Day 13

I cannot for the life of me figure out how to get the photos where they should be in the story. Copy and paste doesn't work for me either. Maybe next year I will have learned. It is frustrating!

4 of the team went to the Christian school. Each team member with a Disciple or 2 - spoke in a different classroom. Carol spoke in 2 classes and shared the Wordless book. Although the students were teens, they were absolutely facinated with the demonstration, including the student director and the teacher.

We were able to see all of the kid together for their Chapel time. Janet spoke on the qualities of a good leader.

The house we were helping to build was completed late this afternoon. It is the first time this family will sleep together on a clean floor. Their "floor" has been dirt. Each person that worked on the team had a story to tell of how doing this project impacted their lives. BOH has decided to adopt this barrio and work with them as an ongoing mission. The next projects will be to help them attain supplies to build soccer goals and provide uniforms that will allow them to have teams. Also this barrio has a community center that needs a cement floor and stable roof. After you hear our stories - you may want to get on board too!

There are much more than a thousand words of praise that would go with t he photo of the kids praying. God was there today in that barrio. HE touched hearts of the adults as well as the children.Carol shared the gospel using the Wordless Books and the children prayed. (I cried). Each day has had touching moments - but watching their faces and hearing their voices as they prayed was probably the highlight for Carol and me this week. Thank you, Lord! (this photo was not staged!)

We had a Subway sandwich banquet for closing our time of service with the Disciples. It was very moving to hear them express their feelings and how working with BOH has encouraged them. These are passionate young people with a call to reach levels of society that no one else will go. They are rescuing young people from drugs, alcohol, broken homes and gang activity and leading them to salvation. They are changing lives and rescuing souls. It has been an honor to work with them.

Carol shared the wordless book with them as well. After she finishes, she always asks if anyone can tell the story...so she asked the guys if they would give their presentation. Caesar and Carlos wanted to do it and asked if we would like to see how it would be presented to the gangs. I video taped it. Its not Ray Comfort and Kurt Cameron - but these guys presented salvation with that little book in a way that we could never do. The will get the message to places that we could never go and there will be fruit. God uses all different types of people to do HIS will and he does so in every language.

For the grand finale - the OAC painting was presented. It was ironic that the story I chose before coming to El Salvador was a message that God also revealed over and over through the testimonies we heard during the week from the Disciples. The Disciples creative juices started flowing immediately on how they can use this idea to spring from in their ministry.

One of "our" boys had stayed to see the demo too. Adam is a freshman at Purdue and his new "buds" this week has been the Disciples. Adam really liked what he saw in this painting ministry as well. Maybe Adam will do the OAC on the Purdue campus. Why not?

Pictured here are some of the Los Discipulos after OAC training. Their personalities are showing pretty clear in the photo - but don't let their antics fool you. They have some of the most tender hearts I have ever seen.

Just before this photo was taken, I was also able to teach them all the 10 commandments. They were like little kids opening a Christmas present. There is power in knowledge and knowing the 10 commandments in order gives a person a powerful reminder from God of how we miss the mark as well as a way to help others see sin in their own life.

Well, just one more day and for Carol and myself, no more projects are scheduled. We will spend a few more hours with Leila. The plan is for us to learn to make "pupusas". We can't wait!

Prayer Requests: Pray for the people we have encountered to remember the wordsand the time we shared with them - and not to forget our love - the love of Christ that we shared with them. We will never be the same....our prayer is that they feel the same way. God is here. DIOS es aqui! (that was actually a chorus we sang on Sunday.)

Also pray for our team members that will be going to EXODO again to paint the exterior on 2 of the kid's homes. Pray for their travel safety. Also, some of them are pretty sun-burned from the work on the house. So remember, Katie, Kyle, Mike, Mark, Adam and Dave as your prayer assignments will soon end for our mission trip. FINISH STRONG!

Check in tomorrow to see how things went for us.

Love from sunny, hot, El Salvador.