All good things must come to an end right?? We have had the best week filled with teamwork, compassion, open hearts, and working in our gifting for the good of the masses.
This morning we met over a typical El Salvadoran breakfast and spent some time sharing what things impacted each of us. It was really good to listen to each other. After breakfast we loaded our big van and headed back to the city square.
We were planning to shop the market (a place I had not yet been to) and sight see a bit more in the buildings. We said goodbye to Dr Steve. He was a special part of my first ever medical mission trip…and of this one too. He thought Molly and Cami made a great pair, and he enjoyed interacting with them! Actually, the older guys enjoyed teasing and harassing the girls throughout the week. It didn’t take them long to figure out that the girls can be pretty spicy and weren’t backing down and that they could dish it right back. So it was pretty much Game ON!
This is just a photo of a typical side street!! There are tiny shops and vendors in and along the streets!! Lots of blind people hawking dulces (candies) on the street corners, as well as street vendors selling fresh fruit, candy, breads, beads, and flowers.
A few vendors on the corner before we hit the market. I got one picture of the girls walking into this mall…but I’m telling ya, once we were inside it was all over for thinking about photos…Think Walmart sized store, with much skinnier aisles…there are goods as far as your eye can see—overwhelming thing #1. Shoes, trinkets, clothing, toys, blankets, hammocks, purses, bags and hats. Each little cubby of a store sold different versions of the same thing. BUT, once you hit the outside of the store, women were at your elbow touching and telling you all the things they had, which was overwhelming thing #2…it was completely overstimulating to shop and be kind and not get bullied…Before we went in, I heard Marvin teaching the girls two words…Solo mirando…just looking…which we ended up using!! Cami bought me a hammock for my birthday (which was today)…and we got a couple of sundresses and a gift for her dad (whose birthday was also today). Molly found an adorable summer bag…and Sarah came out with some bags…and Ronald came out also carrying some of Sarah’s bags!!
Larry got a notification first thing this morning that the RO system on the island wasn’t working and he insisted going back to fix it. Monica insisted on going with him (he is 86 and she worries about him). So that meant Ronald was in charge of his American friends. He had been hearing about a nice steakhouse right where we were, which is where we decided to eat! It was hands down THE best food we have had…I had ceviche as well as an aguacate ensalada con pollo (that BEAUTIFUL avocado and tomato salad with palm of hearts and chicken). We had a very leisurely lunch and enjoyed trying everyone’s food. And drinks. With the same straws and utensils. At this point of the week, germs seem irrelevant.
The first church we went to see had mosaic pieces of glass ALLL over the buildings, a bit like windows but different. Unfortunately for us, there was a wedding and they wouldn’t even let us peak.
The cathedral was having mass yesterday, so we couldn’t go in…and today the doors were all shut up…strike two.
So we went back to Starbucks. (The sign says our matcha is your matcha). We sat around chatting some more. At some point in the last two days, we have morphed into caring, sharing, I got your drink or snack team. Such a beautiful comfortableness we have transitioned into. It’s always amazing to me how close people can get after a few days of sharing a common project, community wins, and making vulnerable the stories and their hearts.
As we headed back to the van, the girls and I hit the supermarket for Monica’s recommendation on coffee, as well as to the first little shop we stopped in to pick up the chocolate we didn’t want to melt earlier!!
One of our teammates wasn’t feeling well, so we dropped she and her husband off and the remaining 7 of us left with Ron and our driver up to another volcano. We were still pretty full from lunch so we had cocktails and appetizers.
Linda Vista Gardens (translated Nice view) is magical. It’s a little ironic that I ate there on my 49th birthday at the beginning of my first mission trip…and I celebrated my 53rd birthday at the end of my 3rd trip. It didn’t disappoint this time either!
We were afraid we would miss the sunset but we were JUST in time!! A beautiful gift from God.
We have really enjoyed getting to know Dr Marvin and Dr Paul. They will head out with us tomorrow morning. Paul flies out shortly after we do and Marvin will spend one more night on the beach before going home on Monday!
Adding to our picture here is Alfred who is 81 years young and his sweet attitude was such a joy. He is very laid back and was always looking at ways he could help us!! Sarah was also such an asset. She always kept us laughing!
My FAVORITE bird of paradise flower!
This restaurant is different levels of gardens and lights and water falls. We climbed up into the treehouse…for a better view!
Looking down into a level.
Sooo may beautiful tropical plants. I could have spent the day in a wicker chair with a coffee or cocktail…or both.
This was our dining area…you can see Ron posing for me!! Cami and I decided that the junior class did pretty good designing and executing their prom theme “the enchanted forest” last year. This was the real version of that!!
After dinner we returned back to our retreat…we said good bye to the Millers and Sarah as they will be leaving around 4 a.m. to catch their plane!! The rest of us will leave around 10. We are praying for favor in Houston as their TSA lines have been 3-4 hours with government funding to TSA being halted. We have a two hour layover and we really just want to make it home in one day!!
The girls and I have had the most amazing time. There are things that have been said and seen that will remain in our hearts forever. We trust that God will continue to speak into our hearts over the next few weeks as we settle back into our normal lives. Pray that we can make space to hear what He has to tell each of us!
I want to do a wrap up post for my own processing purposes, and I have also saved some special pictures to share!! It won’t take me more than a week to get that done!! I also plan to verbally process the prison day for myself and anyone who is following along the story!! It’s been a little more difficult!
Thanks for sharing this adventure with us!!
No comments:
Post a Comment