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What this site is about:
There are
numerous people in Ohio that have been involved with the people of the
Chatalenango region in El Salvador. What we hope to do is share our
experiences and thoughts. Perhaps you would like to get involved as well.
THE STORY - The Beginning
It started in January, 1997, in a Geneva, Ohio living room around a wood stove with a family, the Linehans, reading an article about Fr. John Dailey. He was from the Diocese of Youngstown, Ohio and serving in Chalatenango, El Salvador. He invited people to come and visit.
The Linehans wanted to "help" and found that one of the greatest needs was vehicles for the workers to reach the people in the remote mountain villages. The civil war in El Salvador had been over for five years and roads and bridges were destroyed. Often the "road" was a riverbed. They desperately needed four wheel drive vehicles.
A fund raising drive was begun, and by June, 1997, $27,000 was donated to buy seven used 4x4's. Hundreds of people contributed their time, talent and treasure - CARAVANA was born! Twelve people, six teens and six adults, drove seven vehicles from Ohio, through Mexico and Guatemala to El Salvador and Honduras. They were accompanied by Fr. Rafael Fuentes of El Salvador. After spending time getting to know the people of Central America, they flew home.
What Happened Next? - As a result of the awareness raised and the relationships formed over the subsequent years some significant projects have happened. Some of them include:
- Ninety students are being sponsored to go to school at $25.00 a month for 10 months,
- Eight churches have sister parishes in El Salvador,
- Sixty-some people have traveled on pilgrimages to visit Chalatenango and continue developing relationships,
- $80,000 in crafts made by cooperatives have been sold,
- Molly Linehan volunteered in Chalatenango for two years and facilitated the adoption of a baby to the US,
- Jean and Mike Kreyche are living in El Salvador for a year assisting three universities in their library and computer technology,
- Leaders from El Salvador, including Bishop Alas of the Diocese of Chalatenango, have visited Northeast Ohio to help continue building relationships.
Although monies are forwarded through a tax deductible account at Assumption Church in Geneva, these projects are totally coordinated though "grass roots" efforts. The Diocese of Youngstown presented the family with the Voice of Hope for Justice award in 2001.
What can I do to help?
Although visiting El Salvador will enable you to get a first-hand feeling of life in this developing country (the entire cost of a pilgrimage is about $800 from Cleveland) you don't have to actually visit to have a positive impact. There are many things you can do right here in the US:
You could sponsor a student at $25 a month and build a personal relationship
You can help out one of the local sister parishes.
You could hold a craft sale. Crafts from these villages are well made and are good sellers.
You can visit the International Fair which is held the two weekends before Thanksgiving at the Austinburg (Ohio) Town Hall. Crafts are sold from cooperatives in over 30 developing countries.
For more information about these and many other opportunities to build
relationship with our brothers and sisters in El Salvador, please contact the
Linehan's at 440-466-3207
or welinehan@yahoo.com
or write: John
and Rita Linehan
5834 Route 307 West
Geneva OH 44041.
Each year in early summer, the Linehan's have an annual Friends of El Salvador Potluck Picnic. The 2008 picnic will be on June 20, see the picnic page for more information.
The annual "Share the Bounty" rummage sale is coming up in 2008. See the "Share the Bounty" page for more information.
There is a new program: Achiote de la Esperanza, whose purpose is to increase nutrition, medical care, education and housing and nourish compassion and solidarity. See the Achiote page for more information.
Letters from Molly
Linehan: [October 14, 1998] [November 17, 1998]
[December 15th, 1998] [January 21, 1999] [April
5, 1999] [May 6, 1999] [October 6, 1999] [March
18, 2000]