Wednesday: "Forgotten!"

These children almost never leave the orphanage, so when you get them on a bus, they are usually super quiet!

“So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
Matthew 20:15-17  

Written by Lara-

Today we went to the beach with a group of 25 special needs children from La Guirola- Some of the workers here referred to them as the "Forgotten". They ranged from highly functional to wheelchair bound and nonverbal. My amigo was a 10 year old named Jose, he was very shy but absolutely glowed when I took his hand to walk out to the buses. (By the way, if no previous blog mentioned the absolute skill of the drivers here, they should have!) For most of these children, it was the first time to ever see the ocean, and some the first time to swim... The scope of need here is overwhelming, these children's needs were simple, they want to be loved, to be touched, to be listened to. And after doing all these things, your heart breaks because you want to do more. Apparently Justin Beiber spans international boundaries also! The singing and dancing was something to behold. The work that Kurt and his many associates do here is awe-inspiring, but if you said that to any of them, I am sure they would not accept praise, they are truly God's hands to these people of El Salvador.

Tonight those of us who did not go the first night to feed the homeless will go, after hearing from the first group, I fully expect it to be a life changing, gut-check moment, and even with that, I do not think I am prepared. Please continue with the prayers for us. Every day has challenged us, made every one of us step out of our comfort zone in the most wonderful ways. My prayer is that this trip will continue to do this, and change all of our hearts forever.