The Peace Train is coming to Centro Arte!

(I recommend listening to Cat Steven's Peace Train while reading this one :)

Not only is the Peace Train coming ... we are building it, here at Centro Arte. As Peace, though it must start within each individual, must be a community endeavor, we are building it as a community.

So, some shout outs to the team!
Berty and Yanira of our CAP office team thought of the plan of using plywood to build the "bones" of the trains and the use colored poster board for the sides.

Lito, vigilante extrodinaire got us the nails.

And Manuel, a twenty something youth in the community, and Jose Walter, the 11 year old magician from my Cuentame class, did the actually construction (Korla and I got to help as well).

Our construction team started by creating a contract. Walter said paying attention and following directions would be important. Manuel agreed. I added wearing safety goggles was important. And Korla later added putting cotton in our ears to protect from the sound of the table saw. We all signed and set about collecting our materials and setting up our space.



Manuel did all the math for us and was our expert in residence. He got the table saw set up and directed Walter, Korla and I where to be and how to help. Manuel is a very focused, get the job done kind of guy. Though his signature "this is fun" / "i'm so cool" kind of face was to smile and stick out his tongue -- a face I never saw so much as when we were constructing. Walter on the other hand is a bounce off the wall I have so much energy I can't be in one place for more than 5 minutes kind of 11 year old. The two of them working together was priceless. And Walter, when he had a job and something to do with his hands was as focused as ever!





In three days we built 12 train cars! One train of 6 big cars (50 cm x 50 cm x 75 cm) will live at Centro Arte and a second train of small cars (40 cm x 40 cm x 60 cm) will travel to the school in El Sitio and any other site that asks us to come! (We've already been requested to visit another group!!)





Next, Korla and I went to the libreria or the book store and picked up the poster board for the sides. Raquel and Ligia joined me one afternoon cutting them into the right sizes:



Finally, this past Saturday afternoon we had a train decorating workshop! Walter, Geremy, and Victor joined Korla, Ariel and me to 1. braid cloth from the Women's Center down the street (who also want to see the train when it's done!) to make the shoulder straps. 2. Use the left over poster board to make the engine of the 1st car and 3. Decorate the sides. What a wonderful life - giving morning.











We had started the day making a web of yarn between our wrists and talking about how we are all connected and to make peace (and the train!) we needed to work together. Then we learned a song: "Caminamos en la paz de dios" ("Walking in the peace of God" ... originally "Walking in the light of God". We ended the day with presentations of what we had done so far and how it had brought us peace and singing and marching en train around the room!



Today Walter came to talk with me about the next Cuentame class I'm giving -- he took it last time but he wants to write another chapter -- a manual of magic tricks. So we had a brief meeting and then we worked on braiding the shoulder straps. At first I sat next to him, each of us with our 200 cm pieces of fabric and we would do each step together but he got lost. So then we did it together -- I held it on the floor and he braided. He did so well! And got very into it!



The Peace Train, even in the making (yay process!) has been so life giving to me. There is so much do to here, so many ways I want to give of myself, that sometimes it is overwhelming. In the making of the train and all of the people who are already part of it, I am reminded I don't have to walk alone, I don't have to carry all that is weighty alone. We do it together. We built peace together. And we give life to one another.

PS ... my address

So I realized I've not put my address here yet. So here it is!

And if you would like a letter or post card from here, comment or email me your address :)

CAP
2a Calle Poniente #5, Barrio San Jose Suchitoto
El Salvador, C.A.

Coming Home

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers this past month. It has meant so much, made such a difference. I was so glad of your support, so glad to be with family during a time of such sadness amidst a season of such celebration.

And now I am back. I've been blessed to have friends and family who have taught me that one can have many homes. As I've returned, I've recognized once again that Suchitoto is one of my homes.

As with all homes, there are things that are easy and others that are difficult, there is joy and sadness, but we help each other along. The other volunteers here are amazing beyond words, and in this first week back I have already been inspired by them, and humbled, to see the work they are doing with such love, with such self-gift, amidst circumstances that can be shaking and challenging. There actions, there presence is calling me forth from myself, to give and be present and love and not preoccupy myself with the self-guilt or pressure which I can tend to. They make this place home.

The Salvadorans here, too, make this place my home. Walking through the plaza this morning, a young boy called my name and come over and said hello. On a walk this morning, a man on a horse walked is horse at my speed for several minutes and talked as we journeyed toward el centro. Minutes before, a pick up whizzing by had stopped to offer my a ride up the hill. One of my students -- one of those students who has stolen my heart -- came by yesterday asking when our classes would be starting again, and then hung out with me while I watched the skate park. One of my friends who runs a tienda near by kept hugging and hugging me when she I visited to let her know I was back, as glad to see me I was her. Eva, the woman I live with, too. They make this place home.

This country makes itself my home -- the smell of the air, the heat of the day (sometimes scorching), the coolness of the night, the beans with every meal, the green and now brown country side, the breezes.

And I make this my home. Alex, one of my fellow volunteers, sent out an email over Christmas with the phrase "as we plan for the new year in Suchitot, we all know now what we need to feed us..." what we need to make this place home. So I've been going for walks in the morning, taking in the beauty of the countryside, the lake, my neighbors. Mother Theresa says "The fruit of silence is prayer. The fruit of prayer is faith. The fruit of faith is love. The fruit of love is service. The fruit of service is peace." So I am grounding each day in the silence which is the breath of life.