Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Joyful Monday!

On Monday the college team visited a few different schools and orphanages, delivering treat bags, stuffed animals, pillow case dresses and clothes. They also danced, played and brought joy to everyone they could find! 
     We started the morning with a worship session after breakfast to help prepare us spiritually for the day ahead. We then headed to a local school called "Juan Ramon Jimenezto" to share the love of Jesus through fun carnival activities with the students. We loved seeing each one of their joyful expressions as we handed out popcorn, cotton candy, and snow cones. The carnival lasted about two and a half hours, and when it was over, our team handed out tee shirts, pillow case dresses, treat bags, and a few other items to the students.
     After we left the school, our team ate lunch at the States Diner. The Diner provides employment for the young adults involved in the transition program. They also provide excellent food. From there we went to a special needs orphanage. We took a tour of the facilities and contrasted the state and care at that orphanage with the one we had visited the previous day. It was much nicer and cleaner, and the kids were better cared for. Witnessing the mental and physical conditions that these children live with was truly a humbling experience. Our health is definitely a blessing that we should not take for granted, and we were reminded of that today. Each child we saw is a precious gift, and we could not be more thankful for the opportunity of spending time with them today. One of our favorite moments with these kids was randomly breaking into a dance party.
      Before a nice dinner, we got to meet several teenagers who live in transition homes, and take them shopping to pick out clothes that they had been needing. As they had been all day, our translators were more than helpful and we are so thankful they were always with us.
       As we did the previous night, we packed bags of food, and loaded them up (along with ourselves) to hand out to the homeless. Tonight's experience struck us in a different way, however, because we traveled downtown where we saw a large group of people. These people were in a deeper level of desperation. They had been in so much need that they completely gave their own bodies up for horrible things such as drugs and prostitution because they did not see any other way. We do not condemn their actions, but we say this because seeing them in person burdened our hearts, and we felt very sad to see them living that way.
     Our second day has impacted our view of fellow men as we strive to see them through the eyes of Christ and the light of His grace.




























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