Rios de Agua Viva: our sister parish

rios-churchOur partnership with Rios de Agua Viva in San Mauricio, El Salvador began in the early 1990s. It is part of the Companion Synod Program of the ELCA, in conjunction with the Lutheran World Federation, a communion of 140 churches in 78 countries. The program’s purpose is the strengthening of the companion churches for life and mission.

In 1998 and 1999, we were able to send youth delegations for visits. During these visits, the youth of FLC helped to rebuild the sanctuary of the church of Rios de Agua Viva.  Over the years we have been able to sponsor delegations from El Salvador to come to Palo Alto, as well as send members of our congregations to visit them.

FLC’s Sister Parish program includes several specific projects and provides us with different opportunities. One of the longest-lived is the FLC Scholarship at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary (PLTS). Started by FLC women who worked with the Sister Parish program in El Salvador, money was collected to establish a scholarship at the seminary. The scholarship is to support a student from El Salvador or a Central American country, a student who has interest in doing ministry in El Salvador, or a student hoping to do ministry with Spanish speakers. So far the scholarship contains about $28,300 over half way to the goal of a fully funded scholarship of $50,000.

Two additional programs have were established as a result of our visit in 2004.  We learned that many of the children in the congregation could not afford to go to school. A scholarship program was established for those most in need. Pastora Vilma and the church council choose the students and families, limiting it to one child per family. Members of the congregation at FLC have “adopted” these children and sponsor them financially on a monthly basis.  The funds go to buy uniforms and shoes, school supplies and transportation, as well as food for the child and their family.  We regularly exchange cards and letters with the 16 children in the program and receive regular reports from Pastora Vilma on their progress in school.  Two of our students have recently completed a college degree in social work, while several others have obtained high school diplomas.  All have gone on to find employment in the community.

There is great need in San Mauricio for an after school “homework help” program for all of the children in the community as well as those we are supporting on scholarship.  Pastor Vilma has arranged for high school student leaders in the church to provide tutoring and guidance for these children at the church in the afternoons.  We provide a small stipend to the leaders of this program.