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 September and October are hurricane season in Central America. El Salvador is on the western coast of the Isthmus and we do not usually get the winds, but the rain is another thing altogether. October has been particularly hard for us at our Carmelite House of Studies, Xiberta Center, here in El Salvador. Early in the month we were hit with three hurricanes.
Our first storm hit in September and was sent to us by way of the Little Flower. In the vortex of this hurricane was a small (in stature) Carmelite by the name of Father Mario Loya. For nine days Father Mario preached, prayed and led the community of Santa Theresa de Colinas del Norte in a novena that touched on themes as diverse as justice and peace, Saint Theresa in the life of the young, Mary the mother of God and mother of the Church, and the power of faith in healing. On some days the sun came out and the moon shown to illuminate the evening rosaries and masses. But on most days it rained. And on the last day of the novena, the rain came as a tropical storm. The chapel of the Little Flower in Colinas del Norte has a metal roof and when the rain comes down hard, it is almost impossible to hear the praying, preaching and singing. Undaunted, Father Mario preached and proved to the Little Flower that his fervor was equal to the task. We did have about ten minutes of peace from the rain, during which time the community leaders sent off a barrage of fireworks in honor of their patron, Saint Therese of the Child Jesus.
The second storm hit on the feast of the Little Flower. Our community economist and treasurer went to the bank to make the transfer of our subsidy from the Province to our operating account. We do a zero base budget which holds us accountable for the funds that we receive, according to over fifty budget lines. If we do not receive the subsidy requested, we have to make adjustments from one line item to another. In terms of our operating account we have no flexibility because we have no outside sources of income.
The storm that hit us that day was learning that our operating budget had been reduced by 10% due to the financial crisis in the United States and in the Province. At the same time, certain costs in El Salvador have increased because of the same financial crisis. For example, the cost of beans has risen 100% and the cost of fuel 76%. Where do we cut? What is essential and what is not?
Later in the week another storm struck. One of the brothers, Nataniel Lastra, after a long and thoughtful discernment, asked for a dispensation from vows. Nato had been with the Carmelites for seven years, completing the postulancy program in Mexico and his novitiate in Peru. After his novitiate he served nine months in the parish of Jose Galvez as an intern. Together with Rogelio Garcia, Nato was part of the founding class of the Xiberta Center in El Salvador.
A few days before Nato’s departure, the community met (without Nato) to share our feelings about his leaving. Naturally we were all supportive of his decision, but saddened as well. I thought that the meeting was over but it was not. There had been a previous meeting to discuss whether the community could give Nato a small allowance to help him to resettle. When asked, I responded that this was not the custom in the Province and that there was no budget for this. I also reminded the brothers that our subsidy had already been cut by 10%.
But the conversation did not end because I had said no. Each member argued from the point of view of the option for the poor, compassion for a brother, faith in the infinite mercy of God, and confidence in the Little Flower. Each man spoke from his own personal experience of social transitions. The conversation reflected the difficulty when a community budget is based on a 100% subsidy from the Province. Lacking income from other sources, we simply do not have the flexibility to respond to situations like Nato’s departure. I can do fundraising for theH program, and I have. But usually this fundraising is for capital costs that do not allow contingencies like this one.
Which brings me to the role of eggplant in the formation process.
At the Xiberta Center we grow a lot of eggplant. I do not know why, but it is easy to grow here. We also have an abundance of squash, chipilin, mora and spinach. These last three are leafy vegetables that grow with a minimum of attention. Since the budget crunch we eat eggplant about three days a week and the same is true of squash. Our cook, Leticia, has over a dozen recipes for both and they are good. But I have to admit that I am tired of eggplant and squash.
In order to help Nato in his transition to home, the community decided that we would all give him a percentage of our monthly allowance and that we would contribute our weekly recreation allowance for four months. We also decided that we would eat more eggplant, squash and chipilin. It is called living with limits and each of us has to learn to do this. The process and the decision were encouraging for me. Solidarity is an empty concept when it entails dispensing of provincial funds. It comes from the heart when it results in eating eggplant five days a week.
If eggplant is your taste, come on down to the Xiberta Center! I am fairly confident that any day will be eggplant day.
Note from the Editor:
Doing some fact finding, I learned that a full dinner (substituting meat for eggplant) for these seven who live in El Salvador would cost a mere $35.00 US. Perhaps a great Christmas gift would be a donation to cover a meal for Father David and the students there. Checks payable to the Society of Mount Carmel are to be sent to the
Carmelite Provincial Office, Meals for El Salvadoran Carmelites, 1317 Frontage Road, Darien, Illinois, 60561
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