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| Sister Peggy, Sister Pat, their pet dog, and Laura |
Sister Peggy and Sister Pat have been working in El Salvador to bring peace for the people who have suffered greatly from the civil war. The town that they work in is Suchitoto. This town had seven massacres during the war. For many people, not just in El Salvador, receiving mental health care can be seen as negative. However, the people have suffered great trauma because of the war. Sister Peggy and Sister Pat both work with people who have been traumatized. The Center they are opening provides healing without the use of traditional mental health therapies. There are many projects they will have to help people heal: art therapy, peace choir, silk screening t-shits, basket making, conflict resolution classes, non-violent resistance classes, documentary films, and mediation.
These two women are just amazing. They spoke with such compassion and elegance about hope. There were two main things that they said that inspired me and got me thinking about my own life and purpose. First they told us that all of us, as social workers are nuns, we just don’t see it that way. While social work is a profession, it is also a calling. Second, they said that they never really care so much about who someone is, but who do they belong to. The meaning behind this is that where we spend our time, how we spend it, where do we dedicate and give of our spirit says more about us than our name. Who do you belong to? And how do you want others to remember you?
Here is the organizations website (Spanish only)
News article about peace and art center