Celebration

Our final visit to Cantón Virginia was so full we didn't have time to be sad until it was over.  We had prepared for the community celebration by making decorations;

the Pastoral Team helped us purchased four huge piñatas and candy to fill them, along with the trinkets we had brought from home.  There were cookies and drinks for all and we were hoping for a big turn out!
The first order of business upon our arrival was a final meeting with the Virginia Directiva.  Directiva and delegation members both expressed the profound effect our relationship has for them personally and in our communities.  We all thanked the Pastoral Team and Katherine for all they do to assist us in our walk together. 
All parties of the El Salvador mission worked to create a covenant that formalizes partnerships and states expectations for each.  FPCDC and Cantón Virginia both agreed to the provisions in the covenant; with applause and great joy we committed to five more years of solidarity and all parties signed the document:

Pastor Adam for FPCDC

Directiva President David for Cantón Virginia

Nancy for Compañeros

Cecilia for the Pastoral Team

Mission Co-worker Katherine for the Presbytery of Des Moines' Our Sister Parish Mission

Everyone then moved inside for a time of music, prayer, and reflection.  There is always joyful music from the community members when we are together, and Adam offered a song on behalf of FPCDC. 
Blanca reminded us that we had some partying to do and everyone moved back outdoors where the kids were first in line for cookies and juice! 

Delegation members lined up in the shade along the church wall and received hugs and farewell blessings from person after person: young and old, men and women, teens and kids.  There were lots of tears and promises to meet again.  All this emotion was suddenly punctuated by loud whacks as the piñatas were attacked by boys and girls, and squeals of delight as the candy and treats poured out! 

With all the piñatas in shreds and the cookies and juice consumed, we asked the community to join us for a new group photograph to commemorate our renewed commitment to our partnership.  And here it is:

And then it really was time to say good-bye. 
We took one last truck ride back to the Pastoral House, ate a quick lunch, and then loaded all our bags into the bus for the trip back to San Salvador.  We made a stop at the Cathedral downtown--something we had postponed from our abbreviated first day.  A choir was practicing in the lower level where Oscar Arnulfo Romero is laid to rest as Katherine described the significance of the elements on his tomb.  It seemed very fitting to begin and end our El Salvador experience with Monseñor Romero's example of humility, compassion and justice.

We did a little shopping at the artisan's market where all sorts of Salvadoran crafts can be found.  We ate supper at a restaurant near our guesthouse and enjoyed traditional Salvadoran dishes--Sean bravely ordered iguana ("good, except for the bones").

The reflections on our last night were full of challenge and promise.  We are partnered with a beautiful community; we are led by a wise and hardworking Pastoral Team and Mission Co-worker; and we have all just experienced a week of transformation.  We have seen the poverty and vulnerability of the people we care about, and we have committed to five years of faithful accompaniment.  We have the task ahead of us to share what we now know with our church and our community.  This is not easy stuff!  But we celebrate both the promise and the challenge.