Wednesday

 The day began with a visit to the grocery! Before sharing the teams words and photos about the beach, I wanted you to see the incredible amounts of food and supplies your donations purchased!!! Like the story of the boy with the loaves and fishes, it is always amazing when God reminds us of how he can multiply blessings to care for His family!

It was a beautiful, sunny day in El Salvador today. The beach was gorgeous..black sand, tons of palm trees, and gigantic waves but the most gorgeous part was all the boys faces at CISNA (the boys orphanage). Their faces were more beautiful that any beach scene one could ever imagine. We spent an entire day swimming in the ocean, playing on the beach, hanging out on the lawn of the beach house, grilling hamburgers, etc. It was an unbelievable day. I prayed this morning that these boys for a moment could escape their situation, enjoy God's amazing creation, and just accept all the love (God's love) that this team has to offer them. I do believe all those things were accomplished today by the grace of our Heavenly Father. ~ Shannon 

 "As I sit here and think about enough words to make a decent paragraph about my feelings this week, my heart breaks. Words can not begin to express what I have felt this week. These kids are breaking my heart. They are filling my heart with several emotions. As I walk into the orphanages, I see faces I remember and faces that are brand new. When God called me to come here a second time, I knew what to expect. I knew what the conditions would be like. I can say I was extremely overjoyed and had no doubt God would move in the lives of this team and the kids we would encounter. All I can say is thank you Lord for giving me this opportunity to make a difference, and I pray every night that God will bless the kids and make them aware of the hope they have. I pray He will let them know that we will never stop loving them and that they are on our minds each and every day"...........Chelsie Brown 

"The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth His handwork....there is no speech nor language where His voice is not heard. Today, His voice spoke loudly. His glory revealed itself as blues and whites and silvers and oranges brushed across the sky. The precision of the rise and fall of rolling ocean combined with the crafted crashing of the waves showed us His handiwork. Today, no speech differences or language barriers quenched His great voice. But, in all its beauty and majesty, His voice today made my heartache. As the boys splashed in the ocean and played in the sand, it all seemed familiar, too familiar. Any vacation in my family could include me sitting on the beach as the boys splashed and played, jumped and surfed. But had these boys? Who had sat and watched them? Who had and sat and taken pictures of them? Who would pack up their sand toys and wrap a towel around their chilled bodies as they headed back up? Today that was me."............Rachel Yates

Thank you for continuing to pray for the team and the sweet orphans of El Salvador!

Tuesday at CISNA



McKenzie and Theresa with new and old friends!

Tuesday was another busy day in El Salvador. The team spent most of the day at CISNA the boys orphanage that is housed in a former prison. As always, The bus was greeted by very enthusiastic boys awaiting their arrival! While the boys were in school for the morning hours, our group cleaned their living quarters, scrubbed their bathrooms and repaired a the broken basketball goal.



"It's hard to explain the feelings I am experiencing right now because frankly I have never felt them before. I know God has blessed us with this opportunity but overall I feel like I'm the one that has been blessed and I will be changed by this forever more" ......Drew Shadburne

"This trip so far has been very hard and emotional. This would be my fourth trip to this beautiful place of El Salvador. Every time I come I feel like God opens my heart more and more. One thing I have noticed is how people think that the more you go your heart hardens and you don't cry as much. Well, I am a witness to say that does not happen at all. I have cried more than I feel like I have ever cried. This trip has been difficult because I constantly find myself asking God "Why I am not the kid on the street? Why am I not the 15 year old girl who has already had a baby, has been raped by her father and she is pregnant again? Why am I not the baby who was abandoned at birth? Why am I so blessed?". But I know God gives us a home and a peace that surpasses all understanding. One girl on the trip said that when our heart is broken because of these people, the only thing we can do is fill it up with Jesus Christ."........Carson Stivers

"Today was a day at CISNA...a boys home filled with many stories of desperately hurting hearts. As I listened to a twelve year old boy tell his life's journey. He was abandoned by his mother at the age of eight. As I looked in his sad eyes I was reminded that my son was eight years old. Still so innocent and dependent in so many ways. I can't imagine him alone in a strange place so afraid with no one to hold him. Tonight my heart is so heavy. How many moments I have taken for granted. Realizing how we allow life to get so hurried, and stressed that we miss the many blessings all around us. God gives us each 24 hours each day. We are allowed to spend them whatever way we choose. My prayer tonight is for this child of God to feel peace and hope that only his Heavenly Daddy can provide.".........Leigh Ann Kephart

The photo below shows a sad but common occurrence when our team leaves CISNA. If you look closely at the back window of the bus, you'll notice how the boys always jump on the back of the bus, wishing they could leave with the group...

Wednesday, the team will spend a whole day at the beach with all the boys from CISNA. With the many bonds formed while the group was there yesterday, we can't wait to see how God will work today. Please continue to pray for God's children of El Salvador and for the encouragement of our team! 

Welcome to San Martin!

The entire group was excited and looking forward to today's visits. Those who had been on past trips always enjoy seeing the familiar faces of our friends, and those who had not been before, were looking forward to seeing the sweet people they'd heard so much about. As usual, today's visit to San Martin felt like an emotional roller coaster. It was a long, emotionally draining day for our team, but filled with rewards!

They were greeted by the infamous David with a big "What's up?" and of course his unforgettably contagious smile! From there they visited the small dormitories on the grounds and saw one suffering special needs resident after another. With their hearts broken for those laying in their beds all day, or those who wanted to go outside but couldn't without extra help, they gathered with many residents on the front lawn. The precious residents of San Martin loved "duck, duck, goose", blowing bubbles, puppets, crafts, etc.

When Leigh Ann picked up this special needs child to give him water, she noticed his shirt...
It is from a Starfish 5K event!!!

Several team members then visited the AIDS orphanage next door, where they made crafts and played games with some of the most energetic children they had ever seen! It is such a blessing to see kids with severe illnesses running, laughing and playing!

"The human hand has made an impact on me this week. I have been painting orphans' hands and putting their little hand prints on different objects. As they each have opened up their hand for me, and I have smeared the paint on their palm and fingers, I have been reminded that each one is his/her own masterpiece. God has made no two hands alike, no two people the same fingerprints. I saw a man whose hands were covered in fungus, cracked open and bleeding. I gave a disabled man, who couldn't use his legs, a paintbrush that he took in his hand and helped us with a project that we were supposed to do. We gave food to families who lived in cardboard shacks, and they received it with their hands. We are to be the hands and feet of Jesus and be a blessing to the "least of these", but I can honestly say their hands have been a blessing to me".....Mechelle Harp

McKenzi & Laura love on our friend Pablito.



Pablito rarely gets to leave his bed due to an increasingly worsening hand and foot disorder.



"It is unreal how truly blessed we are. I never really realized that until today. To see God's precious children suffering the way they are is heartbreaking. The one thing these people do not lack is a love for life and a joyous heart. All they want is to be loved, and I am so glad we got to love them. We may have changed one day in their life and that's all we may ever do. It's hard to realize we can't really do anything without God, but it is true. We are helpless without our Savior. No matter how much we change their life, they have impacted ours even more. One thing God taught me so far this week is that we speak English and they speak Spanish but love is universal. Just hugging on these beautiful children makes a difference. Like Orsy ( one of the awesome translators) said "a butterfly flaps it's wings and a tornado can form on the other side of the world". We must be butterflies in a world of caterpillars doing small things for God's glory, not our own, in order to create a tornado somewhere else." ...........Mckenzi Bellt

Tuesday the team will be spending the day with the boys at CISNA, this is a large former prison that has been turned into an orphanage for boys ranging in age from 7-17 years. Later tomorrow evening, they will be preparing hundreds of meals to take out into the city and feed to the homeless!

Please continue to pray for this trip, the team members and the precious people they meet each day. We ask you to pray for boldness to share God's love, strength to endure, attitudes and hearts for His purpose, as well as safety and guidance for everyone.

Sunny Sunday

The team's day started out by visiting Jahaziel's church. They listened to a very enthusiastic message in Spanish along with great singing...again all in Spanish. They were then able to share a Bible story along with crafts with the children. The kids loved it and so did our group!! After a quick lunch and change of clothes, the team headed to a government in-take orphanage. At CIPI they gave a princess party for the teen girls explaining that God is their heavenly Father, and they are each, one of His princesses. The teen girls from the orphanage had their makeup done, fingernails painted, and took lots and lots of pictures. They LOVE  cameras. They just want desperately to have their photo taken so they can see how they look. A simple thing we take for granted everyday. They all looked beautiful, of course! The team members also loved on the special needs kids, small children, and babies. Many were also able to spend time with the teenage girls, many of which are new moms.

"Today was a blessing seeing an old friend at CIPI. His name is Nelson, and he has been at the orphanage the past three trips I've taken. He is still living with other special needs children who have very few care givers to feed, bathe, and love on them. It breaks my heart to be so blessed and then see so many with nothing. I am asking God this week to teach me how I can make a difference in the least of these. I am very honored to be a part of this mission trip. I also thank Starfish Orphan Ministry for this opportunity. Please pray for the lost and abandoned in El Salvador". ......Lauren Kephart

 "So many things were beyond belief for me today, but the first thing that God revealed to me was how blessed I am. I know it's what most people say, but it is such an intense and humbling experience to see the hurt and conditions that children around the world endure each and every day. Secondly, God is such a great God. He just reassured me that through the few hours that I was able to spend with Hosea, Francisco, and the other boys in the special needs area that I am doing the right job, career, or whatever you want to call it. Thirdly, but not lastly, I was awed by how God just showed me how to listen to Him more. As Hosea sat on my lap for an hour, and was unable to speak or even understand my words, he listened and smiled. So for nothing else, I was able to sit and listen to God today with an awesome kid in my lap holding my hand". .....Laine Cooper

Tomorrow the group will head to San Martin, a large special needs home. They will play games with them, make crafts, listen to music, and just love on God's sweet people. They will also visit the AIDS orphanage where there is a little seven year old girl just waiting for immediate adoption. After lunch, they will be feeding the people of the Squatter's Camp along with giving them Bibles. It is sure to be a long an emotional day. PLEASE PRAY for the team members as they are stepping out of their comfort zones to bring the love of Christ to those in need!

 

Saturday Night

The following is a note I received from Shannon Wilson. Here is her reflection upon arriving in El Salvador on Saturday Night:

"We have all arrived safely in El Salvador! The flights were good with little turbulence. After we prepared for our day tomorrow, and are settling in to bed, I think the most interesting part of my day was the flight from Dallas to San Salvador. I was blessed to be sitting by a beautiful Salvadorian woman who was coming home to visit her family. She, her husband and two children now live in Maryland, but she grew up in El Salvador. We had so many things in common even though we came from two different countries, two different ethnicities, and two different backgrounds. We both agreed that our God is an amazing God. He can take two total strangers, put them on a plane together, and watch how He works in them. Our God is the same in the United States as He is in El Salvador. I thank God for being the same God no matter where we go and what we do. I thank God for putting amazing people in my path every day, and I pray that I always take the time and energy to see them. I cant wait to see how God will work in us to do great things in this beautiful country! Thank you God for this day! Thank You for never changing, and thank You for my new Salvadorian friend, Oneyda. She truly touched my heart!" ~ Shannon

Safe arrivals!

The team arrived safely in El Salvador
last night around 8pm!

They have stayed busy since they landed, but be sure to check for blog updates first thing Monday morning!

Be sure to follow our next team on their

Journey to El Salvador April 2-9, 2011.

Please also experience our past trips to Haiti and El Salvador

through previous blog posts!



John 14:18
I will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you.