El Salvador: day 8

(the LAST day)

Day 8: pancakes and French toast for breakfast; chicken/noodles/ potato soup for lunch; burger king and ice cream for supper. :)

We were back at the Turin school of Juan de Dios today… nearly everyone was either feeling sickly or in a horrible mood – myself included. But the kids seemed to love the VBS still – we did the day 2 skits again for the entire school… about 300 or so kids. Our craft was bookmarks that the nighttime VBS had not used up.

There wasn’t much time in Turin, so we just did the day two skits and the crafts…

When we split off into 5 groups, I got put with the older boys… not as enjoyable as the younger children – the older they are, the more they act like teenage boys: slightly more rude and fiesty. :P

We rushed to eat lunch at the Turin church and then to the hotel to pack and get as clean as possible before the last leg of the trip. Said goodbye to more of the El Salvadorians before packing onto the bus and heading to the mall to kill time before our flight.

Mom, Dad, and I after having several adventures in Burger King, went and watched the new Spiderman movie… in entire Spanish. No English subtitles or anything. It was amazing.

Were seen off at the San Salvador airport by Warner and his family – so sweet and so sad!

Had a smooth flight to Florida, despite an hour delay and screaming children, we rushed through customs (literally ran) and made it to our plane after the last boarding call. Luckily, they held the plane off for 15 minutes so we could all load up. Since there was about 60 of us from the last plane flying to Atlanta, it would’ve been a problem to have so many people missing their flight.

Slept and talked and sang the rest of the way home.

Overall? Amazing trip.

**

 

 

 

moo.

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day 1
day 2
day 3
day 4
day 5
day 6
day 7

El Salvador: day 7

Day 7: pancakes and watermelon for breakfast; chicken, rice, and beans for lunch; meat, rice, carrot pieces, and pasta for supper.

As it was Sunday, we all met at the church in Ciudad Real and took communion with the church there. Mr. Stuart led the singing, Tim Moore did the first prayer, Jeremy did the “devotional”, Mr. Nance read the scriptures in English, and Jon Hard said the closing prayer… in addition to many of the native people echoing all of the above in Spanish.

Many pictures were taken with all of the people from the church… there was a kind of sadness in the air knowing that it was going to be our last day in Ciudad Real. I think it is sadder to leave here than any of the other places because of the relationships we developed from last year. Gosh, I love these people. Celina gave me a hair clip with roses in it, and I braided them into my hair… she kept smelling my braid throughout the day – so cute! :)

Today we were supposed to be going back to the same places as yesterday, so we had rehearsed a day two VBS set of skits and a craft of seeds in cups of dirt. Well, turns out that in the morning we went to the same place as yesterday morning, but in the afternoon we went to a completely different location (but one of the locations of last year).

In the morning VBS, in the field next door, an adult recreational soccer game (with jerseys and all) was going on. One of the girls in my group (Kathy) pointed to the game and said that her dad was number 5 on the blue team… so cool! :)

Another cool thing, the school children had a jump-rope team and so they did a jump-rope demonstration for us. They were pretty talented kids! :)

The second VBS was near a pupusaria and had lots of adult men bystanders surrounding the entire park. That was rather intimidating at time, but we had a lot of adult men from our team so we had no problems there.

Met a little boy named Salvador in my group… the only Salvador I met the whole time. Quite a unique name there. :P

Some of the kids KEPT coming up to our table afterwards and asked for our bottles of water to drink. One kid asked FIVE times! Maybe they don’t get bottles of water very often? I don’t know…

I sat with Celina and Adriana in the bus on the way back to the church. We traded questions about our families, our favorite colors, food, and hobbies… Such an awesome time. I love those two girls.

At the church in Ciudad Real, there was a group of young boys who hung around and tried to talk to us in English (but they were not very good at it. ;)) There was Carlos (who kept coming up to me and saying in English “I love you forever”), Christofer (who read the note during the night meeting) , Jimmy, and one other boy – they were so funny. Dad and I played hand games with them (rock, paper, scissors, and games as such). Then Fernanda taught me how to play “pikachu” – the more fun version of rock, paper, scissors. ;)

During the gospel meeting there was a torrential downpour of rain. The tin roof magnified the sound and it was awesome.

The church members had a presentation for us during the gospel meeting. All of the kids came out and gave every one of our team members placemats that the women of the church had sewn for us. They were beautiful.

Joselyn’s mother gave me a purple friendship bracelet and I gave Celina and Adriana bracelets as well.

The goodbyes tonight were heart-breaking. I hated saying goodbye to everyone… many many tears were shed.

I love the people here.

**

 
daddy, Mr. Hasty, and some of the construction crew

  
Mireya, Mom, Celina, Glorhy, and myself

 

the jump-rope demonstration that the school-kids gave us in the morning

 

Rebecca, Amy, Fernanda, Me, and Gabriella

 

 

 
Carlos, our bus driver :)

playing hand games with the kiddos…

 

 
cool Fernanda ;)

To be continued…
***
day 1
day 2
day 3
day 4
day 5
day 6

El Salvador: day 6

Day 6: French toast, white bread and watermelon for breakfast; chicken spaghetti and garlic bread for lunch; rice, veggies, some sort of meat, and a plantain pudding for supper.

Again, Rachel didn’t come with us to the VBSs today. Hectors sister was here with her family, and lots of purses to sell… and just like last year, I bought a beautiful one. ;)

We still did 4 beads per bracelet today, and did VBS at one of the parks we were at last year. We recognized a few people, but mainly new, adorable faces. 230+ adorable faces… not counting parents. CRAZY.

When we arrived, the principal of the school brought us into a classroom and told us thank you for coming. They do not usually have the funds to provide for big events like this, so he was very grateful we were here.

Almost as soon as we arrived, a young girl became glued to my side. Leslie (8) was one of many girls here who attached themselves to me… makes one feel VERY loved, even when we don’t speak the same language.

Jessica and I led a group of girls (probably like 25 girls) some of whom were: Jenifer, Alaney (11, her English speaking friend from Belize… YAY ENGLISH.), Susannah, Calita (8), and Dania (13).

Got a picture of the ONLY red-head I’ve seen so far (Diego) with another red-head on our team - Jonah. Everyone was wanting their picture taken with the “gigante” aka Jeremy, especially after he got his head painted with a huge eyeball on it. ;) I signed my “autograph” on many little girls’ VBS papers, per their request… I felt famous! :P

It was a joy to finally get to see Celina (14) again from last year! She and her friend (Adriana, 13) hung out with us all day (and tomorrow too!) . Jonathan’s daughter, Rebecca, spent a lot of time with us today while Jonathan worked in construction and evangelism. (side trivia note, Stephany is Jonathan’s sister… such a lovely family. :))

After lunch at the construction site (in Ciudad Real), we headed to yet another park we had been at last year. The band from a nearby school played for about 45 minutes for us – so cool!! Emma, Amber, Jessica, Laura C. and I played ring-around-the-rosy with a bunch of the little kids while listening to the music. More pictures were taken with Jeremy after he traded his eyeball for a gigantic tree painted on his head. A beautiful girl, Maryory (17) took pictures with EVERYONE too.

When we got back to the church, Mom and I walked with Celina to Mrs. Sofy’s and K-tty’s and Kevin’s house. Mom had her little spanish dictionary so we had an interesting time trying to have a conversation with everyone. ;)

When we arrived at their adorable house, Mrs. Sofy showed us all of the crafts she had made. And before we left she just picked things off of her wall to give to us (and for Lauren B. – who EVERYONE remembers from last year… I love that girl. ;)). Mom got a beautiful paper vase (handmade) and I got a little hat and doll. Their generosity and love is simply overwhelming.

Celina and I walked hand-in-hand and arms wrapped around each other’s waists both ways. Their culture is definitely a touchy-feely culture – and I LOVE that.

During the gospel meeting Celina and I sat next to Glorhy’s aunt and her little baby – whom I tried to hold and then immediately burst into tears… alas, babies just don’t like me. :P Mom also got to see Mireya from last year, and it was very sweet to see that reunion.

Glorhy gave mom and I these GORGEOUS flower bracelets and her little sisters gave us notes and drawings and little crafts (like the clay inchworm from the nighttime VBS).

Super short group devo back at the hotel and a HOT shower afterwards (YAY warm water!!). Bed around 10:30.

**

That’s Leslie on the far left… isn’t she adorable??

 

 
HORRID photo of me, but Leslie was so cute. ;)

 
Jeremy’s “eyeball”

Diego and Jonah(: 

Celina and my family

 

 

 

Me and Celina(:

when I converted this photo to black and white, I actually gasped. she is such a beautiful little girl!!

 

 
some of Laura’s artwork… she is fantastical.

 

mommy and Mireya

 

 
my family and Glorhy’s family

to be continued…

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day 1
day 2
day 3
day 4
day 5