After a week of teaching dance and photography it is time to say goodbye. Heather's students were very disappointed to hear she had to go back to Nuevo York. Children from all classes lined up to hug her goodbye with many trying to convince their new teacher to stay.
We ended the week, on Saturday, with a performance to honor the family. In El Salvador, unlike the USA, Mothers and Fathers are honored on the same day, Familia Dias. The children of Amun Shea performed many traditional songs and dances for their families. One song in particular had a great deal of importance to the children. It was explained to us that the lyrics sang by the children were asking "when their father will come home". Refrain after refrain asked where is our father, when will he come home. This was incredible moving and relevant with the current influx of immigrants to America.
Hearing the songs and meeting with the parents or guardians of these children make the mission of Amun Shea even ore important. This school was built with the hope that children of this region reach for a life beyond their current means. The unfortunately trend for youth here is the to become laborers that have to travel outside of El Salvador to find work. It has broken up families and crippled an economy. The wish at Amun Shea is to create leaders and inspirational figures of their community.
During today's family day, Amun Shea incorporated two of Heather's dances into the celebration. The children performed these new dances with exuberance and even added a great deal of their own personal touches. Families applauded throughout the numbers and greatly appreciated what had been introduced to their children.
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