EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS.

http://thoughtcatalog.com/2012/if-you-were-looking-for-god-2/

What´s love got to do with it? What´s love but a second hand emotion? Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken?

I admit it.  I have had a rough week. And when I have rough weeks, I find that I need to take a step back, inhale deeply, remember the big picture, and know that ultimately this life is not about me…Kathryn Ann(e) Strader.

With that being said, I thought I would write something in response to my seven days of Debbie Downer.  I have a good friend who got a tattoo that said LOVE with an open heart on the end of the “E”.  She wanted something on her body that counteracted her scars from a mastectomy she had done in high school. That tattoo is her response to cancer, to the thing that gets her down, the gross, unnecessary, filth that runs rampant in our world.

So here is my answer, comeback, retort, reaction to bad weeks…for all of you who have them: IT´S OK THAT SOMETIMES WE HAVE BAD DAYS, WEEKS, YEARS, BECAUSE THERE IS STILL SO MUCH POSITIVE, GOOD, AND LOVE IN THIS WORLD WORTH HAVING, FEELING, EXPERIENCING, WORKING FOR, AND TOWARDS. Sorry Tina Turner…but LOVE HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH IT.

No, I am not talking about Shakespeare´s Romeo and Juliet kind of love, Paula Dean´s love of butter, politicians love for lying, or ever Christian Grey´s x-rated version.  I am talking about our need to connect with other ourselves, other people and God. Connecting, being intentional with our time is how we best love…or at least in my opinion it is. 

Hafiz says it well…

Admit something: Everyone you see, you say to them, "Love me." Of course you do not say this out loud, otherwise someone would call the cops.  Still though, think about this, this great pull in us to connect.  Why not become the one who lives with a full moon in each eye that is always saying, with that sweet moon language, What every other eye in this world is dying to hear? 

So does Mary Oliver (ONE OF MY FAVORITE QUOTES!)

To pay attention, that is our endless and proper work.

And the prayer of St. Francis is pretty practical is how we should be living this out:

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love.

Where there is injury, pardon.

Where there is doubt, faith.

Where there is despair, hope.

Where there is darkness, light.

Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,

grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;

to be understood, as to understand;

to be loved, as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive. 

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

Amen.

Despite the nasty…gang members killing an acquaintance’s son four days ago, bus entertainers invading my personal space, protesters setting fire to an American flag, and the constant smell of road kill…this has been my attempt at LOVE. 

These things need to happen in order for life down here to function:

Love myself: eating right, exercising my mind, soul and body, RESTING!

Love others: really ask people how they are doing (although few and far between), make their “problems” my own, smile, share a meal, be an exception to the “rule”…aka the typical “gringa”.

Love God:  keep looking for those Go(o) moments, take care of his creation!

More pictures!

As most of you probably saw on facebook, I got to meet the current Vice President of El Salvador yesterday morning!  We both attended a breakfast commemorating CODEFAM and their 31 years of existence. It was an incredible morning filled with speeches, awards, stories, tears, laughter and lots of hugging!


CODEFAM, along with other members of the Coalicion Pro Memoria Historica, has been doing AMAZING human rights´work since the time of the civil war in El Salvador. But their work continues because there are still many family members that were disappeared and not accounted for during the war.  And human rights´ violations persist today.



SHARE was recognized for its accompaniment, advocacy and support of CODEFAM in the last 31yrs.  Isabel, our director was ecstatic when CODEFAM presented the award.










Also, here is a link to some of my most recent photos: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3993527994559.2150623.1171680071&type=1&l=ea8b5a7bf2

la paz,

Katy

A revitalizing weekend!

Although last week was pretty slow, and I had to miss one day of work due to some lack of sleep and hives break out (whoever discovers a cure will make $$$$ someday!), this past weekend was just what the doctor ordered!Friday night kicked off with the SHARE office dinner at my house! It was a blast cooking for everyone, showing off Pinky, introducing Karen and Marta, and watching the ES soccer team play (then lose…sad) on tv. We kept calling it GIRLS´ NIGHT out!

I made some fresh avocado, beet, walnut, and blue cheese salad (inspired by one Beth Tellman made for me once), mashed potatoes and grilled chicken with mushrooms.  Definitely was not a typical Salvadoran meal..or even flavors really, but I think they all really liked it (especially with wine!).  Still getting compliments today at work.

After dinner, Karen, Delmy, Vicky and I met up with some friends at Café La T for SALSA FRIDAY…my favorite place for dancing.  We twirled in circles and moved our caderas until we were exhausted—the perfect way to end the night!

Saturday morning we woke up bright and early to clean up after the office dinner, then headed off to visit Marta´s home community of…wait for it…SANTA MARTA. Funny, right? I love it.  Santa Marta is about 3hours away by car, and closer to 4 by bus.  Thankfully we got a ride with a local teacher who was headed to teach a workshop on Liberation Theology that afternoon.

Once in Santa Marta, Marta showed us her house and introduced us to her family: her mother, sister and brother all live together in a humble home close to a small creek.  It is a small oasis with fruit trees, chickens and puppies everywhere! And of course I was loving the puppies…since we had to leave our poor baby home for his first time ever (Pinky)! I now understand how mothers feel on the first day of school…it is hard to let our children go (sigh!)

While in Santa Marta, we attended the liberation theology class—this was very cool to witness because the professor was encouraging the community members, young and old, to interpret the Bible in their own way.  He asked questions like, “What is heaven here in Santa Marta? What is hell? What does fasting really mean? “He even asked if there really is a God…stuff got interesting.  I was amazed at how quickly everyone seemed to really take ownership over what they were learning.  And this is crucial in liberation theology.

On Sunday, Marta had to go to another workshop, so Karen and I decided to crash a dance/celebration at the community center. Of course after only like three minutes of sitting, Karen and I were both asked to dance (this is what happens when you are the only gringa and extranjera in town), so we jumped right in and danced cumbia.  My best dance partner by far was an elderly women in a polka-dot dress…I wanted her dress. Emma and Janie would have wanted it too.

Tired of dancing, Karen and I escaped the party and decided to wander around the community until lunch time.  We stumbled upon a carpenter shop, sewing store, the ADES (an NGO) office, and ran into a couple of people we know.  It was an all around relaxing and wonderful day!  And I got some really great photos!

After lunch with Marta’s mother and sister (frijoles frijoles frijoles), Karen and I passed out in Marta’s twin bed until she came to get us so we could head home to San Salvador.   During the car ride home, Gustavo and Anita from El Pueblo de Dios en Camino came on the radio…and I was reminded that I need to go to church on Sunday.We arrived in San Salvador a little after dinner time, so I walked Pinky and got us all pupusas…We have decided he needs to be walked every night so that he sleeps well.  Ahh…life as a mommy.

La paz,

Katy

Great balls of fire!

This past weekend was really great! And it was the first one I had been home for in a while....no more traveling to Chalatenango until later this month!

Friday night Alvaro, one of Ivan and Karen´s friends, invited Karen and me to the Nejapa Fire Ball Festival.  I had no idea what to expect.  I figured there would be some performers on a stage swallowing fire or something...but boy was I wrong! Turns out the fire festival is extremely interactive; so much so that I had to dodge fire balls being thrown at me at least 5 different times.  Alvaro even claims I shoved him out of the way and towards the fire at one point.  I explained that I was in my "fight or flight" mode hahaha..

Nejapa celebrates the fire festival every year around the same time as their "fiestas patronales", this means their city's patron saint week.  Supposedly their saint got in an argument with the devil back in the day and each of them used fire in the fight. Hence, the throwing of the fire balls.  Although this experience was awesome, and I will most definitely be going back next year, people leave the festival with burns annually. Fire and police man stand watch in case things get out of hand. But I'm not really sure how much they could have done had the whole street gone up in flames.

Also, did I mention it was pouring down rain and the fire balls were still going??? Oh, and I was interviewed by television channel 12.  Still looking for the youtube video of it.  Will post ASAP if I find it.

Updates on El Salvador: things are getting more EXPENSIVE. 

Gasoline prices are going up up up! For Regular gas it now costs close to $4.50/gallon!!! Thank goodness I do not have a car or drive down here...I have no idea how people afford it.

The price for tanks of gas for cooking are also going up up up! We buy a tank of gas every 3 months or so.  It used to cost $12, now they are saying it could cost up to $17.  This will effect food prices at restaurants and on the street.

The price for flour is also climbing! This means bakers will start to charge more for bread.  Guess I won't be able to buy 6 rolls for a $.25 anymore :(

Finally, President Funes is meeting with the head of public transportation tomorrow.  He would like to cut the bus subsidy by 40%! Although I know the drivers aren't using the subsidy the way they should (the buses are extremely unsafe, run-down, but pimped out), I think this is going to cause more bad than good.  I forsee the buses going on strike for a couple of days, and that means chaos in the streets for a bit.  Or, the bus drivers are threatening to double the bus fair from $.20 to $.40. Again, not good for those of us on a strict budget.


La paz,

Katy