Year Joined MKLM: 2007 Country: El Salvador City: Canton San Antonio, Tepecoyo Focus: Community Development, Pastoral Work, and Education Project(s): Ecclesial Base Community Rutilio Grande of San Antonio, Pastoral work for the parish of Sacacoyo, Youth reflection group, Weekly English Classes and Tutoring, and Community Organization within San Antonio. People Served: 160 families of San Antonio. Project Goal(s): Accompany the community of San Antonio, especially giving support and help to the youth of the community, as they struggle to understand and thrive during this violent and confusing time in Salvadoran history.

Personal Data
Tim comes from Creve Coeur, MO, part of the Archdiocese of St. Louis. He and his family are long-time members of Incarnate Word Parish in Chesterfield.  A graduate of Chaminade College Prep, Tim went on to earn a BA in Religious Studies from Santa Clara University in 2006.  As a Claretian Volunteer from 2006-2007, Tim worked as a campus minister for the Catholic Campus Ministry of Springfield, Missouri, serving students at Drury, Ozarks Tech, and Missouri State.

After joining MKLM in the fall of 2007, Tim spent 6 months in language school in Cochabamba, Bolivia. He arrived in El Salvador in June of 2008.

Current Ministry  
Tim spent his first few months in El Salvador orientating himself to the area, people, culture, and the social reality of El Salvador.  With much discernment, Tim found a place to live and work in mission.  He is currently living and working in the Canton of San Antonio, in the Municipality of Tepecoyo (like a county), La Libertad (department, similar to a state) in the western part of the country. 

The community is located high in the coastal mountains.  The economy of the area is largely dependent on coffee farming and the people work for the large plantations (picking coffee, taking care of the fields, and other such work).  Families also farm corn and beans on patches of land that they rent.  Corn and beans makes up the majority of the "wealth" of the families as their diet consists mainly of corn tortillas and beans, supplemented with other naturally growing fruits and vegetables that they can find.  The homes in this area are generally made from corrugated metal, adobe brick, and plastic with packed earth floors.

Tim was invited to live and serve in this community by the Christian Base Community.  The area is served by the local parish in Sacacoyo. Once a week, the pastor says a mass at the community chapel.  The Christian Base Community (Comunidad de Base) also serves as a way to pray, reflect, and organize on a grassroots level.  As part of the community of 20 families, Tim and the others meet 3 times a week to read and reflect on the Gospel as it speaks to them in their reality. They pray and share their lives with one another. Tim helps facilitate this group, provides materials for further biblical study, and helps with general organization of the community. “But,” says Tim, “my involvement also includes listening and learning from the people about how they see the world.”

Tim has joined other community members to organize various outreach programs for the community at large, including a Christmas party and toy drive, and a shoe program that helps to keep children in school. 

Academic oversight, communicating with the two area school about children who are having trouble and providing tutoring to them.  I give two English classes a week, one for older children and another for younger children.  We are working right now to provide information on correct agrochemical use as well as giving masks and gloves to those who will use them.  And everything else that comes up in a community.

With the invitation of the CEB (communidad eclesial de base) Rutilio Grande in Canton San Antonio in the municipality of Tepecoyo, Tim began  living and accompanying the rural coffee growing community.   He currently helps coordinate and lead reflections of the CEB during their three meetings a week.  Working closely with the pastor of Sacacoyo (a near-by town), Tim works on organizing the weekly mass at the community chapel.   Once a week, as many as 40 youth meet to study and practice English.

Currently, Tim and other community leaders are forming a Young Persons Reflection group.  This group allows youth in the community to meet and discuss the world in which they live.  Focusing mostly on the pressures of gangs, violence, sex, and drugs that Salvadoran youth face daily.