The Most Important Gifts by Jose “Chencho” Alas

During the holiday season, it’s hard to avoid thinking about gifts. Stores, television, and newspapers promote hundreds of beautiful and useful things you can give or receive. The challenge is remembering, amid the consumerism, the most important gifts like our health, family, and friends. In my lifetime, I have received three special gifts that I’d like to share with you.

I received the first gift thirty-five years ago, when I was the parish priest for 40,000 impoverished peasant farmers in Suchitoto, El Salvador. Through them, I received the calling to participate in my people’s quest for liberation: liberation from political violence, a military dictatorship, and a feudal social order that provided no hope of escaping poverty. That struggle took nearly twenty-five years. I was blessed to play a role in it, to survive several assassination attempts, and to live to see the signing of the peace accords in 1992.

Chencho Alas & Oscar Romero after a retreat in 1964.

The Civil War did so much damage that my country still hasn’t fully recovered. For the next ten years, I was blessed by hundreds of friends and supporters here in the North whose generosity made it possible for me to help El Salvador rebuild in a way that would ensure that everyone could enjoy their human right to freedom, a right which so many had died for. Through the Foundation for Self-Sufficiency, we have helped more than 80 communities and their grassroots organization, the Coordinadora, build a solid foundation that will safeguard their liberties, provide economic opportunities, value democratic participation, and protect the Earth we all depend on for health and happiness. Its worth adding that although the Coordinadora has made major strides over the past few years, with much credit due to our donors, it still has a ways to go before it becomes self-sufficient. The FSSCA and I are committed to helping them strengthen their organization, agriculture and marketing program, and other projects that will ensure that their communities will continue their sustainable development for many years.

A few years ago I began to receive a new calling. The struggle for liberation was over, and reconstruction was well underway, but something was missing. With guidance from peasant farmers, rabbis, and other friends, I realized that my life experiences have prepared and led me to be a peacemaker. Although there might not be bullets flying, sustainable development and justice cannot exist unless individuals, their organizations, and their communities embrace the values and principles necessary to make peace a part of their daily life and practice.

Chencho in Amman, Jordan, in 2004 with fellow recipients of the Tanenbaum Center Peace Activist Award.

I have been blessed because my friends in the South have helped to open my eyes to this truth and my friends in the North are providing the material resources for this to happen. This gift fills me with gratitude and inspiration. It gives me hope, despite the fear spread by the television news, that we can build a better world. For that reason, although we plan to hire a new Executive Director for the FSSCA next year, I plan to continue working for the peace project and the FSSCA as long as you, and my body, will allow me.

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year! -- Chencho

Romero 25th Anniversary Tour

In 2005, we commemorate the 25th Anniversary of Oscar Romero's Martyrdom. Please join this tour, March 28-April 3, to mark this special occasion and see how Romero continues to live in the hearts of the Salvadoran people.

Activities Include:

• Participation in the national commemoration events in San Salvador
• A stay in Ciudad Romero, a Christian Base Community that fled El Salvador during the civil war and was then reborn in Romero's honor
• Visits to local self-sufficiency projects including the community radio station, the environmental program, and innovative organic farms
• Tree planting in honor of Romero
• First hand stories of the civil war including the role of Archbishop Romero, the Jesuits, and the Maryknoll sisters

Costs: $800 per person (this does not include airfare)

Deadlines: Space may be limited. Please contact us as soon as possible to reserve a space.

Flights: Be sure to reserve your flight now to arrive on 3/28 and depart on 4/3. Prices are still reasonable; but hundreds of people from around the world will be traveling to El Salvador for this special anniversary, so tickets could be very expensive if you wait.

For more information: click here

To sign up: contact Sean Hale

512-388-7957

SPECIAL THANKS

The solidarity of many generous individuals and organizations is making this work for peace and self-sufficiency possible. Outstanding donor organizations during the last few months include:

We are also thankful for gifts made in honor of:
Rabbi Rachel Cowan, Chencho, Don Payne, Sarah Fox & Matt Damico, Lori Scher’s Forty-Fifth Birthday, Tessa & Shanna McKee, Richard Salem, Rick & Betty Adams, and Juan Sanchez & Ernest Sanchez

And in memory of:
The people of El Mozote, John de la Cruz, Ramon and Julia Ubias

Romero Tree Project & T-Shirts

People giving trees as holiday gifts has helped us reach 1,000 trees so far for the Romero Memorial Tree Project! Now you can show your respect for nature and Oscar Romero with a t-shirt! As part of the Romero Memorial Tree Project, you can have a t-shirt, like the one in these photos.On the front, you have the image of Romero and a tree. Available sizes: XXL, XL, L, M, S, and "Baby Doll." To get a shirt: contact 512-388-7957 or

The back reads: "You know that the air and water are being polluted, as is everything in nature we come in touch with. We don't realize we have a commitment to God to take care of nature. To cut down a tree, to waste water, to allow vehicles to pollute our atmosphere, to burn rubbish haphazardly - all that concerns our alliance with God. -- Oscar Romero, March 11, 1979." You can still get or give a tree. For a donation of $10, your tree will have a tag with your name (or the name of the person you designate), the common and species name of the tree, and a commemoration of Romero.

Mangrove Radio & Literacy Project

Edith Chavez, from Los Calix, travels to Ciudad Romero to DJ three times per week.

From August to October 2004, the Coordinadora’s Mangrove Radio 106.9FM conducted its first literacy campaign as part of a national campaign organized by ARPAS (the Salvadoran Community Radio Association). El Salvador suffers from high illiteracy; in rural Usulutan, where the Coordinadora works, adult illiteracy stands at 38%. This severely impacts the population’s social and economic opportunities, and has been a weakness in the development and participation of local leadership. This campaign was successful thanks in many ways to the Coordinadora’s strong organizational network in the communities of the Bajo Lempa. The Coordinadora trained 23 facilitators to provide local follow-through and organization to the project.

The radio portion of the campaign consisted of three weekly 20-minute transmissions of pre-recorded interaction between a teacher and student.

The campaign was designed following the example of successful efforts in Cuba. Written materials were adapted to Salvadoran social, economic, and cultural conditions. This grassroots approach used words and images that are common for both rural and urban dwellers. Techniques included the use of visual, audio, and motor skills to keep the lessons interesting. More than 300 people participated. The high levels of illiteracy in the region even reached the Coordinadora’s leadership. Through this program, many local leaders can now read and write. This has given them more self-confidence and security in their leadership roles.

When Will Galicia, of Zamoran, isn’t at Mangrove Radio, he DJs local dances, grows corn, and makes hammocks to support his family.

The Literacy Campaign has been so successful that the Coordinadora hopes to create its own follow-up campaign to reinforce and continue building local literacy. It is seeking support to purchase the equipment necessary to record this and other programs of local interest.

Foundation for Self-Sufficiency in Central America Newsletter, Winter 2004/2005

The Foundation for Self-Sufficiency in Central America is a US non-profit organization (501c3) dedicated to supporting the movement for Peace and Justice in El Salvador and the rest of Central America.