Questions with Sylven of Groundswell Aid
1.) Who runs and owns La Red and how long has the project been running?
La Red is run by the Castellanos family, Chamba and Mayi are such wonderful parents, grandparents, and servant-hearted leaders for the communities they're working in. They have been running La Red for over eight years right now. They've been investing in the communities along the coastline of El Salvador for more than 25 years.
The beauty of this family is that they all serve at La Red, either in fulltime commitment or by serving alongside which is just a powerful thing to see.
2.) What inspired them to start their project?
Chamba, with his son Marcelo, started Christian Surfers El Salvador, and after many years of serving, and leading the ministry Chamba felt lead to start up La Red, to create a place where people in need can belong, grow, and get opportunities to through community development programs.
3.) What are some of the programs that La Red engages in to help the community?
La Red is very diverse in what they do these are some of their programs.
Helping hands:
The aim of helping hands is to alleviate hunger, disease, and economic vulnerability.
La Red helps the community through food distribution, building houses, and water filter installation. They also do medical campaigns, and through helping hands for many people the quality of life is improving.
La Red Church:
La Red is also a church, a church for everyone! They do youth, and women ministry and host Alpha courses.
I little side note: What I love about the church is that Chamba does church on Saturday mornings, this is because Sundays is the day that a lot of the people who are in the church are doing their sales on the beach or in the street. And there is always a lot of people from the city coming to town, so if the church would be on Sundays lots of people won't be able to attend.
La Red Academy:
The Academy is a beautiful facility at La Red where young and old are getting the opportunity to skill themselves. This can be through English, computer, or music classes.
Sharing Waves:
La Red uses surfing as a tool to promote positive lifestyles and through that comes transformation and development.
4.) Did the language barrier make it difficult to communicate with the people?
With the staff of La Red, there were no issues regards the language barrier, except for my own English could be a reason for confusion :)
At La Red or in the communities we've been working in over the three weeks I was there there was always someone a staff member or translator who could help me communicate. 'Lilly' who is the missions coordinator of La Red taught me some slang that did help to break the ice lots of times with the young boys.
5.) What do you feel is their most impactful program? And what makes it so impactful?'
It is really heart to pick one... because they are all impactful.
If I really need to pick one it will be their youth program, every Saturday Josh and Andrea are running a youth program. It is just wonderful to see the heart of the youngsters. In that program there are kids between I would say.. 11-18 or so, and there are also older boys around me each 23/24 who are really stepping up as leaders. This I could really see during the Sharing Waves session that Geovanni who has been part of La Red for quite some time was stepping up a leader. And the potential is huge with many of these kids and youngsters,
But actually, I feel that La Red as a whole is doing phenomenal to train and invest in the local community and give them the opportunity to work and serve at La Red.
6.) What impacted you most about your trip to El Salvador?
The day that impacted me the most was the day that we did a water filter distribution.
I got to meet Sefarin, who is a man who lived in a small house with his wife, and disabled son. The quality of living for this family was painful to see, the water they were drinking made them sick, or they needed to buy water or buy pills against the parasites.
I can't really explain what happened but Sefarin and myself bonded in such a short time, and I haven't really spoken a lot with him, but somehow we just hugged each other a lot during the day haha...
And he was just smiling the whole day. His smile was the most impactful thing during my trip, if we would look at his circumstances there was nothing to be happy about, but he was just so thankful, and kept his eyes up to heaven.
7.) If you could sum up your trip in one sentence - what would it be?
Okay, I will try it, I'm not sure if it will be one sentence....
This trip was absolutely amazing to grow relationships with La Red, the community, and the family Castellanos. It was a pleasure to serve and be part of the great work they're doing, and to see the effects of some of the partnerships we've done in the past through the amazing support of our Groundswell Aid community.
8.) And finally tell us about what the waves are like in El Salvador.
Pfooee the waves, dang, they were absolute fire, I haven't ever been to a place where it is that consistent. The water is just ridiculously warm.
For me being able to share a couple of waves with the founders of the project leaders where ever in the world is the best thing. We can just enjoy the surf and back on land talk about life and ministry and work alongside each other. And it is so needed to do that to clear the minds of all the hurt and pain were facing.
