Saturday, August 9, 2008
Friday, August 8, 2008
Wow
It is good to be home. Now we can start earning money to return next year. To bad we can't stay longer.
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.
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!!
As I type this Darrin is still asleep at 10:30 Thursday morning. So far he will only mumble at me. I want to say a very heartfelt thank you to all of you for all the help with Darrin yesterday. I don't know how I would have made it without you guys. Thanks for the prayers, wipes, water, help getting him on and off the planes, guarding him while we moved bags, lugging around our carry ons, etc!! I love you all!
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Monday, August 4, 2008
Tomorrow is the Last Day
The week has flown by sad to say - the old adage of time flies when you are having fun is true.
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.
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!
What a great day the Lord hath made. Today was filled with fellowship with the San Maurico church and it was truly a humbling experience with more of their outpouring of love. Many of us if not all have shed many joyful tears today as our hearts were overfilled with emotions from the love that these people show. During our devotion tonight Keith talked of the love and how Mike, Gail, Ms Nell and Renee have tried to tell so many of us the feelings and power that comes from this trip but there is no way to convey what this trip does for you until you experience it. If you choose not to experience this you have missed out on one of life's most biggest lessons to us in the USA. These people teach us more than we teach them. The young people have been so awesome and have made some true friends here in San Salvador and I am sure they will make more as we journey to the rural areas the next two days. Keep us in your prayers and start your savings to join us next year you will truly be blessed and have a life changing experience.
Sabado in El Salvador
As many have already indicated, today could not have gone any better. To see such brotherhood demonstrated by one and all is truly remarkable. Even the language barrier did not prevent cooperation among the Christians gathered here this week.
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!
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 could not have planned a more 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!!
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!!!
I believe that David (Fredo) met his match tonight with Helen. What an inspiration she was. She is a spitfire and was an enjoyable host while we sat and ate popupus. The picture is the family that invited us into their home and fed us. Tears where flowing as we left. Everyone should experience this for themself. Also attached is the front of the church at San Maricio that we finished painting today. And by the way Ralanda, Ederd can hold a paint brush and is a good painter.
Start saving your money for this trip NOW!!!!!!!!!
I`been on several mission trips in my life but nothing compares with this trip. The love that these people show us is more than I can express to you in words. They give when they have nothing physical to spare! They give their best and then call us the angels. WE are greated coming and going with hugs, kisses, and blessings. And they go out of their way not to miss anyone.
Please continue to pray for us. Get ready to be hugged when we get home!
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
Today so far, cuz it's ain't over yet......We have had food distribution, VBS, Jeff preaching, eye glass disbribution and finishing the painting of the San Mauricio church building. Happy people..!! Kids at the youth rally, us resting, then off to another members home for Popupus (their native everyday food).
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!
this has been a busy day. Have learned many things.(Motorcycles trump trucks...), ask me later. There is a volcano here. No smoke though. This truely an urban jungle. So many people. So many cars and all other transport. It is an uplifting experience. The people are great, really more than great. But you can tell many are not. Bars and sheet metal on everything.Will talk more later. Ralanda I see you....
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!!!!!!!
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