Last week, El Salvador, along with Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica, celebrated 200 years of independence.

Typically, parades are held with cars decorated to represent each of the five Central American countries celebrating independence, marching bands, military vehicles, people dressed in typical dress and a mirage of other floats decorated in blue and white.  Jets and helicopters fly over. People line the streets along the parade’s route to enjoy the festivities while food vendors sell typical foods of churros, fried plátanos, fried yucca, atól de elote and other typical fair foods. This year’s celebration should have been a big one. However, there were no parades again, thanks to COVID’s lingering.

To commemorate this day in La Casa, the children spent the last few weeks learning typical dances, researching facts about each Central American country, and creating posters, paintings and displays in their classes. They decorated the pavilion area, and we celebrated. We all sang the national anthem and recited the pledge. The children dressed in typical costume and performed the dances learned and shared what they had learned about each of these countries with our staff. Each took a turn telling their audience about the country they researched, it’s dress, foods, flag, national emblems, currency, along with many other facts. Typical food was shared. The children poured their hearts and efforts into making this a special day. It was an afternoon spent together, celebrating culture.

We hope you enjoy a few pictures from our Independence Day celebration. And we’d like to ask for prayer for this small country to be able enjoy independence for many years to come. Happy Independence Day, El Salvador!