Thursday with the ladies!

The women went to the Oasis school to teach VBS to the 2-5 year olds. There were 100 children present. Fun was had by all...the worship by the children was so heartfelt and a blessing to us. Next we attended the women's meeting. These women meet every Thursday to enjoy Bible study and share their experiences, strength, and hope with another. They also evangelize in the commmunity and we were able to witness one women giving her life over to Christ! God is so big and so mighty...I wish I could type fast enough to share with you all that He is doing in ALL of His children's lives....including us. We then went back to the Oaiss school to conduct another VBS...this was with grades 4, 5, and 6. We set up for a hotdog and hamburger dinner for over 350 youth that evening. We played with the youth (soccer, basketball) and enjoyed fellowship prior to the dinner. After the cookout we all enjoyed our team joining with their praise and worship team for the music and service. We ended the late evening with devotion. Thank you for all your prayers...you all are here in so many ways...we love and appreciate your helping us to reach others and to heal!!!

Thursday's Post

Wow... ok running out of time to write blog.. not as much energy when we get back to the hotel because we are giving everything we got during the day. It was after 12 your time when we got settled in for the day. The men went to a mission leaders meeting in the early morning, leaders from local churches and a few missionarys from latin america talking about what to do to improve mission work in this area and support missionary work. My ride just got here, i will try to catch up in a little bit! Ok i'm back and eating and updating blog as i eat... we worked on the block walls again today and hauled sand for the sub-floors. Then decided to challenge the El Salvadoreans to a game of "football" and we split them up between us.. after a 2 hour battle we had a draw 4 to 4 score. They are good but Dave Thrailkil and Chris Davis are better.... BEASTS! We then rented a school bus for the youth in La Magnelana and bussed them to Santa Ana for a huge youth retreat at the main church... (350) The men rode in the bus with the kids singing songs the whole time. Later.......... In Him Raymond <><

Wednesday!

It is late wednesday night and we just finished devotion, eating whoppers from elizabeth.. Now that i look back i think she may have contaminated the rest of us with the candy. The ladies (and Jesus) are sick fighting a flu like disease? Except Marianna.... The rest of us are holding up well, just sore muscles and tiredness! We moved about 2 large dumptrucks of sand today by shoval, buckets and wheelbarrows. Lot of dusty hard work! If we had a bobcat we would have finished in a few hours (note to self, see if Alex can get one by customs!) as it is will take two days. The ladies went to the school today and counseled children with behavior problems. Praying for them and talking to them about better management. They also gave out the teacher gifts, always a pleasant surprise for a staff that averages 350.00 month in salary. We had church service tonight and Jesus preached and Gordy an Elizabeth helped lead two songs for praise and worship. The wednesday group was larger then the normal number and they heard a really good sermon. Well i am going to bed, we have an early meeting to attend on missions in Latin America attended by several local churches of Santa Ana.. Night! Raymond <><

Daily Moment!

Two things happen at some point during every mission trip I have been on…. One is the people you are called to serve reach out to you. The mission evolves from being a blessing to them and quickly turns to being a blessing to you! The people here have so little and yet will give everything they have to show you the gratitude they have.. They do this not just with material things, like taking a chicken from the yard to feed you some of the best sopa de pollo you will ever have, but also spiritually. El Salvadorians give their whole heart when they start worship, they sing loud and proud. They do not want to leave the church, they will worship for hours at a time. What a true blessing to see what worship should be like. The second thing which happens and one that effects me immensely is the transformation of members of the team. Both of these things happened today. We started early this morning with breakfast and an awesome devotion from Dave Thrailkill. The changes in him since day 2 are immense and awe inspiring. It is said that the quiet ones are the ones that get you and it was true this morning, There was not a dry eye at the table when he was finished. This trip will change your life. I wish I could pick up our whole community and bring them here for 1 week, we would be world beaters! Awesome!
In Him! Raymond <><

http://picasaweb.google.com/mission4elsalvador/Day4Pics#

Day at childrens hospital

Today (Tuesday) was an amazing experience. I became very aware of the fear and unbelief that exists in this country. We visited the charity hospital and the mothers were so thankful that we were there to pray for their children. As we gave each child a stuffed animal we prayed for them and then mothers took us to their children who could not get out of the bed. Our prayers gave them the hope that they do not have in their life. As I shared with these ladies tears would just stream down their face. I am reminded that alot of the things that we "stress over" in America are things that make us comfortable not things that decide our life. These ladies protect their life daily with no hope of change for their children. I will continue to pray that God will give the next generation hope in Him.-Monica
http://picasaweb.google.com/mission4elsalvador/Day4Pics#

Tuesday!

Just Got in from another great day! Elizabeth stayed at the hotel today cause she is a little sick, but much better now! We had a group go to the childrens hospital and spend time with all the sick kids... very hard, i will have one blog about this later. We (Me, Chris G, Gordy and Dave) went to La Magnelana to work on the school building. We started laying block and made much progress. At lunch we invited all the workers to eat with us and they enjoyed it so much! They talked about us and Jesus and what is happening in there life... I am going now because our ride just got here to go to dinner... i will be back later! Ok, Back but it is actually the next day.. We went to a great restaurant last night called Lover's Steakhouse in downtown.. those who have been here before know how great it is! It was 12 midnight when we got in last night... yes that is 1 am for the east coast people.... wow. Now back to what we did yesterday... In La Magnelana we have finished the foundation work and started laying the blocks, we are about two high all the way around and have interior walls going up as well for the classrooms. Thier are many people working on the school building and more coming (volunteering) each and every day. It looks like a swarm of bees with people going everywhere. We mix the concrete on the ground and it is very hard, about 2 yards at a time... great for the back and shoulders.. Of course they are never too tired for a game of soccer. Even chris Gilhouse was playing yesterday until he landed on his back, was down for about 2 mins then played again 10 mins later.... Have a great day and thank you for your prayers! Love ya! Raymond <><

Day Three....

Buenas Noches, Bienvendidos, Hola, Dios De Bendiga and all of those other greetings we try to remember and completly botch the pronuncion of all day everyday. Hello this is Chris Davis and today was our first day of work at the worksite. Now 12 hours later and 12 yards of conctrete later. This has been a fantastic day. It was also the first day for all of the ladies to go to the school for VBS. The weather here is amazing we are working in the shade with a cool 7-9 mph wind blowing constantly. The food is about the best I've ever had outside of the US. The people are so great. To see the smiles on their faces and the laughter as Dave Thraillkill ties rebar and the El Salvadorians who just smile, shake thier heads, and politely cut Dave's wire and put a new one in the place of the tangled mess. We also have Raymond on this trip who looks like a rock star here. Everyone knows him and he is constantly either taking pictures with children or vigorously pushing people out of the way so he can be the only person pushing a wheel barrel full of concrete. Also, rounding out the top 5 of the work crew are Chris 1, Gordy Hunt who is the king of shoveling sand, and myself who has taken on many new names: Jr., The Comedian SISSY, or Hey youngin come carry this. Now with all jokes aside. This is a place that anyone with a heart for God needs to visit asap. To feel God's presence and see how people love The Savior no matter how much or how little they have. Please continue to pray for us here and the people of this community. We need your prayers to continue on. This is not something we can do alone, but with God anything is possible. God Bless and Buenes Noches.

Mission Day 2, 2009

What a great Sunday we had. The entire team went to the Santa Ana church for the early service. We are always blown away by the hearts of the people as they worship. After the first service, Chris & Robin went to preach at Atikiziah and Gordy and Monica preached at Chauchuapa. Jesus preached all 3 services at Santa Ana. On Sunday night we headed to La Magdalena and as always our hearts were totally captured by the people that God has called us to serve. We took lots of shoes and clothes to give out, as well as many supplies for the children such as crayons, markers, paper and pencils. The school has come such a long way. The concrete has been poured and the guys will be laying bricks. God is doing great things!!! The weather has been beautiful and we have had a cool breeze blowing, for which we are very thankful. The wind was definitely blowing last night as dust filled the church. The children have already begun to attach themselves to the team. Chris and Chris spent many hours picking up children and spinning them around. Raymond is not the only pied piper anymore. :) Monica, Mary, Lynn and Robin brought bubbles and the children jumped and chased the bubbles with great smiles on their faces. The service was wonderful! Many musicians came from Santa Ana and played and sang. Raymond delivered the message on living the christian life 7 days a week. He shared how each of us walked in the doors of a church because someone invited us. People see the way we live our lives and it impacts them, either for good or for bad. They need to see Christ in us in everything we do. In this community that God has called us to serve, we are seeing people step into what God has called them to do. Children who have grown up, knowing Christ, because of the presence of the church are now teaching children's church. What a blessing it is to see! We are looking forward to a great week. Part of the team will be at the school in Santa Ana and the guys will be laying block in La Magdalena. It will be hot, tiring work but done with joy and gratefulness to serve the people who love us so much. Keep praying for us and we love you!!! Elizabeth
Pictures http://picasaweb.google.com/mission4elsalvador/SundayPics#

Sunday, Day 2

Morning! All is good, everyone is up and going, ready for a long day of church! Dave and I went for a refreshing jog early this morning enjoying the weather. We had our breakfast at the hotel and morning devotion. About to go to the main host church in Santa Ana for an early service then fan out to several of the satelite churches for thier services today. Talk to you later!

Day one! Mission 2009!

OK, first day... lots of fun! Started at church at 5am this morning, got to airport 3 hours early... got some walking in. Delta pulled the switch-a-roo on us... got to the terminal and had a huge 767 sitting at our gate... like cool! Then 15 mins later they pulled that one off and brought in the mini-me version (737) and it was full, well almost! Flight was good, landed a little late but not bad. We loaded up the trucks in 90 degree weather with a breeze (nice) and headed to a nice restaurant in San Salvador. Then drove up to Santa Ana and had one of the greatest receptions ever! We pulled up about a block away from the church and they pulled over. Then they came up with a horse and carriage for us to ride into the church compound that was FULL of church members... several hundred on a saturday night... CRAZY! Even had several (around 30) people from the school and church in La Magnelana. Over an hour away and they don't have cars.. still not sure how they got there. They sang several songs in english and then we as a group got up to introduce ourselves.. Everyone talked including Dave, yes that is right Dave Thrailkil spoke to a couple hundred El Salvadoreans and seemed comfortable... So great getting out of our comfort zones! We finished around 8pm then droped off luggage at hotel, left to go eat again. We ate local food atg a great new Puposeria. Got to hotel around 1030pm, had a devotion led by Jesus Velez and then went to unpack in our rooms and crash... wow! Look at link for pictures from the day... Love ya! Raymond <>< http://picasaweb.google.com/mission4elsalvador/DayOneMission2009#

Previous Mission Pictures

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Mission 2009.. 16 Days out...

Welcome to our Blog for the El Salvador Mission 2009 to Santa Anna and La Magnelana, EL Salvador. Our dates are Feb 21-Mar 2, 2009. Members of the mission trip are Raymond DeBlois, Elizabeth Noles, Chris Davis, Chris & Robin Gilhouse, Lynn Pfeiffer, Gordy & Monica Hunt, Jesus Velez, Marianna Linares and Mary Fowler... So keep us in your prayers and keep checking this blog for daily updates (when we can) and lots of pictures...