The mission in El Salvador has been founded by the Middle European Province.
The mission in El Salvador has been startet from Austria. It is lead by Sr. Martha Zechmeister CJ. Sr. Martha has been teaching systematic theology for ten years, focusing on theological anthropology and spirituality at the UCA, the Universidad Centroamericana ‘José Simeón Cañas’ in San Salvador. She lives in the capital of El Salvador together with students.
Born in Austria, she actually wanted to go to India when she joined our congregation. After completing her doctorate and habilitation, she taught as a professor for theology in Passau, Germany but always kept in touch with friends in El Salvador whom she met during a visit. Since 2008, she has been Professor of Systematic Theology at the UCA and, since 2012, she is also the Director of the Master’s programme in ‘Teología Latinoamericana’.
Sr Martha’s central concern is justice – as an encounter on equal terms that recognises the other in their otherness. In relation to the violence caused by the civil wars in El Salvador and, currently, the gangs known as maras, this means giving victims back a concrete voice and thus sovereignty. Internationally, she understands this to mean a dialogue on equal terms between Europe and Latin America, in which the competencies of all participants are brought to bear on an equal footing.
In addition to her work at the university, Sr Martha is also actively committed to ensuring that young women who would not be able to complete their studies without support have a chance at a successful life.
She writes:
“I can hardly believe it, but I have now been living in San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador, for nearly 20 years. I work here as a theologian at the Jesuit University, which gained notoriety in 1989 when six priests and two of their colleagues were murdered there for their courageous commitment to justice and ending the civil war. I share my private living space with young female students who come from extreme poverty and from villages several hours by bus from San Salvador.
Life in the capital is very expensive in relation to people’s incomes, completely impossible for the students’ families to finance. I am therefore infinitely grateful to my fellow sisters for generously and joyfully supporting me from the very beginning in this project to give these young women what they need to devote themselves to their studies: a roof over their heads, food, but also safety, because San Salvador is a city shaken by violence and gang crime.
Our house in San Salvador offers space for ten students at a time. They study a wide variety of subjects: economics, communication science, mechanical engineering, architecture, nursing, etc. It gives me great satisfaction that over the years, fifteen students have already successfully completed their studies and almost all of them have also found a job.
After they finish their studies, I try to support them for another six months in their search for a job; then they move out to make room for the next generation. Currently, ten active students are living in our house.
Beyond all the ‘technical’ aspects, it is a joy to see a network of friendship and solidarity grow: Among us who share our lives here, but also across the Atlantic, with all those who support us.”
