Tuesday in San Martin

This morning the team made meals for families at the local children's hospital and then headed to the city of San Martin. Most of the day was spent with our precious friends at the special needs center. Below you will find several touching stories from group members about relationships made with the amazing residents there. As you will read, they also spet time playing with younger children at an HIV/AIDS orphanage in the same area, but photos are not allowed.

"I like to think that I'm a lot tougher than I really am. After only a year and a half as a social worker, I've learned how to separate myself from most of the pain that I see in my clients. I've learned to look past the bad neighborhoods, the mismanagement of money, and the neglect hat I see in my clients on a daily basis. So when John told me that I was going to feed the homeless, I assumed that I'd be fine (being the tough person that I am). A thousand years of social work and all the mental separation in the world couldn't have prepared me for what I saw last night. Men, women, teenagers, and babies--all suffering. None of them knew if they would wake up in the morning, let alone when the next meal would be. The desperation that was in their eyes as they grabbed the bags of food out of my hands was something I'll never forget, something that I'll never find the words to describe. When I got back to the mission house, I laid in bed crying, trying to figure out why such suffering and desperation exists. I haven't figured it out yet, but I have realized in working with "the least of these" that I am not quite as tough as I thought was."---- Anna Thomas Brien

"What words can I use to describe today? The answer is too many. I will tell you, however, my favorite part of the day. It was when we went to the AIDS orphanage. We were only there for a few minutes, maybe thirty or less. My expectations of what we were going to see were nothing compared to the real thing. I imagined sickly children, which I was afraid I would not want to play with due to their illness. Instead I met the most perfect little children ever. These children wanted to play and laugh and eat candy and I praise God that is exactly what He enabled me to do. Instead of being afraid to play with them I almost instantly jumped in to play. I wish now we had more time to spend over there. God is the ultimate enabler and He definitely enabled me to show those children His compassion. I will be praying for them and I hope you will too.          -  "Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world." James 1:27 these people are doing God's work everyday and may God bless them generously for it!"----Charlie Watson

"Today we went to San Martin. We had so much fun with the great people that live there. We enjoyed playing duck-duck-goose, doing puppets, face painting, balloon animals, and just having fun. The hardest part for me was being with the young boys that live there. They were so excited when we reached out for them, kissed them on the cheek, or just touched them. I wanted to show them love and let them know that Starfish will always be there for them."----Sydney Stivers



David with the famous Johnny Macho!

Our sweet friend Pablito!
PROOF THAT OUR INCREDIBLE GOD STILL PERFORMS MIRACLES EVERYDAY!
How much more proof could anyone need...?

Please continue to pray for the team's strength and focus as they continue on their journey!

Preparing Meals...

Here are a few pictures of the group preparing meals to take to patients and their parents at the area children's hospital...

Stay tuned for today's full blog post!

Day Two...Digging Deeper...

"Yesterday when we went to the orphanage for a few hours, I mainly just held the babies and sat with some toddlers. I didn't really get involved with the kids or let God guide me and show me how to minister to the kids. Today, however, I said a prayer right before we entered the orphanage and asked God to help me love the little children like he did and does. I spent the majority of my day painting smiling faces and holding the hand of a little girl that is mentally handicapped. Not only did I get to bless these kids with a little more love than they usually get, but they blessed me so much as well. I have experienced far greater joy today than anything I could feel back home in Kentucky. I have fallen in love with the orphans!"---Kathyrn Beale

"I am drawn to the baby room like a magnet...they are so precious and innocent....just to be able to hold them and pray over them is such a blessing! I'd love to have them all. The highlight of my day was face painting with the teenage girls. B** is one of the new girls whose mother tried to sell her so she ran away. I asked her if she wanted me to paint her face..she said no...she wanted to paint mine! I sat close to her as she gently and tenderly touched my face and arms with her soft brush strokes..you could tell she was loving it! What an amazing gift...thank you Lord for giving our family this precious time together....loving and serving your children!"----Sandra Allison

"Today was a busy day. Here's the reader's

digest version--to CIPI for Bible story/puppet shows, painting doors and walls--to nursing home for fellowship with elderly..what a special treat-they are smart and have amazing stories. After lunch, back to CIPI for more wall painting, face painting, holding babies. Two things stand out. Kurt has a vision (and I believe a divine calling) to build his own boys orphanage; it happens that God provided a tract of land in a safe, secure, beautiful location. This will be a big project for Kurt, but God is in the big project business. Pray for favor from the

 government, financial resources, successful creation of charitable foundations, and for Kurt as this process moves forward. Make this prayer a priority, not a trite request. Secondly, we will eat three large meals today with the mission team. Tonight, part of our team will take food to the homeless in San Salvador. It is heartbreaking but I suspect tens of thousands of God's children in this city will not eat today, and there at child who will go to bed hungry tonight a few hundred yards from where we will grill burgers. Pray for Starfish Orphan Ministry, Kurt Ackerman and family, John and Laura Roberts, and mission teams who are working in El Salvador. Matthew 25:34-40--Hungry, thirsty, naked, sick, strangers; God loves the "least of these"..his children just as much as you and I."----Bob Beale

"As the oldest on the trip..Boy, I never thought I'd say that I will share an experience from the "older folks" home! Don't get me wrong the children are out of this world; but a 93 year old man, Adam, asked me to help him to the cafeteria! Of 75 older folks and 25 of "us" figure the odds. Those who know me are aware I'm not a big "God-thing" type person. Well, guess what? My new friend is a recovered alcoholic like myself. Sober for 22 years. He shared his life story, about working on the Panama Canal for years, about his three sons, and about being a member of a certain 12 step group. When I shared with him how God has been working a miracle in my life for eighteen and a half months, he pointed heavenward and said "Ah, yes the Almighty"! He, too, believed God is his miracle. When we said our goodbye, he touched me on the chest and called me his COMPANION. I've decided some things are simply a "God-thing"; little miracles like I experienced on this Independence Day. What are the odds it was merely coincidence?"---Mike Ward

 

Prayer Requests...

The team is so thankful for your continued prayers. They are making deeper connections with His children as the days go by and emotions are increasing. God is working in wonderful ways! Tuesday the group will be serving children and patients from an El Salvador AIDS organizaion. Please pray that God will give them strength to encourage and share with these sweet people in need of God's love. Please also pray for the homeless living on the streets of San Salvador. The team will be passing out meals and sharing with them how much our Jesus loves them, several times this week!

New and Different, but very much the same... Sunday in El Salvador

The team got in late this evening from a long day of wonderful and new experiences. They started the day off by attending church with the Akerman's and many of the interpreters that we have grown to know and love over the years. The Starfish team learned late last night upon their arrival that some of them would be helping to lead praise and worship at this mornings services! They were a little nervous, but it was great!

Here is a note from Jordan Beale on how her first day in El Salvador began...

"I'm not really much of a morning person, so whenever one of my roommates woke up at 6:30am, I wasn't happy. Not having to leave until 9:45am, I had a long time to wait and some time to grumble. I complained to my family about having to get up soooo early. My morning went on as usual until God wanted to show me something amazing. During the church service, their pastor recognized a family that had gotten up before dawn to walk three hours and forty five minutes to church! That means they were on the road at six o'clock! All of those complaints I had muttered flooded my mind, and I was filled with remorse. These people in El Salvador valued God and church way more than I do. They willingly got up. I had grumbled. What was I thinking? This changed my attitude and opened my heart to experience the rest of my day. To experience every moment God had for me. To experience true compassion in the eyes of those beautiful orphans.". -----Jordan Beale

Jordan wasn't the only one who didn't know exactly what to expect..."On Sunday morning we went to Kurt and Susan's church. When our bus was parking the people were waiting to greet us. Worship started in just a few minutes. I was thinking to myself 'What's this actually going to be like'. These people are going to be worshiping God in their own language...a language I don't understand. I just knew that I am going to worship and praise with all I have. They began to sing the first song and I began to worship. It became an awesome time for me. I love to worship. The Lord impressed on me right then more than ever...these people are worshipping in the same spirit! They know how to worship. It doesn't matter what language that you speak. What matters is that we lift up His name in worship. You can see extreme poverty all around. These people in church this morning are rich because they know God. It doesn't matter what we are going through. When we have Jesus in our heart, we are rich!"----Gene Allison

"'Sing to the Lord, praise His name; proclaim His salvation day after day'--and that is what we did beginning our day with an awesome time of worship with our brothers and sisters in Christ at a dynamic church in San Salvador. As we poured out our praise to God, He was filling our hearts with His love to be poured out on the babies, toddlers, children, teens, and handicapped at CIPI orphanage. God brought smiles to the faces that were empty, as the babies were held tenderly and spoken to lovingly, bubbles and laughter floated through the air, little boys with soccer balls had a reason to play with joy, and teen girls that were broken beyond our comprehension received hope in Jesus. God is at work in El Salvador! How awesome to be joining Him in His work! Words cannot describe but eternity will tell the whole story."---Rhonda Bloemer

"What an amazing day! We began by going to church...not a Baptist church, not a Methodist church,....just church, worshipping our Lord and Savior with other believers..praising Him! Familiar praise songs were sung...only in Spanish! Classes were held for the children and teenagers, sharing about the glorious armor of God. What a heart-warming experience...to feel such unified worship with believers in San Salvador. Then we were off to CIPI, a state orphanage. What a delight to embrace and play with the special needs children. How they just yearned to be touched. Many of us spent a great deal of time holding, rocking, and feeding precious babies. Others tirelessly tossed toddlers in the air, hearing their delightful squeals. I have prayed that we would be the hands and feet of Jesus this week. I have prayed that we will bring smiles. I have prayed that we would see the face of Jesus in others. My prayers are being answered and this is only the first day! Thank you, Lord!"---Phyl Brien

The team will start Monday morning off painting at one of the local orphanages. Then they will be heading to the nursing home and new orphanage site. After lunch, they will head back to CIPI for the rest of the afternoon to spend time with the kids and teen mothers. Prayers are requested for strength and hope for the team and the orphans of El Salvador. There were also three girls mentioned tonight to lift up special prayers for their safety and hope. Their names are *B, *G, & *J.

The team is so thankful to know you are following along daily, praying for them and their journey to serve. We ask that you continue to praise God for the wonderful missionaries and leaders He has given us to work with in El Salvador. We continue to pray for thier families and the amazing work God is doing through them.

 

The team before church this morning...

 We all arrived safely last night in San Salvador The memories immediately filled my mind as we drove through the streets. As the rain came down hard all through the night, I prayed for the people of El Salvador. Today we will be going to church where we will participate in Praise and Worship and then have a Sunday School service for the kids. We will have lunch and then head to CIPI (the girls orphanage). I am praying that God will use our team in an amazing way this week. I am praying that we will be His hands and feet to the people of El Salvador. ~ Shannon Wilson

Look for Sunday's full post in just a few hours!

Safe arrivals!

12:24am, July 2, 2011

The first July 2011 Starfish team to El Salvador arrived safely in San Salvador this evening! 

Please be in prayer for the group as they hit the ground running on Sunday. Pray for strength and endurance for each team member, as well as our missionaries and translators. We also ask that you be in prayer for everyone that the team will be in contact with. Please pray that their hearts will be prepared to learn more about our incredible Heavenly Father and HIS amazing love for each and every one of them!

Please stay tuned for more posts!