WHAT
WE DO
By opening our hearts to one another OSP hopes to grow god's kingdom of peace, justice, solidarity, and love.
BUILDING
RELATIONSHIPS
Cultivating long-term relationships with our brothers and sisters in El Salvador is the most important aspect of this mission. Poverty is real for the people of Berlín. Often it seems that the most helpful thing we can do is help build things: schools, churches, water collection systems, grain storage, latrines, etc. OSP does financially assist communities with these types of projects. But Partner Organizations are told repeatedly that the most important thing they give to the cantons (villages) of Berlin is their physical presence, friendship, and solidarity. Many strong, enduring relationships have been established between Partner Organization members and canton families.
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This mission is not one of benevolence... simply giving money and resources to people who do not have them. That is not the OSP philosophy. Rather we listen, learn, strive to understand the day to day lives of the impoverished and underserved people of the area, and then walk in solidarity with them. We work to help community leaders improve their personal skills and confidence. OSP also helps communities connect with other organizations and services that can assist with meeting some of the challenges of their day-to-day lives.
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Through this work, we have seen many miracles from God. When folks from the U.S. meet and talk with with the people in the cantons and with the members of the Pastoral Team, all of our lives are changed for the better. When delegates return home and share stories of their experiences and new perspectives, additional lives are touched and changed as well.
By opening our hearts to one another we endeavor to grow God's kingdom of peace, justice, solidarity and love.
Agriculture
Berlín, El Salvador is in a rural area with many impoverished farmers, and we strive to accompany them in both their material and relational needs.
Education & Scholarships
We are proud to be supporting over 120 scholarship students who are trying to finish their middle school or high school education.
Health
Working with partner churches and communities, we help provide basic medicines and medical treatment to the people in Berlín.
Water
Our Sister Parish works with partner churches in Iowa and other organizations to provide water tanks to families in Berlín, who use them to collect and save water from the rural water project, or to collect and save rainwater if they are not connected to that project.
Latrines
OSP Partner Organizations recognize the importance of having dignified, functional latrines and work with Partner Communities to provide them to individual families.
Other Projects
Our Sister Parish seeks to support and accompany the people of Berlín in every area of their lives: spiritual, emotional, and material. As such, we also work to support them with various smaller projects to help them improve their organization and quality of life.