San Salvador

June 15th, 2012 We began the day with a prayer service in the chapel that overlooks the city. The view was incredible and so different from what we are used to in the United States. We soon departed for the University of Central America (UCA). Everyone was in good spirits, viewing the city through the bus windows. One thing everyone noticed is how colorful the city is. Buldings are painted in bright, bold colors. We finally arrived at UCA and took a tour of the Romero Center. There, we heard the stories of the massacres throughout San Salvador, especially the Jesuit massacre which occured on that very soil. We got to see many different relics of the Jesuits who were murdered there. From there, we walked out back to see the spot where the six murdered Jesuits and two murdered maids were discovered. Standing on this holy ground was incredibly powerful. Our travels then led us to the place where Oscar Romero used to live. Inside, we got to see his personal possessions and even the clothes he was assassinated in. We walked accross the street to the church in which Romero was shot. Standing in front of the spot where one of our Jesuit heroes died made his sacrifice seem very real. You could really feel the energy present within our group. We then drove to a park that contains the memorial of the 60,000 Salvadorians that were murdered by the government. After lunch, back at the retreat center, we went to the San Salvadorian Cathedral. We first went to the basement of the San Salvadorian Cathedral which contained Oscar Romero's tomb. Afterwards, we went upstairs into the actual Cathedral. There was Eucharistic Adoration going on at the time and we truly felt God's presence! We then had our first taste of the Salvadorian markets. There, we practiced our bartering skills and picked up a few souvenirs. We are constantly increasing our Spanish vocabulary! Then we returned to the Jesuit retreat house for a feast, followed by great discussions about injustice in the world. We concluded our day with a prayer service in the chapel, in which we reflected upon all of today's experiences. Everything is going great!! The food is great, the people are very kind and we have never felt in danger. Ron and Samin were feeling a little sick but soon recovered and now everyone is feeling great. This is the start to an awesome trip and what is soon to be one of the greatest experiences of our lives! We are all missing you and hoping you are doing well. Lots of love and prayers from El Salvador! -The 2012 Guatemala Team (Written by Sean Wheelock and Nick Behm)