Monday - Tuesday

Hope you didn't give up on me. I have not been kidnapped - just failed to borrow the laptop from RJ before everyone turned in on Monday night. It was a wonderful Monday, but everyone was pretty tired. I acutally went to bed b yt 12:30 AM!

The eye-glass clinic was amazing. Each mini team has there own stories to tell and each person we met was a special and unique blessing. I have no heard the exact number we served, but I think there are between 250-300 people that are able to see better....but the day was so much more than giving glasses to vision impaired folks.

The first person (a lady in her late 60s) that Howard Allen and I fitted for glasses sat down and I noticed she was clutching a small new testament in her hands. She opened her Bible to test out the new maginfying glasses and with wide eyes exclaimed, "I can read my Bible again!!!" Even our interpreter was touched! It was a spiritually uplifting moment for each of us....and we had about 6 hours to go! Time flew by!!

We soon discovered it was not just about the glasses we were giving. We asked if the "client" would like to see a talk with a pastor...to have someone pray for them. Almost every one that we gave glasses to did. We had a team ready to help them. We saw amazing answers to prayer in our midst. After lunch, the power of God even spilled over into our "clinic" area. "Technicians were praying with folks as well. It was mutually understood that when the spirit moves - go along for the ride!

Let me share just ONE more way that God used the clinic. One 55 year old man that Howard and I helped, was an artist. He was no longer able to do the detailed work necessary for the type of artwork that he did. He shared that now, his income would increase and he could provide for his family again. OK just a couple more quickies, we saw salvations, healing, and people rededicate their lives to Christ. What an honor to be a part of this outreach! (Now don't you wish you were here?!)

Tuesday:
We started our day with 2.5 hours distributing food to a very poor neighborhood (barrio). Many of the dwellings were what the El Salvadorans refer to as chompas....not much more than corregated metal roofing with dirt floors. I cannot even share the conditions in words. And the stories our 4 individual teams experienced....you will just have to talk to individual team members...so many stories...so much of God - alive and working in our midst!

We traveled on to a public school for mentally, emotionally, and physically challenged children. We took gifts - and the kid So appreciated those - but it was our hugs and playtime that the kids loved most of all. Although this facility (with 260+ students) has existed for 38 years, BOOH is the first "gringos" to ever vist them! And they were a joy. You can not imagine what small toys and school supplies can do to brighten these kid's lives! We went to be a blessing and once again, the El Salvadorans blessed us! You will have to talk with talk with individuals on the team for stories ---- or come with us next year!

Off we went to our 3rd mission for the day; St. Vincente de Paul Orphanage. This was a Catholic facility. Our first interactions were with the babies - about 25 I think, from a few months old to 18 months. We each held babies, kissed and hugged them and fell in love! Boy was it hard to walk out of that nursery! (Yep, I cried...)

As we waited on the approximately 100 school children from 5-13 years olds to come to their cafeteria to meet us, I immediately missed Ted, (a/k/a "Snack Man" in the Great Adventure Club in Trafalgar). We set up a table with juice boxes and small packages of cookies for each child. (I believe Ted will be here in ES doing this next year!) Kids are kids and they love snacks!
The sang for us, and we sang for them and with them. They were as well behaved as the kids in the Great Adventure Club!

After snacks we interacted and played with kids. Just like at the first school we had visited, the kids LOVED the men....talk about male bonding....there were times we ladies felt a little left out (not really). This confirms the need God places in the heart of children to have a strong (Godly) male roll model. The men on the BOH team were there for them. It was truly sweet to see.

The children then lined up very orderly to receive a back pack with school supplies. I don't think I have ever witnessed kids so happy to see crayons, pencils etc. Other toys were given to the school...and then...candy! OH, my goodness! You just had to be there. We managed to save some back and offered it to some of the teachers. I think their eyes lit up as brightly as the kids. (We take so much for granted.)

It was an emotionally and spiritually jam-packed day in ES for the BOH team. Thank you for your support to this BOH mission trip. The donations we brought, the money given (many items we need are purchased here in the ES) and the continued prayer support.

Please pray for everyone that has been touched by this mission trip thus far and for our Wednesday schedule. I have been asked to give the devotion before we take off on yet more Great Adventures for God. Please pray the message God has spoke to my heart to share is a blessing and encouragement to the team. Pray for our 2nd eye glass clinic at an elderly care facility. It is also our day to see the kids from EXODO Orphanage again. I, personally am looking forward to seeing kids I met last year! There are more kids this year - more blessings are on the horizon!

Thank you all. God bless you!

PS: may I remind you that the spell check is set up for spanish - and it is late --- so don't grade me!