El Salvador Day #15

Day #15 Thursday, January 17, 2013

We got this morning and ate some more delicious plantains for breakfast! I am really going to have to figure out how to cook those things when I get back!

We headed over to the El Shaddai worksite for a devotion with the Virginia team. Sexton led the devotion this morning. Sexton is an older man, going on 80, that has more energy than our whole group combined. He is an incredible example of serving others like Christ and he amazes me every time I watch him work! After devotion, Bailey, Olivia, Brian, and I went with Ester, the pastor of El Shaddai, and John and Sexton, from the Virginia team, on some more home visits. This morning before we headed out, I marked some Scriptures to read with some of the families that we visited. The first family we visited was the Chavez family. There was a man, probably in his 40's, caring for both of his elderly parents. His father was very sick. I was able to read Scripture and pray over this family in Spanish. The next house we went to was where a young woman named Carmen lived with her two daughters, Veronica and Catherine. The girls were at the VBS up the road so we did not get to meet them, but we were able to talk with Carmen for a little while. The next home we went to was of a women named Rosa Miriam. Her young son Francisco was there as well. While there, she told us that she sews for a living, but it is hard to provide for her family with just that, so her husband works a lot as well. The next family was the Gonzalez family. The woman owned a small convenience shop in her home to provide for her family. She had 9 people living inside of her small home. The last home we visited was of Ceci, Catalina, and Anderson. Catalina was the grandmother, Ceci the mother, and Anderson the child. While talking with Ceci, she told us that her husband, Ricardo, had been killed only one month ago. Her family was trying to find work to provide, because the husband had been the one to work before. She was very sweet and very thankful for us being there and being able to pray with her. The theme that we saw at all of these houses was the same: the children go to church but the parents don't. One parent works and the other has to stay and guard the house so that no one will break in. It is a sad cycle that I hope the Lord can break with the building of this new church in their community. 

That afternoon we were able to go back to Children of the Future. Jaime, Rosa, Michelle, Yasmine, and  Yamilet were all not there today and I already miss seeing them. We taught the kdis how to play elbow tag. Then, once we found the soccer ball, we split up into 4 teams and played with them for the rest of the time. I love these kids. I cant even put into words how much it breaks my heart that tomorrow is our last day with them. I want so much for these kids to have every opportunity to be healthy and educated and loved. I want to make sure that happens for each one of them, but I can't.

After dinner at the house, some of us went with Brian to El Shaddai for a service with the Virginia group. They had a presentation for the church and the church had a presentation for them, thanking them for their work. It was a really neat thing to see the relationships that they have made with the people here by being consistent and coming back year after year. The worship team finished the service by playing Trading My Sorrows, which I love! They fed us all cake and gave each of us El Salvador keychains. It was a really neat service to be a part of.