Connect2: El Salvador: Renovating the Chapel in Puentecitos
In 2014 Fidel and Julia shared how the Connect2: El Salvador community were starting to renovate their chapel. Since then, lots of work has taken place, and the chapel in Puentecitos looks very different now. It is built of brick, rather than clay, which means it should be more resistant to earthquake damage, and it is also a lot bigger. Fidel says: “We got the walls and roof on in about five months. We had some help to buy some of the materials, and the rest we raised ourselves by holding raffles and other fundraising activities.”
There is still some work to be done: the floor is unfinished, and there is a bit of electrical wiring to finish too, but Fidel says, these are “finishing touches”. They also plan to put a tabernacle on a shelf behind the altar and display the mementoes that Connect2 parishes have sent them.
The community are now working to keep it clean and to cover the cost of water and electricity bills. On the wall of the chapel there is a rota for the year, sharing out these responsibilities amongst all the different families.
Celebrating Lent in Puentecitos.
Speaking about Lent in Puentecitos, Fidel shares: “Every Friday we walk the Way of the Cross. We walk down the road, past the school and back to the chapel carrying the statue of Christ with the cross, stopping at each station.” The stations are marked by small wooden crosses. This is the first station, right outside the chapel. “During Lent we collect donations of food and then we deliver them to people in our community who are unwell.”