12/03/07

El Salvador Trip (written by Kara) - This was a much more relaxing trip than I have had in the past.  The slow pace of everything really got to Raymond.  It took half of the day just to get the lumber to the school to fix the breaking swing set.  Of course, they carried the wood from the other end of town.  About five miles total.  He did not get to build anything new in the playground.  He had to fix all the problems, and fix the computers in the lab, and he spent a lot of time with the Mayor, talking about what the plans were for the clinic in March, and trying to help come up with ways to improve his city.  Raymond said the two things that would help the most in that town would be - 1.  Kill all the dogs, and, 2, throw all the drunks in jail.  Good luck with that!  Raymond also built shelves for a member of the church, and spent a lot of time just spending time with local men, doing what they do every day ~ soccer, hang out in doorways, whatever!  He did some Bible studies.  Then, we did classes for the young adults twice, and Raymond taught a children's class with Jose. 

 I did Bible Studies, the "shopping ministry" (we made that one up!  Encourage people we are studying with by shopping in their stores), taught children's Bible classes, and worked with the teachers who will take over the Children's Bible classes.  I also taught English in the schools three times a day for five days, and then, of course, there was lice day (piojos, in Spanish). 

This is a picture of the baby of my friend, Josue.  The mother, Brenda, is in the background.