El Tablon Cerna School Project

Three years ago, Heartland’s relationship grew in El Salvador when the Pastoral Team asked if Heartland would be willing to meet with another community requesting support.  It was a no-brainer for Heartland to say yes since it was a smaller community connected to the current sister partnership.  The community’s highest priority was education for their children. The delegation took this request back to the committee to discuss further.  It didn’t take long for the committee to approve and move forward.

The committee began planning with the Pastoral Team how this dream would become a reality. As the project began, Heartland received two memorial funds that would pay for the majority of the costs for the school.  Ruby Hartsook, Larry’s mother, left behind estate money that was given freely on behalf of the children of El Tablon Cerna and Trina Fischer, Bill’s daughter, made it clear that whatever memorial gifts might be given on her behalf, she wanted put toward the school that the children of El Tablon Cerna needed.

In February 2009 the school project was completed.  The delegation prepared a celebration for the opening and dedication of the school.  Other members, friends, and family of Heartland joined the delegation for this special occasion. With the help and coordination of Pastoral Team, everyone assisted in preparing the meal for the residents of Cerna and the surrounding communities and decorated the school with balloons, streamers and prayer flags.  

Community members spoke during the dedication to give thanks for the hard work and support by everyone involved in the project.  The family members of the memorials also took a moment to recognize their loved ones. It was a great accomplishment for the community and Heartland to share this moment together. 

There are now 33 students attending school in El Tablon Cerna, 17 kindergartners, 16 first graders. Until the school in Cerna is approved by the Ministry of Education for the additional grade levels (2nd and 3rd), the children will walk to the school in El Tablon Centro to attend 2nd - 9th grade.

Slow Sand Water Filter Project

Companeros, in partnership with Rotary International, is working to provide a sustainable source of clean, safe drinking water to families in Berlin, El Salvador. Many of the people of Berlin live in dirt-floor communities and must rely on contaminated surface water for drinking and cooking. The team together is raising funds to provide the manufacturing and installation of slow flow, Bio-Sand Filters in households, schools, and health centers around the Berlin community.  These filters have a biological layer absorbing 100% of parasites and most bacteria giving the families an opportunity to have clean drinking water available.

Since May, 2008, there have been over 600 filters manufactured and installed in 17 communities around Berlin. In El Tablon, 44 filters have been installed which is about 70% of the households. Families have been instructed on how to use the filters, and they are satisfied with the results. We are now looking into providing de-parasite medications to those families.

Companeros and the Mission Co-Worker continue to be engaged with the Pastoral Team and the Rotary club on a weekly basis concerning this project. There is going to be a “Capital Campaign” beginning to add a dedicated focus on raising money for the project.  We need to raise approximately $98,000 which will be used towards 2,200 slow sand water filters for all of the families in the communities around Berlin.  Total funds received to this date for this project equal around $16,000 leaving $82,000 left to be raised.

Future potential projects may include: