El Salvador 2026…day 2

Today was a GREAT day...I'm not even sure that I am quite able to comprehend it all yet. Two nights of really poor sleep have made my brain a little foggy tonight as I try to sort it all out in my mind...But I want to try and capture the day...

The goal was to leave by 7:15. The girls are learning that times in El Salvador are "loose" at best!! Our cooks left last night after dinner, and our coordinator Ronald (pronounced Roan-ahld) was left to cook for our team...pack our stuff in the van...and drive us to the boat dock. Not a small order of things!! And 7:15...nor 7:30...nor 7:45 were happening!

We met up with the team from El Salvador at the docks, so we all left together in 2 boats. The waterways were busy today and we passed many boats going and coming, as well as fishermen.

Here is the side shot...they are pretty interesting to see!!

We saw today that Dad's across the world take their little guys fishing!! 

Dr Miller is such an interesting guy. He worked with National Geographic decades ago, and so he knew all about the mangrove forests from his time with them. He had the boat drivers pull over so he could teach us a little about them. I have heard parts in the past, but not a great explanation like I did today. If anything, I have been surprised at all the information that I am learning already in the past couple of days that I either didn't hear or forgot from previous trips. 

So, God put on my heart in February, that I needed to find these two books (The blood sugar solution by Dr Mark Hyman and Good Energy by Dr Casey Means) in Spanish. I was convinced that I needed to bring them along, but I wasn't entirely sure who was to get them. As time went, I knew that Dr Morataya would get a set of them...I had initially thought that two copies of each was the goal...but I had a nagging to get a third set...Even as I packed them, I kept questioning whether I should take all three sets, they are big books...and room was a commodity. BUT I did. As Monica and I chatted yesterday, I knew that Yvonne, the nutritionist that helps on the Island would need one(many of the kids are still malnourished, and she helps to identify which ones, and makes sure to get them into the feeding program they started) Dr got his set yesterday, and he was so appreciative to get them, especially after I told him about my own journey and how they impacted both how I live my own life, and how I manage the lives of my patients...I didn't expect Yvonne to be so thrilled...She was ecstatic and can't wait to read them and then make some handouts based on the information to give to the people. She wanted pictures, and that made my heart joyful, because I knew that she really felt blessed by them! 

I knew that I would know who would get the last set...but I didn't know how many days it would take...In God's providence, our coordinator Ronald was my translator today...and because of the A1C kits that were provided for us to take, I heard a little more about HIS journey...Toward the end of the day, I told him that he should have Cami check his A1C so he knew how he was doing...She misunderstood me and did his fingerstick blood sugar reading. Which was actually not bad considering it was after lunch. BUT I knew that we were to press it, so I asked her later to catch him and do one. As it turned out, his A1C put him in a diabetic level, but still at "goal" for lifestyle management. As I have learned, this won't improve unless measures are taken. In the conversation, he mentioned that he had done a lot of research on getting his BS down the first time...and took a lot of the measures to correct it...and I knew (before we had the A1C results back) that HE was the one who was to receive the books. And as I sit here in the foyer, soaking in my own sweat and listening to the ocean roar, Ron sits across the foyer, reading his new book. To GOD be the glory for the provision...not just to US in our journey here...but to SO MANY people in El Salvador...The book will change Ron's life...and the book in Yvonne and Dr M's hands, might change the trajectory of chronic disease in El Salvador...The part I can't process...is how BIG God is...to orchestrate ALL. THESE. DETAILS...and frankly...why He even cares about 3 sets of books enough to put it in my head...and put them in my hands. I'm telling you...someday, when we meet Jesus face to face, I think we will be astonished to see what He does as He weaves all the tapestry together!! 

I was also SOO excited to see old friends...Oscar is a dental worker, trained by his sister a dentist...The first year I met he and his sister...I remember learning that we didn't have to speak the same language to connect and interact...I would talk in English, they in Spanish...and we would use facial expressions, hand gestures, and tone of voice to get our thoughts across..I remember thinking how fun it was to banter back and forth, not having a real clue about what was being said...and still be able to belly laugh, one up them, and belly laugh some more...TODAY...Oscar spoke to me in English AFTER I spoke to him in Spanish...Communication today was much different than in the past and what an incredible blessing!! He has been trying to learn English...and while we were both busy today, we had plenty of catch up joking and harrassing one another...I can't wait for the rest of the week. Today I also learned that he is a very patient person. He really took his time teaching and training Molly into the world of dentistry. We aren't sure that he understood what a hygienist was in the States, but it won't hurt Molly to understand how to be a thorough and caring practitioner in her future!! He taught her to use the tools, and then sat back and let her work. It sounds like she had a great day. He and Oscar 2 (we have TWO Oscars this week) were joking that she wouldn't want to come back with them tomorrow...but my gut says they were wrong!!

Cami was also pretty nervous this morning as we got ready to start. Her interpreter was originally from ES, but had taken shelter in Canada many years ago. Cami's job was to check blood pressures, blood sugars and A1C (the average blood sugar over the last 3 months) We realized early on, that the A1C kits would not work where she was stationed, because they were TOO HOT. Once we got them to one of the clinic rooms with AC, it worked perfectly. 

She has been studying Spanish on Duolingo as I have been for 4 years now. I asked her if she was able to use any of her Spanish...She said yes...Hola, como estas (hi, how are you). Si, No and Lo Siento (I'm sorry) I have to stick you again. We got a laugh out of that.

The A1C kits are also going to be INVALUABLE for these people. We didn't use very many today...mostly because no one remembered that we had them except Monica and I. BUT...we diagnosed TWO people that didn't know they were diabetic, and we used the objective data to show a third lady that she needed to increase her medications (as a previous doctor had suggested to her) before she lost part of her leg like a neighbor on the Island recently had. We had grounds to freely talk about the elephant in the room (diet and diabetes) and talk about measures that they will have to take to heal. I think this objective data is going to make it easier to convince people that they have problems.

I had the opportunity to talk to the group before we started today...I have opted to share the gospel first and leading into the fact that when He puts His Spirit within us, we become His temple...Today I shared a little more about what that looks like for them...and I was able to remind them that even more than being interested in their physical health, we are most concerned about their Spiritual well being. I am starting to question God about the real reason I am here this time...and what job He really sent me to do. If you are reading and praying, lift that up in the next few days. I'm not sure that handing out ibuprofen is it.

Could. NOT. resist this adorable shot. Brotherly love is universal...and so are cell phones! Ha!

And, so after my little talk this morning, I couldn't help taking a photo of a main culprit of the talk in the first place. In the VERY back of the photo, those girls had showed up to sell sugared juices to the people. It's how they make their money...and I can appreciate that. It's a hard row to hoe. There isn't a real grocery store on the Island...but a little quick shop with plenty of unhealthy stuff. They all came with candy and chips today. It really breaks my heart, as much as it does when I work a concession stand for my kids and sell obscene amounts of sugared snacks to the kids running through. I wish there was a great solution to all of it.

We started out with FIVE providers in one small air conditioned room this morning, but can you imagine an empty cinder block room with 5 people, 5 plus patients and a handful of interpreters?? It took me one patient to know I couldn't stay there! About the same time Dr Steve, whom I served with on my first trip, decided the same thing...so we both took our gear and retreated to the "upper room." Air conditioning came from the Lord as a breeze through the coconut and mango trees. Doubly glad for the breeze and open air after the first two kids I saw had the stomach flu. 

Because we had sooooo much baggage, I only had a few dresses today...the rest of our supplies didn't get to the Island until midafternoon. This little sweetheart was glad to have gotten one in just her size!!

I also had the opportunity to explain and hand out a few menstrual kits this afternoon. Monica would like to take the rest of them to the prison on Friday as they have the fewest resources of them all. She is checking on the details...but they will be well appreciated by whomever gets them. 

Dr Larry is nearly always the last to finish, and I had located a couple frisbees while rooting through the bags.

Cause if it wasn't hot enough already, what's a little more sweat!! Only one of these guys had ever seen a frisbee (at his school) and none of them had actually ever thrown one...It was hilarious to see them launch it straight up in the air...and at one point we had to move to the back of the lot because I kept tapping it over the fence...so then I had 2 kids scaling a barbed wire fence to get my frisbee...I had flashbacks from the movie "The Sandlot" watching that action...and there are enough rogue dogs around that it totally could have been a thing. 

They had a hard time getting the wrist action down, but finally caught it!! It's a good thing are few windows to bust out with it cause I sent it home with them! I was also amazed that Oscar 2, the interpreter...probably in his late 20 to early 30s...had also NEVER thrown a frisbee. The things we take for granted!!

After THAT...Molly, Cami, and I took a little walk in the fine dust roads...and then caught a ride with Monica and some of the others to drive around the "block" to check stuff out. 

Many houses are made of sticks or sticks and mud chinking, or cinderblocks...a few with rusted old tin pieces. 

There was a little traffic in the narrow street as well...someone was moving their cattle home.

The doc from NYC told us there wasn't a good place for us to sit when we climbed in the back of the truck...Dude, we are FARM people...this is what we do...No one got bucked out, though Marvin did about lose his hair in a low hanging mango branch. Many more laughs!

We had some fried potato and cheese things for dinner tonight and caught a dusk ride home in the boat. It was so awesome to jam out to Spanish music with his party light on the canopy above us while skimming across the water, watching the white egrets find their resting spot for the night. 

Hopefully, all will get acclimated to the heat and humidity so we can continue with the energy and enthusiasm that we need to survive. We return to the Island for a busier day than today...Pray for the hearts that got hard news today about their health that they thought was fine...only to discover that it isn't. The course of their lives can change for the good of themselves and their families if they take hold of what they learn. As I told one 38 year old mom with 2 children under 5..."today was a BLESSING for you...because you get a chance to change your health for the sake of you AND your kids." Pray for them...it's as hard if not harder to shake the habits than it is in the US...

I know that some of you are bound to have questions...I would love to answer any that come up!! It's so much information, that I'm sure that I forget things!!

Hopeful to type again tomorrow night!

 

El Salvador 2026..day 1

 

Day 1 was one of the best first days here ever!! After a horrible night of sleep (apparently 17 degrees Celsius equals 62 degrees...and they don't have blankets here...because there is generally no air conditioning...62 degrees for this cold blooded girl is like Alaska.)...we were greeted with this beautiful sunrise! By 6:00 ES time, I couldn't stand it another second, so I pried my frozen self off the bed and headed out to see the ocean. I could hear the waves roaring all night, much like the wind gusts in Kansas...And I just needed to see it!

Cami and Molly were pretty much right behind me, and what a blessed treat it was!! We met the team for a hearty Salvadoran breakfast of scrambled eggs, beans, and fried plantains. With toasted bread or fried tortilla wedges. 

Church started at 9 because it is outdoors, and it gets HOT...It was a short 20 minute drive, and was fun to watch the girls watch out the windows of the van. Our US team numbers 12...and it's the biggest team I have served with here. It feels different than in the past...but in a very good way!

As a music lover at heart...I LOVE this type of worship...Loud...Upbeat...People are singing and clapping...you can absolutely feel the joy in the hearts of the people here. We were also treated to a couple of songs that we sing on the radios in the US...and since the tune was familiar, singing with the Hispanic lyrics was doable! 

This morning was a special morning for the church...There were 12 US missionaries, as well as staff from CFCI (Christ for the City International--the mission organization that we work with here. I also use CFCI for our Dallas YG trips.) SO, we got a bilingual history of how the pastor and his family were called to drive to this little community 3-4 times per week to build a church and pour into the community. It is difficult to see, but behind the Millers in the above photo shows some new dark windows that have been installed. They are planning to have more windows installed and air conditioning within the next couple of months. That will be an incredible upgrade for them. A lot of sweat moves around on Sunday mornings there!

This mission trip is also the 10th anniversary of Larry and Monica's first trip to El Salvador. We were able to hear about all of the improvements that have happened because of what God did through the perseverant mentorship and leadership of one couple that was committed to serve God to the least of these. Their story of faithful service is inspiring to say the least!

Monica asked me shortly after we arrived at the church if I might be willing to bring some words to the church...Which made me nervous...but not nervous at the same time...When it was my turn, I was able to share the gospel with them, and use Scripture to talk about the importance of taking care of our bodies, which are the temple of the Lord after we accept Christ's gift of salvation. I shared that Satan has made our food and drinks so lucrative and addictive that we are destroying our health because of them. I was also able to pray for their church and their community. My friend Rudy was there today, and he interpreted for me. He was the coordinator for my first trip, and a beautiful soul! I haven't seen him in 4 years, and it was fun to catch up and tell stories!

After that, Rudy's dad, PASTOR Rudy, talked about and blessed his other son who is leaving this week for Los Angeles to be with his new wife. In my life, I have seen only a few people that radiate the Holy Spirit SOOO brightly, that you can just FEEL Jesus without doubt...Pastor Rudy is that 100%. I have met him 3 times now and he can call me by name. Each time I have felt this about him. I think my picture captured his personality perfectly. They will miss their son, but still have Rudy and their sister Grace that will continue to help with the mission of sharing the gospel with the community of Pedrigal. 

When we got back to the Villa after church, we had about an hour before lunch. Our coordinator Ronald, stopped by our hammocks to see if we needed any thing from the supermarket. He politely agreed to take us along for the ride...so Molly, Cami and I rode along with Ronald and Paul, who needed a pair of sandals. 

Diabetes is RAMPANT in El Salvador, as it is in the US...primarily because of their snacks and food choices, along with Coke and this "juice," which actually has ZERO juice in it. They are as addicted to sugar as we are in the US, but they also drink it because in many places, their water still makes them sick! (The girls will have brushing their teeth with bottled water mastered in a few more days...it has been fun to watch them sort it out!)

Little fast food restaurant right outside the doors to the grocery store...Cami remarked "just like Costco."

We did purchase a few little snacks...

When we got back to the Villa, a little guy tried to sell them some coconuts...which they declined, but the CFCI crew bought all he had, and the little man chopped them up with his machete, and the girls poured out the water (one of THE best electrolyte solutions ever...HA. Imagine, best electrolytes...created by God!) and then ate the soft meat with spoons. 

Fresh coconut consumption...CHECK. The verdict was that neither of them liked the water, but deemed the soft coconut meat edible. I happen to LOVE the meat myself, and only drank the juice of one so it didn't go to waste. Tomorrow should be fresh mango!

After lunch of marinated and flat topped chicken and fresh vegetables, we gathered together as a team to introduce ourselves and share. It was lengthy, but it was so intriguing to see what God has orchestrated. We have a very diverse team, and I can't wait to see how the week plays out.

Around 3, everyone was dismissed to enjoy the beach, pools, and hammocks. The doctors and myself stuck around for a second meeting to discuss the medications we have access to and some of the details of how the clinic will work. 

Dr Morataya and his wife Nellie came this afternoon as well. He is the medical director for CFCI, and he has a heart of gold. He loves what he does, and he loves serving his people. I was able to gift him a 3 month supply of continuous glucose monitors to use for himself and his wife to have a better comprehension about how food, stress, sleep, and exercise affect our metabolic function. I also brought him my two favorite books, written in Spanish. God has laid heavy on my heart that the only way to help the people here, is the same way we have to help them in the US...we have to help them understand that their bodies were miraculously created to repair and heal themselves...we have to teach them how to do that...and God impressed upon my heart in August that giving Dr M the tools he needs to better understand, HE can ultimately educate his people. He was deeply touched by the gift, and was amazed at things I shared that I have learned from my own personal journey. Please pray that he will find the time he needs to read the books, and that God would show him a different perspective to helping him help his people how to manage their health. He also told us that their is a wave of stomach flu going around here right now...so while you are praying in March of 2026...please add prayer that our team will avoid it completely.

FINALLY, I made it to dig my toes in the sand. Walking barefoot on the beach has become one of my favorite things in the world...and tonight didn't disappoint. About the time I had walked as far as I felt comfortable going by myself (I am a chicken after all) two of my teammates, Martin and Paul came walking along...and they graciously let me join them. It's really hard to explain how crazy it is to form very comfortable bonds with siblings in Christ. We met less than 24 hours ago...all live vastly different lives in vastly different locations...yet could chat about our upcoming week, our experiences, or walk silently in tandem in a foreign land and be completely comfortable doing so. 

Today I have been reminded more than once...that I...you...we...all those who have been saved by the blood of the Lamb...are what make up God's church...not a building in a town or a city...but that when we have the same Spirit of Christ living within us...we can communicate via the Spirit...whether singing in a foreign tongue, sharing a hug (we were hugged a LOT this morning at church) with strangers, or gathered around the table with saints you don't know, and may never see again in this life. We make up God's team. And it takes all of us doing our part to get the work done. What a beautiful design!

After dinner, we sorted through the gifts brought from the US and made plans for their recipients. We also found out that the team will be returning to this beautiful Villa Monday and Tuesday nights to sleep after working at the Island...which means 4 trips in the boats...and 2 more nights to hear the mighty roar of the ocean waves. I'll take that!! As I type, everyone has wound down. I am sitting in a hammock typing my thoughts, trying to take it all in. I don't want to miss a THING...Tomorrow we report to breakfast by 6:30 with estimated leave time around 7:15...I believe that I get the privilege of addressing the clients each morning...so I'm praying that God will use my voice to share His truth...both about salvation, and about God's design for the stewardship of our bodies. 

I'm excited to be a part of what God is doing in El Salvador...and I am equally excited to be tasked with journaling it out so that others will also be able to see God's story as it unfolds through this week!!

El Salvador…2026

God has been so faithful to bless me with opportunities to minister to people in His name. Not only in my community, but also in other places that are much different than the community I live in!! This trip had significantly more warning than the previous two!! I began planning for a third trip to El Salvador in the fall of 2025. I wanted to take my daughter, who dreams of being a pediatric nurse practitioner. One of my previous youth group students and family friend told me that she would like to go to El Salvador to work with the dentists. She aspires to be a dental hygienist! So my team was formed!

In the past, I have ordered all the supplies and used any money that people gave to me for the trip to offset my expenses. This time, I decided to try something new…I made a wish list on Amazon that asked for medical supplies, bilingual children’s bible books, and trinkets like bookmarks, slap bracelets, punch balloons and ear piercing kits! I was immediately blown away by the interest and generosity of our families and friends…3/4 of the lengthy list was purchased in less than 24 hours!! The entire list was gone in 5 days. INCREÍBLE!! Incredible!

The first day that packages arrived, Jeremy had gone out in the dark to get them up to the house. Next thing I knew, he was hauling a dolly full of packages up the steps and into the house like Christmas!! Other things also arrived like hand sewn dresses by a church group in my home town and hand crafted menstrual hygiene kits by a woman that I have never even met in real life! What an amazing testament of what happens when God's people work together for a common good...caring for others!

Some of my favorite things were the children’s books!! They were so much nicer than I imagined they would be and are beautifully written in English AND Spanish!! Most of the kids desire to learn English as well!  I can’t wait to see the reactions!! So many things that came...toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss, gloves, gauze, blood sugar and diabetic testing supplies, books, storybook bibles, color books, crayons...and some outdated, perfectly fine supplies from our hospital and EMS service. 

Molly's mom and my friend Hilary, came over the week before we left and helped me pack. We worked for a couple of hours, packing, unpacking, weighing, moving things around, and weighing again. We were trying to get our bags as close to 50 pounds as we could get. I think some of those supplies were breeding ounces though, because in the week to follow, I weighed them all several more times, moving and removing as I went! 

God blessed us with the favor I asked for though! The bags weighed between 46-49.5 pounds each. Miracle number #1!

Miracle number 2...I was having some weird floaters in my right eye that had started a couple of weeks before our trip. As any good nurse would do, I ignored it...anticipating that it would resolve on its own...and too busy to deal with it. Though it was improving some, I decided to call my eye doctor 10 days before the trip. They felt like I should at least get it checked out before I left the country, so I drove the quick hour on my day off to have them look. The verdict was a "lot of blood," that had come from a "fairly large" hole in my retina. As providence would have it, they sent me to the city the same day where they performed laser surgery on it. When the doc found out I had been sitting on the floaters for about 10 days, he rolled his chair back, looked at me around his equipment and said "You lucky." I told him that I was NOT lucky...and he smiled and said, "yes, Someone was looking out for you from above." You will not convince me that Jesus wasn't sealing down that hole until I came to my senses to deal with it. Had it torn, I don't believe that I would have been able to make the trip. 

SOOO...3 gals, 6 50 pound suitcases, 3 20 pound carry on bags...headed south to another world. 

We were surprised actually to meet the rest of the team in the airport in Houston...where we determined that we would have 17 bags among us. 

Sushi on the plane leaving Houston. 

We are all so grateful for so much support!! We were able to budget out the money sent for different supplies, fees for the bags to get there, $1200 extra for the medicines that we will use there...I don't know where this money usually comes from, but 3 days before it was due, we were short by $2000. We were thankful that we were able to pass that along as well. 

This week, we are asking for God's eyes to see things as He does. We are prayerful that people will see Jesus in our smiles...that encouragement and love will go out from us through handshakes, fist bumps, pats on the arms, and the occasional hugs. We are asking that God would help us to be a blessing to our teammates that steward and serve in His name on the daily in their country. And that through it all, He would teach us more about Himself, ourselves, and the people around us. 

Thank you so much for supporting our trip and following along with our journey!! 

PS...I LOVE reading your comments, but unless you have a blogspot account, it will post anonymously...so just add your  name at the end and it will keep me from wondering!!

 

Foot Washings

There are so many places in the bible that illustrate how people constructed things...like stacks of stones...or altars...or stories when they wanted to remember how God's faithfulness intersected their lives. And many peoples' lives were changed for the better because of the testimony of how God provided, protected, and paved the way for His kids...in Biblical times as well as modern times. 

I have led a number of teams of high school kids into mission fields over the last 10 years or so. And I should have been recounting all those things here...as a way to remember all the things that God provided through each different trip... But it wasn't until going to El Salvador for the first time that I felt that great need to recount the story...my story...and God's story...in a way that would testify to God's goodness...and His faithfulness!! Constructing a way to remember His faithfulness. 

A few years ago,  I chose to use my abandoned blog to do just that...create a space to remember. I'm excited to add to those stories from El Salvador...with  new story from closer to home!

 Recently, I had a great opportunity to take a team to Dallas to do some incredible mission and ministry work. I wanted to journal the story out. Why? Because the things that God did along the way are things that I NEVER want to forget. 

   

 In late May, a ministry friend of mine in Dallas began posting opportunities for people to join his ministry by helping to fund a large smoker/grill. He does a lot of homeless ministry and generally that includes food of some sort before they minister to their spiritual needs. I believe wholly in the work that God does through Darell and the multiple teams he works with in Dallas. And I knew that if God were leading him into that grill...that some big and mighty things would be happening as a result of getting the grill up and running!

Darell, Jene, and Roy and the big, big grill!!

Of course I supported the project financially because God has blessed me a way that allows me to do that. I could have let it go right there...BUT GOD...kept bringing it to my mind. I don't share a ton of things on my FB platform, but I felt compelled to share his fundraiser. A few people from our tiny community donated...I shared the post with young people that had worked with him on our various YG trips to Dallas since we first went in 2017. A few more donations. I continued to follow the fundraiser from afar and prayed for him consistently, that God would provide the funds necessary to get the grill purchased. The progress was slow...and I remember thinking that maybe God was holding the progress up for some reason. But God continued to draw me into the project...through prayer...but also through some personal texts and another FB share as he got within several hundred dollars. 

our friend Darell in the left corner as he interacts with our team

Darell was so touched by the involvement and support that came out of our community that he reached out several times in gratitude. He told me that we would be sure to use the grill the next time our YG went down to Dallas for another mission trip. BUT because I knew that we wouldn't make it there until 2027, I mentioned that I was wondering about a short weekend trip in August (literally the only weekend that did not have some school activity scheduled already)...That was all he needed to start planning details...and we began to pray over the possibilities. 

He decided on 3 separate ministry projects on 3 days to wash the feet of the homeless people and share the love of Jesus through touch, food (on the grill of course), new shoes and socks, and prayer... and we would work together to get the job done with existing ministries in the area. 

Our team of 15 left in 3 vehicles from 2 different locations, and picked up one member from college in Edmund OK. Roy and Jene are long time humanity missionaries that go to Mexico to build houses annually. They also have a heart for serving and cooking...so I knew that they would be a blessing to our team. Jaylen and Devin have been on multiple mission trips with me in the past. They have huge hearts for serving...And they love Darell and South Dallas.

We were very thankful that all of them were led to put their lives on hold for the weekend to help us.

The rest of us headed out after our 6 girls got done with a 6 am volley ball practice. Their coach was gracious and moved practice up so that we could get out of town in time to get to our first ministry that night. 

Backing up a minute to note a few God touches before we even started...As Darell and I were talking about the trip two weeks prior, he was telling me about how his vision started for this ministry...He had been given 10 pallets of new, brand name shoes in March from another ministry...He felt led to use those shoes in conjunction with feeding people from the grill.  He envisioned washing their feet, trimming their nails, and then putting on shoes...and new socks, though he didn't have any of those. He recalls not even praying for socks, but just wondering how he might get some socks to distribute too. A few days after the vision was cast, he had a random phone call asking if he ever accepted donations that weren't monetary..."Of course, what do you have??"

2000 pair of socks...Bomba socks...God's provision before there was even a prayer!! And if you don't know about Bomba socks...they are THE best socks in the world...and when you buy a pair, they donate a pair. This weekend was the SECOND time in 6 months that I had seen this ministry in action!! I'm a BOMBA sock girl for life now!! Seriously, what is better than partnering in ministry just by buying a pair of socks???

In the meantime, someone had discouraged him from doing any nail trimming due to the number of diabetics on the streets. As he was relaying this to me in my dining room...we both became acutely aware that I was trained to do nail care...and just like that, nail trimming returned to the plan.

But with projected numbers close to 500 pairs of feet, I knew that I couldn't do it alone...I prayed and asked around and prayed some more. This little lady above, had randomly liked one of my posts...but unbeknownst to me...she had also been praying a different prayer...one asking God to use her in a way that would allow her to grow and serve differently than she was doing...As I tried to find someone to help, God just continued to bring Kassadee to my heart...so I reached out on FB as I didn't have her phone number...starting my text with "I have a really weird question for you..."

These two guys behind me didn't take their eyes off his feet the whole time I worked..The guy next to him said "GIRL, you doing my toes next cause you gooooodd. You know whatch you doin!"

She was able to trade some shifts with a coworker...which was a huge blessing to our team!! It turned out that training my daughter to trim nails (which was MY plan--thankfully not God's) was not even going to be possible due to the condition of the nails we came across. I couldn't have survived without the help of Kassadee!!  Many of those nails were ROUGH...some untouched for over a year...They had to have been so painful, but most of the people just blew us off saying they were fine, really. And a seemingly little thing like trimming some nails, became a HUGE blessing to those that needed that service!!  

SOOO, back to the trip...All the guys left earlier Friday to get down to Dallas to help Darell get shoes and socks loaded into a You-haul trailer and the grill moved to Dallas International Street Church, where our first ministry would happen.  We headed out with the intention of eating lunch in Edmund and picking our college freshman up after he finished work at 12:30...My friend Sara, whom had offered to help me get kids down to Dallas, drives LOTS of dirt roads. And it is a 3 hour trip from my house to Edmund...with no dirt roads. As we got in our cars after lunch, she radioed me on our walkie talkie that she had a tire sensor light come on...She zipped into a gas station and could hear air blowing out of her tire. 

While she could have hit something on the paved roads near Edmund, I find it highly unlikely. You will NEVER convince me that God didn't hold his thumb on that air leak until we got off the interstate, out of traffic, and in an area that had 3 tire shops. The third place she went was able to get her tire fixed within an hour so she could hit the road!! God definitely answered our prayer for no incidents or accidents! 

It was good to meet our team at our house in South Dallas for a quick minute before heading out to DISC....

Because when we got to the street church, we were running to get things ready to go!! 

The kids hauled in shoes and socks and supplies...

And set them up in a salon style formation like the one above. Even though Sara had to drive through Friday afternoon rush hour traffic, they were able to get to the street church just in time for the service to start! I'm so thankful that God answered our Friday afternoon prayers for a repaired tire in a timeframe that would allow them to be part of the first ministry!! That feels pretty miraculous too, looking back!!

We enjoyed being a part of the Street church service, and listened to a message on how Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. If there was any fear in the hearts of this team, they didn't show it. They went to work washing feet, anointing their calloused feet with oil, exchanging old shoes for new ones...all the while talking with them, laughing with them, praying for them, and showing the love of Jesus. 

Look long at these photos...there are so many things being told here!

They were sooo proud of their clean feet and new shoes!! So many of them were so grateful for comfortable shoes!!

These scenes from the photos above literally took my breath away more than once. God provided all the supplies needed for the weekend through various places. On Thursday before we started Friday, He delivered the rest of the supplies through a generous outside donor!! Additionally, I had ordered some nail clippers and supplies that arrived the day before we left...I happened to ask our materials manager at work on Thursday (on a "whim") if she happened to have any old nail clippers laying in her pile of stuff in the basement....She came right over with 3 brand new, stainless steel, heavy duty German made nail clippers....that she had "randomly" ordered a few weeks before for the hospital....we rarely EVER use a pair of nail clippers there, let alone THREE pair...so once again, you will NEVER convince me that God didn't prompt her to order them for this trip...they saved our bacon, and the palms of our hands, as they were MUCH nicer than the ones I had gotten from Amazon!!

The next morning we were out of the house by 6:45 and took our picture in front of the beautiful sunrise!!

We set up tents...

Started the grill back up...

Prayed as one GIANT team of helpers..

Served some burgers...yes, at 7:30 in the morning. 

Our friend Danielle took the ladies down the street to talk with people. 

We watched people walk by with suitcases, wagons, shopping carts, and backpacks to get in the line that would feed their bellies, and get them access to new shoes. I believe we served around 300 people that morning...and 600-700 people over the course of the weekend. 

The interstates were the backdrop for our shoe store...which felt amazingly odd.

The foot washing and trimming worked similar to the night before. 

One of the coolest things to me...was how we showed up...met other members of other teams...and served together...pretty seamlessly!  It was so amazing, to watch each team member work in their giftings...feeding people, organizing people, helping people, searching for supplies and meeting needs not only for the homeless, but also for the other team members. I remember at one point feeling very strongly about our experience being exactly what Jesus intended the capital C Church to look like...A seamless operation of all different people with all different passions and skills to do the work that He had ordained for us to do...together.  There was no sassing, no undermining, no bickering, no laziness...there was simply people doing what needed to be done to do God's will. 

THIS day...we had EXACTLY enough food to feed EXACTLY the amount of people desiring it...We saw time and time again, how the exact size needed in the shoes would come through at exactly the right time, even if the workers thought the shoe size had been gone for 30 minutes already!! God stretched the food and the shoes in a way to care for these people...some of them His kids already, and some who got a seed planted last weekend!!

I KNOW that there were specific people that God was providing for that day in a miraculous way...not everyone got the shoe size that they needed...but there were handfuls of them that God multiplied our stock for!! I wish that we had been privvy to His perspective on those miracles!!

Because we had intended to eat burgers again on the street.....and we only had enough for the people...the kids got to choose lunch...Raisin Cains was the spot. And because I had to run some food over to Darell's after lunch...we scooted kids around to different vehicles so the others could go back to the house and clean up and rest. It turned out, that ONE vehicle...with older guys, young men and one senior girl...decided to go get ice cream...except that they forgot they had the house keys...So when I got back to the house...I was surprised to find the other vehicle that had stopped at a grocery store to get water bottles and ice sitting in the heat outside the house...irritated that the keys were in the other car. We were calling everyone in the missing car, getting a little worried about why they weren't back...and why they weren't answering...Mylee finally answered...and to my question about where they were...she giggled and said they had stopped for ice cream. And not to be neglected...the other kids decided that they should also go for ice cream...which we did. That trip, ending up on a one way street the wrong way on a set of trolley tracks, lack of utilizable parking, narrowly missing piles of bricks lost on the interstate (after narrowly making our exit due to crazy lane additions) made for lots of laughter, funny memories, and a shout out to God for keeping us safe all the while!! But the ice cream WAS worth it!

The kids and a few adults got some naps in to recover from the late night, early morning, and hard work!!

Saturday evening we got to enjoy company of other teammates at Darell's new home while his friend smoked ribs and chicken on the grill with lots of sides!! Another twist to our whole story, is that approximately 2 1/2 weeks before our trip down...Darell and his wife Kris's house had a gas leak, which caught fire and burned--leaving them with nothing left. Darell and Kris were convinced that moving forward with the trip to our town that he had planned, as well as the foot washing ministry outreach was the best thing to do. God MIRACULOUSLY kept their family safe through the fire, saved the most important memoirs from the fire, and provided them a new home in 10 days that was an upgrade for them...They got moved in and furniture the week that we arrived!! Satan would have loved to prevent the weekend from happening!! Which also convinced us all, that something to advance the Kingdom of God was going to be taking place!!

Sunday morning was much the same...leaving the house around 6:45...

Unloading, sorting shoes, and setting up an organized way to find them quickly...

And lining up to care for the feet of those that we had never met and will likely never see again.

This morning was my favorite...

The morning weather was beautiful with a nice breeze...

Worship music was being played both live, and radio versions over a loudspeaker...

The kids were so much bolder with people...asking them spiritual things and praying in a way that would bring deep emotional connection.

We saw many people that were missing toes (in this case, ALL of his toes) secondary to frost bite!!

Again we saw God working missing shoe size miracles to those people that He chose to provide a miracle for. 

Again, as I would look up and around while I worked or cleaned my clippers...I would have such a rush of emotions...So many things that ONLY God could have orchestrated...So many needs that were met during our time there. People were lifted up...encouraged...educated....touched in a way that neither demanded anything of them, nor caused them pain--but just a kind and loving touch of another human being...stomachs were fed good food...jokes were exchanged...Shame was cast away. People were seen. And heard. And loved. And when one can recognize God working in their circumstances...it can render one speechless and emotionally vulnerable. 

Some of us learned to love in a different way. Some of us served in ways that we would have never dreamt of. Many of us practiced being bold in prayer and using our mouths for the glory of God.

All of us got to participate in something that had been ordained by the Lord...something that was soooo much bigger than ourselves. Our mouths spoke His truths...Our hearts were touched time and again by harsh realities that we know very little about. It was very obvious as we shared thoughts and stories...that God absolutely went before us in this weekend...He walked right beside us throughout the 3 days...

And now we continue to trust God for the fruit to come out of our work...both in the lives of those who served...and those who were served. 

I will always ask why God chose to include our YG and our community to work together to serve the unseen in Dallas Texas this summer. But I am certainly humbled and glad that He did. He has showed us what He is capable of when people say yes to crazy ideas. He also showed us what happens when His people pray and seek to serve as Jesus served. Until the next time....

Remember...

God loves YOU too!!

^{John 13:12-17} 

After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing?  You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am.  And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.  I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.