Saturday, August 9, 2008
Friday, August 8, 2008
Wow
We had a great experience. I am so thankful I was able to take my family with me. I knew, from previous experience, that it would be life changing for my family and it was. It exceded my expectations. I am giving it a few days to all sink in, but right now, I think I can say that it was the most fulfilling adventure that I have ever been on. I saw my wife and my children experience what I experienced earlier in my life. This trip allowed me to experience that all over again and it was very fulfilling to my soul. God truely has blessed us on this trip. I wish there were a way to express the joy, satisfaction, thirst quenching feeling of Christianity at work that we all were blessed with, but there is not. It is like visiting the Grand Canyon for the first time in your life. You may have seen it in pictures or on TV or in a movie on the ,"big screen", but until you walk up to that rim and see it with your own eyes, you cannot believe it. It is just to awsome for words and you stand there in silence, trying to believe what you are seeing.
I hope and pray that more young people will go next year, and I hope more of us older people will be able to go next year. I could go on for several pages, but for now I've said enough.
Thank you all for a great trip. It was great working with you.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Thank you friends!!
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Monday, August 4, 2008
Tomorrow is the Last Day
We have bonded with our fellow missionaries and our brothers and sisters in El Salvador.
This is a wonderful group and we have had so much fun working for our Lord. As you would expect all of our young people have represented Waverly very well - we are so proud of them!!!
Get ready for all the stories - there will be a ton when we get home - even though the rule is what happens in El Salvador stays in El Salvador.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
What a GREAT Day!
Sabado in El Salvador
It has truly been a joy to watch our young people. They have taken in everything they see with wonder and amazement. Josh Graham now knows how to prepare papusas, Peggy McCaleb can paint a wall in nothing flat, and David Vaughn can even make El Salvadorians laugh!
In one day we have preached the gospel, supplied reading glasses, distributed food, conducted a VBS, hosted the widows of El Salvador, participated in a youth rally, worshipped with the church at El Centro (the downtown San Salvador church) and enjoyed supper with members of the San Mauricio church. We are truly fortunate to be here engaged in the work which God has for us.
I believe that tomorrow will be another promising day, for it is the Lord's Day!
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Perfect Day
We have participated in a food distribution, distributed glasses, painted, added new lighting, attended a gospel meeting and had dinner at one of the sisters house (about 40 of us together). That is why I say I don't think it could have been scripted any better.
Jeff delivered a great lesson at the food distribution and everyone has worked so hard. While the photos and our words can convey some of our excitement - you really have to be here to experience the true joy and feelings that we all have.
As one of our fellow bloggers has said - START SAVING NOW FOR NEXT YEAR!!!
Our brothers and sisters from UNA have been most gracious and supportative of our work together and separately. While some tasks are better done together, other times when we split we can accomplish twice as much.
Our youth are to be commended for their hard work and dedication. They are making many new friends while serving. As always when this group gets together, we work hard but we always are able to have fun while doing so.
As many of you know it is hard to stump a certain man with us on this trip (initals DV) but I saw him stumped tonight by a wonderful sister named Helen. She deserves alot of credit if she can go toe to toe with him!!!
We continue to ask for your prayers as we move forward on this adventure that God will allow us to work for him and when our our time in El Salvador ends next Wednesday he will
bring us all home safely!!!!
In closing we would like to thank everyone for your prayers and support that is allowing this mission trip to be successful and while there are 20 of us from Waverly here in El Salvador there are 100+ that are helping this work to be successful.
We also thank our eldership for supporting this work which in turn allows us to come to El Salvador to work with our brothers and sisters!!
Day Three was great!!!
Start saving your money for this trip NOW!!!!!!!!!
Please continue to pray for us. Get ready to be hugged when we get home!
Day three is sadly over. We have spent the night getting to know our family at San Mauricio, and they all send their love back to the Waverly. Josh enjoyed cooking Papusas with the ladies, and was a very good cook. Our food distribution at San Mauricio went very well, everyone was so appreciative. And..... Jennifer is really excited because she finally got her Spanish right and gave the lady the perfect pair of glasses.
Dios le bendiga,
Ashton, Jennifer, and Casey
Day 3...well so far anyway
Friday, August 1, 2008
Day 2
Great day today!!! Meet our brothers and sisters from San Mauricio.....Alex and Jorita.....the cool dudes with the shades.... are the sons of Jorge and Felicita (the family that our church supports). We were welcomed into the Ortiz's home for a wonderful lunch before an afternoon of painting. Ended our day with a devo lead by Ederd and Jim!
Tomorrow back to San Mauricio for VBS and food distribution!
We have arrived at our 2nd home. After a long 12 hours of travel we were welcomed by our El Salvadorian brothers and sisters. Up and ready today to go paint the church at San Mauricio and finish packing the food for distribution.
Dios te bendiga....
Casey, Gayle, Renee and Nunner and Ms Peggy too!!!!!!!
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Day One
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Monday, July 28, 2008
Friday, July 25, 2008
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
SpanishO
This time next week, Lord willing, we will be in El Salvador!! Ya Hooooo!!
Monday, July 21, 2008
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Thanks Keith!!
I can't wait for the 31st!