My Wonderful teammate Kirsten wrote a fantastic blog about our time in El Salvador…enjoy!
And I’ll paint all over it. If you let me.
Ok, so let’s get one thing straight. I may be on the “all girls”
team now, but don’t let that fool you. We are up to any challenge. We’ve
learned the Haka, we’ve pwned the kiddies at lazer tag, we’ve gotten
off the wrong bus (TWICE) in some pretty sketchy neighborhoods. So if
you think a
few blank walls and oil based paint are going to scare us away, you’re
wrong.
team now, but don’t let that fool you. We are up to any challenge. We’ve
learned the Haka, we’ve pwned the kiddies at lazer tag, we’ve gotten
off the wrong bus (TWICE) in some pretty sketchy neighborhoods. So if
you think a
few blank walls and oil based paint are going to scare us away, you’re
wrong.
DEAD WRONG!
So our contact Bob asked us to paint some of the
rooms in the house this month. We had our work cut out for us, but
thanks to the many talented hands of Team Beloved we were able to finish
quite a few murals this month. I’m super glad that I was able to have
the opportunity to paint again. It almost feels like home.
rooms in the house this month. We had our work cut out for us, but
thanks to the many talented hands of Team Beloved we were able to finish
quite a few murals this month. I’m super glad that I was able to have
the opportunity to paint again. It almost feels like home.
One of the girls had the idea to cover this place in
scriptures. Since the bible tells us to write these words on our hearts
and our heads, it seemed only natural to try and leave the kiddos with a
reminder of how much they are loved. Tio Bob had some great input too.
Together we came up with some really fun projects. Yet when it came down
to it, Tio Bob was like, “Do whatever you want. If I don’t like it,
I’ll just buy some white paint and paint over it.”
scriptures. Since the bible tells us to write these words on our hearts
and our heads, it seemed only natural to try and leave the kiddos with a
reminder of how much they are loved. Tio Bob had some great input too.
Together we came up with some really fun projects. Yet when it came down
to it, Tio Bob was like, “Do whatever you want. If I don’t like it,
I’ll just buy some white paint and paint over it.”
Well. Since you put it THAT way…
The first thing we worked on was a banner going
across the top of the living room. Jenny picked out the verse in Isaiah
43:1 which says: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have
summoned you by name; you are mine.”
across the top of the living room. Jenny picked out the verse in Isaiah
43:1 which says: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have
summoned you by name; you are mine.”
Of course, it says it in Spanish. They don’t speak no English here.
The very talented Courtney Hess on the lettering.
Of course, the boys wouldn’t let the girls have ALL
the fun, so in their kitchen we painted a SICK looking Graffito that
says: FUERZA which means STRENGTH.
the fun, so in their kitchen we painted a SICK looking Graffito that
says: FUERZA which means STRENGTH.
Brittany Cox was my right hand . . .girl when it came to the lettering in the kitchen. Both of them.
Please. No comments about this picture. And no lusting. You don’t want to lose any rooms in your mansion, after all.
This wall needed a ton of work. It had some severe
water damage, so we had to scrape the old peeling paint and then seal it
with a waterproof sealer before it was ready to paint on.
water damage, so we had to scrape the old peeling paint and then seal it
with a waterproof sealer before it was ready to paint on.
Heather Horton can rock a mean roller. And I had to
include a picture of myself painting so that you knew I wasn’t just
bossing everyone around.
include a picture of myself painting so that you knew I wasn’t just
bossing everyone around.
Two of the oldest girls, Gabriella and Gabo, apply their green thumbs to the tree.
Pretty cool. I can’t wait to see it with more hand
prints! There are nine girls living at the house now, but it can take
more. They just need the funding. If you are interested in helping out
with that, please let me know so I can get you the contact info.
prints! There are nine girls living at the house now, but it can take
more. They just need the funding. If you are interested in helping out
with that, please let me know so I can get you the contact info.
One of the things the girls like to do is put pictures on the
walls. They have pictures of themselves, of the people that visited, of
their families. We wanted to give them a specific place to put those
memories, so we made a special wall with our handprints that they could
use for that purpose. It was also a way to leave a mark on their lives,
kind of as a reminder of how they will leave a mark on ours.
walls. They have pictures of themselves, of the people that visited, of
their families. We wanted to give them a specific place to put those
memories, so we made a special wall with our handprints that they could
use for that purpose. It was also a way to leave a mark on their lives,
kind of as a reminder of how they will leave a mark on ours.
Brittany Pries and Brittany Jackson get their paint on.
(With a little Heather creeping in the background.)
(With a little Heather creeping in the background.)
The biggest project we took on was the painting of
the girls’ eating area. Tio Bob told us how the girls’ favorite place to
eat was at the beach, so we decided to grant them that wish.
the girls’ eating area. Tio Bob told us how the girls’ favorite place to
eat was at the beach, so we decided to grant them that wish.
“How precious are your thoughts toward me, oh God. How
great are the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would out number
the grains of sand on the shore! When I awake, I am still with you!”
great are the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would out number
the grains of sand on the shore! When I awake, I am still with you!”
Psalm 139: 17-18
What a great reminder of how our God thinks of us. We thought the
girls should know this too. Sometimes I have a hard time remembering
this. . .
girls should know this too. Sometimes I have a hard time remembering
this. . .
Jenny Hill painted the sky. ALL OF IT. Then
her back started hurting her from an old injury. Please keep her in
your prayers! We need her at full strength!
her back started hurting her from an old injury. Please keep her in
your prayers! We need her at full strength!
So when it comes down to it, The GIRLS team isn’t afraid to get DIRTY. And we have the pictures to prove it.
SNAKE EYES
That’s right. I said “snake eyes” in two consecutive blogs.
I’m trying to get everyone at home used to it so I don’t feel so strange when I say it all the time.
I’m trying to get everyone at home used to it so I don’t feel so strange when I say it all the time.
