El Salvador Day 8 - 2015

Divine Providence.  We've witnessed it over and over this week. Earlier in the week during our hospital visits, our priest by happenstance alone gave a very elderly priest Fr. Mario anointing of the sick.  Fr. Mario passed away the next day. One day in Ciudad Delgado we had a Korean man in a wheelchair who spoke no Spanish come to get glasses.  We saw some signs of high blood pressure, and other issues and knew he'd made it past triage somehow with the glasses only option.  But again through divine providence we had a doctor with with us who spoke Korean, and we were able to communicate and help him.  His wife of 11 years spoke no Korean!  And even my area of glasses, when we ran out of certain strengths, the people who God sent us needed exactly what we had.  We dispensed over 500 glasses during the week yet only had one used pair left. Amazing.  But not amazing with God!

What I believe we were witnessing is the benefit of many, many prayers for this mission.  We've felt like we were in the "flow" but it's just the benefit of God's grace from the prayers.

With only a half day in a new location today will be interesting. We are running late but we get setup quickly.  We are giving shoes, some reading glasses, sunglasses, religious items, food and baby clothes.  We call it Mission Mall.  

I make rosaries.  I carry them with me until I get a nudge to give it to someone.  I had not received  a nudge for one of my rosaries and I had forgotten about it.  Then a woman tells us that she has a great devotion to our Blessed Mother.  Nudge nudge.

We are looking for new moms in particular so we can honor them.  We find a mom who has a one month old baby  and we give her some of our pink flip flops and a food care package with baby clothes.  

If you've been reading this blog for a while ( years) you know the significance of Angels.  We have once again been blessed by our interpreter Angel, who is my "Salvadorian daughter." What I enjoy about our Angel is how she finds ways for us to be Christ.  She often is that nudge for Christ.  While we make a joke about her future spouse, one thing is certain, our Angel will always be looking for ways to serve.  

One thing that happened today was so beautiful. A young girl of about 7 tells us about her ability to pray and begins to demonstrate.  As she prays out loud, the Holy Spirit gives me a big hug, and I melt. Tears of joy flow,  because of the pure beauty of this young Angel.  And literally she is dressed like an angel.

I think to myself, "Dear Lord, why am I so blessed to be spoken to by you so clearly?  You send Angels to me all the time.  Thank you for affirming our work.  It's a huge gift to me and I am so grateful."

We wrap up our clinic and head to lake Coatepeque for a nice lunch and some swim time.

Later in the hammock I rest in the Holy Spirit with a heart full of praise for what our Lord has accomplished through us this week.  I am grateful for so much:  our entire team who is a constant inspiration to me; our Angels who remind me that God cares so much about little things;  for the reminders this week about what really matters in life, love; for the hope that this mission gives me that we can make a difference if we try; and for the renewal and inspiration of our life's mission that this week has given us.

And we will keep trying because this cause of loving the people of El Salvador is worth it.  Thanks for making this journey with me.  I hope to return next year.  God's will be done.  Amen, Amen.

El Salvador Day 7 - 2015

Love.  We all share a desire to know we are loved.  When you break it down, all we are doing here is showing love.  Our willingness to show love is why the people here are grateful.  Their gratitude is so very heartfelt, and seeing this gets us choked up. Often.  Think about this: when is the last time a complete stranger said thank you in a very heartfelt way and hugged you?  I'm certain that most of us have had some very emotionally moving moments during the week, and today the emotional moments continued.

As we take our bus ride to the clinic, I think about all the things we take for granted back home. Not having spiders the size of a tennis ball, air conditioning, medical care, not waiting (100x longer), and  the list goes on. But don't get the wrong idea.  Yes we are spoiled, but there is plenty to love here.  One example: cookies here are amazing.  I think cookies would be the main reason I could not stay too long.  They are just too good.

Just to give some flavor of what medical care usually costs here at the church clinic, here is a sign:

This is not a copay, it is the price.  But still for most this is difficult to afford.

We get quite busy with our shoes and baby clothing area today and help some families.  I notice a family with red headed children, which is very rare, and so cute.

We are so short of glasses, but amazingly God provides.  The eyes he sends to us today are very aligned with what we have.  We give out many sunglasses which are very important in preventing eye problems such as pterygia, which is common here even in the young.

We are told the parish clinic has a box of glasses we can look at to see if they will help.

There is not much we can use here.

The best part of our day comes when we start getting young people who need help with distance vision. We are able to use the adjustable technology glasses on several teenagers. Afterward I turn to my partner the optometrist, and we get so emotionally overwhelmed.  We have made a difference in the lives of several teenagers, and the two young women below and we are very touched by this fact.

I am so happy to be part of this!  

As we close up shop we glow with a stong sense of accomplishment.  We helped 194 people see better today and 74 families were given shoes.  It feels so good to make a difference.

I celebrate the day with an ice cream cone (cost of .25).

Dear Lord thanks for allowing us to have this opportunity.  We are so thankful that you've shown us how to love today.  Please inspire us to always help you do your work and to see you in the people we serve.

El Salvador Day 6 - 2015

Time warp.  It's the best way to describe how many of us feel. The days pass so quickly. We are head down working by 8:30 and we look up and it is 1:00 and they are telling us we must take a lunch break.   We take a 15 minute break ( by desire, not necessity), just so we can get back while there are so many in line.  Today we moved to Ciudad Delgado.  We came here last year.  We are very needed here.

The picture below came from the most adorable boy who came for shoes.  His name is Irving. He just does not look like Irving to me, perhaps his middle name could be Chancho.  We just loved getting to help him.  So cute.

We had a chance to see many beautiful people and help them today.  Once again, their gratitude is so very apparent.  Today our Angel interpreter was with us.  What I appreciate most about her is that she  encourages me to go out of my way to be kind to the people.  Not that I am not already, believe me I  am, it's just that she is able to nudge me.  The good thing is that I know these nudges are really from the Holy Spirit, so I am open to her suggestions.  

We are very fortunate today to have many shoes and some baby clothes to distribute to the needy.  The shoes we distribute are given to children who are in need.  

The moms with babies are given some clothing.  We even have some nice pink flip flops for the moms.  We call the  area where I am setup, the "Mission Mall". It is such a great setup because I get to run the mall, and when someone comes, I can take a break from eyeglasses and help them with shoes and clothes. Here are some pictures of some families we helped today.

When one woman sits down in the chair next to me and I greet her kindly as I always do to everyone, she begins to cry.  I ask her what is wrong, and then her Spanish becomes too rapid for me.  I ask our Angel to interpret, and our Angel says" Are you sure you want me to tell you this story because it is very sad."  I ask to hear the story.  The woman's daughter is missing.  The daughter had just learned she was pregnant, and she was abducted by a gang from a bus.  She has not heard from her daughter and she fears the worst.  We console her as best we can, explaining the power of a parents prayer based on the story of Jairus's daughter in scripture.  We take our time with her and try to encourage her.  The healing of the whole person is definitely part of this ministry.  We often find that people just want to be listened to, consoled, and encouraged.  This is universal, but especially here where it is so difficult to survive when you have so little.

Toward the end of the day I take a moment to give a red ball and some shoes to some boys.

The donations to purchase the shoes were made possible though the generosity of people back home who donated to the cause, especially my coworkers back home.  Today I felt their presence with me as I shared their generousity. As I took off some very worn, broken and dirty little shoes so the children could try on the new shoes, I imagined everyone who contributed there in the "Mission Mall" with me. In this moment I am overwhelmed with emotion and gratitude for this opportunity.  Why me?  Why do I get to do this?  I am so very blessed. Special thanks to everyone who donated.

We spend quite a bit of time traveling back and forth from where we are staying to our mission sites.  This morning I took a picture of our bus as I stepped outside the seminary front doors.  From the bus below, we tour through this city and see some of the culture.  We understand a bit about what it is like to live here as we travel back and forth every day. But what these daily tours do not tell us is what we already know.  The people of El Salvador that we are helping are beyond grateful.  We see this iin all we do.  We hear the sincerity in their voice, and we sense it powerful in the hugs they give us.  And that is what keeps us going.

El Salvador Day 5 - 2015

God always provides, especially on mission.  This morning I learned I would be working without my my very experienced friend, because he was not feeling well.  I had no idea how we would get through the day.  But I had to let go and not worry.  Little did I know what our day would be like.  First think hot.  Now think large crowds and long lines. Add great need.  Mix in a full dose of compassion. Ask for no breaks because of a desire to serve.  So what does this all equal?  

A phenomenal mission day.  We are all about work.  And we know we made a big difference in the lives of 221 people who can see better.  And that is why we are here, to make a difference.

So how did God provide?  He sent an optometrist!  Folks understand, I am a rank amateur when it comes to eyeglasses.  I learned so much today from him.  It was such an incredible opportunity.

So after yesterday, when a man who walks up using a white blind man's cane, I think "whoa Lord what are you going to teach me?" So the optometrist lets me do what I can.  The whole time I am thinking Dear God, what do you want here?  So we try everything.  And after I do my best, and find some glasses that help, the man says:  "I can  now see the very large print, and that is enough for me to read large print books.  Thank You."  We did not make the blind see, but we did help a "blind man" read.

The crowds are growing and we keep working.  We help a man who has his granddaughter with him, and I give her some new shoes.

We keep our heads down working and the lines just don't stop.  I keep thanking the optometrist and the wonderful medical student who is helping me.  I am so grateful that I must have told them 20 times how much I appreciate them.  Sitting in metal chairs all day bent over is a challenge.

To have a moment of fun, I grab a Physical Therapy card from triage and present to our Physical Therapist, telling her I need a massage.  She laughs, but still massages my shoulders.

When the day is done we have broken all previous mission records for glasses, 221 people.  All were grateful.  Here is our team:

Such awesome men ( the other guys) serving Christ by helping the poor.

After two and one half days here at Apopa, we will move to another location tomorrow.  The parish priest gives us certificates of appreciation and a beautiful cake to express their gratitude.

I nod off as the bus drives us home, and it is a good tired.  A God-filled tired.

El Salvador Day 4 - 2015

When you least expect it, expect it.  Expect  God's grace to flow.  Expect it to flow abundantly.  Today was a one of a kind day.  I guess we let our guard down and did not expect today to be so wonderful.   Today was our first full day of clinics.  Solid work.  We setup our station for glasses and the people started coming. We got busy and then God started moving...

After helping a woman with her glasses, she told tells me: "God is going to bless you for this.  God sent you to me.  I never dreamed I would get to see like this.  I can't afford to buy glasses."  Emotion wells up and I melt.  Such a beautiful inspiration to hear.  Here she is:

And then I still had my guard down, but the spiritual hugs from heaven did not end there.  After helping a lady with glasses she came back.  Usually this means there is a problem, but instead it was a blessing.  She says: " I came back to tell your something, I am familiar with missions like this.  You need to know what good year are doing.  This organization has helped me, and if they had not I would not have been able to get a job.  There are no jobs for those who can't hear or see.  So I am grateful to you" and she starts crying. Wow, just wow.  I could not have prepared for that. I hug her.  Here she is:

But it did not stop there.  Later a woman in her 80's comes to us with her daughter.  As she sits down, she says:  "You are the one who is going to get the devil out of me!"  I blush a bit and say hmmm,  thinking she is confused, and just begin the fitting process.  The  woman already has glasses and the prescription looks very strong.  Immediately we think, we probably can't help her.  But we try everything anyway.  And then we tell her we can't help her, but she refuses to get up.  Finally we say, let's pray over her, and we do, asking God to help her see.  Then she still won't get up and leave.  So I say, let's try an adjustable, believing she needs glasses for close vision, but we can at least say we tried everything.  We set the glasses to a low strength and try.  We get a nice smile.  We increase the strength, and get a bigger smile, further, and a huge smile.  She can see well.  It turns out the glasses she had been wearing were just some terribly incorrect glasses for her.  The medical student translator with me says "I am getting chills."  God is so good.  Here is our group picture:

We helped 152 people see better today and at the same time we were very fortunate to also see the hand of God.  I cannot help but think how much the people of El Salvador must pray.  They are so close to God, and we are humbled to be with them.  Here is a group waiting to be seen:

Later as things begin to slow down, we take a moment to brighten the day of a boy who had shoes that were worn out.  We gift him a pair of shoes and a toy car.  He proudly displays his car with his grandmother:

As we clean up we see how many water bottles we have consumed today...it was warm, but God was  cool.  As I take that cold shower later, I am restored and now very thankful for the cold water.

Thank you so very much Lord for a grace filled day.  You made my heart sing today and for that I can't thank you enough.

El Salvador Day 3 - 2015

Sunday is a warm up day.  It is a bit like spring training.  Our schedule includes a mini retreat and clinic time for a half day.

During our retreat we reflect on compassion and service, recalling that Christ had a human heart: He cried at times.  Compassion is how we can be 100% human, exactly what is says on the back of one of the shirts the local team has provided for us.

I am privileged to work in triage, greeting the patients, making them smile, and taking temperatures.  You might think hmmm, what joy could be found in this job?  The answer is plenty!  I am working with Marcela, who is volunteering for the mission the first time.  I take the opportunity to explain what an opportunity we have in the job we have been given. 

 I decide to pray for each each person whose temperature I take and I ask Marcela to do the same.  Often I tell the patients exactly this as I place the temperature sensor in their ears: "I am praying for you right now." They are so grateful.  But I am grateful too.  Soon I am a overwhelmed with compassion, wondering what it is like for them.  What are their greatest worries?  What would it be like to not have health care they could afford?  Emotion wells up in me as i reflect and pray, and then I see what an opportunity we have here, to be fully human and be compassionate.  As we make small talk with everyone, we receive smiles.  And as a continuation of a joke once played on me by my angel interpreter, I willingly tell the crowd that if they clap I will sing for them.  I sing and we all smile afterward.  And our prayer is that this small act of love will somehow boost their spirits.  Who knew such incredible joy could come from something so simple and beautiful.  Like Mother Teresa said, small things with great love.

Here is a picture of the last few patients waiting after we have taken down their information:

It's a short half day clinic because soon triage is done and I begin to work in crowd control, helping patients reach the proper doctor and solving little problems.  I have a chance to serve my teammates and it is so sweet to me.  Later I work in the pharmacy filling prescriptions.  Here are a few pictures of our Pharmacy area.

We share stories of our day as we share a wonderful meal of traditional Salvadorian food.  We are tired but can't wait for tomorrow.

El Salvador Day 2 - 2015 (updated)

A rooster begins to crow well before the sun rises.  I think about my electronic "rooster" and I am reminded how there are many low tech solutions to life.  

We take so many things for granted.  The place where we are staying is part of a seminary.  We have only cold water for showers.  I think about how much I take for granted in the comfort of my daily life.  The fact is that I enjoyed the cold shower.  Don't get me wrong, I am not likely to switch, but still it was good to even have a shower.

We prepare care packages for our hospital visits today.  We have a commissioning mass to begin our mission.  Our host families have adopted us in every way.  They prepare and serve our food with great love, and we sense their love by the way they attend to our every need.  Our interpreter Angel (read the prior years to understand) brings us gifts that will help us to make our mission a lasting memory.  We are grateful for our Angel and all of the volunteers who make our mission so wonderful.

We group into teams and go to the Children's Hospital.  Our team volunteers to go to the children's oncology floor believing that God is with us and will help us raise the spirits of the children and their parents.  What we witness is both heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time.  Our first visit is with a four year old who has cancer.  She is a happy toddler and we are able to make her smile.  We pray over the baby and mother with heartfelt prayers for the child's healing.  Our Angel interprets our words and we know that hearts are touched.  We know the mother is encouraged as we leave her with a care package of food, drink, and a coloring book, along and promises to continue praying for them both.

Later we visit with a young boy of about 6 and we have a funny face contest with him to make him smile.  We discover that the bottoms of his feet are ticklish and he laughs.  Then he says to tickle his feet again as he laughs.  Then we all laugh together.  Then we pray with the boy and his mom.  It was so precious to see the boy close his eyes and pray with us.  We tell him how much God hears his prayers because the prayers of a child are so special because they are pure.

As we move from one room to the next, we notice in the shared rooms that after we pray with one family that the other families also actively seek our prayers with them.  We are so happy to grant their request.  We join our love with God's love and ask that it be showered down upon them.  I'm still praying now for these precious children who have pulled at my heartstrings are so in need of prayers.  And later we learn why in this case my ignorance of their prognosis is best.  If I knew just how bad it was, perhaps we would not be able to encourage them quite as well.

We are summoned to come meet a young lady who has a brain tumor and who would like to talk to us.  After visiting with her we ask her if she would like for me to sing.  We sing her "Tale as Old as Time" from Beauty and the Beast.  We get a big smile from her, and that is all we need.

More rooms, more heartfelt prayers, more songs, more care packages and shoes are distributed.  Everyone accepts our love.  Everyone accepts our prayers.  So beautiful.  Not sad.

On another floor, a three day old baby has a weak heart and scared parents.  We huddle and pray with them and encourage them as tears fall while we pray.  We tell them of the special way that Jesus always answered the prayer of a parent. We huddle and pray with three mothers who all have very sick children.

How is it possible that we can experience all of this, as difficult as it is, and yet still smile, encourage and pray? There is no other explanation than supernatural help from God.  We know we have made a difference today, and all we had to do was love.  Just love.

El Salvador Day 1 - 2015 (Revised)

Well, I had a day 1 post, but it vanished. Go figure. So I guess it wasn't meant to be.  I'll try to recapture it, and trust the new post is what God wants. 

As we arrive, things are familiar, but we immediately notice the simplicity.  We could learn a few things about keeping things simple.  We know there will be things that get us outside our comfort zone, but we ask God to guide us.  We are docile in the Holy Spirit, asking God to show us what He wants us to see.  Let go...

The first thing you notice is the green, such a lush beautiful green.  The tree below is an example of one of the treeswith an extensive root system.  We pray that the roots of this mission will grow like this tree.

Our fist stop is a civil war museum.  To serve the people of El Salvador we need to understand their history and the challenges they face.  El Salvador had a civil war from 1980 to 1992.  Many people have memories of the war and tell stories about family members they lost in the war.  We cannot begin to imagine life with a civil war.  

As we tour the museum, we come across the "Popemobile" used when John Paul II visited here.  We are reminded of the admonition that John Paul gave many times "Be Not Afraid," exactly what is on the back of our mission shirts.

We visit the memorial of Oscar Romero (Canonized a Saint this year) who was killed while saying mass.  Romero worked to raise awareness of the poor, something that we can identify with as we serve the poor and afflicted this week.  As we leave the memorial and church, we notice a street beggar.  This situation easily could be a street in Houston, and  are reminded that there are "missions" right in front of us every day.

Lord, help us to see that our whole life is a mission, and that the needs are great.  Help us to be your hands this week as we serve the poor of El Salvador.