SP2012 El Salvador

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:3

Boy, did God blow me away with the week we had in El Salvador on the Young Life Service Project! I love how HIS plan is always so much greater than ours. My heart floods with gratitude as I look back on the week we shared together. YL International in Costa Rica takes their students on a service project during their spring break instead of a summer camp, like you would in the states. We worked on building houses (and attended some ceremonies...) with Habitat for Humanity during the day and had Young Life club and cabin time in the evenings. Quite different than what I am accustomed to as a Young Life leader from Houston, Texas, but it truly played out so well. Our small group had a blast together, bonded deeply and made awesome memories. Students learned about and experienced Jesus Christ in a unique, adventurous and REAL way...just like a week long camp in the US, but in a way different setting!
Here are some pictures and gifts from the week....

2012 interns Sydney and I

 common mode of public transportation in El Salvador

 our whole crew in front of a completed Habitat for Humanity house

 eating lunch!

working hard! building walls and sifting sand

 Ella chatting with the neighborhood girl, Milagro (her name translates to "Miracle" in English)

 Diana, Ella and I hanging near Diana's house

 the volunteers getting to know the families who are beneficiaries of the houses

Yvonne and Yvette from England, training in El Salvador with 

Yo-Yo Masters of the World paid our group a visit each night at club!

 Will Hopkins from Mesa, Arizona, flew in to spend the week with us and speak at club. 

He was a great fit for our team and is an amazing story teller! 

We all enjoyed getting to know him and hearing Him tell the love story of Jesus Christ.

 walkin' streets of a town center in the district of Santa Ana

 Tebowin' it

 my work group last day at the work site with the half finished house in the background

Jessie and I working with the foreman, Orlando, to make the concrete wall

Psalm 118:29

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.

For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

There are really countless things to be thankful for this week and these are just a few...

1,459. Heat right out of the airport that feels like Houston in August.

1,462. 45 minutes in the town square to souvenir shop on our free day

1,463. our lunch place at a hotel resort that looks just like YL camp dining hal

1,466. Lots of dear time with students and it's only day 2

1,468. singing songs at club in a circle, on top of their lungs

1,469. Los Buenos and Getsemani residents and their thankfulness and love

1,470. sitting and chatting with Katalina, 11 year old neighborhood gal, talking about what we want to be when we grow up. She wants to be an engineer.

1,474. The loud sounds outside our window of Latin America all night and morning

1,475. Falling asleep chuckling at events from the day

1,479. Yvette's first time "around the world" yo-yo trick happening in club!

1,488. Dusty clothes and hair from workin'

1,485. Riddles all day long

1,486. naps during ceremonies, first row knocked out!

1,488. Daniel's favorite part of the day was singing "Lean on Me" at club

1,503. metal rod hitting Jonathan's eye by less than a cm

1,509. ice cream with a heated donut on top, and it falls in their lap it's too soft

1,514. Little Diana taking pics with our camera of her mother at the corn meal machine

1,515. Orlando, our foreman, with his 2 front missing teeth and his giddy laugh

1,517. singing "she will be loved" by Maroon 5 every morning in the bus

1,532. Goodbye hugs to those we really bonded with this week

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or imagine, according to the power that works within us, to HIM be the Glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever, Amen. 

Ephesians 3:20-21

~N