El Salvador Trip: Our home at Casa Concordia in San Salvador

The city of San Salvador is surrounded by high partially wooded hills and wraps around an eroded volcano. There is trash everywhere, and like other Central American cities the odor of diesel exhaust is constant. Coils of razor wire top many walls. Many businesses have guards out front holding shotguns - with short barrel and ample magazines.

The murder rate is 2015 was 105 per 100,000 people, the highest in the world. While we are there the Peace Corps decides to withdraw from the country for security reasons.

We stay at Casa Concordia in the capital, San Salvador. Casa Concordia is operated by the Lutheran synod to provide temporary guest lodging. Trini runs it and also has started a small farm an hour's drive away. The farm produces half the corn Casa Concordia needs (for tortillas). They also raise fingerling tillapia for sale to fish farms. Trini is also the director of Casa Esperanza which is the next page. Read her story at http://www.embracingelsalvador.org/maria-trinidad/

Trinny at Casa Concordia's farm

The food prepared at Casa Concordia is quite good and the staff friendly. The considerable truck traffic out front starts promptly at 5AM (except Sundays); while laying on my mattress I have this image of bulls being released. My ear plugs work well.

The water does not always run. As a backup, a large plastic barrel of water provides water to flush the toilet, and occasionally to wash with. It's not drinkable. Before eating we use hand cleanser. I forget once and after that I am not entirely well. We all brought Cipro for this contingency but I get along without it.

Because of the gangs we never go out on the street except in a large group and then usually with several of the staff. They know how to identify the gang members. More about the gangs later.

Below are a couple street scenes I took from the bus of a market area in the heart of San Salvador.