SSC December 2017 Newsletter

Reflections from the Well Over the next few months we will be sharing reflections from the scholarship recipients who took part in the SSC/Weathermatic trip to El Salvador to dig community wells. When I initially applied for SSC, Weathermatic, and Living Water’s trip to El Salvador, the idea of drilling a well really caught my eye. Throughout my college experience I have learned about the importance and lack of clean water in Central America and I was ecstatic to be able to bring this amenity to an entire community. The first day we arrived in the community was amazing. Kids and adults of all ages were there to greet us, feed us, and just make us feel welcome. I didn’t really get a sense of the community as a whole until we went on a tour. This hour of my life will stay with me forever. We saw turned over refrigerators used to collect rainwater, a handmade well, and a myriad of pets. During this time, I realized the impact we were about to make on their life by providing them access to reliable clean water for years. Each day a new act of kindness from the community made me feel more welcome and accepted. One group of women taught me how to make tortillas, even though it took them longer. Another woman walked me all the way to the latrine in the pouring rain when another member couldn’t make the hill. A group of boys helped carry chairs up a hill for us. But there is one moment that stood out among the rest. During my day of drilling, it had rained and we hit water, creating a perfect storm of being covered in mud. After the day was done and I had changed, there was still mud EVERYWHERE on my body. I was going to accept it, and just shower when we got back, but a group of ladies decided otherwise. They took a bowl of fresh water and proceeded to use it to clean my arms, my legs, my face, and everything that was caked in mud. This genuine kindness left me speechless, besides a few uses of “gracias.” To the people of Puente Viejo, compassion runs deep and I hope to bring that to someone else I the future. This community and trip has taught me so much about what it means to be grateful. Every time a kid showed me their artwork, colored for the first time, or was enamored over stickers I realized that small things could make a huge difference. We brought clean water, toothbrushes, and stickers. We left them with a confidence to be able to color and draw, some Frisbees, and memories. I left with a paper crown, appreciation for my life, and the ability to speak Spanish a little better. But they gave us more than ever expected. I could never thank them enough for opening their homes, lives, and hearts. This was the experience of a lifetime full of memories I can never forget and an outlook on life that will follow me always. Caroline Matlock from Texas A&M University: