Traveling to Witness Acts of Justice

Rev. Dr. Leanne Wade

I learned a while ago I am not a vacationer; I’m a traveler. If you know anything about travel guru Rick Steves you know he considers travel to be both a political and a spiritual act. I think both concepts were met in this amazing trip to El Salvador, led by Rev. Rhina Ramos.

What I appreciate about group trips is they allow me to see how people live and gain new insights. This trip did not disappoint.  I was reminded yet again that the gospel of Jesus Christ is dangerous when people do not want the valleys made level so everyone can be seen and loved. When power and greed are the order of the day, people get hurt. We visited Divina Providencia y Casa de San Romero, the site where Oscar Romero was murdered, the Martyr Museum, and Jesuit Catholic School of El Salvador UCA, the site of the murder of the six Jesuit priests and two women. This was emotional and somewhat overwhelming.

One of the highlights for me was learning about the work of FIAES who help farmers work their lands with the best environmental impact. The pride the farmers had showing us their work, and the fresh fruit supplied was impressive. Each farm was beautifully tended. We learned about mining concerns that would devastate the people and those beautiful farms.

Keeping hope is a challenge when things are rough. We met people with two different LGBTQIA+ organizations who were hurt by the cut in US AID and they were working hard for human rights to make the world a better place while staying safe. The government is scared of inclusion and this is harming the community.

While several visits felt heavy yet surrounded in hope, we found the beauty of art and music in Suchitoto at Centro de Arte para la plaz with Sister Peggy – whom we could have listened to for hours as she was sharing great stories and some theology. We enjoyed delicious dessert at a local Café Clementina that supports creativity by making space and selling art works.

I enjoyed getting to know my fellow travelers as well as the all the supportive people Rev. Rhina put into place to make this a memorable experience!

Rev. Dr. Leanne Wade is the pastor of United Congregational Christian Church in Lodi.