February 2005
| To start things off, you need to know a little about me so you understand where I'm
coming from. My name is Lauren and I was only 21 years old when I went on the brigade,
the youngest 'non-child' on the trip. I've never been out of the country and have never
traveled with a group of strangers. The closest I've come to seeing poverty was driving
through some poor areas of New Mexico in an air-conditioned van and riding a train through some rough parts of NYC. I applied not really expecting to be accepted since my Spanish isn't that great and I hadn't been an employee at PeaceHealth for very long. I have to admit that the main reason why I applied is that I have this overwhelming desire to travel and no money to do so. |
 Lauren Burks, world traveler |
 Lauren filling prescriptions |
When they called letting me know that I had been accepted to work in the pharmacy, I was
ecstatic! With the attention and attitude of a 21 year-old
(a.k.a., "I am invincible") I
politely acknowledged my family and friends concerns, got my passport and soon found
myself in the Seattle airport checking out my new co-workers. We came from a variety of
backgrounds but I would come to truly appreciate those differences as we worked and
played together. |
| It was a mind-opening experience. I saw a lot of sadness in many people's faces. I guess I was rather naive. Many of my friends have served missions in Central and South America and they always talked about how the poorest people where some of the happiest people they met. I guess I was expecting more of that attitude. Instead, I was surprised at how much depression I saw. Of course there was happiness and hope down there (personified by our wonderful driver Herman who was always smiling), but seeing so much sadness caused by their civil war had a profound effect on me. |  Our wonderful bus driver Herman who was always smiling |
Living in a country where the last major war fought on our grounds has been reduced to a portion of a history book, I can't fathom what those people must have gone through and are still going through. Hearing the stories of murdered husbands and sons, displacement, children starving to death, torture and brutal executions almost brought me to tears, and I'm not a girl who likes to cry.
It made me frustrated and at times mad at their government and ours for not caring about the people. I looked at the contention that would arise between local municipalities and leaders and started to see why so many people of this country are falling through the cracks (more like gaping holes, actually). If they can't take care of themselves, no one else is going to help them. Except us.
I think a lot of those people lived from brigade to brigade. Seeing the endless lines and feeling the desperation in the air on our last day made me so thankful that I live in a country where I can get the medical attention I need. I'm rather ashamed that I got a bit impatient having to wait four hours in urgent care when I got home to take care of a sinus infection when I saw people standing in the hot sun with babies on their hips all day.
 Kathy Lupercio dispensing medications |
We worked long hours in difficult, hot and dirty conditions. We saw hundreds and hundreds of people every day. We gave out medicine until we ran out. Yet many of us still felt inadequate. It was like watching a band-aid being put on a huge wound. You know that it really can't make that much difference. What good is it to give someone a month's supply of blood pressure pills? After we treat their H. Pylori it's going to come back. If we give them eye relief how will they feel when it runs out? It was frustrating having to send these people away with only a small relief, if any at all. We comfort ourselves by saying that at least something is better than nothing--and the people did seem grateful--but it still leaves you feeling some days like a failure. |
Well, you're probably wondering why I called this my "great adventure" when so far all I've talked about is how wrong my perceptions were and the struggles we faced. I worked with a wonderful group of people and they were the ones who made it worthwhile for me. On our vacation days at the end of the trip we really got to have a good time together. We went to a salsa club and danced, we hiked a volcano and went body surfing at a black sand beach. During this time we broke into smaller groups and we had some amazing conversations about life and what we were doing.
What touched me the most was when we would talk about taking advantage of every moment. This has now become my goal. It was impressed upon me down in El Salvador that each day is a precious gift that we cannot afford to take advantage of. We have no idea how much time we are given, nor how much time the people we love are given. Life is meant to be enjoyed and to sit around complaining or being sad is a waste. Yes we have problems, however, it seems like if we could just pull back from our narrow focus of the issues right in front of us, we would see that there is so much more to life! There is much beauty and happiness to be found if you are willing to look for it.
I thought I was pretty happy already and didn't go down to El Salvador seeking some great
enlightenment. It just came (along with many insect bites and stings, a weird rash, a
shark sighting, sunburns and a GI bug who followed me home). I was trying to do some
good in the world and was rewarded with a fresh perspective on life.