The End

As my last days were approaching I tried to keep it out of my mind that I do have to go back to Mississippi at some point. I got to spend this week helping build a house, visiting the orphanages, and taking an orphanage to the water park. My last week was filled with love, laughs and God.

I am not ready to leave. I am so beyond blessed to have this experience once again. But I'm afraid it will never feel like enough time here. On our way home from dinner tonight I started crying and Kenia (the translator who has spent all day every day with me) said "You just have to know that this isn't God's time for you to be here. He has a plan for you, and you just have to be patient." And I know that's true. But it doesn't make it any easier to leave the kids and friends I have here. There are so many stories I could write about, but at this moment I can't think of any. I want to explain the hopelessness and sadness I feel daily here. I also want to explain the joy and the power of God that I feel here. There is such a war going on inside of me that I don't know where to start or what to say. All I can do is pray that the people who are called here keep doing God's will, and that one day I may be a bigger part in that.

Yesterday I spent the entire day holding my favorite baby. I rocked him, fed him, and changed him. It was perfect. And all I could do was pray that he would somehow grow up and be a Godly man who does something amazing with his life... I hugged my little angel who is physically handicap because of her abusive parents, and I thought about the progress she has made in the past year. Hugging her for the last time was more difficult than I can ever explain (I cry just remembering it.).. And I know I should be excited to get home and see my friends and family. But I'm not. I'm not at all. I'm torn up inside that I have to leave these kids... I think about sweet Christian whom we built the house for. I think about Glenda and her mom (the girls I've seen all five years) and the miracle that their lives are... I think about so many kids. So many people. And I just know I want to be part of this. This is where my heart is.

But, I do have to head back to Mississippi tomorrow. A new chapter in my life is beginning and I know God has big plans. Please keep me in your prayers tomorrow as I fly home. And thank you all for another year of wonderful support.

Matthew 11:28-30

The past few weeks have been very random. Amazing, but random. We've spent each day at different orphanages. It's been far different from last year because there haven't been teams here so I've been able to kind of make my own schedule.

I've been praying a lot about the future and where God is calling me. There's been a lot going on back home that I've been worried about, and I've been feeling the spiritual warfare here much stronger than I've ever felt it. I have also gotten to spend time with more missionaries here and hear their stories. I honestly haven't written in so long because I haven't known what to write. I don't know how to put into words what has been going on. But last week at church a lady prayed over me and one of the translators, and she prayed specifically that I would be able to give the Lord my worries and do whatever He calls me to do. Almost immediately I felt relieved. During the sermon the pastor mentioned Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart ,and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." It is much easier said than done. But that's what I've worked on this week.

A new baby arrived at one of the orphanages- he is a month old. His parents left him at the hospital so he was brought to the orphanage. Leaving a baby at the hospital isn't too uncommon here and it absolutely kills me inside every time it happens. But for some reason I felt a strange sense of peace as I held him Thursday. I prayed that he would overcome all of the problems I know will come along with being abandoned and growing up as an orphan. 

This weekend I had the privilege of showing my dad a few of the orphanages and he got to visit the house we built while my mom and siblings were in town. I love having him here and introducing him to this part of my life. 
Please keep my last week in your prayers. 

My God Saves

Today we finished building the house we've been working on. The family we are building it for is a family beyond brokenness. This is a family that has been torn apart. The mother is pressing charges against her brother for sexually abusing her young son. She can't talk to any of her family because they are all mad at her for pressing charges. She and her son had to move away and cut ties from their family. She is the bravest woman I have ever met. It is extremely rare for a parent to press charges in ES.

When we build houses I tend to get distracted by the children. Today was no exception. I grew to love this boy we were building for. He is funny and sweet and always willing to help. He stole my heart.
As we left, his mom ran after us to tell us goodbye. She began to tell us that her son had been angry and violent lately and she believed it had something to do with the abuse. She told us that his grandma once told him he shouldn't have been born and he only brought problems to the family. I was overcome with sadness and pain for this boy and I asked if I could pray for him. I was already holding his hand, and I wrapped my other arm around his shoulders. I began to pray that he would realize how much he was loved and wanted. I prayed that he would continue to grow into the strong man that he had been for us. And for the third time in all my trips down here, I cried. The translator took over praying and as she prayed, he began to pray too. He prayed that God would take away the anger that he was feeling. And he prayed to accept Jesus into his heart.
We had to leave and I was hit with how powerful God is. I know that sounds dumb, but it's easy to forget that sometimes. I will never forget him or his fearless mother. Tonight I go to bed satisfied because God let me be His hands and feet, and He let me see Him touch lives in the moment. But I also go to bed with a heavy heart for all this boy will have to deal with in the future because of sin.

Thank you all who helped us give these two a home with beds. God is definitely at work.

Sunday- from Bethany

      "Imagine going to church on a Sunday morning in the back of a pick up truck while having to duck branches. You're going down a hill then you hear music. You don't know what the singers are saying, but you know it's meaningful by the way they are singing. Then you pull up to a little concrete block with a giant square hole. No door. Just air. Thats where the music is coming from.
       I had no clue what they were saying. I had no clue who they were. They had no clue who I was. We were complete strangers. They speak spanish, and I speak English. How could i understand them or them me? In that situation, I just put my trust in music. Everyone singing and clapping. The lady in front of me had a tambourine, and she just chimed in with the band. I knew they were saying something really important when my translator would throw his head back and shout the lyrics. Although I had no idea what they were saying or what they thought about me, I knew we were alike when we were with God. All around me, I felt and saw how much they believed He was there.
       Sometimes I have doubts that God is there. Don't we all? I live somewhere where things are easy. Where I don't fear for my life everyday. They live in a house of fear everyday, yet here they are... singing and shouting out to someone they couldn't see. Then we went to Sunday school.
       I have never seen my mother that passionate in my whole life. By the end, I was in tears along with two girls. We had only talked about Feeding The 5000. A story I've heard 5000 times. Why hadn't I cried about it before? Maybe it was because I hadn't realized how it affected people today. I don't know. The girl who I saw crying first was a beautiful girl named Rebekah. I will never forget her... God has surprised me with tears that day. God has surprised me with a lot on this mission trip."
-Bethany




(The rest is from me-Lydia)
Yesterday was a huge day for me. Not only did I get to see my family members touch lives, but I got to hear my little sister ask not to leave one of the orphanages. Today we began building a house and tomorrow we get to finish it! Please keep us in your prayers!

Year 5-Let's go!

I can never sleep the night before I head to El Sal... I'm too nervous and excited. I never feel as if I'm fully prepared. But if there's one thing I have learned after all of these years it is that God has a plan I could never imagine, and if I just trust Him then everything is going to work out.

This year I had to plan for 6 other people, which was definitely a new experience. I'm excited to share what/who I love in El Salvador with a few people I love from the States. I also just found out that my dad will be coming down for a few days over my birthday weekend! That means that this year I get to share El Salvador with the majority of my family!

I love El Salvador. I love the country- it is beyond beautiful with its volcanoes and beaches. I love the people. I love the food... And I am so thankful that God has given me so many opportunities to go to the place I love. I have been able to watch a few kids grow up in the past few years, and I have also made new friends each year. Every day in ES is quite the adventure. I am very excited to get this years adventure started.

I have to leave for the airport soon so keep us in your prayers today as we travel! Also, let's pray I don't get another parasite this year :)