Europe!!

Hey dear friends!
If you want to keep updated with my trip to Europe we will be blogging together (Lisa, Brooke and I) so check it out!

http://oureuropeextravaganza.blogspot.com/

Los Ultimos Dias

It's hard to believe how fast the time has flew. But here I am, only an hour before I head off for the airport. It has been a wonderful last week with many goodbyes.

Monday began with a goodbye at the devocional at the school. All the kids I had taught came up to me on stage and gave me a hug. It was quite the experience! If you can imagine 20 kids running up to you at a time all clammering for a hug... but what a blessing it was.

Tuesday at the service at the church, Miguel sent me off with a goodbye and many blessings as well as a certificate thanking me for my solidarity. It felt as if God was patting me on the back. What an experience!

Wednesday, I was invited to a goodbye lunch at Cal Pupil. Josue, Karen, Reuben, Sarah, Danny and Carlos were all there to give me a farewell.

And finally, today, I have made my last few goodbyes and can't believe Im on my way home...
Thank you all so much for your prayers and interest in my journey. I may keep you updated on the trip to Europe if you feel so inclined. I thankyou for your support in my life and hope to see you all soon... in one place or another.

Blessed be the Lord, he carries my burdens, the God of my salvation.

Out and About

Part 1 - El Puerto del Diablo

  Unfortunately I was a little sick this day... well quite sick, however we managed to enjoy the day anyways. And Nancy caught some pretty good footage of my sick phase. I'd say its more embarrassing then anything else though.

                                 It was a beautiful day and nice to get up and away from the city...

 Some of us are crazier than others....

 

 If you aren't sure what is going on in the picture below, I'd suggest you get yourself to a movie store and rent yourself some Marx Brothers movies.

 As you can see it was a crazy day all around, but one can always blame that on the little buggies in your stomach.

 

 Intermission - 2 Dinners Out

Just a quick stop at Pizza Hut with 3 wonderful friends.

 

One day this week, Miguel casually asked what I was doing that night and wondered if I'd be part of a welcoming party at the airport. Of course I said sure, and low and behold, it turned out to be my good friend and our Canadian jokster, Dennis Shierman. What a blessing and encouragement to meet up with someone from home. Theres nothing that reminds me more of Canada than a Canadian :) Sorry about the blurriness but I couldn't leave these ones out. Also I got some really good footage of Dennis, yet again I couldnt upload it, but ask me when I get home and I'll be more than happy to show you ;)

 Part 2 - La Libertad

 Right after church we headed out on the 1.5 hr drive to the beach. Here we are sitting, enjoying the shade and waiting for our lunch.

 Sometimes, we get real excited about the beach.... so we dance... we sing... we make a fool of ourselves... you get the picture. But what an awesome day!!!

 What a wonderful day to be out at the beach. The sun shining, cool refreshing water to play in and garbage to discover. As Nancy and I went shell hunting, she managed to find all the shells, and I managed to find garbage, rocks and the occasional piece of cement.

 I thank God for the wonderful friends and family I have here. Its amazing to be welcomed into homes and accepted as a daughter. Similar to the way God adopts us as children. Once you are in, then you are accepted for who you are, loved like the others and treated like part of the gang.

A Few Snapshots

Unfortunately I have not been able to get internet on my comp for a week or two, but... low and behold, I brought a memory stick by accident. Yay! Therefore I can share a few pics with you. Hope you enjoy!!!

The beauty of this country seems to constantly blow me away.

It takes time to see and appreciate beauty in a new place.

My 2 favourite things about riding the bus; first the wind blowing in my face and second the salesmen that get on board. They hop on, walk down the aisles handing out whatever they are selling to everyone and then go to the front to give their "shpeal". Whatever it is, whether a lanyard, a pack of halls or even a single pencil, they rattle on and on about the benefits of the item and what a good price you are going to pay. Its like a infomercial right on the bus. "For only 25 centavos you can own...". At the end they either take the item back or your money. Quite an interesting sales tactic!!

¨ 

This is Lenox, the dog I was living with. He´s quite a beauty but has way too much energy for such a small space! Oh, and I moved! I have been welcomed into the home of Miguel and Lidia (the pastor and his wife) for my last 3 weeks.

 Sometimes we use the computer....

sometimes we get a little crazy!

 

There was a huge Valentines Day party at the school. In El Salvador they call it "La dia de la Amistad" or Friendship Day, which I think has a bit of a better ring to it :)

We sing songs for the whole school...

we enjoy the day.

We stand on logs...

we pose for the camera. 

The beauty of friendship...                     and excitement!              

 We enjoy the sun...                   we hang out together...                we put on our shades...

We swing...                                    we play...                                    we chill.

  

We party!!!

Please notice the boy on the left.

Skinny jeans and rad shoes. Ya, some people have got style!

Dear friends. Friends I will miss.

Wow! What a blessing to be here, to spend time with the kids, to share a portion of our lives together. They ask when I´m leaving, I tell them and they groan. They ask when I will come back. And I say I don´t know.

 

       We write notes...                        we share our love.

Just as a body, though one,

has many parts,

but all its many parts form one body,

so it is with Christ.

There are times and seasons for everything. This is a time of reflection for me. It is a time to meditate, to observe all thats around me, to see how God relates to it all; to hanging sneakers, to the drunk on the corner, to the kids laughing and playing futbol.

  One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.