Agros Blog

The following is a story written by Tania, our Human Development Coordinator in El Salvador.
“Huracán Mitch” in Tenango, El Salvador

Three guitars and one bass, all of them crafted by Viviano, come alive in the hands of their skilled players. Setting up the beat, “The Hurricanes” begin the show.

The band members, Angel, José Luis, Viviano and Arturo, they all share an immense love for the land, the community, and music. A few years ago they decided to put together this band in San Diego Tenango, Cuscatlan.

“We wanted to start this band because we felt that it was important for the community to welcome our friends from overseas, to participate in the parties and, who knows, to become known abroad and maybe to be famous one day!” comments José Luis, featuring a big smile while proudly telling the origins of his band.

The name “Hurricanes” came up as a joke to make reference to the enthusiasm and excitement that this band inspires in the crowd when they play their songs, mostly northern “corridos” and worship songs, or “coritos” as they are called in Central and South America.

Recently, an Agros “Journey With a Village” team from University Presbyterian Church (UPC) in Seattle visited the community to share, support, and work alongside the families in the village.

As part of the welcoming celebration, The Hurricanes received the UPC volunteers with cheerful songs, to show the gratitude of the community towards their new visitors. Soon after the volunteers entered the celebration, one of their members, Mitchell or “Mitch”, grabbed his own guitar and without saying a word got up on the stage and started playing along with the band trying to follow the chords.

From that moment on, and during the whole stay of the UPC serving team, The Hurricanes had a fifth member, and among the jokes and laughs from the community, they were re-named as “Hurricane Mitch”.

The experience of musical exchange and integration was enriching for the band as well as for the volunteers, and demonstrated in a very simple and compelling way that no matter language, age, or social condition, we all can share a moment of communion and receive more than what we give away - a theme that continues to resonate in so many ways in all of our Agros villages.