El Salvador

Last week I read several articles about the massive flooding in Central America due to the Tropical Storm that went through there. This made me numb. You would think that it wouldn’t. In relation to everything else that has happened in the world of natural disasters lately. The tsunami killed hundreds of thousands…obviously Katrina and Rita…and now the earthquake in Pakistan. But I couldn’t stop reading about the disaster going on in Central America. I don’t even think the news really covered it. And again…in comparison to everything else…the mere 1200+ that were killed due to these rains is minimal. How sad is it that 1200 people dying is minimal. But anyways, many of you know that my mom is from El Salvador. Most of her family is still there. She comes from a family of 9. 1 brother was killed…2 live outside of El Salvador, but the rest still live there including her dad, countless cousins, nieces, nephews, etc. Most of whom I have never met. And it just destroys me. For many reasons. From what I understand…I haven’t asked my mom recently…but most of my family lives on my grandfather’s farm land. I don’t think there’s any electricity…and they use an outhouse as their toilet. Very 3rd world country. And I have no clue if this disaster hit them or not. My mom does have some family that lives in the capital. And my grandfather will have to make the SEVERAL hour trek there by bus to talk to my mom by phone. My mom hasn’t been there since my brother was born. I have never been there. My grandfather did travel to California once to visit us and one of my mom’s brother’s that also lives in California. I think I was about 8 years old. That’s the only contact I have had with him. And it is so sad. My dad’s side of the family is very small. My dad has one sister…she has no children. His father died when I was in high school, so there’s only my grandma, aunt & uncle. And here I have this HUGE family in El Salvador that I know nothing about. I probably couldn’t even name all of my mom’s brothers and sisters. Let alone all my cousins that are probably my age. More than anything I would love to know them. Fear is the only thing stopping me from going. But I suppose it’s enough as I have never gone. It is complicated. My mom’s sister is a government official. Her husband, son and daughter were all killed. The country has it’s issues politically. To be honest, I don’t even know how the situation is right now. Hopefully good. But my mom’s brother that lives in California went down there to visit a couple of years ago and he had to have a couple of bodyguards with him the whole time. That is just scary. My mom thinks my dad would stick out like a sore thumb down there because of how white he is. Now I also fear for Steve, because he is white as well. I don’t want to go without him. But I don’t want anything to happen if we go. And there’s my dilemma. And my heart continues to hurt for all the people that were affected by these rains. Hopefully they will get some aide in this time of desperate need around our world. And I just hope that my blood relatives are okay.