Hope Rising...
It’s nearing three months now that I’ve been home from a land most of this world will never have a chance to experience and a people whose thirst for life triumphs over material objects. These past three months have been both trying and rewarding for me and my peers as we are still toiling the intimate week we all shared down in Rancho Grande, El Salvador. Talking with the adult leaders and the newly enlightened leaders within each teenager that went, it is clear to me that this wasn’t just a humanities trip aimed at bettering the lives of the humble folks down in El Salvador. No, it transcended that boundary the instant our buses hobbled on the unpaved dirt road, stirring up clouds of dust. For as the dust settled, the quiet roar of feet rumbled towards our ears as the children on Rancho Grande flocked towards our buses. We weren’t just sharing our hands and plethora of donations with these people; we were sharing hope.
Today, this hope troubles me still. With the constant bombardment of “Breaking News,” economic slumps, intrusive text messages, and the call of Facebook, it is difficult to find a hope like the hope the El Salvadorians showed. And it wasn’t that ignorance spurred bliss – some had access to the outside world and like news spreads here, so too does it there. No, this hope was ignited from somewhere else; somewhere internally. It is through human relations that the El Salvadorians learned to hope…learned to love. Yes, we here learn to relate to one another, but on what level? Electronics can only offer so much satisfaction and while we may do things for others, it is common to expect something in return. There, they expect no accolades; they expect no praise; they only expect appreciation; only love. It was on the second day I learned this, and from that morning while photographing some of the people, I made it a priority of mine to practice the El Salvadorian means of relationships.
From building two new bathrooms, the foundation for a community fence and garden to re-painting the community center and immunizing the village, monetary and school/medical supply donations illuminated the week for the El Salvadorians and us as well. It is through the generous hearts of those who sponsor this trip that the women of the village experienced an evening of relaxation, the children ride new bikes to school today, and there is hope for a sewing business with the countless number patterns, fabrics, and sewing machines & supplies donated. In spirit, everyone who donated to this cause was under the sun that week, sleeping in the school house and waking with the roosters to gratefully change the lives of Rancho Grande and reignite ours.
In a world where it is too easy to hate, and releasing one’s heart seems weak; it’s important to remain true to your self and respectful towards others. Race, gender, sexuality, creed, or ethnicity has no meaning to the people of Rancho Grande. To them, we are all one people meant to work together in the hopes of benefiting something greater than our personal beings. It is one thing to tolerate someone, but it is another to coexist.
Written by Hayden Leland Manders (2009 Team Member- J.D. High school)
Although we have gone with the hopes of changing lives, the fact remains that each year we are changed more than we could ever hope to bless them... We have been reminded of what we have forgotten living in the luxury of homes with floors and running water - what it truly means to be in community with others and how important family and friendship really is. While we bless them with material necessities such as clean water, medicine, and school supplies, they bless us with a richness that cannot be described in words. We have blessed each other with very different kinds of HOPE. For each community, hope is rising. Thank you for your unyielding support and sponsorship.
Please join us in our efforts to continue spreading hope to those in need.