This week started off great. First day in the new community yesterday. It looks to be an awesome week. The churches in the community are wonderful and their pastors have been extremely helpful and active in what we're doing.

The doctor comes back to see me this evening before the team gets back, so I'm stuck at the Hostel today. I can't see the team from where I am today, but my heart and my prayers are with them. I'm trying not to throw myself a pity party. I just hate not being there.

A few random pictures:


The United States embassy. I think it might be bigger than some cities that we've been in.

The "Hanky Pank" game. Note to self: never start a game that you don't intend to play between 600 and 700 more times. I loved every minute of it though.

This is Estephanie. Yeah, we have the same name. She was really quiet, I don't remember ever hearing her make a noise during our time there. We were all sitting around playing when she decided to crawl up in my lap. It took me a while before I realized she was asleep because she was so quiet. I stole this picture from Niki's facebook.

"The Chair" skit. Levi comes in and gets stuck to the chair (aka:sin) and we all come in after him and get stuck too. If you'll notice the red piece of plastic beside us...that's one of the chair legs. We broke the chair 2 sinners into the skit. My knee is supporting the back right corner where the leg should be. We laughed pretty hard.

Me and one of this kids chillin after lunch. I think we were jammin to Matt Wertz.

On our trek through the jungle to get to where the churches garden will be. Long, long, long trek.



The church we were working with in Perulapia.


The beach where we were staying.

Me doing some reflecting.
(Wow. Does that sound like something mom would say or what?)

Hope yall've enjoyed the catch up. I know it kept me occupied. I think I might go out of my mind before this day is over.

Amazing weekend. They told us we were going to the beach house that is owned by the same people as the Hostal we're staying at. If you compare the pictures of the Hostal that are in the brocher to the actual place, it screams false advertising (not that I'm complaining. I had been preparing myself for this trip thinking I'd sleep on a dirt floor, but We have internet and indoor plumbimg..so no complaints here.) That being said, we were sure this "beach house" was going to be a little different than the pictures. But when we got here Friday night we were all amazed. "On the beach" actually meant "On the beach". The water is 6 steps from the back porch and the pool was cleaner than any condo I've stayed at. The inside was completely open so the sound of the waves was constant. I won't know what to think when we leave and I don't hear waves crashing anymore.

It was so nice to just chill and relax. Spent a good amount of time in the sun. Gunna have the most ridiculous tan line. One of the few things I'm excited to get back to the states for (beside the people and the sweet tea) is to even out these tan lines. The quiet time out here was amazing. I listened to alot of music, did alot of reading, alot of sleeping and alot of praying. I caught up on alot of my podcast. I had 22 podcast waiting to be listened to, so it was good to get that number down. We leave here after lunch to head back to Perulapia. We're doing service at the church that we worked with last week.

This next week is going to be insane. We went over the schedule for the week last night and its going to be PACKED! I think it's going to be a great way to end out our full weeks of ministry. If it doesn't kill us, that is. It's a good thing that we're going to be coming off such a relaxing weekend.

This past few days we've been in Perulapia. We've been working in the schools this with the teens and the youngins. There are a TON of kids here, but they're all very precious. Matt left on Monday, so we have Bethany and Clair with us now. They have been an amazing addition to the team. (And they BOTH of them speak spanish, which is extremely helpful to have two more translators!) I'm starting to pick up on some spanish. Every once in a while I'll be in a conversation and actually catch a few words. Normally I can't put those words together to make sense, but its still cool.

A few of us played soccer with the kids today. It was awesome. I may not be able have entire conversations this the teens here, but being able to play soccer with them definitely help build a relationship that I wouldn't have been able to otherwise. We talked about HIV/AIDS to the teens today. It was a really heavy subject, but one that HAD to be addressed here. As sad as it is, they say HIV/AIDS is very very prevalent in this part of El Salvador. And the teens were really receptive during this presentation, which was surprising when considering the attention span of these 100 teenagers.

I got my first little taste of homesickness yesterday. Just remembered alot of stuff from the states that I miss. Like showers that aren't freezing and being able to make phone calls whenever I want to. I'm gunna make it though.

It's been an awesome week! Had our last day in El Sartin. We helped make Papusas and finished out our week there. Today was a much needed off day! We slept in which was a blessing in itself! We ate lunch with a girl that Matt's grandparents support through Latin American Child Care. It was really cool! We ate with her, her mother and little brother. To avoid all the details, she lost her father less than a year ago and her family is in a very sad situation. Her story broke my heart. Unfortunately, her story isn't uncommon here.

On the way back to Hostal la Portada, where we're staying, we stopped by some mayan ruins. It was cool. Very ancient. It was nice to have a day off. My turn to do devo. Spoke from John 21. Talked about Simon Peter jumpin out the boat. I love passionate people.

Papusas

My princess

Ancient Mayan ruins

We're about to head out for our last day in El Sartin. I've gotten attached here a lot faster than I thought I would.
The school we were at. They were out of school because of the swine flu most days this week, but we did get to work a few days with them there.

Kayla is going to kill be by the end of this trip.

Us helping get the corn ready for tamales.

The end of THE LONGEST DAY OF MY LIFE!! Soooooooooo tired, but it was a great day.

Back in San Salvador.

Such awesome stuff has been happening. When we first got to El Sartin the adults were skeptical of us being here. But by the end of the day yesterday most all the adults were very receptive to us being in the community. You can see it in their faces and the way they speak to us (even though I don't understand a majority of what they're saying). I'm excited to get this day started.

Mucha humildad

Such an amazing day. Everyday I'm here life seems to find a new way to humble me.

I've completely given up on make up while I'm in El Salvador. Its just pointless. I was complaining to the other girls this morning about how much I hate not looking good and then I remembered the niños in El Sartin we've been working with. They can't afford toothbrushes and toothpaste, but I'll complain that my mascara runs from the heat.

(Thanks, God. Heard ya!)

This morning when we got to El Sartin, the community we've been working in this week, they were already crowded around the building. We talked yesterday about how God cared about our physical health so today we had a bag for each youngin' that had a toothbrush, toothpaste and soap in it.


This is me and some of this kids with their new toothbrushes! And they don't even care that I'm not wearing make up!

This is one of my favorite picture from my trip so far. This is Gabriel. He's my buddy and practically attached to my hip the entire time we're in El Sartin.

(While I was typing this blog the nicest El Salvadorian man, that works here at Hostal de Pordada, brought me what is, without a doubt, the best cup of coffee I've had in my entire life. I'll never drink Starbucks again and be truly satisfied.)

Donde es mi chinchillia?

So many things have happened. Its hard to even begin to explain.

My computer finally started working. Thank goodness for Matt Wilkie and his seemingly infinite knowledge on all things El Salvadorian! He figured out how to make my computer work with the wi fi here!

I'll start updating more now that I back to having the internet. But for tonight...just a few things I've learned in the past few weeks.

• Nothing is more humbling than being in places you know nothing about, with people you know nothing about, who speak a language you know nothing about.
• I love Hartsfield- Jackson.
• I'm not nearly as funny as I think I am. Everyone here is hilarious.
  
• I would kill for an AJC most days.
• Tape worm is one of the most disgusting things that could happen to people.
• Bottled water is awesome.
• I LOVE Convoy de Esperanza and anyone related to it. Everyone at COH is astounding.
• Life has a funny way of throwing you things that you don't expect...when you least expect it.
• I have a lot to learn.