El Salvador

We continued our Central American tour with two days in El Salvador after visiting Honduras (see post below). Jose joined us because he grew up there during the civil war and gave us a tour of people and places significant during this time. We first visited many places associated with Monseñor Oscar Romero. He was a catholic archbishop who had become a voice for the poor and indigenous people. He was someone who was speaking out against injustice and calling for peace, but was murdered while giving a mass by the army. We also visited the cathedral where they held his funeral with 70,000 people in attendance. Jose was there that day with his younger brother and dad when the army started shooting down on the crowd form surrounding rooftops. Around 200 people were killed that day and Jose described the fear, panic, confusion and courage of many. Many people flooded into the cathedral to find refugee and safety, while the body of Monseñor Romero was rushed quickly inside to be buried out of fear the army would try to take it.  

Jose joined the opposition to fight against the army and government who were accused of several massacres of civilians in various villages. Religious leaders were also targeted who spoke out against the injustice. Priests and nuns were killed in their homes, while attending meetings, performing mass, gunned down in the street etc. We visited a museum of martyrs which included the spiritual mentor of Jose, Mother Sylvia who was killed by the army for her support of the opposition. Jose told us of death squads that would round up all the leaders from the village and kill them, hoping to deter others from joining the opposition, but it had the opposite effect. There are also accounts of kids being kidnapped at age 12 and being used by the army as soldiers. It was a terrible time in the history of El Salvador and unfortunately similar things happened in Guatemala during the civil war here. However, it was a privilege to hear Jose's stories and experiences and honor those that died for their faith.