heal me whole

This reflective piece is dedicated to the life and testimony of Rogelio Miranda, the sole witness and survivor of the massacre at Copapayo during the Salvadoran Civil War in 1983. At the age of 9-years-old, Rogelio witnessed his entire community be executed before his very eyes. 

In an overwhelming moment of vulnerability, Rogelio showed me a small piece of shrapnel that still remained in his body from the massacre. His skin was smooth over this hard, foreign metal, that was likely supplied from the U.S. government. This encounter evoked grief, disbelief and a child-like sense of wonder that tenderness and vulnerability are still possible after enduring such pain.