The Final Summary

As part of my “thank you” to my many supporters, family and friends, I wanted to write up a short summary of my six week stay in El Salvador. I have been trying to write this up for a while now but every time I try to start, I don’t know where to begin. I was thinking about what I should write and how I could express everything I did, felt and learned while I was there and I came to the realization that it would be near impossible for me to do that. I could write a book about every story, struggle, and success and I would cry and laugh through the whole thing while putting some people to sleep. After praying about it and reading through the journal that I kept while I was there, I was continually reminded that the important thing isn’t what I did but what He did and is still doing in El Salvador and in the lives of those people. It isn’t about me at all. I can’t tell you how many times I failed during those six weeks; times when I allowed frustration to get the best of me, times when I could have done more but accepted the easy route, times when I wanted to sleep rather than serve, etc. It was an almost constant internal battle between my selfish, sinful ways and the way of a humble servant of Christ. God never failed me though and I am so amazed by Him and His ability to use someone like me to share His love and His Word with people who are searching for a hope and a Savior. John 3:29b-30 says, “So this joy of mine has been made full, He must increase and I must decrease.” I hope that this overview of my trip does just that; glorifying God and recognizing Him as my Strength, my Protector and my One True Love while portraying me only as an instrument of Him.

I believe the only way to share about my trip is to be completely honest and transparent about it. Because of this I’ve decided to open up my journal and share some of the things I wrote while there. It’s very personal and close to my heart and so are El Salvador and the people I met there so I feel that it is appropriate. I don’t want to gloss over any of it or paint a pretty picture for you. These are real people with real problems, heartaches and feelings. I never thought this trip would impact me in the way that it did. To tell you that I had a “good trip” would be a lie and I don’t think that any of my supporters deserve that. El Salvador is a broken country. At first glance it would seem that it was a very “godly” place. There are signs all over, on buses, buildings, billboards, etc. proclaiming “The Lord is my shepherd,” “Jesus loves you,” and other “Christianity claims” but the hearts of many of the people are, in my opinion, empty and calloused. I don’t blame them. It’s a rough place. There are people living in shacks and under bridges. Gang violence has killed many loved ones and broken many families. Fathers have left, mothers are in jail and the children roam the streets. God is often spoken of but it almost seems like more tradition and empty thoughts rather than real and heartfelt words. I saw so many things (I’ll get into some of them later on) that are just wrong and disgusting.

I want to begin by saying a little about the other Americans that were there. I had no idea that I would be working so closely with other interns so it was both a surprise and a huge blessing. Now, thinking back, I can’t imagine doing it without them. Not only were they a ton of fun to be around but they also encouraged me, prayed with and for me and even corrected me when I needed it. I learned so much from each and every one of them; both in the things they said and the things they did. We began doing “intern devotions” which were times to read the Bible, pray, vent, cry, share and laugh. On June 6th, I wrote that I hoped that we (as interns) would become honest and transparent with one another while relying fully on God. My prayer was definitely answered. I can’t express how much these people meant to me and the special place that they will always have in my heart. It’s amazing to see God working in each of their lives and I am so excited to see where He takes each and every one of them. Every time I think or pray about these people my heart really does overflow with joy and gratitude.

It took me about a week to adjust to the living situation in El Salvador. As you probably know, I stayed in the Promise House. It was very hot, the showers were very cold, there were a lot of bugs (including cockroaches as long as my index finger) and there was NO privacy. Towards the end of the first week, I got pretty sick and I felt absolutely miserable. I had to get picked up from the center and taken back home. I was just lying in my bed and staring at the ceiling, wondering why God would bring me all the way to El Salvador only to be sick in bed. I remember calling home crying and thinking to myself that I was in way over my head. It ended up being a huge wake-up call though and a time for me to really set my focus on God; giving Him total control and admitting my weakness before Him. II Corinthians 12:9 has always been one of my favorite verses but it had never meant as much to me as then. One page of my journal has that verse written at the top with a prayer written below, crying out to God asking for His help and His strength. I asked the Lord two questions that I would continue to ask over the next 6 weeks and that I still ask today; “What am I doing here?” and “How am I truly touching and changing lives like I so desire to do?” Six weeks may seem like a long time but in the grand scheme of things, it isn’t and I wanted to know how I could help these people in a sustainable way.

I’d like to share a little with you about where I stayed and the people that I lived with. La Casa de Promesa (Promise House) is a halfway home for teenage mothers. There were 9 girls aged 12-18 living there with their 9 children, aged 8 months-4 years. Because I want you to realize that this is so much more than a story and that these are real people, I want to share all of their names with you: Tania and Nicole, Jessica and Alondra, Tatiana and Glenda, Marta and Miguel, Nubia and Alex, Johana and Jeremias, Daysie and Jefferson, Maricela and Nelsen, Susanah and Nancy. Obviously, because I was living in their house, I became very close to these girls and their children. They have all been victims of sexual abuse which resulted in their pregnancies. They didn’t choose this and that was difficult for me to swallow. I believe it to be one of the greatest injustices I have ever been in contact with. It’s disgusting really that these little girls were abused by much older men. Most of these men should have been in a position of trust and leadership as fathers, cousins, friends, etc. but rather they placed these girls in a world of fear, hate, pain and hardship. It was hard for me to really see these girls as mothers instead of the young girls that they are. They are the strongest group of people I have ever met. No, they weren’t perfect mothers but they have accepted the life they have been given with more dignity than I ever would. They have every right to be bitter and angry but they were the most loving and open girls I’ve ever spent time with. They welcomed me as a part of their ‘family’ and showed me the true meaning of love and acceptance. It was a love I didn’t have to earn and an acceptance I wasn’t going to lose. They have a joy that radiates in their sweet smiles and huge embraces. However, they do hurt and they do cry. They struggle with questions and doubt. They are afraid for their future and the future of their children. They want to be a good parent but don’t have any idea what that entails or even what it looks like. They don’t understand the concept of a positive male figure; they have never known the support of a loving father and they cry because their children will probably never know either. They feel guilt and shame over the things that have happened to them; things they couldn’t have prevented. They deserve to be treated like the beautiful, lively, and young girls that they are. In America, and other places around the world, the teenage years are a time of transition and learning; a time to prepare for the future and find out who you are and who you want to be. These girls didn’t get that time. They were thrust into motherhood with absolutely no support or help. I ask that you keep these girls in your prayers as they will continue to struggle daily. God does have a plan.

Every morning I was woken up around 4:30am and 5:30am. Anyone who knows me at all knows that I LOVE to sleep and waking me up is not a fun task. I either woke up to the sound of babies crying, water running, girls screaming or beans blending. To this day I cannot understand why it was necessary to put the beans in the blender. At first I was extremely annoyed and I really didn’t understand why they were awake at that time and making that much noise. It really turned out to be a blessing though and I can see that now looking back. I was able to spend good, quality time with Jesus in the morning before I began my day. Some of the biggest lessons I learned in El Salvador were on my top bunk before 6:00am. I’ve never been one to wake up early and spend time praying or reading the Bible because of laziness really. It was a good habit to get into. On the morning of June 11th, as I was reading I came across II Corinthians 4:16-18. Verse 18 says, “…for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” The significance of the verses hit me really hard. It also answered my previous questions about how I could truly help these people. The truth is I am not helping anybody if I am not influencing them eternally. If I only teach them English, play games, do arts and crafts, etc. and then leave, I have given them no hope for the future. Yes those things are great and meaningful and I don’t mean to lessen the value of quality time, love and affection, I just want to magnify the importance of sharing the hope of Jesus with them. It also showed me that I need to stop worrying, stressing and getting frustrated about things that are temporary. There were many times when I wanted to pull my hair out and scream over things that seem silly now. It was a constant reminder every time I came up against something. I was always telling myself, “Chill out, it is only temporary.” As Lauren, my fellow intern and roommate, and I were getting ready for the day and talking about Jesus, we came to find out that we had both read those same verses that morning. God really is so cool. The remainder of the trip (and even now) we were able to keep each other accountable by repeating this verse when we were getting frustrated or upset. “Is it eternal or temporary?” It’s a good question to ask yourself daily; I find that most of the time my ‘problems’ are temporary.

On June 27th, I was struggling with all of the injustices and brokenness that I saw around me, especially in CISNA. I wrote, “These children have nothing and are broken. They don’t have anyone to fight their battles or stick up for them. How does any child deserve such horrible things?” In the girl’s detention center, there was a girl who was very sick with many of the swine flu symptoms. The director was told countless times that this girl needed to be seen by a doctor at a hospital but no one would take her. They wouldn’t even place her in another room to prevent the sickness from spreading to the other girls. They promised to take the girl to the hospital the next day but when we arrived, she still had not gone. In the boy’s orphanage there is a huge problem with rape among the boys. There are some boys in the orphanage who rape and sexually abuse the others. It is horrendous and it makes me sick to my stomach to even think about. It isn’t really a secret; most people know about it but still nothing is done. The directors make excuses for the behavior or simply look the other way. This place is both their school and their home. It is supposed to be a place where they can feel safe. The expectations for these children are so low. How can you expect them to rise above when things like this are acceptable? I still struggle with this reality every day and it is something that is very heavy on my heart. I hate that this is happening and I am praying that God intervenes in a way only He can.

God is good and even though there are so many things I don’t understand He continues to show me that His ways are much bigger than my small understanding. On June 30th, just a few days after I vented about all the horrible things and cried out to God for help, I read Psalm 34:18 which says, “The Lord is near to the broken hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Wow! It was exactly what I needed to read and be reminded of. God hasn’t taken a break or forgotten about these people; it’s all in His hand whether I can see it or not. I don’t understand it and I certainly don’t like it but God doesn’t need my approval by any means.  
Who am I to think that I must understand everything in this world?

I was able to read a few books in my spare time while in El Salvador. One of the books I read was Touch by Pastor Rudy Rasmus. It’s a very real book written about the ministry of an inner city church in Houston. It really gave me some good insights to opening up and being vulnerable with people and loving those who have nothing to give back. It also talks about the importance of physical touch. He says, “When we touch someone, a connection occurs that is categorically different – and more powerful – than spoken communication.” I saw the application and truth to this quote during my six week stay; especially in the boy’s orphanage at CISNA. I can’t express to you how much I truly came to love these boys. They are crying out for love and attention. I could see how much they longed for a “motherly” type of affection. On July 11th, the day before I left for home, we were able to take the youngest group of boys to a water park. We picked them up in the morning and divided into our “buddy groups.” Each of the “gringos” had two of the boys for the day. I sat in between them on the way to the park and they each held my hands as we talked about different things. It was one of the best days of my trip. We were able to feed them a whole bunch of food including chicken, pupusas and pizza. On the way back Samuel fell asleep on my lap and it was a precious sight I will remember forever. His heart (and stomach) was full and he was absolutely exhausted! Bringing them back to the orphanage was one of the hardest things to do. I wanted to take each of them home with me. It was so hard to drop them back off in a place where they have no love, only fear; a place full of rape and abuse, no family and dark pasts and little hope for a bright future. I have only felt the sting of a broken heart a few times in my life and this was one. I felt my heart breaking for every one of those boys. On the way back to the house I was overcome with emotion. There were uncontrollable tears rolling down my cheeks. It wasn’t simply sadness that I felt. Most of my feelings were anger actually. I prayed and argued with God the whole way home. Why did God bring me to this country to meet these desperate people, only to leave them just like everyone else does? Why were these people in these horrible situations anyways? Why do I have it so easy? Why, Why, Why? I wish I could say that I have all the answers now, but I don’t. I do however know that our God is compassionate and that prayers can do more than any of us know. That’s what I have to cling to. James 5:16b says, “The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” All throughout the gospels it is repeated how Jesus felt compassion for all the people He encountered. As much as I love and care for those children, how much more must our Creator love them! Another book I read while in El Salvador, The Ragamuffin Gospel, states, “Human love will always be a faint shadow of God’s love. Not because it is too sugary or sentimental but simply because it can never compare from whence it comes. Human love with all its passion and emotion is a thin echo of the passion/emotion love of Yahweh.” It is so true!

Leaving El Salvador was definitely one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. After I said good bye to everyone and found myself sitting alone at my gate with nothing but my carry on and my thoughts, I began to cry, once again, uncontrollably. It's funny to think that before I had this experience I rarely cried and certainly not in front of anyone.  But there I sat, the only blonde girl at the gate literally sobbing as they called for my plane to board. I cried all the way to my seat and the first hour of the flight. Again, I felt my heart breaking. I cried for many reasons, both selfish and unselfish. I cried for the children I had met, for the entire country, for the people I knew I’d never see again, for the other interns and because I knew I would never be the same. That’s where I find myself at now; different. My thought process has changed as well as my concept of the world around me. I am blessed beyond imagination. I have a family who loves me, an opportunity to do virtually anything I want to and more stuff than I could ever need. I was exposed to a simpler way of life and, surprisingly, I really liked it. Life is so much bigger than the clothes I wear, the classes I’m taking, the problems I have, etc. In other words, life is so much bigger than ME!

It was really hard for me to readjust to life in America. The first week or so I really didn’t want to go anywhere or see anyone. I woke up every morning experiencing the meaning of “the silence is deafening.” I missed the crying babies and the kids coming to jump on my bed. I felt really guilty for all of the things I had at home. In time, I did adjust but to be honest I still have days where I just sit down and cry. In fact, just today I had a meltdown. As I was driving and thinking about the kids and all of the people in El Salvador my eyes just filled with tears and by the time I got back to my room I just laid in my bed and sobbed. I was wondering when I would finally “get over it” and be able to talk about it without wanting to cry and I think I’ve come to conclusion that I probably never will; and that is okay with me. It changed my life and touched my heart in ways I could never explain.


*I cannot thank you, as my supporters, enough for everything. I wish I could list all of you by name; individually thanking you for your support. I know that I had many people praying for me while I was gone and I know without a doubt that it helped. Trust me when I say that without your prayers I wouldn’t have made it through some days. I also can’t finish without saying a HUGE thank you to everyone who supported me financially. It was an answer to prayer and a big comfort to see all of my support come in so early on in my trip planning. It’s humbling to me that God has placed such caring and loving people in my life and I know that I have done nothing to deserve it. In fact, because of all of the generosity I will be able to make a return visit to the Promise House in the near future. I will be sure to keep you updated on dates and details but I am very excited to see the girls again and to bring some things they are in need of with me. Once again, none of this would be possible without you all! Finally, to all of you who read my blog, commented on it, sent me emails/facebook messages and sent letters and cards; THANK YOU! You have no idea what a short word of encouragement can do and I thank you for your selflessness in continuing to write even when you didn’t receive a response from me.

I hope this gives you a glimpse into my summer. I apologize for the length but I tried to summarize as much as possible without losing the main point. I ask for continued prayer as I see where God leads me for the future. I know that I am called to missions/service but I am not sure where. I know that mission work can take place right here in America and I am open to that option as well. Basically, I'm just going to wait and see where God takes me. :)Thanks again to all of you and please stay in touch!!

Matthew 9:12-13 (NLT)

When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.” Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

I'm Home

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

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!!

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!

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!

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) :)

End of Week 4

This week was a fun week, we were able to spoil the girls in the house a little. On Monday they had a holiday from school so we went to CISNA in the morning and came home at about 2:30. We all walked to the pupuseria and had a few pupusas. The girls had fun getting out of the house and doing something different & of course they enjoyed the pupusas, almost as much as I did :)
On Wednesday we were able to take the girls to the movie theatre which was fun because most of them had never been to see a movie before. They were all excited.

On Thursday, at the detention center in CISNA they celebrated Family Day so many of the girls had family come to visit them. We helped decorate and watched the presentation they had prepared for them. Then we just hung out with the girls for the rest of the afternoon.

Another Christian organization that we have run into a few times down here is Hannah´s Hands. They are doing some medical work. One of the American ladies working with them lives here and invited all of the interns over for dinner tonight. She´s cooking an American meal for us so that is pretty exciting!

We don´t have a lot planned for this weekend. Interns are starting to leave now at different times so it is kind of sad. Laurel left on Thursday morning, Cramer leaves on Sunday and Lauren leaves on Wednesday. YPO is making a trip down here next week so we will probably be helping with them.

Overall it was a good week but I´m pretty tired right now so I think I´m going to try and get a nap in before dinner! Thanks for your prayers everyone!
love,
Sam