About El Salvador

El Salvador is the smallest country in Central America. For much of the 20th century, national economic life was controlled by an economic oligarchy and its political affairs were controlled by military dictators from 1932 to 84. Growing political and economic unrest erupted in a civil war which lasted from 1980-92 and claimed the lives of more than 75,000 people. Peace accords signed in January 1992 ended the war, brought the Salvadoran military under civilian control and allowed the former FMLN guerillas to form a political party and participate in elections.

In the post-war period, political freedom has increased. All elections held since 1994 have included the participation of a broad range of political parties. However, only limited progress has been made in addressing the economic poverty and inequality, compounded even further by a national climate of violent crime, insecurity and impunity. Lacking economic opportunities in their own country, an estimated 300-700 Salvadorans leave El Salvador each day and emigrate to the North. The remittances they send back to their relatives in El Salvador are the single most important source of foreign income for the Salvadoran economy, equaling all other sources of export income combined.

By virtue of its location on the earthquake-prone Ring of Fire and at latitudes which place the country in the path of hurricanes, El Salvador frequently suffers the effects of natural disasters. The human and material costs of these recurring natural phenomena place additional burdens on the national economy and further add to the numbers of poor, homeless and jobless people in the country.

The Salvadoran Lutheran Church (Iglesia Luterana Salvadoreña - ILS) is a member of theLutheran World Federation and the Communion of Central American Lutheran Churches (CILCA). The ILS is the largest Lutheran church in Central America with 15,000 active members in 60+ congregations. Its holistic approach to ministry emphasizes ongoing pastoral-theological education for its more than 80 pastors, evangelists and catechists, and community-based programs for the care of creation, disaster prevention & mitigation, holistic health care, HIV & AIDS awareness, human rights and advocacy.

              El Salvador Lutheran Bishop Medardo Gomez