The Past Two Months…

It has been over 2 months since I have posted on our blog…not sure how it can be that long already! The lack of writing isn’t because nothing has taken place, if anything, it is the opposite. So much has been going on that it has been hard to find the time to sit down and write about it all.

Shortly after my last blog post, we headed to the U.S. Over the next few months we will be spending time fundraising, talking about our mission, setting up mission trips and collecting donations to be handed out over the next year. So far, we are off to a great start!

At the end of September we had a Flea Market Sale. Several people paid for a space at our sale, and sold all kinds of things. We had yard sale items, clothing, crafts, and more! The sale was a success, and we raised a good amount of money for our mission.This October we received two donations. One community is collecting grooming items for us, and they have already gathered a good amount! We were excited to receive all the shampoos, soaps, lotions, etc. they have collected for us so far!We also received a large donation from a family who bought all kinds of things for us to bring back to El Salvador. The items include toys, clothing, school supplies, and more! We know all these things will be a blessing to the many people who will get them. 

We are so thankful for all the help and support we have been given so far in the United States. Over the next few months we will be doing some more fundraisers and activities, and we are confident that we will return to El Salvador with more than we could have imagined! Thank you to all who have blessed our mission with your generosity!

By Fifteen Years Old…

I love watching my kids play. Sure, I could do without all the hitting, biting, and fighting over the same toy, but the things they do together when they are getting along are usually pretty creative. In the past I have shared stories about my little boys pretending to hand out food to the needy, and pretending to lead VBS, they really like being a part of the mission work we do. Just a few days ago I over-heard them playing that they were going to build a new house for someone who had nowhere to live. It’s those moments, that I am so grateful for the opportunity that God has given us, not only help those in need, but also for our children to see first-hand the importance of showing God’s love to a country that has so many who hurting, and in need of a Savior.

Sadly, there are also times that I find my kids playing things that I wish they didn’t know about at 2 and 3 years old. A couple of weeks ago I found my older son with his arms behind his back, and my younger one was tying a bandana around his wrists. I asked them what this game was, and I was told that the younger one was “being the bad guy, who ties up people”. I was confused, so I asked some more questions, and was told, “you know the bad guys who have the really big guns, and their trucks have red and blue lights”. A cop? I was shocked that he thought those were the “bad guys”! When I asked why he thought they were bad, he said because he always “sees the other guys trying to move and get away, and the police take them and put their hands like that even though they don’t like it”. I tried to explain that the police were the good guys, and the other guys did some thing wrong, which is why they have to put their hands like that. I think it finally clicked for them when I said that grown-ups don’t have naughty chairs, when they do something bad, they have to go with the police. After our talk I asked where they saw the police taking the guys like that, and my 3-year-old said “on the show Papi watched after dinner”. The news.

Generally, we do not watch the news until after the boys are in bed. There are too many graphic pictures of dead bodies laying in the street, or videos of “bad guys” being taken to jail. It’s not really something I want my kids to see or be aware of at their young ages.

A few weeks ago I heard a few things on the news that really stuck with me, mostly because they bothered me so much.

One was that there are roughly 20,000 young people between the ages of 15-24 in gangs in El Salvador. In a country that is only about the size of Massachusetts, that is a large amount of youth. No wonder why we are constantly seeing pictures of gang members being taken by the police, and the bloody bodies of their victims. It’s a huge problem in this country, and the reason why our homicide rate per capita is among the highest in the world.

I also heard another pretty shocking statistic. In the poorest communities of El Salvador, 1 in 5 girls will have a baby by the time she is 15. We have seen this first-hand in some of the areas where we work. There have been times that we have handed young girls a toy, only to have them turn around and say, “no, I need food for my family”. It’s shocking to me to think of these girls who are so young being mothers, but it happens very often here. In fact, 30% of all babies are born to girls between the ages 10-18. TEN YEARS OLD and a mother! Just think about that!

Facts like these are the reason why so many of the activities that Hope and a Future Missions offers are geared toward kids. Programs like soccer camp and VBS are usually filled with kids between the ages of 2-14, but the majority of the kids are usually about 9-13 years old. This is such a critical age for these kids, because based on the statistics, by 15 years old many of them will find themselves becoming parents, or a member of a gang. I truly believe that is why God has placed it on our hearts to reach out to these kids, and show them that there are better options for their future. To teach them that they can be a part of God’s family, instead of the MS-13 family. That Jesus loves them even when it feels like no one else does, and that He cares for each one of them.

My kids may see things on TV that I wish they didn’t, but for many of these kids, they face things like violence and gangs on a daily basis. It’s not just something they saw on the news, it’s their families on the news and in those situations. It is our prayer that we might be able to bring hope to these kids and their families. We pray that we will be able to teach them about Christ, and show them the love of Jesus in all that we do in their communities. Even if one life is changed, and one heart is opened to Christ, it is well worth it.

9-Day Mission Trip~2013

A couple of weeks ago, we were able to host our third, and final mission trip of this summer. The group of ten stayed for nine-day, during which we did several activities.

We were able to spend some time playing soccer with kids, and finished up the 5-week soccer camp we had started during our last mission trip. On the last day of soccer camp, we handed out stuffed animals to all the kids, and a bunch of grooming items to their parents. The kids were so excited with their new animals, and the parents were equally as happy to receive things like shampoo, soap and toothbrushes.

One afternoon we went into 2 other villages, and handed out more stuffed animals, and supplies to the families there. In one area we gave the family’s food, and in another we brought a bag full of clothes to each family.

The main focus for the trip, was building a new house for a family in real need. Maria and Jesus had been living in the house pictured above, when we met them. It was in terrible shape, and looked more like a kid’s fort than a house for a family to live in. We knew right away that we wanted to help them, and prayed that God would make a way for us to help them get their new house.

 We had been praying that we would know exactly what construction project God wanted us to do, and right from the start we were very confident that this project was in God’s plan for us. A friend from church, Jorge, (above with Adan) is a contractor, and had offered to help us with the house, which made us pretty sure that we’d be able to conquer such a big project in only 6 work days.

The mission team, Adan, Jorge, and his son, Jorge Jr. worked hard all week to get the house done. Throughout the week, Jesus, and his young grandchildren, Stefany, and Oscar, also helped to do any jobs they could. Maria, the woman whose house it was, could not have been more thankful for the mission team and their hard work. All week she was thanking them, and praising God for bringing the group to El Salvador to make this new home for her. She was determined to pay them back in any way she could, and spent one morning insisting that the girls let her wash the dirt and concrete off their legs. I have honestly never seen someone more thankful, and in everything she was thanking God, and praising Him for all the blessing He was giving to her through the mission team.

The last day of work, we were able to bring lunch to the work site, and eat with Maria, Jesus, and their extended family, as well as Jorge and his family. It was a great time of fellowship, and a way to show Jorge how much we appreciated him, and all his hard work on the house.

It’s hard to imagine that this little house, that most American’s would think of more as a shed, could be such a blessing, but for Maria and Jesus, it is their first real home. They finally have a safe, dry, house that they can call their own, and to them, that is huge! They now own the second best house in their area. Think about that for a moment.

The last full day of the mission trip was a Sunday. We spent the morning in church, and it was a very special time. We were going to be handing the key to the family, and singing in church, so Jesus came with Maria to church for the first time in a very long time. She was so happy to have him come with her, as well as her grandchildren. After the group presented the couple with the key to their new home, Maria said a few words, and continued to thank God, and the group for giving her the best home she had ever lived in.

Later in the service, something even more special happened. Jesus accepted Christ into his heart, something Maria had been praying about for a long time. After church, we were able to welcome Jesus into the family of God. Maria was so happy she could hardly contain herself. She told us that she now had a new home, and her husband was a Christian, she had everything she could want!

We were blessed with such a wonderful final mission trip. In all we did, we were able to see God’s hand. We are praying for Jesus, that he will have a true relationship with Christ, and that this couple will grow in Him.

Throughout the week we had been singing a song, that ironically was also sung in church on Sunday, and it seemed to be really fitting for all at took place during the week…

“Y tu nombre sobre todo es ,Tu eres digno de alabar
y mi ser dira, Cuan Grande es Dios.”

“Name above all names, You are, worthy of our praise,
My heart will sing how great, is our God.”

 

4-Week Mission Trip~The Second Two Weeks

The second two weeks of our four-week mission trip went even better then the first two!We were able to bring a bunch of grooming items to the River community. The people there are so friendly, and it was great to be able to do something for this area, since it is the only location where we work, where we are not doing any children’s activities this summer. In addition to the items we gave each family, we also brought little bags we made up for the kids in the neighborhood!We also continued our Vacation Bible School with kids in a different location. We were able to share the stories of Daniel (above) and Jonah (below) with the kids. They loved listening to the stories and especially enjoyed the crafts! 

On the final day of VBS we handed out flip-flops to all the kids who were there, and any parents who had stayed. All together we gave out about 20-25 pairs. The kids were especially excited, and many of them were really in need of a new pair!

One day during the second two weeks, we had the opportunity to go into town and hand out some little bags to kids in the park. Each bag had a small toy that had been donated to us, a coloring page and crayons, some cookies or candies, and a witnessing bracelet and card that explained what each color represents. It was great to watch the kids light up as we handed out the bags. We are praying that each of them will read the card, and learn about God’s love for them.

We also continued our soccer camp. It was a great spending time with the kids, and trying to teach them to play with a Christ-like attitude.

At the end of each day we would handout awards to the two kids who showed the best attitude, and worked the best with their teammates. This little girl was so excited to get an award!

We had a great four weeks working with our missionary, Lisa. We are so thankful for her willingness to come and help us serve Christ, as we work and minister to people in our community! God has opened so many doors for us over the past four weeks, and we are so thankful for the opportunities He has given us to help those in need!

4-Week Mission Trip~The First Two Weeks

Two weeks ago a young lady named, Lisa, came down to El Salvador to help us work for four weeks. Over the past few weeks we have been able to do several things together to help people in our town.

The first week that Lisa was here, we started our second Vacation Bible School of the summer. This time we were working in a different neighborhood. These kids have never been to VBS, so they didn’t know what to expect, but they were excited! We taught them some songs, and they heard the story of Noah. The kids also did a fun ark craft, and had some Noah’s Ark animal crackers for snack! A few days later, we started our five-week soccer camp, in another community. We have done several activities in this location in the past, so the kids were very enthusiastic about us returning to do soccer camp. Each week of camp has a theme, and a verse to go along with the theme. The first week our theme was “Encouragement.” We taught the kids that even when a teammate misses a shot, we can still cheer them on, and encourage them. At the end the kids got a coloring page with the verse of the week on it.We also spent some time handing out toys and stuffed animals at the free hospital in our town. Most of the children in this hospital come from lower-income homes, so they were very excited about the toys and things we were able to bring them! We were also able to give each child a tract teaching the kid’s about God’s love for them.Our second week of VBS we taught the kids about David and Goliath. They had fun singing the songs again, and enjoyed craft and snack time. When we led soccer camp the second week, our theme was “Teamwork.” We tried to teach the kids that it’s important to pass the ball, and work together, instead of just shooting, or hogging the ball. So far our four-week trip has gone really smoothly. We are so thankful for all the opportunities God has provided for us to share His word, and help out some people in our town!

 

Week-Long Mission Trip-June 2013

Last week we had the opportunity to host our first mission trip of the summer. The mission team was made up of two amazing girls, who have a real heart for missions. We spent the week doing several activities in our town, starting with a four-day Vacation Bible School.

When we arrived in the community, the kids were very happy to see us. They were also excited to see that we had tables and chairs to use this summer, because last year they had to sit on the ground on a sheet. We explained to them that West Sayville Christian School, in New York had been taking offerings for four weeks to collect the money for our mission to buy the tables and chairs. The kids were grateful and they even made a short video thanking the school for their generosity.The first day our theme was the story of Noah. We were able to listen to the Bible story, and sing the songs, but halfway through our cute ark craft, it started pouring! The kids all took off before we got to have snack, or play games, but they still had a great time.

The second day our theme was, “David and Goliath.” The kids started catching on to the songs, and we took turns having a few kids at a time come up to help lead the singing, and do hand motions. They had lots of fun, and thankfully the rain held off until after snack time!

Day three our theme was, “Daniel in the Lion’s Den.” The kids had a wonderful time making their lion masks, and pretending to be lions! We were excited to be able to have VBS from start to finish with no rain that day!
Our fourth, and final day, the theme was, “Jonah.” We listened to a story, sang songs, made a whale craft, and had some whale crackers for snack! After we finished, we spent about an hour playing with the kids. Most of the boys played soccer, while the girls and younger kids did jump rope, and played some other games.

Saying goodbye is always difficult. The kids told the girls how much they will be missed. The girls told the kids that they would never forget them, and that they will be praying for them. They also reminded the kids how special each of them is to God, and how much He loves them!

On Sunday, we went to church, and then spent some time sorting through clothes that we would be handing out on Monday. We also put together some goody bags for kids. The next morning we headed to two areas to hand out some things to the people there.

In one location we brought food to all the families in the community, and small toys for all the kids.

In the other community we brought the clothes to the families, and gave out the goody bags for the kids.

Monday afternoon, we ate lunch at a place near the water. That evening, we spent some time together shopping in town, and cooling off at the park.

God blessed us with a wonderful time together, and a great mission trip. We are so thankful for the girls who came to help us serve, and for God’s guidance and protection throughout the trip.

Marathon of Mission Trips

Last year, we were blessed with the opportunity to host three mission trips. This year one of our goals was to be able to host at least three trips, and maybe even throw in a fourth!  As of now we have met that goal, and currently have three mission trips planned for this summer.(We’d still love to host a fourth, if anyone is looking for something to do this fall?) It’s gonna be a little crazy, because each trip is one after another, but we are up for the challenge!

In a few weeks, we will welcome our first group. It’s a small group with only two girls, but we are confident that we will be able to accomplish all the work we have planned. During the week-long trip, we will be returning to the same community where we did a lot of work last summer, and once again, lead a VBS there. We will also be bringing clothes and supplies into two other neighborhoods that are in need. This trip is coming up soon, and we are very excited to see how God uses our mission in the lives of these children.

The day they leave, our next mission trip begins. This will be a four-week long trip with one young lady. Together, we will be running a kid’s soccer camp, and leading a VBS program for children in a different community. We also plan to do work in three communities, bringing them food, and other items that they are in need of. In addition, we will be going to be visit a local hospital and bring stuffed animals to the sick kids who are there. We have many things planned for this month-long trip, and are eager to start the projects we will be doing during those four weeks!

The final trip of the summer starts just three days after our four-week trip ends. This week and a half-long trip has a larger mission team than the others. The group of ten is a mix of people, some who are new-comers, and others who are returning for their second and third summers in a row! This group will be focusing on doing construction work, but they will also be doing handouts of supplies in 2 neighborhoods, and running the last week of our five-week soccer camp. (Started during the four-week mission trip.) We are looking forward to seeing some familiar faces, and getting to know the newest additions to this mission team!

This summer is going to be busy, with our “Marathon of Mission Trips”, but we are very thankful for all who are willing to come and work with our misson. We have some exciting things planned, and we know that God will use each and every one who comes on these mission trips, to be a blessing in our community!

“Hope” and “Smiles”

Over the past few weeks, we have been blessed to partner up with our friend and volunteer, Esther, and her group Regalando Sonrisas-Giving Smiles.(https://www.facebook.com/regalandosonrisassv) Together, Hope and a Future Missions, and Regalando Sonrisas, have been able to help some needy kids who live in a pretty remote area. Esther took a bunch of items that our mission had, as well as some donations she had received, and brought them to these kids.

Above is 2-year-old, Ariel. His mother is not able to care for him right now, so she had to leave him with his grandparents. The couple had very little for him, and don’t have the money to buy him new clothes and toys. Our mission was able to give him a bunch of clothes, (including the outfit he is trying on here) as well as a pair of shoes, and a stuffed animal. Esther, also brought some stuff she had to Ariel’s family. During her visit she was able to share a tract about Jesus with the family. The grandparents were very thankful for all the things we were able to give to them.

A struggling single mom desperately needed shoes for her children, so they could go to school. After hearing about this family, Esther, shared their story with me, and I knew we needed to find shoes for these kids. We were able to give each child a pair of shoes or flip-flops, as well as a goodie bag. Each of the goodie bags had some cookies, candy, small toys and activity pages about Jesus dying on the cross for them, and rising again. The two older boys are holding their new shoes, in the picture, (which looked too big, but surprisingly fit!) and the younger two children are wearing their shoes.

In addition to the children in that family, Esther was able to bring a bunch of pairs of shoes and flip-flops to other children in need in the community. This young man was very happy with his “new” shoes. They were a little big for him, but he didn’t seem to mind. He was just thankful to have some shoes to wear as he walks down the rocky roads in his village.

This little boy with Esther, belongs to another family Hope and a Future Missions, and Regalando Sonrisas, were able to help. His father, only 25 years old, recently died as he was working. He had been trying to provide for his young family, by cutting branches from trees, when he fell, hitting his head on a rock. Esther was able to spend some time visiting with this little guy, his mom, and 6 week old baby brother. She brought them several things that had been donated to her group, as well clothes for each boy, some food, and stuffed animals, that our mission had for the family. During her visit, she tried to bring some “hope”, and “smiles” to this hurting family, by sharing God’s love with them. The mother was very grateful for Esther, and all the things we were able to provide her family with.

It can be challenging for my family and I to bring items to people in these very rural areas. (Some of these villages cannot be reached by car.) We are so thankful that Esther is able to bring a bunch of the food and clothes that our mission has available, to these families who are in need of them. Working together, we hope we are able to bring many smiles to some people who don’t always have hope, or reasons to smile.

 

Greater Things Are Still To Be Done In This City

There is something about hearing a hymn or worship song that I know in English, being sung in Spanish that gets me every time. If you have never been in a church service that was in a different language, it’s a feeling that is hard to explain, but each time it hits me like a ton of bricks, that there are Christians, all over the world! Sometimes on sunday mornings I can’t help thinking about my church in the U.S.singing in English, the same song we are singing here in Spanish, and churches meeting underground praising God with the same song in their languages. It’s really neat to think about, and it’s a sure way to make you feel really small. For me it’s a reminder that I am one of millions of Christians in this world, but some how God still cares for me, and knows my name, and loves me! It’s an amazing thing to think about!

Last sunday, I had that moment while we were singing, “God of this City”:

“Grandes cosas vienen ya,
Grandes cosas Dios hará en este pueblo”

It seemed to be a really fitting song, because in the days before, I had just finished planning a bunch of things, and finalizing 2 of our 3 mission trips that will be taking place this summer. There are so many exciting things that we will be blessed to be a part of over this summer, and we are confident that:

“Greater things have yet to come, and greater things are still to be done in this city”

We are looking forward to seeing what God has planned for us, and what doors He will open for us this summer!

 

Never Too Young

I love the way that kids think. You never know what they will say, or how much they are listening to things.

A few weeks ago, I bought some candy to put in the little goody bags we make up to give kids. When we got home my son asked me if he could have some candy, and I told him that he couldn’t, because it was for the “otros niños” (other kids) that we see sometimes. Then I gave him a real quick explanation, something like, “we give it to them to help them have a happy day.”

Two weeks later, I was in the grocery store with my 3 year-old, and he was excited to be pushing his own little cart. He felt like a big deal and was grabbing things he knows we always buy, like juice boxes, and rice. While I was putting a few things in my shopping cart, I looked over at him and saw him drop a big bag of candy into his cart. When I asked him why he took the candy, he told me, “I want to make otros niños happy too mami”!

Bless his heart, at 3 years old he is already thinking about other kids, who don’t have as much as he does. He’s not the only one either.

We have received an incredible amount of new, or barely used stuffed animals over the past few months. We love getting any donations, but there is something really special about these stuffed animals. Many of them were given to us by children who want to make a difference. Kids, who heard that there are other kids who have no toys, and were so shocked, that they had to do something about it. This really touches my heart. To hear stories about young children who searched through their own toys, to find a few for kids they don’t even know, in a country they have never even heard of…wow! What a blessing!

 Today we were blessed again…

My mom had the opportunity to go to my old school, West Sayville Christian School in N.Y. to talk about Hope and a Future Missions, and show the kids some pictures. After telling the kids what things are like in El Salvador, she asked if anyone had any questions. Several kids did. She got asked all kinds of things like, do kids play sports in El Salvador, are there churches there, where do people without indoor plumbing go to the bathroom, what does El Salvador mean, and my favorite, are there wild animals, like lions there? This is why I love kids, they are always thinking!

The school has a chapel service every Wednesday morning, and the offering they collect for the month of April is going to be donated to our mission. My mom explained that we’d be using the money to buy some plastic tables and chairs, so that when we do kid’s activities, like VBS, the kids will have a place to sit, and make their projects. The students were surprised to learn that we had been doing VBS on the side of the road, with children sitting on the ground on a sheet. All the students agreed, that the tables sounded like a better idea!

Before she left, my mom handed out bracelets that said “El Salvador” to each student in the whole school. She told them that the bracelet can be a reminder to pray for the people in El Salvador, and Hope and a Future Missions. I can only imagine what the stories were like around the dinner table tonight, about kids in El Salvador who don’t have clothes, or who go to bed hungry!

Praise God for these children who are learning at an early age what it means to give, and to care for others. Who knows how they are touching lives by selflessly giving a child who is underprivlidged a toy, or whose heart may be touched during a Vacation Bible School lesson around one of those plastic tables!

You are never too young to be a blessing in someone else’s life.