This was a definate step out of your comfort zone moment for me. I am not used to being around children, and acting like a clown in front of children who you can't really communicate with was the last thing I thought I'd be doing. Of course, it was pointed out to me that it wasn't the worst possible thign I could be doing.
Watching the kids reactions to the stories and the music was so precious. Bailey and I were talking, and we find more often than not that culture isn't an obstacle. Three children accepted Jesus into their lives today. In all the chaos of the moment, there was peace in that little circle. They were sincere.
After the party, we were asked by Gloria, the pastors daughter, to help set up for a wedding that we're attending tomorrow. I was suprised when my father agreed to let Bailey and me leave our group and go off with two natives our age to gather supplies. That was the original plan, at least.
We ended up driving around El Salvador. They wanted to show us the town, and embracing the spirit of adventure, we agreed. Our first stop was a Catholic church adorned with gold. Literally, from floor to ceiling, back to front, gold was everywhere. Afterwards, we went to a park. Interestingly enough, it was way nicer than any park back home. There were flowers and trees, and so many people! All staring at us.
Our next stop was a lake. We learned from Gloria that the lake used to be a place to swim, but after a hurricane a while back, it was so polluted there weren't even fish living there. That was when she also pointed out the knocked down houses, "from the wind," she said.
Although Bailey and I were somewhat hesitant when leaving with Gloria and her friend Marlon, we were certainly glad we did. We were afraid that the language barrier would be a problem, but Gloria is very fluent in English, and with her help we were able to converse with Marlon. The best part was that it felt no different from hanging out with friends back home.
One last thing:
His name is Salvador. He has truly stolen all our hearts. Not only is he one of the hardest workers on the team, that smile never leaves his face.
Dios te bendiga!
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