Violence

I've debated writing about the level of violence here in El Salvador so as not to alarm others in regard to my safety and also the ability to travel here, but it just seems too important to not write about...This week has just been filled with reminders of just how peligroso El Salvador (and the world for that matter) is.

I learned that an elderly couple in the town that I just moved from was killed over the weekend...the same day that I moved from there. I don't know what the real story is, and I hesitate to write about it as any information that I rely upon--be it newspapers, TV, Salvadorans, or other Volunteers--will be subjective and I have to consider it gossip. Where is the truth? This week, here in San Salvador, there was a demonstration at the University, supposedly because the bus prices had gone up, and during the demonstration 2 police officers were killed. There are so many implications for this that I don't even think that I can write about it all. Is the government going to pass laws to limit the people's ability to demonstrate? Are demonstrations here going to become more violent rather than peaceful?

So, these are just two examples of the violence that is present here. I could give several more examples, but I will refrain. A friend of mine here told me that the people here live in fear...Its extremely disturbing to hear that, and while I need to be careful, I can't live my life in fear.

As I said at the beginning of this, I'm not writing about this to alarm or deter others from seeing the beauty of El Salvador. Its just that with all the beauty of the land, and the goodness of so very many people here, there is the harsh reality as well that can't be forgotten. I still love this country, but like any loving relationship its not easy when reality sets in...