamic and fun as this one! I have always enjoyed working with Enlace, this being my fourth year to do so. The youth often come with a more intentional attitude and open perspective that fit well with the vision of the Connecting Peoples program here. MCC Ontario explains the program well on their website (see link to the right) and also has a great blog where you can find comments from past Enlace participants. Although I love all our groups, I have to say that this one was quite possibly one of my favorites. After a week of language study with the CASAS program, the group spent their time visiting projects in Santiago Atitlan, San Marcos, and El Salvador, not to mention the many times they frequented Sarita (haha!) Thank you, Enlace, for making me laugh so much and for enriching my experience here yet again.



These are just a few of the images from the group's time in San Marcos; check back soon for more on their time in El Salvador. Also, if you'd like to read more about Enlace's experience here, check out their blog: http://enlace2011.wordpress.com/


finally at the top of the tacana volcano
(second highest point in central america and second enlace group ever to conquer it!)


tourist cabin and trout tanks in la vega, san marcos
(some day the cabin will be finished and you can come stay there!)


one of our amazing cooks and her son hiking tacana
(yes, they prepared two hot meals for us during the all day hike)






during the visit to la vega, the group helped start building 12 bridges that will serve both the community at large and the community cooperative's eco-tourism project

Summer Highlights

Although it is not summertime here in Guatemala, July and August are always busy for the Connecting Peoples program as groups from North America take advantage of their summer breaks to work with the MCC supported projects here. This year was no exception as we hosted back-to-back groups from the U.S. and Canada; a Youth Venture team that is part of Mennonite Mission Network and the Enlace group that comes each year through MCC Ontario.

The Youth Venture group had the opportunity to connect with the work of Toby and Yasmin in the area of Nebaj, Quiche spending time working alongside a group of youth who are hoping to start a community bakery. The group also met with a core group of community leaders who form part of the resistance against the hydroelectric dam that is being built in the region; if you didn't have a chance to read about that in July's update, please visit here. This was the second time this year that we have been able to work with the various groups of youth in Nebaj and again was a very positive experience. Some of you (Rockway!) may recognize a few of the people and places in the photos below.



cob oven and bench created by the youth
click here to read more about this really cool, eco-friendly construction method


entrance to cafe in nebaj (see here for more pictures)



youth making lunch for the group


delicious quesadillas and licuados



baking workshop in xepiun


hike in the mountains near xepiun



starting work on the bakery's oven and seating area



almost finished product; pictures of the completed project coming soon!