A God Thing

I like to refer to most of my trips here as "A God thing". I could go into story after story of all of the miracles and crazy things that have led me to the point where I am now. But last night takes the cake.

If any of you have kept up with my past trips then you know the names Glenda, Taty, Marta and Miguel. (Taty is the girl who inspired the tattoo I want, for anyone who has heard that story.) They all lived at the Promise House, where I would stay or spend most of my time the past three years I have come down. They were the only four who were there all three years. (Glenda is Taty's daughter, and Miguel is Marta's son.) I have been praying for them all year because the day they shut down the Promise House I didn't find out where either of them went. I thought this would be the first summer I wouldn't get to see them. Then I found a picture on Taty's facebook and found out she was living with a missionary named Beth. Kurt said he knew her and they worked together a lot. I felt more at peace knowing, at least, Taty and Glenda were safe. A few days later one of the translators told me that she saw Marta leaving a school a few weeks ago. So, I knew she was probably living somewhere that was good.

This week's group left early to go work in another part of El Salvador, so I spent all of yesterday painting the special needs room at CIPI. Last night I was laying in bed, at 8, almost asleep when Kurt came up and asked if I wanted to go feed the homeless. I was a little confused at first, considering we didn't have a group, but I walked downstairs and see Beth! Then I look over and see Marta! In sheer excitement we both freaked out a little bit and hugged and talked about Miguel. Then I look over and Taty is on the other side of the table! She actually shreaked when she saw me! The fact that they remember me, even if they just remembered my face, was AMAZING. Then Taty started asking about my cousin (who was with me last year) and it was so nice to know she actually did remember me and when I was here. I got to go feed the homeless with them and it was so incredible.

I asked Beth about what happened to them after I left, and she said they both ended up in an orphanage where they abused the children. She said Glenda and Miguel had bruises all over them. Taty ran away with Glenda, and because she was 20 they didn't worry about it. She lived on the streets for a few weeks before she finally got in touch with Beth and moved in with her. Beth said Glenda didn't even have shoes when she got them... To hear that, to know they had to deal with that just breaks my heart... So Marta was at the orphanage for a few weeks after Taty left and they would punish Marta by taking away food for 2 or 3 days. She lost about 60 pounds while in that orphanage. Then she ran away, but she was 17 so the orphanage freaked out. Beth helped hide her until her 18th birthday, when she and Miguel moved in with Beth... As we fed the homeless I just couldn't help but think that these girls were living like this at one point.. My favorite girls, the ones who have inspired me to do all of this, were abused and hungry and alone. But God saved them. Beth was the answer to my prayers. All year I have prayed that those two girls in particular would end up somewhere safe and Godly. And, thanks to Beth, they did.

Today I got to go see Glenda and Miguel at the house! :) As soon as I got out of the car Miguel ran and gave me a hug and told me he loves me. Glenda always takes a little bit of time to warm up to me. But Beth said the first thing Glenda said this morning was "Lydia's coming to see me!" To hear that, and know that these kids remember me, almost made me cry. What a blessing. And what an incredible way to end my trip.

Thank you for all of your support and prayers. I know God has had this plan all along. He gave me such peace today. I can now go back home and know that they are all safe and happy. Please keep me in your prayers today as I finish painting and Saturday as I head home.

My Last Week

As I'm coming into my 6th and final week here I am attempting to prepare myself to leave. And it's not going very well. Usually by my last few days here I have started to think about all of my friends and family and I am ready to go home. But that is not the situation this year. I think it is partially because of the way we do so many different things here. It doesn't feel like I have been here for 6 weeks. It feels like I've been here for 2.

I'm getting the opportunity to paint the special needs room at CIPI (where the little girl I love lives) and I am too excited. We have decided to do little swirly flowers in different, bright colors (there will be plenty pictures on Facebook once we finish). But tonight I was trying to decide what Bible verse we should paint on the walls, and I came across Philippians 1:9-10 "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blamesless until the day of Christ." This is so fitting for how I feel about the kids here. I just pray that God gives them the knowledge to make good decisions and do good with their lives.

In the past few days I have found myself losing patience extremely easily. And that is not normal for me when it comes to kids. Anyone who knows me knows that I am more comfortable with kids than anyone else. It may just be that I'm on edge because I'm leaving, and it may be because I've got a cold and I'm just agitated that I'm sick my last week. But then I read Philippians 2: 14-15 "Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe." Oh man, does God know how to hit me. I need to focus less on myself. Especially in this last week. God has given me peace. There is absolutey no need for me to ever be short with people. I am here to glorify God.

I still haven't settled on one verse for the room. I'm really thinking about 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8 "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast. It is not proud and it is not rude. It is not self seeking. It is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices in the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." (Mom, you'll be glad to know I just did that by memory.)

Please keep me in your prayers this week so that God can show me what I'm supposed to be doing in my last few days here. Thank you again for all of your support. It means so much to hear that anyone has been reading this, or that people want to come with me next summer. God is always working.

The Tough Days

Today was another rough one. When there are groups here they typically split up and go into different areas of CIPI. I tend to spend most of my time in special needs with my little girl. But today I felt like I needed to stay in the baby area. As I was sitting there with a few other people, one of the girls  started to open up to us about what happened to her. She said she was molested by two of her uncles and got pregnant. She's not sure who's baby it is. She ran away from home, and ended up in the hospital. At first she wanted to get an abortion. But then the nurses talked her out of it and she said about a month before she had the baby she accepted the fact that she was going to be a mother. She knew that it was God's plan.. This girl is 13. A 13 year old is making that decision.. So we talked to her, and we talked about what a blessing her baby is.

There is a baby there who we all love because she is just the perfect age; 4 months. So you can hold and cuddle her, but she'll smile at you too. Virginia told us that the baby's mother tried to kill her by sitting on her. Thankfully she survived.... A few hours later I was rocking one of the new borns, and a lady came and asked if anyone wanted to help pray over the baby who was leaving. Apparently the baby's mother came to take her home. And they let her... Who in the world lets a mother who tried to kill her baby, have that baby back?

I know God has a plan. I know He does. But right now I'm having trouble getting past the horrible sin this world has. And I need everyone to pray for that baby. I'm just praying her mother had a change of heart, and found the Lord.