This is a little late but I wanted to let you all know that I made it home safe and sound. It was a long day of travelling but I finally got home around 2am on Monday morning. I can't thank you all enough for your prayers and support throughout my trip. Please continue to pray for me as I re-adjust to life here. It was extremely hard to leave everyone behind and I think about them all the time. Also, please pray for KT and Teddy who are both still working in El Salvador (until August 8th).
Thanks again everyone!
God Bless,
Sam
Friday, July 17, 2009
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Last few hours
Well I am sitting here in my room for my final few hours in El Salvador. I really cant believe that I am leaving today and that tonight I will be back in America.
Yesterday we went with Hannahs Hands to take some of the boys from CISNA to a waterpark. They had a great time. For some of them it was the best day of their life. When we dropped them off at the orphanage at the end of the day, I felt so sad. I said goodbye to all of them. Knowing that I will probably never see any of them again made it really difficult. When I got back on the van I had so many emotions and thoughts running through my head. I just started to cry. I truly felt helpless as I thought of all the hurting people here. Six weeks sounds like a long time but in the big picture, it really isnt enough time. I cried a lot last night, just thinking about all the people Ive met here. God has been good to me. He has revealed so much to me while Ive been here. Even as I type this I am overcome with emotion. I am so thankful for all of my supporters. I know that so many people have been praying for me and I know that without all of your prayers I wouldnt have made it. I am so blessed to have so many people that care about me. Please continue to pray for the people of El Salvador.
I love to make lists so Ill finish with some things Ill miss about El Salvador and a few things that I wont miss :)
Things I will miss: All of the wonderful people I have met, The other interns, Being constantly surrounded by babies, having Miguel and Glenda jump on my bed and ask me for cookies, pupusas, pan dulce, being told Im pretty all the time even though I havent looked good a single day here, good conversations, Talking to God at 430 in the morning, Walking to the tienda with the girls. (There is definitely more but Ill stop with that)
Things I wont miss: COCKROACHES!, all of the bugs in general, the pollution, cold showers, my stupid mattress.
Clearly there are a lot more things that I will miss. It really has been a good trip overall and even though it is hard to leave I know that God has a plan for these people and for me.
Thanks guys for everything and I will see most of you very soon!!
Yesterday we went with Hannahs Hands to take some of the boys from CISNA to a waterpark. They had a great time. For some of them it was the best day of their life. When we dropped them off at the orphanage at the end of the day, I felt so sad. I said goodbye to all of them. Knowing that I will probably never see any of them again made it really difficult. When I got back on the van I had so many emotions and thoughts running through my head. I just started to cry. I truly felt helpless as I thought of all the hurting people here. Six weeks sounds like a long time but in the big picture, it really isnt enough time. I cried a lot last night, just thinking about all the people Ive met here. God has been good to me. He has revealed so much to me while Ive been here. Even as I type this I am overcome with emotion. I am so thankful for all of my supporters. I know that so many people have been praying for me and I know that without all of your prayers I wouldnt have made it. I am so blessed to have so many people that care about me. Please continue to pray for the people of El Salvador.
I love to make lists so Ill finish with some things Ill miss about El Salvador and a few things that I wont miss :)
Things I will miss: All of the wonderful people I have met, The other interns, Being constantly surrounded by babies, having Miguel and Glenda jump on my bed and ask me for cookies, pupusas, pan dulce, being told Im pretty all the time even though I havent looked good a single day here, good conversations, Talking to God at 430 in the morning, Walking to the tienda with the girls. (There is definitely more but Ill stop with that)
Things I wont miss: COCKROACHES!, all of the bugs in general, the pollution, cold showers, my stupid mattress.
Clearly there are a lot more things that I will miss. It really has been a good trip overall and even though it is hard to leave I know that God has a plan for these people and for me.
Thanks guys for everything and I will see most of you very soon!!
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Life is Never Boring in El Salvador
These past few days have all run together and they have been a little crazy. Ill try to update you from where I left off.
On Sunday we went to church (in English) at a place called the Union Church. It was nice to be in an English speaking church. After church, Lorraine had us over again for lunch. She has been so hospitable to us and she is a good cook too! Sunday night we ordered pizza for the girls in the house. They LOVE to eat! I also made them a cake but it was the worst cake made in history. They dont have measuring cups and I put wayyy too much water in it. Oh well, they still ate it.
On Monday we went to CISNA. It was also Lydias 15th birthday. Due to a miscommunication (we have those a lot in this country) we didnt get picked up. We ended up sitting there until about 530 or so. For her birthday dinner, Lydia wanted to go to KFC so all of the interns went. It was actually my first KFC experience. I had to come all the way to El Salvador to try Kentucky Fried Chicken. haha.
It was raining when we left KFC and as we walked outside to meet our driver, KT slipped and fell really hard right on his head. Almost immediately he had the largest bump on his head that I have ever seen. Long story short, Lorraine got us connected with a doctor in a nice hospital and they ran tests on him and kept him there for 24 hours. Praise God that everything is fine, it could have been really bad. We all spent the day at the hospital with him yesterday and left around 9pm.
This morning I woke up with a fever. Not really sure why, probably just worn out. I took the day off and slept a lot this morning. I really hate feeling sick and I really hate that I couldnt go to CISNA today, especially since it is my last week. My fever just broke not too long ago so Im hoping and praying that tomorrow Ill be back to feeling 100 percent.
I cant believe Ill be home in just a few days. It will be so weird to be home knowing that other interns are still here. (KT and Teddy are here until August 8th). Ill finish this post with a few of Laurens pictures that she has posted since she has been home.
Pictures - 1. Cuca (cockroach) that was drowning in our toilet. Yes they are this big and we have at least 2 every day.
2. The volcano we hiked. The picture doesnt do it justice, it was horrible.
3. Me, Ester (center) and Jamlet(right) at the girls detention center. I have written about Ester before. Jamlet is pregnant with twins. I love these girls.
4. Interns before Lauren left. From L to R, Teddy, Lauren, KT, me and Chad. Wonderful people!
On Sunday we went to church (in English) at a place called the Union Church. It was nice to be in an English speaking church. After church, Lorraine had us over again for lunch. She has been so hospitable to us and she is a good cook too! Sunday night we ordered pizza for the girls in the house. They LOVE to eat! I also made them a cake but it was the worst cake made in history. They dont have measuring cups and I put wayyy too much water in it. Oh well, they still ate it.
On Monday we went to CISNA. It was also Lydias 15th birthday. Due to a miscommunication (we have those a lot in this country) we didnt get picked up. We ended up sitting there until about 530 or so. For her birthday dinner, Lydia wanted to go to KFC so all of the interns went. It was actually my first KFC experience. I had to come all the way to El Salvador to try Kentucky Fried Chicken. haha.
It was raining when we left KFC and as we walked outside to meet our driver, KT slipped and fell really hard right on his head. Almost immediately he had the largest bump on his head that I have ever seen. Long story short, Lorraine got us connected with a doctor in a nice hospital and they ran tests on him and kept him there for 24 hours. Praise God that everything is fine, it could have been really bad. We all spent the day at the hospital with him yesterday and left around 9pm.
This morning I woke up with a fever. Not really sure why, probably just worn out. I took the day off and slept a lot this morning. I really hate feeling sick and I really hate that I couldnt go to CISNA today, especially since it is my last week. My fever just broke not too long ago so Im hoping and praying that tomorrow Ill be back to feeling 100 percent.
I cant believe Ill be home in just a few days. It will be so weird to be home knowing that other interns are still here. (KT and Teddy are here until August 8th). Ill finish this post with a few of Laurens pictures that she has posted since she has been home.
Pictures - 1. Cuca (cockroach) that was drowning in our toilet. Yes they are this big and we have at least 2 every day.
2. The volcano we hiked. The picture doesnt do it justice, it was horrible.
3. Me, Ester (center) and Jamlet(right) at the girls detention center. I have written about Ester before. Jamlet is pregnant with twins. I love these girls.
4. Interns before Lauren left. From L to R, Teddy, Lauren, KT, me and Chad. Wonderful people!
Sunday, July 5, 2009
My Last Week!!
Matthew 9:12 & 13, 36 & 37
¨...It is not those who are healthy that need a physician but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means, ¨I desire compassion and not sacrifice for I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.¨
¨Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to the disciples, ¨the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.¨¨
This morning as I was reading my Bible, these verses really stuck out to me. Our God is such a compassionate God (if you ever doubt it, read Matthew) and I know that the sin, suffering and pain in this world breaks His heart.
I get really frustrated sometimes because I see all of these horrible things down here such as rape, prostitution, abandoned children etc. and I feel so helpless. What can I really offer these people that truly will help them. I can give the homeless a meal but it won´t satisfy them eternally. I can hug the children and tell them I love them but when it is all said and done, I too will be leaving them. I can teach English, make bracelets, have Bible studies, give gifts and sing songs but when I leave here what have I done?
Today after church some of us were talking about whether we feel like we are truly making a difference here or not. I didn´t contribute a lot to the conversation because I was really thinking and taking into consideration what the others were saying. The truth is that unless we are sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with these people we are not making a lasting difference. These people NEED Jesus desperately. We can teach and preach and run around in circles for days but if the Good News isn´t being taught we are only temporarily helping these people. This life is truly just a vapor...one single moment in all of eternity. I may not be able to solve the many problems I see here but I can use the resources that God has given me to bring more people into His kingdom.
In fact, the whole world is in need of a Savior. That is something I have been thinking about a lot here. Missions is not something that only takes place outside of the United States. There are so many hurting, broken and lost people right in my neighborhood that are crying out for help. It is so easy to ignore those that we see every day though. I really want to be more pro active about sharing Jesus with people. I don´t know where God is calling me in the future. It could be in a different country or it could be in America. Either way He wants us to fulfill the Great Commission wherever He places us.
I just finished reading the Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning (good book) and I want to end this post with a quote from that book...¨Risking everything on Jesus: the Ragamuffin gospel says we can´t lose because we have nothing to lose.¨ Its a good thought...without Christ I am nothing and it is only by His grace that I am able to do ANYTHING!
This post was just a few of my thoughts typed out quickly so I apologize if it doesn´t flow or read well. Please pray for me this final week, pray for the kids, pray for the staff of Orphan Helpers and pray that the love and message of Jesus will be received with open hearts by those who hear it!
¨...It is not those who are healthy that need a physician but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means, ¨I desire compassion and not sacrifice for I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.¨
¨Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to the disciples, ¨the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.¨¨
This morning as I was reading my Bible, these verses really stuck out to me. Our God is such a compassionate God (if you ever doubt it, read Matthew) and I know that the sin, suffering and pain in this world breaks His heart.
I get really frustrated sometimes because I see all of these horrible things down here such as rape, prostitution, abandoned children etc. and I feel so helpless. What can I really offer these people that truly will help them. I can give the homeless a meal but it won´t satisfy them eternally. I can hug the children and tell them I love them but when it is all said and done, I too will be leaving them. I can teach English, make bracelets, have Bible studies, give gifts and sing songs but when I leave here what have I done?
Today after church some of us were talking about whether we feel like we are truly making a difference here or not. I didn´t contribute a lot to the conversation because I was really thinking and taking into consideration what the others were saying. The truth is that unless we are sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with these people we are not making a lasting difference. These people NEED Jesus desperately. We can teach and preach and run around in circles for days but if the Good News isn´t being taught we are only temporarily helping these people. This life is truly just a vapor...one single moment in all of eternity. I may not be able to solve the many problems I see here but I can use the resources that God has given me to bring more people into His kingdom.
In fact, the whole world is in need of a Savior. That is something I have been thinking about a lot here. Missions is not something that only takes place outside of the United States. There are so many hurting, broken and lost people right in my neighborhood that are crying out for help. It is so easy to ignore those that we see every day though. I really want to be more pro active about sharing Jesus with people. I don´t know where God is calling me in the future. It could be in a different country or it could be in America. Either way He wants us to fulfill the Great Commission wherever He places us.
I just finished reading the Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning (good book) and I want to end this post with a quote from that book...¨Risking everything on Jesus: the Ragamuffin gospel says we can´t lose because we have nothing to lose.¨ Its a good thought...without Christ I am nothing and it is only by His grace that I am able to do ANYTHING!
This post was just a few of my thoughts typed out quickly so I apologize if it doesn´t flow or read well. Please pray for me this final week, pray for the kids, pray for the staff of Orphan Helpers and pray that the love and message of Jesus will be received with open hearts by those who hear it!
Thursday, July 2, 2009
YPO Week
This week we were able to work with three YPO families, the Garretts (founders of Orphan Helpers from VA) were one of the families and there were two others with them. One family from Bermuda and one from England. It was fun to have a change of pace and do some different things this week since doing the same thing every day can get a little tiring. It was also great to be able to meet the founder of Orphan Helpers and to really gain some insight into his passion and vision. He is a great guy and his love for the kids shines through. It was inspiring and reassuring for me to see that. He loves these kids and wants to see them excel in life and exceed the low expectations set for them.
The week started on Sunday when we dropped Cramer off at the airport (sad!) and picked up the Garrett family. Sunday night Hermana Filo cooked lasagna for all of us at the promise house and three of the girls shared their testimonies. It is really hard for these girls to talk about the things that have happened to them in the past. I admire their strength so much. For all of my prayer supporters, if you could please keep Marta in your prayers that would be wonderful! Marta is one of the girls in the Promise House. She is 15 years old and has a 4 year old son (Miguel) as a result of being raped by a friend of her dad when she was 10 years old. She is a very strong and independent girl but she struggles, understandably so, with anger and feelings of guilt. It has taken her a while to be able to love her son since he reminds her so easily of horrible events in the past. She has such great potential to do great things. I can see her leadership abilities clearly in the way she interacts and leads the other girls in the house.
Monday and Tuesday were spent at CISNA doing sports in the morning with the boys and then hanging out with the girls in the detention center in the afternoon. There are a few new girls in the detention center, one of them is Ester´s sister. Tuesday night Hermana Filo cooked for us again and we were able to hear some of the testimonies of the boys from the Faith House.
On Wednesday (yesterday) the YPO group invited us to eat breakfast with them at the hotel. It was so nice, really good food and the families are just a lot of fun to be around. Very good and geniune people. It is kind of funny though because I feel like my lifestyle has changed so much that I almost feel out of place in nice settings or places where there is a lot of food. We all joke about how we feel like the orphans being taken out into public. There is some truth to it though, my mindset on a lot of things has definitely changed since I have been here. Anyways, after breakfast the group headed to CISNA and I went to the airport to drop Lauren off. It was so sad! She was such a blessing to me here and she is missed! We also picked up a new girl who is staying in the Promise House for 2 weeks. Her name is Lydia and she is 14 years old and from Mississippi. It is her first ¨mission trip¨experience so I´m sure it will be great for her.
Last night we had a little ¨sleepover¨at the Promise House. Marina, the 16 year old from England, spent the night with us and we had some junk food and hung out with the girls for a little while before bed.
Today we were back at CISNA in the morning and then left at lunch time. The family from England left to catch their flight and we showered and then went to the mall for a little while. It really is weird to see how different the classes of people here are. There is ¨rich El Salvador¨and ¨poor El Salvador¨ I know it is like that in America too but here the rich seem richer and the poor seem poorer. We drive by families living under bridges with nothing except the clothes on their back and then we walk into the mall where everyone is dressed nicely and shopping in Tommy Hilfiger or eating in a nice restaurant. It really blows my mind how a few miles can make such a difference. It is something that I daily think about and struggle with. The world truly is a broken place and it is very evident in this country.
Tonight we are going to have one last dinner with the Garretts. It was a huge blessing being able to meet them and they will definitely be missed. Tomorrow we are taking some of the boys to the zoo and then were going to check out the Mayan ruins. Saturday is the fourth of July but I am trying not to think about it because I´m a little sad to not be in the USA for Independence Day! :( So while you are enjoying your cookouts, fireworks and the beach...think of me, at least for a minute!
Love you guys...can´t believe I´ll be home in less than 2 weeks! My calendar is clear for anyone who wants to share an American meal haha (as long as it doesn´t include beans) :)
The week started on Sunday when we dropped Cramer off at the airport (sad!) and picked up the Garrett family. Sunday night Hermana Filo cooked lasagna for all of us at the promise house and three of the girls shared their testimonies. It is really hard for these girls to talk about the things that have happened to them in the past. I admire their strength so much. For all of my prayer supporters, if you could please keep Marta in your prayers that would be wonderful! Marta is one of the girls in the Promise House. She is 15 years old and has a 4 year old son (Miguel) as a result of being raped by a friend of her dad when she was 10 years old. She is a very strong and independent girl but she struggles, understandably so, with anger and feelings of guilt. It has taken her a while to be able to love her son since he reminds her so easily of horrible events in the past. She has such great potential to do great things. I can see her leadership abilities clearly in the way she interacts and leads the other girls in the house.
Monday and Tuesday were spent at CISNA doing sports in the morning with the boys and then hanging out with the girls in the detention center in the afternoon. There are a few new girls in the detention center, one of them is Ester´s sister. Tuesday night Hermana Filo cooked for us again and we were able to hear some of the testimonies of the boys from the Faith House.
On Wednesday (yesterday) the YPO group invited us to eat breakfast with them at the hotel. It was so nice, really good food and the families are just a lot of fun to be around. Very good and geniune people. It is kind of funny though because I feel like my lifestyle has changed so much that I almost feel out of place in nice settings or places where there is a lot of food. We all joke about how we feel like the orphans being taken out into public. There is some truth to it though, my mindset on a lot of things has definitely changed since I have been here. Anyways, after breakfast the group headed to CISNA and I went to the airport to drop Lauren off. It was so sad! She was such a blessing to me here and she is missed! We also picked up a new girl who is staying in the Promise House for 2 weeks. Her name is Lydia and she is 14 years old and from Mississippi. It is her first ¨mission trip¨experience so I´m sure it will be great for her.
Last night we had a little ¨sleepover¨at the Promise House. Marina, the 16 year old from England, spent the night with us and we had some junk food and hung out with the girls for a little while before bed.
Today we were back at CISNA in the morning and then left at lunch time. The family from England left to catch their flight and we showered and then went to the mall for a little while. It really is weird to see how different the classes of people here are. There is ¨rich El Salvador¨and ¨poor El Salvador¨ I know it is like that in America too but here the rich seem richer and the poor seem poorer. We drive by families living under bridges with nothing except the clothes on their back and then we walk into the mall where everyone is dressed nicely and shopping in Tommy Hilfiger or eating in a nice restaurant. It really blows my mind how a few miles can make such a difference. It is something that I daily think about and struggle with. The world truly is a broken place and it is very evident in this country.
Tonight we are going to have one last dinner with the Garretts. It was a huge blessing being able to meet them and they will definitely be missed. Tomorrow we are taking some of the boys to the zoo and then were going to check out the Mayan ruins. Saturday is the fourth of July but I am trying not to think about it because I´m a little sad to not be in the USA for Independence Day! :( So while you are enjoying your cookouts, fireworks and the beach...think of me, at least for a minute!
Love you guys...can´t believe I´ll be home in less than 2 weeks! My calendar is clear for anyone who wants to share an American meal haha (as long as it doesn´t include beans) :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)