written: July 15, 2010
So my father used to always tell me that I was bullheaded.
And I picked fights with the bigger girls.
There is another team here this week and I am working with them as a translator. They are a nice group and I am enjoying the people that I am working with. We do a VBS in the morning at the school Siloe (where I have been working…did I mention that I am working at a school?) and then in the afternoons we do another VBS with the kids in the community. My job is to translate crafts and then just in general help out where needed. It is really just a lot of telling kids to sit down, be quiet and pay attention. However, I would like to share this story:
One thing a lot of the kids struggle with is self confidence, they come from homes where no one takes an interest in their day or praises them for their good works. Instead, they are told they are dumb, we are poor and you are going to end up just like us. This breaks my heart. I see so many wonderful kids here, and you can read the sadness in some of their faces all the time.
All that being said, I think it is important that the kids have some sort of expectations, some challenges to prove to themselves that they can succeed.
The other day I was working in crafts and one of the adults that I was working with was doing the project for a little girl who was about 8 years old. It was a simple craft and she could have done it by herself, she just needed a little help getting started. So I went over and said, “I think that all she needs is a little help, maybe you could hold it and she could tie the string.” He then looked back at me and said, “ no she is too young to do it, she can’t do it.” In very quick snappy Spanish replied to him, “did you let her try?” This is when I became furious because he said that she was too young and would not be able to do it and this was just quicker. My father’s bullheadedness showed up in that moment as I took the project from him and said, “I will show you, she can do it!” A few of the girls around said that she couldn’t do it either, and I looked at them and told them that she could do it. By this point I was determined to prove all of them wrong, and show that the little girl with the huge brown eyes and a quiet sadness could do it. I coached her through every step of the project, and 10 minutes later we had finished it. If I didn’t want that man to lose all respect for me, since I had already taken it away from him and told him that I would prove him wrong, I would have stuck out my tongue as a nice little “I told you so.”
I think from this quick experience, I learned that, A) I need to be more respectful of adults. But B) that even if given the chance, I believe that children can succeed if they are provided with the tools to do so. It is very important to allow kids to do some things for themselves. It doesn’t matter if they do it wrong, or it is not perfect. The point is to allow them to try.
The little girl left with a smile on her face, and I asked her what she was going to do with her project, and she said that she was going to go and show it to her mom when she got home.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Friday, July 9, 2010
padres
written: June 29, 2010
One quick thing I wanted to write about was the parents that come to our children programs. So everyday our programs start with songs with Josué the translator. The songs are about frogs, that involving jumping, songs about baby Jesus, with a pregnant belly, and finally, the team favorite, “la Conga,” which involves doing a little shimming at the end. Needless to say, they are very much to get the kids excited about the program. However, we normally have a few parents that hang around to watch. So every day we do the same songs, and normally do the same silly things, like trying to get the adults to do the conga. But I think that it is great that every time they think it is the funniest thing. I can just imagine them saying to one another, “we are so silly for doing this little shimmy.” And I love how when we get coaches or pastors to do it, they just about die with laughter. I love their joy and their ability to just laugh.
One quick thing I wanted to write about was the parents that come to our children programs. So everyday our programs start with songs with Josué the translator. The songs are about frogs, that involving jumping, songs about baby Jesus, with a pregnant belly, and finally, the team favorite, “la Conga,” which involves doing a little shimming at the end. Needless to say, they are very much to get the kids excited about the program. However, we normally have a few parents that hang around to watch. So every day we do the same songs, and normally do the same silly things, like trying to get the adults to do the conga. But I think that it is great that every time they think it is the funniest thing. I can just imagine them saying to one another, “we are so silly for doing this little shimmy.” And I love how when we get coaches or pastors to do it, they just about die with laughter. I love their joy and their ability to just laugh.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
pictures
San Salvador
Coconut milk and Josue the Translator
typical meal?
luis
the kids next door on the island.
the Island we traveled to.
bubbles
english class students at La Comunidad
the view from my room
kids at the soccer camp question Jake about the world cup.
island adventures
written: July 3, 2010
From June 20-29th we had a short term here. It was really fun to have a group here to see the group in action. I have worked with groups in the past and this was defiantly one of the most passionate groups. They were always very willing to give to the community and form genuine bonds with people. Not like a get in, get the job done, and leave. I loved that about them. One of the outreaches that we did that we did was a visit to a nearby island called Isla Calsada. This island is located 1.5 hours by car and then a 50 minute ride in a lancha (speed boat type thing).
Upon arriving to the island we were greeting by running children, pigs and lots and lots of crabs. We walked to the church where we would be staying and set up. It was a 1 roomed building probably 50’ by 30’. We talked with the wife of the pastor and she told us that 1500 people live on this island, 300 on this little part. But it is very rural; there really is not a town or city central, paved roads or stores. People just live and do what they can with they can. Houses were made of mud and sticks and indoor plumbing is a thing of myths, and many of the people that we talked with said they had never left the island.
At the island we were working with the church to reach out to some of the people on the island. Even though there are 1500-2000 people there are only 7 churches and 3 schools. They said that their normal church attended was fairly low. The schools are also very interesting because they only go to 9th grade. So if the children want to continue their education they have to leave the island. However, most people cannot afford the commute of 2 dollars a day to take the lancha. So they are forced to stop school.
Throughout our 2 days there, we did a vacation bible school with the youth, a movie night for families and then had a teen time for the other kids. However, possibly my favorite thing that we did was breakfast. The breakfast was supposed to be for the teens that came to the gathering and then for our team. So we set up, and since we were 10 “gringos” and maybe 15 more Salvadorians, we attracted a little attention. People started walking by and peaking in, so we started to invite them in. We invited in a man we saw working in the field the day before, sat him down and gave him a plate of food and all the cereal he could eat.
Later a very old man with a cane walked in. He told us that his family doesn’t take care of him and he has no money to pay us, but would like some food. We pulled out a chair for him and told him to come and eat. He said that he was 70. I guessed him at about 85 years old, you could tell by his face that he had not had an easy life. He told us about how he did not have a wife or children, so he was living with his sister’s daughter and that they only gave him a little food and don’t help him with other things. He said he would like to go to a nursing home and asked if we could help him. This really touched me. I already love the elderly so I ask that you pray for him and for us that we can find some way to help him get the assistance that he needs.
Additionally, we had made friends with the children that lived in the house next door. They live in a tiny little one room house with their mother. There are 4 children and we think that the mother might be pregnant. We invited them to come and eat with us. The youngest boy even went and put on pants for the occasion. I loved watching them giggle as they ate their chocolate frosted flakes, wondering if they had ever had cereal before, yet instantly took to the custom of fighting over who got to read the back of the cereal box. Later, we took a few pictures of them over to the mother, and she just laughed at how silly her children were, hamming it up for the camera. This is the part of ministry that I love, being able to share in something together. Christ created us to be in fellowship and community with one another and I am so thankful that we got to exemplify that on the little island.
From June 20-29th we had a short term here. It was really fun to have a group here to see the group in action. I have worked with groups in the past and this was defiantly one of the most passionate groups. They were always very willing to give to the community and form genuine bonds with people. Not like a get in, get the job done, and leave. I loved that about them. One of the outreaches that we did that we did was a visit to a nearby island called Isla Calsada. This island is located 1.5 hours by car and then a 50 minute ride in a lancha (speed boat type thing).
Upon arriving to the island we were greeting by running children, pigs and lots and lots of crabs. We walked to the church where we would be staying and set up. It was a 1 roomed building probably 50’ by 30’. We talked with the wife of the pastor and she told us that 1500 people live on this island, 300 on this little part. But it is very rural; there really is not a town or city central, paved roads or stores. People just live and do what they can with they can. Houses were made of mud and sticks and indoor plumbing is a thing of myths, and many of the people that we talked with said they had never left the island.
At the island we were working with the church to reach out to some of the people on the island. Even though there are 1500-2000 people there are only 7 churches and 3 schools. They said that their normal church attended was fairly low. The schools are also very interesting because they only go to 9th grade. So if the children want to continue their education they have to leave the island. However, most people cannot afford the commute of 2 dollars a day to take the lancha. So they are forced to stop school.
Throughout our 2 days there, we did a vacation bible school with the youth, a movie night for families and then had a teen time for the other kids. However, possibly my favorite thing that we did was breakfast. The breakfast was supposed to be for the teens that came to the gathering and then for our team. So we set up, and since we were 10 “gringos” and maybe 15 more Salvadorians, we attracted a little attention. People started walking by and peaking in, so we started to invite them in. We invited in a man we saw working in the field the day before, sat him down and gave him a plate of food and all the cereal he could eat.
Later a very old man with a cane walked in. He told us that his family doesn’t take care of him and he has no money to pay us, but would like some food. We pulled out a chair for him and told him to come and eat. He said that he was 70. I guessed him at about 85 years old, you could tell by his face that he had not had an easy life. He told us about how he did not have a wife or children, so he was living with his sister’s daughter and that they only gave him a little food and don’t help him with other things. He said he would like to go to a nursing home and asked if we could help him. This really touched me. I already love the elderly so I ask that you pray for him and for us that we can find some way to help him get the assistance that he needs.
Additionally, we had made friends with the children that lived in the house next door. They live in a tiny little one room house with their mother. There are 4 children and we think that the mother might be pregnant. We invited them to come and eat with us. The youngest boy even went and put on pants for the occasion. I loved watching them giggle as they ate their chocolate frosted flakes, wondering if they had ever had cereal before, yet instantly took to the custom of fighting over who got to read the back of the cereal box. Later, we took a few pictures of them over to the mother, and she just laughed at how silly her children were, hamming it up for the camera. This is the part of ministry that I love, being able to share in something together. Christ created us to be in fellowship and community with one another and I am so thankful that we got to exemplify that on the little island.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
la comunidad
written: June 16, 2010
I was given the chance to explore some other possible ministries. Christ for the City has been really awesome about working with me, and letting me try all the ministries and then choosing the one I felt most connected to. Today we went to “la comunidad.” This is a newer ministry that CFCI is starting, and I am excited to be a part of it. It is an improvised community in the Altavista sublet of San Salvador. They are trying to set up English classes and guitar classes there so that the children have the opportunity to do something else. Only some of the children attend school, and the rest feel destined to follow in the family’s footsteps of unemployment, illegitimate children, and poverty. We are trying to give them the chance to see outside this. If they can learn a trade or even English they could be destined for something better and rise out of poverty.
It was my first time at La Comunidad and I was very excited but a little nervous. When we first arrived I was surprised by how small the area actually was. It was only 2 rows of houses on one side of the street that has a small dirt path that runs between the two rows, which is only 3-4 blocks long. We have it set up so that we teach a class in the morning and a class in the afternoon. This morning, during the guitar class, I took the time to meet some of the children. They are wonderful children who just spend their day playing out in the sun in the small patch of dirt in front of one of the area we have set up to house classes, which is really just a makeshift tent made from tarps with some old chairs. It was a wonderful morning of running and playing and trying to remember the children’s names while trying to understand the games. We played some form of hide and seek and ran all thought the neighborhood.
When we returned in the afternoon for English class, I was excited to explore their little village more. I ran into some of the kids from the morning and we continued to play the games and talk about “futbol” and what we should name their tiny plastic horse. We decided on Lousia el caballito, (Louise the baby horse).
This community has already started to affect me, and I want to help them more. One of the interesting things going on here is that they got a grant or some sort of help to build 2 pelas, or wells. This will be very beneficial to the community because currently they only have 1, and I believe that it is leaking or is in poor condition. So the construction of these wells is not done by hired help, the supplies were just kind of dumped and the whole community is working together to build it. I was fortunate enough to get the chance to talk to a few of the adults who were carrying the supplies to the site. They weave their way through the tiny crocked sidewalk, avoiding puddles and dogs, carrying bricks or other supplies on their heads. I just kind of walked up to one of the ladies and started talking to her. Her name was Doris and she had lived here for 5 years. She told me that the whole community pitches in so that the work can get done quicker and then afterwards it benefits the whole community. It makes sense and I was impressed with the team work. I asked another woman and walked with her while she carried her bricks to the site, 4 blocks away. (I may mention that this was probably not the smartest idea to just wander back into the houses with newly met strangers…) She told me the same thing, if we work together the job gets done quicker and we all benefit.
Additionally, I made a new friend, her name is Ceci and she is 15 years old. I don’t believe that she is going to school, even though there is one very close. I asked her what she thought about living here and if she could show me around her neighborhood. She agreed, but said it had to be quick because she needed to help finish the work. An interesting side note about the work being done was that the majority of the workers were the women of the community. There were few men to be found. She showed me where the pelas were being built and where they had to carry the supplies from, the local “store,” which really only had garlic, tang, and bananas, the new litter of puppies, and finally her house. Her house was built with metal roofing and the door was held closed with wire. When we entered the house I was surprised to see how much stuff was there. There were piles of stuff covering the only table and couch in this tiny 15’ by 15’ foot house. It was mostly garbage, bags and newspapers, a few clothes and a basket. They had a tiny table stove and 1 bed that she shared with the rest of her family: her mother, 2 brothers and possibly a cousin. After a brief tour, she returned to working, carrying the supplies back and forth, and I had to go. I was both excited and overwhelmed by what was going on in the community. I am excited to start really getting to know the residents of this small suburb and am excited to see what the Lord has in store.
I ask that you pray for this community and the people who live there. That they can be lifted out of oppression and see the joy of the Lord, despite their worldly conditions. They are such a lovely and welcoming group, and I feel blessed that I have the opportunity to get to know them.
bus adventures
So these are the blogs that i have been writing but have been unable to post. there are a few
written: June 15, 2010
So every morning I get up at 4:30 (yes…4:30AM) so that Maria Lousia and I can ride the bus to school and be there at 6:00am. However, I would like to share that by this time I am a bus badass. I know that I have to get on the bus, motion with my lips that the woman behind me is going to pay and make my way to the back, as far as I can go, because we don’t want to get stuck and not be able to get off the bus at the correct stop. It takes about 30 minutes every morning to ride the bus into school. My love for public transportation still remains. I love watching the people go by, and those who get on and I use this time to get a good look at the city that I live in. Even though technically I live in San Salvador, the part I live in is called Soyapango. Two syllables “soya-pango” NOT soy-a-pango. I have been corrected more times than I can count. Even though Soyapango is just a sublet of San Salvador, it houses 1 million of the 2 million population of the city, and is where 1/6th of the total population lives.
Favorite bus sightings today: The drunk guy that was leaning against the door so when it opened it hit him in the head as he stumbled out. The man that paid the fare (20 cents) with a bag of Doritos instead. And finally, the bus doorbell, it is located above the back exit door of the bus and you push it when you want let off. However, today it was broken, so it was my pleasure to listen to what people decided was appropriate to yell all the way to the front of the bus to get let off. Some yelled names, places, and one gentleman just hit the door repeatedly until it opened.
written: June 15, 2010
So every morning I get up at 4:30 (yes…4:30AM) so that Maria Lousia and I can ride the bus to school and be there at 6:00am. However, I would like to share that by this time I am a bus badass. I know that I have to get on the bus, motion with my lips that the woman behind me is going to pay and make my way to the back, as far as I can go, because we don’t want to get stuck and not be able to get off the bus at the correct stop. It takes about 30 minutes every morning to ride the bus into school. My love for public transportation still remains. I love watching the people go by, and those who get on and I use this time to get a good look at the city that I live in. Even though technically I live in San Salvador, the part I live in is called Soyapango. Two syllables “soya-pango” NOT soy-a-pango. I have been corrected more times than I can count. Even though Soyapango is just a sublet of San Salvador, it houses 1 million of the 2 million population of the city, and is where 1/6th of the total population lives.
Favorite bus sightings today: The drunk guy that was leaning against the door so when it opened it hit him in the head as he stumbled out. The man that paid the fare (20 cents) with a bag of Doritos instead. And finally, the bus doorbell, it is located above the back exit door of the bus and you push it when you want let off. However, today it was broken, so it was my pleasure to listen to what people decided was appropriate to yell all the way to the front of the bus to get let off. Some yelled names, places, and one gentleman just hit the door repeatedly until it opened.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
hey all,
so here is what has been going on. I actually have 2 or 3 blogs written and ready to post, however, I dont have internet access from my computer so i have to wait to see if i can transfer them and then post them.
However...this is some fun facts for now:
1.i ride the bus everyday...at 5:30am
2.I live with Maria Lousia and she is wonderful
3.i work at a school and teach english, and by ¨teach¨ it mostly just means that the normal english teacher tells me we are going to learn about endangered animals and then points to the front of the class.
4. tonight a group comes in and i am going to be working with them.
5. i work in a community called ¨la comunidad¨ and hang out and i love it.
6. some days i dont speak english at all.
thanks for keepin me in your prayers.
so here is what has been going on. I actually have 2 or 3 blogs written and ready to post, however, I dont have internet access from my computer so i have to wait to see if i can transfer them and then post them.
However...this is some fun facts for now:
1.i ride the bus everyday...at 5:30am
2.I live with Maria Lousia and she is wonderful
3.i work at a school and teach english, and by ¨teach¨ it mostly just means that the normal english teacher tells me we are going to learn about endangered animals and then points to the front of the class.
4. tonight a group comes in and i am going to be working with them.
5. i work in a community called ¨la comunidad¨ and hang out and i love it.
6. some days i dont speak english at all.
thanks for keepin me in your prayers.
Monday, June 14, 2010
estoy aqui!
hello,
So i arrived to El Salvador on Friday evening, what was supposed to be a quick 3 hour flight from Dallas-fort worth to San Salvador turned into a 6.5 hour adventures. Firstly, we left 1 hour late, after flying the whole way to San Salvador, we were not able to land because of storms that were over the airport, after circling around a few times, they told us that they were running out of fuel. To fix this problem we were going to have to fly to Gutamala city. Well, i suppose that was ok, i had never been to guatmala...finally, we arrived. I was so nervous that Pastor Javior was just going to leave. But no, he was their waiting. I was so relieved! I was so increibly tired because i had left my house in seattl at 4:30 that morning.
Since arriving, things have been going well. I love my house Mother, Maria Louisa, and today is my first day working in the ministries. The main thing that Christ for the City has is a school and church here in San Salvador. it is set up so that children in poverty can have a chance at a private school education, so they are not forced into the position of their families. I am excited to start working here, teaching children english and helping the classrooms. Additionally, they also have projects out in the poorer outskirts of the town that I am going to go and check out tomorrow, and they also have a soccer camp going to keep kids out of trouble...however, i do not believe that i am going to be able to help out much with that...has anyone ever seen me kick a ball? not a pretty site.
maria Lousia is a teacher here at the school. All her children have grown and moved out so i think she is taking this oppertunity to spoil me. When we went to run errends she took me out for ice cream (also her favorite treat!) and she ordered us the biggest banana split i have ever seen (one for each of us). she also let me pick out whatever ceral i wanted at the grocery store. she is wonderful!
take care, av
So i arrived to El Salvador on Friday evening, what was supposed to be a quick 3 hour flight from Dallas-fort worth to San Salvador turned into a 6.5 hour adventures. Firstly, we left 1 hour late, after flying the whole way to San Salvador, we were not able to land because of storms that were over the airport, after circling around a few times, they told us that they were running out of fuel. To fix this problem we were going to have to fly to Gutamala city. Well, i suppose that was ok, i had never been to guatmala...finally, we arrived. I was so nervous that Pastor Javior was just going to leave. But no, he was their waiting. I was so relieved! I was so increibly tired because i had left my house in seattl at 4:30 that morning.
Since arriving, things have been going well. I love my house Mother, Maria Louisa, and today is my first day working in the ministries. The main thing that Christ for the City has is a school and church here in San Salvador. it is set up so that children in poverty can have a chance at a private school education, so they are not forced into the position of their families. I am excited to start working here, teaching children english and helping the classrooms. Additionally, they also have projects out in the poorer outskirts of the town that I am going to go and check out tomorrow, and they also have a soccer camp going to keep kids out of trouble...however, i do not believe that i am going to be able to help out much with that...has anyone ever seen me kick a ball? not a pretty site.
maria Lousia is a teacher here at the school. All her children have grown and moved out so i think she is taking this oppertunity to spoil me. When we went to run errends she took me out for ice cream (also her favorite treat!) and she ordered us the biggest banana split i have ever seen (one for each of us). she also let me pick out whatever ceral i wanted at the grocery store. she is wonderful!
take care, av
Friday, June 11, 2010
it is here
The time is here.
I have finished finals, cleaned my room, and packed up everything. In about 5 hours I will leave to go to the airport to fly to El Salvador. I cannot believe that it is finally here. I am excited and nervous. But i think it will be ok. I got a call this morning from CFCI and they told me that i had a host family! i do not know many of the details other than the woman (possibly mother or wife) i will live with is a teacher. Additionally, I will be picked up at the airport by Pastor Javier.
I am excited to be back in the Latin culture and explore new places. I am exited to see how the Lord is going to move and what He has in store for this adventure. I ask that you pray for my safety, but also for the hearts of the people that we will be in contact with. Please pray that I hear the word of the Lord and embrace it with boldness and confidence. But at the same time, hear the tender cry of the people and have compassion to feel hurt and sorrow with them, to be humbled by their kindness, and love unconditionally.
This the verse that I have really been thinking a lot about recently. I feel like its a fairly common verse, but i have tried to find just how it is applicable to faith, on a deeper leve:
"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
I will try to be joyful even when things are hard, and i am confused and distressed by the word of the Lord, or when He chooses to be quiet. I will pray even if i feel the situation is hopeless, but beyond that pray that the Lord is good and will provide. he has been faithful in the past and he will be faithful in the future. And I will praise the Lord with all I have, and try to show the Lords goodness in all that I do. I pray that we will be able to do this together. Thank you for your support.
I am excited to share all these things with you.
I have finished finals, cleaned my room, and packed up everything. In about 5 hours I will leave to go to the airport to fly to El Salvador. I cannot believe that it is finally here. I am excited and nervous. But i think it will be ok. I got a call this morning from CFCI and they told me that i had a host family! i do not know many of the details other than the woman (possibly mother or wife) i will live with is a teacher. Additionally, I will be picked up at the airport by Pastor Javier.
I am excited to be back in the Latin culture and explore new places. I am exited to see how the Lord is going to move and what He has in store for this adventure. I ask that you pray for my safety, but also for the hearts of the people that we will be in contact with. Please pray that I hear the word of the Lord and embrace it with boldness and confidence. But at the same time, hear the tender cry of the people and have compassion to feel hurt and sorrow with them, to be humbled by their kindness, and love unconditionally.
This the verse that I have really been thinking a lot about recently. I feel like its a fairly common verse, but i have tried to find just how it is applicable to faith, on a deeper leve:
"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
I will try to be joyful even when things are hard, and i am confused and distressed by the word of the Lord, or when He chooses to be quiet. I will pray even if i feel the situation is hopeless, but beyond that pray that the Lord is good and will provide. he has been faithful in the past and he will be faithful in the future. And I will praise the Lord with all I have, and try to show the Lords goodness in all that I do. I pray that we will be able to do this together. Thank you for your support.
I am excited to share all these things with you.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
finally.
Tomorrow are my finals...all of them. I have been studying for days, and havent left my house in 2 days. I think i am going crazy, but in less than 24 hours it will be over.
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