Bajo Lempa
The situation as it stands in El Salvador
Hurricane Stan hit El Salvador hard on Tuesday leaving in its wake over 186 miles of devastation that included 117 schools, 10 health clinics, and 1 hospital that were completely destroyed. As a result of the rains, several communities were entirely flooded including the community of Bajo Lempa (located south of my site, within the department of Usulutan). On Wednesday I accompanied my alcaldia into Bajo Lempa to survey the damage and pass out food and clothing to the families that have chosen to stay. The situation is bleak, as you can see with the photos.
Witnessing the devastation and seeing these people first hand is a new experience for me that I still haven't come to terms yet. I saw entire homes and crops completely submerged in water (an entirely livelihood wiped out). At times we could not make out the road and it seemed as if we were on a boat crossing the lake to the other side. As for the people themselves, many did not have family in other parts of El Salvador and had no choice but to stay. They made make shift houses out of plastic and sticks, many of the men were fishing where their homes once stood, casting nets over the murky waters.
Although much in the way of aid arrived in this community, the one necessity they needed the most (and we quickly ran out) was drinkable water. Luckily, toward the end of the day, a tanker truck arrived to temporarily alleviate their thirst, but imagine, some of these people went days without drinkable water.
What was most astonishing in this experience was the amount of smiling faces and playfulness that was among the entire community, including the relief workers. Everybody joked, including the entire staff, children played in the water pushing each other and calling each other names, old women yelled at pigs trying to keep their livestock in check, women sat and gossiped with other women trying to cook what little they had, as the men did a series of odd jobs, some even riding their bikes and waving. I’m telling you, I have never met a more positive people I have here in El Salvador.
Your Affectionate Volunteer,
SCRUTAPE
Hurricane Stan hit El Salvador hard on Tuesday leaving in its wake over 186 miles of devastation that included 117 schools, 10 health clinics, and 1 hospital that were completely destroyed. As a result of the rains, several communities were entirely flooded including the community of Bajo Lempa (located south of my site, within the department of Usulutan). On Wednesday I accompanied my alcaldia into Bajo Lempa to survey the damage and pass out food and clothing to the families that have chosen to stay. The situation is bleak, as you can see with the photos.
Witnessing the devastation and seeing these people first hand is a new experience for me that I still haven't come to terms yet. I saw entire homes and crops completely submerged in water (an entirely livelihood wiped out). At times we could not make out the road and it seemed as if we were on a boat crossing the lake to the other side. As for the people themselves, many did not have family in other parts of El Salvador and had no choice but to stay. They made make shift houses out of plastic and sticks, many of the men were fishing where their homes once stood, casting nets over the murky waters.
Although much in the way of aid arrived in this community, the one necessity they needed the most (and we quickly ran out) was drinkable water. Luckily, toward the end of the day, a tanker truck arrived to temporarily alleviate their thirst, but imagine, some of these people went days without drinkable water.
What was most astonishing in this experience was the amount of smiling faces and playfulness that was among the entire community, including the relief workers. Everybody joked, including the entire staff, children played in the water pushing each other and calling each other names, old women yelled at pigs trying to keep their livestock in check, women sat and gossiped with other women trying to cook what little they had, as the men did a series of odd jobs, some even riding their bikes and waving. I’m telling you, I have never met a more positive people I have here in El Salvador.
Your Affectionate Volunteer,
SCRUTAPE
1 Comments:
LOOKS LIKE A THIRD WORLD COUNTRY TO ME!!!!!!! HAHAHAHA
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