El Salvador Top Ten March 19, 2009
I say this every year, but this year’s trip was truly the best yet. In fact, it keeps getting better and better. It was great to see old friends and see God do some really cool things. One of the thoughts I’ve come away with from this trip is that I want to be faithful to give God the space to work in me and around me.
So, in no particular order, here’s my top 10 ten moments from the trip:
1. Hanging out at the beach with the girls from the Hope House. By the end of the week I had 12 new sisters (or daughters–I think I’m old enough to be their mom, for real). 
2. The sing-off with the girls at the detention center. I got to be at the top of a cheerleading pyramid. How sweet is that!
3. Seeing the new library at CISNA–We took books down two years ago to start a library. Now, Shirley Daniels a volunteer with Orphan Helpers, has transformed the library into this really pleasant calm space for the boys where they can read and relax.
4. Getting to know Idalia, the coordinator at CISNA. She is a sweet lady with a big heart for the boys and girls at CISNA.
5. Playing chubby bunny with the kids especially Roxanne’s laugh. I’ve never seen anyone laugh so much at chubby bunny. It’s great to see the girls at the detention center laugh and just get to be girls instead of murderers and thieves and gang members.
6. The Evangacube Theme Song and singing with Blake and Becca in the van. We never used the Evangacube for its intended purpose, but we sure did have fun singing the theme song.
7. Amy having the courage to share her testimony with the girls and seeing their response. I still cry when I think about how God has worked in her life.
8. Catching up with William and Jorge. These men love God and the kids. Jorge has the most gentle, humble spirit of anyone I’ve ever met, and William is a big kid himself and big brother to the guys at the Faith House.
9. Remembering how hugs and smiles and presence can communicate across language and culture. I sat beside Astrid, one of the provisional girls at the detention center all week. I made a point to always say hi to her each time I saw her. At the end of the week, she hung on tight as she was hugging me bye.
10. Praying for the provisional girls on our last day there. Remembering that God gives second chances and praying that these girls never forget who they are in Christ.
11. Omar telling me he would be my brother since I’m an only child and seeing that Arturro (who I first met when he 8 years old) is now 13 and taller than me.
Smelly Community March 4, 2009
People talk about an Internet community, but that’s not a community to my mind. Community doesn’t happen until you smell people.
—Larry Harvey, co-founder of the Burning Man festival, 2000
Pray for El Salvador Trip March 3, 2009
For the fourth year in a row, I’ll be returning to El Salvador to take a group from King College and a couple folks from my church on a mission trip with Orphan Helpers. I love this trip and always look forward to seeing “my boys” at the orphanage. We also get to spend time with the girls from the detention center we visited last year. These girls are now at Cisna, so we’ll get to spend time with them every morning. I’m really looking forward to what I hope is some really good relational time with them.
Some specific prayer requests for this week:
• We were about $700 away from being fully funded for this trip. I don’t have final totals, but I think in the last couple of days we should be pretty close to that goal.
•Praises for how God has already provided financially for this trip and for putting together an awesome team of people.
•For the King students as they have midterms this week.
•Final preparations for the trip: packing, preparing Bible lessons, crafts, good health for all, and especially that we’ll be prepared spiritually & emotionally
•Encouragement for the Orphan Helpers staff and that all of us—the team, the kids in the centers & houses, and the OH staff will be deeply impacted & transformed by the Gospel this week and beyond.
