Tuesday, May 29, 2012

El Salvador

I guess I started this blog thing at the wrong time. Between dead week (which is a very misleading name, I actually had a lot of projects due this week!), final exams, and my mission trip to El Salvador it has been far too long since I have posted. However it is now summer and I cannot wait to update on a regular basis!

I recently returned from a trip to El Salvador and I cannot express how wonderful it was. The next opportunity that I get I will be returning for sure! There was so much spirit and hope in this small country that has gone through so much turmoil. For those who have not heard of Oscar Romero or the civil war that happened in El Salvador, I suggest looking it up!

Here are a few snapshots from the trip:


















Making Concrete

The Construction site











 In El Salvador we worked in a community about 45 minutes out of the capital San Salvador. The community was called Las Delicias. While many of the homes had running water and some had electricity, there were many that looked like the houses in the pictures here.
In the community we helped build the foundation of a health clinic. The community was very remote so we had to do everything by hand, including mixing our own concrete and cutting wire to build concrete support. For three days all we did was dig and move rocks to level out the land and make the trenches!

When we weren't digging, we had the amazing opportunity to play with the kids in the area. What was amazing about this was these children know that in a week or so you will be leaving. Despite this they love you unconditionally.  If everyone was so open to love people that they knew would only be in their lives for a short while, the world would be a different place.


My main squeeze Samual (sorry it is so blurry)
Every day little Samual would be waiting for me to play soccer. He was three and we both spoke about the same amount of Spanish!













We also had the wonderful opportunity to work with some orphans in an orphanage ran by the Carmelites.



City of Las Delecias


Overall it is impossible to express the trip in words. I am sure as the summer goes on I will be throwing in a post or two about El Salvador. It was a wonderful experience and I cannot wait to go back and be able to help the people more.

Faces of El Salvador

Even a smile can make a difference in someones life
XOXO ~Jackie

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