Immersion 

A number of those who were involved with the beginning of IFCLA were people who had experience in Latin America - not just in visiting as a tourist, but from spending time living with the people and experiencing their lives. 

Over the years this idea of becoming immersed in the lives of the people has been key to trips that IFCLA sponsors. These trips include such things as:

  • Witness for Peace delegations

  • Peace Brigades International teams

  • Fellowship of Reconciliation trips

  • Guarjila student trips

  • Other Guarjila/El Salvador trips

  • Nicaragua trips

  • Honduras trips

Lately, the majority of our immersion trips have been to El Salvador. We focus on El Salvador due to our long relationship with the Guarjila community and other people and places in the country. Generally, these trips are centered around a specific event or purpose, such as the anniversary of Ann Manganaro's death, or to monitor elections.

IFCLA sponsors a few trips in addition to the immersions. Primarily, these are trips to the annual Protest and Vigil to close the SOA/WHINSEC. We have also connected with people going to the border in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. 

For our trips we try to schedule information sessions prior to leaving, rather than merely meeting at the airport. Our belief is that this approach better prepares the traveler for what they will see and can expect. In this way a traveler is already along the learning curve and everything they experience is not completely new.

Additionally, we continually are asked to be part of and/or promote trips offered by people and organizations with whom we work. We also work with individuals to facilitate their ability to take a trip, such as one to Honduras to monitor the general election in 2013.

We have often hosted the Pastors for Peace caravans when they have come through Saint Louis. Various members and supporters of our organization have traveled to Colombia, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Peru, so we have some knowledge and could offer our help.

If you have an interest in an accompaniment/immersion trip or a fact-finding trip, contact the office and we will work to connect you with information either for setting up your trip or for connecting with others who are going. Travel to Latin America is relatively easy and not that expensive, depending upon the season.