One Week

Well it has been a week since I arrived here in El Salvador(actually its more like a week and a half but I've been too busy to blog). It's still kind of sureal that I am actually here and being able to serve the people of El Guayabo. It's been such a blessing. So far things are going well and I praise God for that. Last Saturday I got to go to La Red again which is the college age/young adult group and it was SO nice to connect back up with a lot of my friends. We had a great time studying the Word as well as just hanging out and having fun. Then on Sunday I was introduced to the whole church and such, which was fun and then later that afternoon, I went with some of the girls form La Red we went to play some FUBTOL!!!! It was wonderful, I have really missed being able to play actual games of futbol!

I went up to Guayabo with Silvia on Monday,Wednesday and Friday and I met some more kids who attend the center but where not there last week and on Friday we had students from one of the local universities come and give dental consultations to all the kids. However, the bad part was I think that something I ate Sunday or Monday morning was not really safe for me to eat because I got really bad stomach pain, but it went away on Tuesday night. I think that it helped that we didn't go up to Guayabo on Tuesday because both Silvita and Victor Raul were both sick so Silvia had to stay home, so I got to relax during the day which was really nice, because it was really the first time since I have gotten here that I have been able to slow down a bit because I have been going going going constantly since I got here, so it was since to be able to take a Sabbath and just rest in the Lord. Thursday I didn't go up to Guayabo either because I was going to have a conference call with GCM, GCLA, Stonebrook and Victor,so I couldn't go up to Guayabo since there is no internet. It was actually really good and encouraging meeting. :)

Like I said today (Friday) we had students from UEES who are dental students and they came and did dental work on all the children in the center. It was such a blessing for the children and their parents to have the children to be able to have their teeth looked at because these families can not afford dental care. It was a really good time but most of the children cried while they were getting their teeth cleaned and such which made me really said but in the end they are going to be healthier for having cleaner teeth. Afterwards, I decided that we were all going to play games to help cheer the crying ones up and it kind of just turned into four kids grabing my arms and legs and wanting me to carry them around but it was fun and later I was giving piggy back rides and they think that that is just the coolest thing ever :)

That's about it for now. It's been a great first week and a half and I'm excited to see what God has in store next week, but for now I am going to head to bed, but first here are some pics from today.



This is Darling and I
This is Aldo Josue
This is Margarita and I
This is Yulexia and Emerson
This is Tatiana Damaris

El Guayabo

I've been here a little over three days now and I'm adjusting well to all the transitions. I think that it has helped a ton to have stayed with the Turcios family when I was here before because that gave me a little glimpse of what was to expect, but there are still many transitions and changes that I am adjusting to.


Today was my third day up at the community center. It's been wonderful to work with the kids and help teach them. God is doing to do some amazing things in this community. Today all the kids learned how to say my name and the rest of the day randomly they would yell out "Alyssa" and I would ask them what they needed but they would say nothing I just wanted to say your name...it was funny( the best part was the huge smile on their faces :) We had a lot of fun playing this afternoon because since it is Friday the kids have a bit more free time and they love that I will play with them and today all they wanted me to do is to swing them around in circled while holding onto their hands....it was hilarious :) then I have piggy back rides.

I finally took some pictures today of the community center and of some of the kids. So here are a few that I took...I'll post more on Facebook when I get a chance.

I made it!!! :)

Hola mis amigos!!


I've made it to San Salvador!!! PTL!! All my flights went well and I didn't have any problems other than I think that I have a bit of sinus infection because especially on the airplane I couldn't breathe out of my nose and my ears started to hurt really really bad when we went up in the air, but the symptoms are decreasing so I should be alright ( I have to say that I am really glad that I packed my "Pharmacy"). I arrived yesterday at 12pm and Victor and Carlos Artilo met me at the airport and on our way back to we went out to eat at a Mexican Restaurant. The rest of the afternoon I went with to pick up Silvita from school and then Silvia and I went to the Gym while Silvita and Victor Raul did Karate. I was super tired since I had been up since 1am but I just couldn't turn down Victor Raul when he asked me to play Wii with him. The funny thing is that Victor Raul will not speak any English to anyone except he will with me but only little bits but its adorable :)


Today like usual my favorite rooster(aka my alarm clock) woke me up this morning around 5am but I actually went back to sleep until 6:30am. I went to El Guayabo! I apologize that there are no pictures from my first day up there...it's not because I didn't bring my camera (which is usually the case) but I forgot to charge the camera battery. I was reminded instantly about why I love these people and this country. It was my first time seeing the new community center and it is wonderful! I also saw the bathroom that Stonebrook built, I am SO thankful that they built a bathroom so we don't have to go find a bush ;) The kids are so adorable, some of them are a bit hesitant at first because I am a gringa but once they realize I will speak to them in Spanish, they want to play with me. The best part of the day came in the late morning when I was sitting in one of the chairs near the door and the second round of kids came to the center and three girls practically tackled me because they all wanted me to play with them, but the funnier thing was that Tati came running and yelled out "Una gringa esta aqui" and I just started to laugh but I probably shouldn't have because they try and teach them that saying gringa is not nice(personally I think its totally fine) and that they should say norteamericana but I thought it was funny anyway. :)



Other than that I am just going to chill and relax tonight and get some more rest but my first full day here in El Salvador was wonderful. I'm going to charge my camera batter tonight so I will be able to take some pictures tomorrow when I get to Guayabo!


Adios Amigos!!

Leavin' on a Jet Plane

Hey All!

Words can not describe how thankful I am for my supporters, this wouldn't be possible without you and I'm so thankful that you guys are walking with me as I head to El Salvador and I'm so appreciative of your prayers. I have some great news I have officially been released to assignment and I will be leaving for El Salvador August 16th. I leave at 5:30 (there is going to be lots of coffee involved considering my family and I will have to leave our house at 2:30am in order to get to the airport on time.) and I will arrive in San Salvador at noon which will be 1pm here in MN. I've pretty much finished packing other than the last mintue stuff that I need to pack...It's finally starting to feel real and that leaves me with mixed emotions in the fact that I am so excited to go to El Salvador and start my ministry there but I am really going to miss my friends and family, especially my very young nieces and nephew. The goodbyes will be hard this week but I actually think they will be easier than if I hadn't gone to SPLICE and learned about saying goodbye.At SPLICE as I have mentioned before Robin said that "I hope it hurts when you leave(say goodbye) because that means you have loved and have been loved" and this is such a huge thing for me, because I have never liked goodbyes. As I say my goodbyes especially with my nieces and nephew because they are too young to understand why there auntie is leaving and going far away and they have told me they don't want me to go, so prayers would be much appreciated.

About two weeks ago I spoke at a church here in Cambrige, New Hope Community Church and as many of you know that music has a huge influence on me, I love hearing new music. Although they played a song that I had heard before but I hadn't listen to in a while and I just love the song, its called 'Follow You' and its by Leeland and Brandon Heath, so I thought I would share it with it you :) So adios till I arrive in El Salvador!! :)