Thursday, July 22, 2010

Wednesday... Can't believe it's half over...

We went to a rural area today, where another non-profit, is building a community. We were blessed to get to train women who are going to be keeping a day care center. Hopefully what is being done there will help keep children out of an orphanage. The Fuller Center is trying to help these very poor people, by giving them a sense of community, helping them have a home and a job, and a safe place for their children to be cared for while they work. Hopefully this will help keep more children from being placed in orphanages because of parents not having the money to feed them.

Tonight we went out and fed the homeless on the streets of El Salvador! It is always such a humbling experience!

Robin and her girls went in a different direction than the rest of the team. They went to a large orphanage where some of the children are that we have gotten to know in the past. They were blessed to get to help some of he most needy boys at that orphanage! They were allowed to take a few of them out to lunch and to buy them clothes. They bought medicines and other items that the rest of the children needed in that orphanage.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Cookout with the boys of CISNA

Today we were blessed to visit CISNA, the boys home in the former women's prison. It was a wonderful day with the boys!

Below is Diego! He is an adorable young boy with a very special heart. We met him several years ago and he became very close with Jay Michael. Last year, Deigo prayed to accept Christ!

The boys had a GREAT day! Gospel Mission church provided all the hot dogs that the boys could eat! Each child got a hot dog, chips, Oreos and a drink. They loved it, and some of them ate many hot dogs!

Our Bible Story team, did our famous drama, and the boys truly enjoyed it. The men gave them talks on repsonsibility. We let them tie dye or brush paint T-shirts. Many of them pocess a lot of talent. They rally enjoyed painting the shirts, and were so anxious to wear them! The team did some MUCH NEEDED cleaning,
and many team members played soccer with the boys. As our group left, one of the boys said, "Today was better than Christmas!" The truth is, today was more than most of these boys have ever had on a Christmas morning.
John 14:18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
Wednesday the group worked with mud slide victims and saw many blessings!
Look for Wednesday's post soon!
Please pray for the team on Thursday as they visit St. Martin, a town outside of SanSalvador where they will go to a large special needs home and an HIV/AIDS orphanage. This is often the most favorite, yet most emotional day for many visitors. Pray for their emotions as well as for the precious children and adults they will encounter!

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Day 3! Fun for you & Fun for me!

Monday was a great reunion for many of our team members. Above you can see Robin Flowers with her buddy, Kelvin! Robin and Kelvin developed a special relationship over a year ago. Since then, Kelvin was moved to a Catholic orphanage that we had never before visited. This year when Starfish arrived, they saw several familiar faces from the Cipi special needs department, from years past!
Others made new friends...

The group was able to put on several puppet shows and skits! I'm sure you can tell that Michaela, Carson, Lauren & Ryan had alot of fun!

Patti showing love to another boy with special needs. So often it is their sweet spirits that truly show us what God means by serving "the least of theese." Our group also visited a favorite location for many. JuanCito is a little boy close to lots of Starfish hearts! We first met Juan on our first trip to El Salvador. As we were touring the orphanage, we noticed a mischevious little boy sneaking around while all of the other kids were in school. Every crash and giggle we heard, the workers would say, "Thats JuanCito!" When we asked why Juan was not in school with the other kids, we learned that he did not have the ability to speak. They explained that it cost as much to send Juan to a special needs school as it did for all of the other children, nearly 50, to go to a regular school! It was impossible for them to fund.

Please continue to pray for the team. Tomorrow they will be working with children & families who have fell victim to many of the mud slides near the ocean front. They will be educating preschool teachers in the area as well as working on damaged homes & putting on Bible school activities again! They are seeing so many blessings each and everyday! Thank you for following along with them on this amazing journey!

Monday, July 19, 2010

Day Two of ElSalvador in July!

Sunday the team began their journey by visiting CIPI, a home for babies, special needs children, and girls into their teens. Many of the girls there have children or are currently expecting. In past years, there have been about 40 of these girls that we have ministered to and spoken to about abstinance and prenatal care as well as early child development. This year when the team arrived, there were 60. While devistated to see such an increase, several team members spent the afternoon talkin with girls in small groups and sharing thier own testimonies...
The younger girls & boys at CIPI had a great time too! They kept busy with skits, puppet shows, T-shirt painting and Bible stories and even the bus driver got involved!
"The guy in the blue shirt is the bus driver! He is a wonderful Christian man! He even helped paint little girls fingernails! He is such a trooper! We painted their fingernails and traced their hands because they don't get a lot of human touch, and this gives us a reson to touch them, and make them feel special! Our team has gotten along SO well! There has not been a cross word that I am aware of. They are all doing everything possible and working together! What a blessing to watch!" ~ Laura
As you can see, Rob & Jody really got into their skit!
"This baby has water on his brain. When we went in, I thought he was dead. I could not even tell that he was breathing. He was abandoned at the hospital, and they sent him to the orphanage. The orphanage sent him back because they didn't want him dying there, and the hospital fought to make the orphanage take him back. They prop a bottle instead of holding him (like they do with all the other children). He doesn't seem strong enough to take in much milk. We are pretty sure that he is blind, but he does respond to sounds. We were there all day, and never heard him cry, I don't think he is stong enough to. The staff said that they don't hold him because they don't want to get attached to him, because he will die soon. He didn't even look like a real baby. He truly broke our hearts! What an honor to get to hold him, or give him a tiny bit of comfort!" ~ Laura
Please be in prayer for the team as they visit several more orphanages in the coming days. Today they were at a special needs school in the morning where most of the children are challenged with Autism and Downs Syndrome. Please also pray for all of the children and adults they will encounter at various centers and while feeding the homeles.
"But you, O God, do see trouble and grief; you consider it to take it in hand. The victim commits himself to you; you are the helper of the fatherless." Psalm 10:14