Saturday - MCHS in El Salvador

Taylor Puckett

Today we had the opportunity to play and excite kids that will remember this day for days, months, or even years. I am over joyed that I get to make an impact on a child in such a big way. 

I painted many Mickey mouses and butterflies on beautiful faces and hands. The smiles and laughter made everything worth it.

After the festival, we were able to donate food items such as sugar, rice, beans, and spaghetti noodles. All of the recipients of the food were very gracious. They repeatedly thanked us and blessed us. We prayed over their family and the food given. The love of the Lord and his word shined through the whole day, especially the moment when we were able to hand them a bible of their very own. This day is one that will stay with me for the rest of my life. The opportunities to give love and happiness to people who are so thankful for the work we, McCracken County High School, got to do. May God always be with these wonderful people, and let his word lead them into their later years.

Lilly swanz 

At the beginning of the festival in Ahuachapan, I didn’t think much of the “work” we were doing. Playing sports and blowing bubbles with cute kids would be my dream job, so it didn’t feel like work. It wasn’t until we handed out donations and delivered food to the community that I realized how much of an impact we were making. The desperation in parents who would try to get more than one pair of flip-flops that may not even fit their children was heartbreaking. When this thought crossed my mind, I truly grasped the need in the community. For nine years, Starfish has been working towards meeting that need through this festival. The impact it has made was evident in the fact that each of the families remembered the festival in previous years. In one house when delivering food, the mother told us that her children look forward to the festival each year. She described it as a time of celebration for their community. The children who were playing in the community where we delivered food recognized us from the festival.

They ran up to us with smiles. Although they were shouting words I didn’t quite understand, I understood a young boy named Javier who called my name. He had remembered me specifically from the festival because we played with frisbees and bubbles. He showed me the toy car that he got from our donations. The pure joy on this boy’s face made clear the impact that we had made and that Starfish will continue to make in years to come.

Friday - MCHS in El Salvador

The team had an awesome first full day!

Denisse Alvarez  -  Our day stared by waking up at 7 o’clock, eat breakfast and head to the road at 8am.

Our first stop was San Martin (the happiest place on the earth) and this time like the other 2 times Ive been here this place always happened to amaze me. I love how every single one of them is joyful and full of energy and also they remember you! How crazy is that!? 

 After that our second stop was in San Vicente at an orphanage for kids of all ages. We danced, played and enjoyed doing crafts. After painting and balloon animals we went to eat at the states dinner and then headed to the mission house.

Rebekka Walker...
This is my first trip to El Salvador and I am incredibly grateful that God has blessed me with such a humbling experience. Seeing the joy on the children’s faces when we hand them something as simple as a sticker, makes you want to cherish each moment here even more. The struggles these people face/overcome on a daily basis forces me to realize how needed our prayers and assistance truly is.

Rodney Perry...
My trip to El Salvador is always a humbling experience. This is the third time participating on this trip yet, it feels refreshing to be emerged in such a distinct culture. The people of country are filled with joy and the experiences that I gain are permanent. El Salvador never ceases to amaze me with its endless compassion and culture.

MCHS Arrives in El Salvador

After much preparation the McCracken County High School team left on Wednesday afternoon for El Salvador. They hit the ground running and got started to work right away.

Emily Hull: "Yesterday afternoon we arrived in the beautiful, hot country of El Salvador. The bus ride from the airport to the mission house was such an interesting experience. It was our first glimpse of the country and we saw a lot within the first 40 minutes. The first thing I noticed was the way people drive. There are no speed limits anywhere, and people walk right along the busy roads. There were also people selling goods like flowers or chairs right along the highway.





 Later that night we all split into groups of 4, my group was first for feeding the homeless. Once the truck was loaded with the bags of food, we all piled in. They told us it was very important to hold on, since I was sitting in the very back I learned very quickly why. Driving through town we made a ton of stops, very quick stops. We came across a certain area where our advisors yelled "comida" (food) and several people came running. Being able to see how some people live really opened my eyes to what I have back in the states. A lot of the people we gave food out to were nice (and some even knew the advisors)But, there were also people that weren’t. Before we left John told us that these people were at the lowest point of their lives. Seeing people get so happy over a ham sandwich made me feel so blessed for what God has given me. I learned the phrase "Dios te bendiga" which means God bless you. This phrase, we said a lot when we gave out the food. There were many different people, and we wanted them all to know no matter their situation that God loves them. Seeing smiles on many people’s faces made me feel so happy. I had a fantastic time feeding the homeless and I would do it any night if given the opportunity.

 Once we got back to the mission house it was very late and most everyone was sleeping. By the time I got into bed, I was exhausted but very blessed and grateful for this wonderful opportunity God had given me.

(In respect of the homeless and their time of struggle, no photos are taken on these outings.)