“We started today back at the CIPI orphanage where we were yesterday. Some of the team worked with the children again doing puppet shows and playing. Some of the guys worked on making and installing some curtain rods in the teenage girls’ rooms. Their current “curtains” consisted of some wire hung from the walls with blankets drapped over them. Laura and Jackie picked out some fabric for some new curtains when the rods are complete. We will be back at CIPI Thursday when we hope to complete the curtain rods and be ready for curtains. There are not glass panes in the windows, so these curtains will provide protection from the rain, sun, and mosquitoes and hopefully make the room feel a little more like a home to the girls. There was a teenage girl that was just dropped off by the police at the orphanage last night that was very upset this afternoon. Girls from our team did the best they could to comfort her in her situation. Please pray she can be reunited with her family asap. This evening we took the kids from the La Casa orphanage to Wendy’s for dinner and to play. We all had a good time. Tomorrow looks like it is going to be a busy day, starting early fixing breakfast for hospital patients, then visiting the San Martin orphanage, then ending the day feeding the homeless on the street. Getting ready to turn in for the night and get our much needed rest.” -Derrick Helm
Tomorrow the team will begin by preparing breakfast for patients and families at a near by hospital. From there they plan to visit the special needs orphanage at San Martin. Tomorrow evening they will return to the mission house and prepare dozens of meals to take to homeless families living on the inner city streets of San Salvador. Please continue to pray throughout the day for everyone who’s path they will cross. Pray for their hearts to be open to learn more of the endless love that our God has for them! Please pray that JOY may be brought to the special needs residents of San Martin even if it is just for a few hours, that they may know no pain, but know the JOY and PEACE of the Lord!
“I have been to the orphanage that we visited today, many times over the past 5 years. I have been there on numerous occassions this year! I thought I knew what to expect, especially since we had just been there yesterday. When we arrived, there was a girl that was sad and crying. Cassidy was loving on her, and trying to comfort her. The girl was DEVISTATED! I had seen many younger children on their first day in an orphanage, and I can tell you, that once you see that, you don’t forget it! This girl was older than the others I have seen in her situation, she was about 15. She told us that her mother sent her to look for a relative, and that on her way home, she got lost. She came upon a police station, and went in to ask for directions. The police took her straight to the ophanage, and left her there, without trying to find her parents. She was most upset that she had no way of letting her mother know that she was okay, and she could not even imagine what her mother must be thinking. She said that she missed her little sister’s hugs. The longer we were there, the heavier she weighed on my heart! I finally decided to love her like her mother would. I loved on her just like I would one of my own children if they were broken like this young girl. I held her tight, swaying back and forth, rubbing her hair. I told her that it would be alright, and I prayed for her. I prayed that God would allow her to feel not only her mother’s love through me but HIS love as well.
People often ask me, “well is it not better to send the money that you would spend on a trip like this, than to go yourself?” I can tell you, that no check could have shown this girl the love of God, the way that our team did today! Please pray that this precious girl will be reunited with her own mother very soon!”~Laura Roberts
The Henderson family had a great time at dinner tonight with their friend! They first met several years ago on the first Starfish trip to El Salvador and have kept a very special friendship ever since!
Laura and her special friend also had a great time together tonight as well! What a blessing to see happy, smiling, familiar faces!
Please pray for the homeless that the team will meet on Tuesday night. Pray that they might ask why someone cares enough to feed them. Why? When no one has seemed to consistantly care in their lives before, is someone paying attention now? Pray that the opportunity to explain of God’s love and understanding will arise!
To those of you who have financially supported the homeless feeding programs we want to remind you of Proverbs 22:9 –
“He who is generous will be blessed, for he gives some of his food to the poor…”
“He who is generous will be blessed, for he gives some of his food to the poor…”
As the team packs sacks with meals tomorrow, we will never know the eternal impact that those paper sacks may make!
