11/15/10
Since my last post, we went to Santa Ana and stayed with a host family for two nights. There is a mega church there that has six services on Sundays because so many people go there, I think around 15,000. So we joined their ministry one evening called Pan and Chocolate. Basically, they take hot chocolate and sweet bread and give them out to the poor and needy around town. So we went to a shelter for the elderly, gave them some bread and chocolate and prayed with them. Then we went to various parts of the town where the homeless people were staying and prayed with them as well. I thought it was a great idea for a ministry. Food is a great way to connect others and I would love to do something like this in the future in the states.
That evening I wasn’t feeling well again and ended up going to bed early. I was still sick that night too. Thankfully we were staying at a really nice house and the family was very hospitable. We went to a Christian radio station, but I was unable to stand at that time because I wasn’t feeling well. I don’t really know what was wrong, but it was that achy body feeling that you get when you get sick and my throat hurt a little. I basically laid on a couch there the whole time. When we got back to the house I spent the whole day sleeping, but the family kept giving me mystery medicine (I hope it wasn’t a mystery to them) and I seemed to get better. I am thankful that God provided that blessing when I wasn’t feeling well.
Two days ago we drove about 3 hours away to San Miguel to Languna El Jocoton. There was a Christian youth retreat going on and we were able to hang out with them and have fun. Oscar informed us that we are basically representing Teen Challenge and getting the word out about them. They fed us with what I called “surprise soup,” I called it that because every time you put your spoon in the bowl it was a surprise on what you were going to get. I think I got a plantain with the peel still on it, yuka root (similar to a potato), corn on the cob, zucchini, and some meat which I was told was cow neck. It was really good, though.
We played a ton of random games with them. Brooks introduced a game to us called “This is so much fun.” It actually is so much fun. You clap and say the phrase “this is so much fun” over and over (or in Espanol “esto es divertido”) and two people do it and they have to keep repeating the phrase. One person is the leader and the other has to copy what they do and the first person to laugh loses. We have several videos of this so you should check out my teammate’s blogs. So we played that with the youth. We also played this awkward giant worm game where you link your legs around the person in front of you and have to crawl with your hands and race other groups that are doing it in lines of like 10 people. Everyone had a nice, dirty butt by the end of that game. We also played games where we basically just threw water balloons at each other (but we didn’t have balloons so they were water bags). I’m not really sure who won or what the purpose of that game was.
Then I was able to share my testimony. It was a privilege to be able to share with these teens. They are all at a Christian youth retreat so I assume they have heard about God before. I told them that I grew up in church and have been in their position before but that I believed the lies of this world that I could find happiness from things apart from God: boyfriends, alcohol, parties, dancing, etc. I shared that I learned the hard way that this leads to death and that through Jesus Christ we can experience life, peace, and freedom. Thankfully Carlos was there to translate so I’m pretty sure it came across the way I intended. I am thankful that God is able to take the bad in this world and use it for good, but I am also praying that through my testimony that many people do not always have to learn the hard way.
Then we were able to play futbol, hu rah! I looked around and realized that we were playing futbol in what looked like paradise. There were several mountain-like hills surrounding us, a small beach, and a beautiful sunset – can life get any better? This retreat was like in the middle of nowhere El Salvador and there was a really nice pool. So, if you’ve ever hung out with a youth group near a pool you’ve probably learned that if you don’t jump in you will get thrown in. Thankfully they allowed me to take off my shoes and take my ipod out of my pocket. It was fun to have like 50 people in this tiny pool and have a lot of fun with it.
Then we rode three hours back. I was really able to bond with my teammate Michael today because we were the only two Americans who rode in that truck. I think because I have been intentional about trying to speak Spanish that others are looking to me to help translate. I can understand a lot more than I can speak. But we were able to have a great conversation with some of the teens that we were hanging out with in the truck. Michael is really starting to improve on his Spanish. It’s nice being able to spend one on one time with each of my teammates because we are finding that there are certain areas where we connect with each one of them. God gives us little blessings each day!
So tonight we will be going to Teen Challenge to listen to a panel on addictions and we think that one of us will be able to join the panel. Brooks said earlier that if one of us can join he would like me to based on my work history. I’m super excited to see what happens and I’ll be sure to let you know in the next post! Blessings, my friends!
