Chiltiupan, here we come

Our mission team met tonight for the last time prior to our departure, dividing up the materials we are taking to the clinic and school in Chiltiupan, El Salvador. Most of the missioners, including myself, went wild collecting over-the-counter medical supplies, rosaries, children's books, novelties to entertain kids, school socks and, last but not least, laptop computers.

One of the decisions the group made early on in our planning was to collect gently used laptops to donate to the school kids, perhaps setting up a computer lab for them. Through the generosity of others, we got 4-5 serviceable laptops--short of our goal of 12, but much appreciated nonetheless.

When I was getting out things to pack for the trip, I completely neglected work clothes. Since performing service projects is one of the main activities in our plans, I had to correct that oversight. As a result, I jettisoned a couple of nicer shirts and packed a pair of jeans and a few extra T-shirts. Rumor has it we will be laying a cement floor in a building, so it's bound to be messy. I have to remember to grab a pair of work gloves tomorrow and throw them in my bag.

Gerry J. from St. Barnabas parish met us tonight, giving us a bag of rosaries and a guitar to take to Sister Rose, our diocesan contact in Chiltiupan. Gerry spent 10 days at the diocesan mission previously and is going back this spring. He spoke about how the people there love their children and also how the dads often leave to work in the U. S., sometimes sending money home to the family in El Salvador, but sometimes not...

All of us on our team are filled with eager anticipation about the trip. We expect to learn a lot (hopefully breaking down some stereotypes in both directions), do a bit of hard labor, break bread with our brothers and sisters and, in general, have a good time with lots of opportunities for spiritual growth.

Supposedly there is an internet cafe down the road from our hotel, but no wireless in the hotel itself, so I will try to get online now and again to provide updates as our trip unfolds. If not, I'll provide updates when I return.

Generosity of others

Through the generosity of others, I'll be taking some things with me to El Salvador that should help out the people we're visiting. From what I have learned, El Salvador is one of the poorest countries in the hemisphere and we're going to one of the poorest regions of the country. We've been told the people often have enough money for food, but not clothing, shoes, shelter or medicine.

Lori, a friend and former work associate, sent a cash donation that enabled me to purchase clothing to donate to the kids at the school. They need such basic things as socks that we take for granted!

Sarah, daughter of my best friend Don, donated samples of sanitizer products. We'll be carrying bottles of sanitizer gel, as well as lots and lots of sanitizing wipes--including one bucket that has 1,200 wipes! Must be their "industrial size."

The diocesan parish in Chiltiupan operates both a school and a clinic, so the sanitizer products should go a long way in helping the people there prevent the spread of disease and infection.

Thank you to these generous people for their help!

Making a list & checking it thrice

I've started getting things out for an upcoming trip to Chiltiupan, El Salvador with a group from church. Although we'll be staying at a modern hotel in the Pacific coast city of La Libertad, the town where we're doing service projects looks a bit remote, based on what I can see on Google Earth.

Last month, members of our group got vaccinations for typhoid, hepatitis and influenza. Some of the older members got pneumonia shots and other people had to receive various other vaccines. We won't be in a malaria zone, so don't have to worry about prophylactics for that. The biggest concern seems to be foodborne illnesses, followed by insect bites.

The county board of health warned us about dengue fever and other things that can be transmitted by bugs, so I'm packing a tube of Ultrathon. I also impregnated socks, pants and shirts with permethrin, an insecticide that is supposedly safe for people...at least that's the theory if you believe the military!

They told us not to drink the tap water (no surprise there, really), so I am planning to take my water filter and some MicroPur tablets, the idea being that I won't have to buy as much bottled water, as I can pump my own.

Last but not least, I've got a first aid kit from the troop--the same kit I carried at Philmont last summer, so I know it's well-stocked and ready for an emergency.

This weekend I'll be getting out other things I plan to take on the trip. First, though, is a trip to the chiropractor this morning to get a treatment for my aching back.