We have visited the families who we will be building the homes for. The people of El Salvador are just amazing. Pastor Jorge and I went to deliver medical supplies (donated by a medical team from EMCC) to a women who is the village midwife. She had delivered two baby girls that morning. She was showing me a scar that she had that spread across her entire abdomen. She has had surgery 4 times to remove a growth that continues to grow back. I could see it and felt it. It is huge. She is so selfless. She said that she prays that God will continue to allow her to live so she can continue to help the people in San Felipe. She suffers in pain everyday and her only prayer is to be able to continue to serve. She has taught me an incerdible lesson today.

Starting the work tomorrow. Off to church now!

Luckily some of my clothes fit tim, at least we dont have to share everything he had some personal items in his carry on. Today was very humbling seeing how the people live and still they are happy. Breakfast of rice and beans started the day off right. Looking forward to church this afternoon and greasy chicken tonight. Hope you are all safe and healthy. See ya , Jurgen

Day One

We left to eat breakfast this morning and then we went to visit the families that we are building houses for. The ride there on the truck was amazing I was on the front and we were going fast and got splatted in the face by a lot of things. When we got there we went and visited all the families and it was so nice to see how happy everyone who is a part of the house building was so happy. We saw many families and interacted with them and I loved how happy they were to get a house they has the land already prepared for us to build there homes. What touched me is some of the people receiving the homes were sleeping right by there stuff so it would not get stolen. Then we went to eat lunch and we went and interacted with many of the children. We played games and learned all their names and they new my name better then I could remember theirs. They were teaching us games and even though there was a barrier it did not matter we know that they loved interacting and playing with us. I meet many young girls and we were playing games that I still have to learn, we were playing something like tackle football and just having fun the kids loving our sunglasses and us just playing with them and them wanting us to play with them. We got there and there are already children following us around and they will be around all week with us interacting and helping us along the way. They were so cute and the best part is that its their summer time down here and they will be with us through the day cheering us on. I can not wait to see what God has in store for us this week for our team and I know I'm down here or a reason. I love it here and its such nice weather and I con not believe that it was finally here and I can just see what it is like and be able to help as much as I can down here.

God Bless everyone and we are heading to church at 3 which is when it starts which it will be 4 your time.

Prayers

Karie

We have just had dinner at the hotel and are about to start our first team debriefing. We have made it here safely. A few of the bags are still in Toronto but we are told that we will be receiving them Mnday. Tim and I do not have our personal bags. We are begging and borrowing clothes from other team members to tie us over until Monday. We are going to San Felipe tomorrow to visit the 7 families we are going to build the homes for. I am so excited to be returning to a place I love. Not because of the place but because of the amazing people who live there.
Wow what a team God has put together for this trip. So excited to see the lives that will be changed this week. Not just the lives of the amazing people of El Salvador but the lives of the team members. There is no one here by mistake. God has chosen each one to gloify His name through their amazing gifts and talents. Each one has been handpicked. May His name be glorified this week. And people come to know Him as their Savior.

Keep praying for us.

We are here

Just to let everyone know we are here safe and sound. It took us over an hour to get to our hotel because of all the cows on the road. 6 pieces of luggage got left in Toronto because it did not get loaded on the plane. It will be here on the next flight which is on Monday. Valerie and Tims personal suitcases did not arrive here but they are handling it with grace. Note to Elaine can Tim cut his new jeans off???

Had a great dinner tonight and visiting the families we will be building houses for tomorrow. Most of us are headed to bed early!!!!!!

Countdown!

Two weeks today! 14 days before we leave for El Salvador. The team of 19 people are pumped and ready to go. After many team meetings, fundraisers and of course immunizations we are well prepared. There are many team members who are returning to El Salvador and for others this is their first time. I am really excited to see how God is going to use each of us to impact the amazing people of El Salvador for His kingdom.

We have 7 homes to build, thousands of pounds of food to hand out, 160 handmade quilts to give away, 120 care packages for the orphanage as well as a few hundred children's sandals. Wow!
We have a full week with lots of work to be done. I know that there will be lots of "God moments" and that each of us will be impacted and changed.

The Lord your God will go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor forsake you.
Deuteronomy 31:6

March 2010 Team