We are home. It almost seems like this week was a dream. Every time I close my eyes, I see the faces of Carlos, Wilmer, Pablo, Francisco, Raoul, Antonio, Luis, Claudia, and Wilbur. And when I open my eyes, I see all of my wonderful teammates. I’m so thankful for them. I’m thankful for the time we spent together here and that we get to share these memories forever. They each hold a special place in my heart.
We finished up our work Friday and had a celebration with the families and masons. We ate lunch together at Pastor Vilma's church and shared in a time of devotion and praise. The kids hit the piñata, and the kids and masons shared their thanks with us. We said our goodbyes and told them we would be back next year.
That night, Anna Maria, the director of Habitat in El Salvador, invited us over to her home for dinner. She cooked an amazing meal for us, and talked about the possibility of getting running water to our families. We felt very honored to be welcomed into her home.
As we spent our final day in El Salvador together, I took a good look around at my team. Sheridan Lutheran, we have some special people.
Jody and Roger, our team leaders, have led us so well and have invested their entire hearts in making sure we are healthy, working hard, and happy. Even though Roger told me to slow down a few times when I was working, I’m so thankful for his care and joy. I have known since I met Jody that her heart is in El Salvador, and getting to see her with her friends was very touching.
Maureen, Rebecca, and Kristen are such a loving family. Like any daughters, they tease their mom, but they also show so much love. Watching Rebecca and Kristen sing and play ukulele and guitar together was so fun. And watching Kristen and Maureen read from Ecclesiastes together last night was just special. What a great family.
Sten and Jonella are joyful. They’ve been married for almost twenty-five years, and they still cuddle and hold hands and stand in the rain and just love each other. They are so different, but fit so perfectly. I want a love like that.
Chester is a rockstar. He runs marathons like it’s his job, but his pictures blow my mind. He is such a talented photographer and I’m so thankful for his and others’ photos. Beyond that, though, he works his tail off. I wasn’t with him, but mom let me know. That man is hardworking.
Denise is so interesting. She has traveled all over the world, and just from hearing about her daughter, I think we would get along really well. She also takes fabulous pictures and was so good with the boys. This woman has climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro. She is adventurously expectant.
Koren really impresses me. She’s been here several times, and her quiet leadership was so helpful. She is so responsible and knowledgeable and was always willing to answer questions or help in any situation. She’s awesome.
Gary, oh Gary. He’s the king. Literally, that’s his last name. Gary was the man who really pushed me to go after our first meeting. But, he’s also the one who took care of my mother while we were here. He praised both of us and always made sure we were having a good time. I loved sitting by that man while he told me over and over again that my mom didn’t back up to her paycheck. I knew my mom is a hard worker, so I’m glad that others appreciated her.
Albert is in his 60s and is deaf. But, nothing can stop that man. He sees beauty and wants to share it with us. I had a blast writing with him and asking him to teach me some sign language. He is an amazing photographer, and looking at his pictures that he takes so much pride in with him made my day. It’s crazy how much a smile, or a touch, or a hug can mean. We didn’t need words.
Pastor Jeremy reminds me of a lot of my friends. He’s hilarious and loves sports and hanging out. Joking around with him was a blast. But, watching him break bread and give communion at Cristo Rey church with Pastor Carlos was really encouraging. We are all one body. We had church on the beach yesterday morning. Pastor Jeremy led the service in his t-shirt and shorts and spoke on John 3:16. He called this passage, “The Gospel inside the Gospel.” How true. God sent His son to save us. He expected nothing back. Unconditional love. Sitting on the beach singing praise songs as Kristen played guitar and sharing communion with the team that I love, that’s one of those moments you don’t forget. Best church service ever.
Jim, Jody’s husband, is a really cool man. During our first team meeting, he talked about how on his first trip, he worried too much about getting things done and not enough about building lasting relationships. He’s a hard worker, but watching the little gleam in his eyes on our breaks while we played with the kids.. he built those relationships. He’s pretty funny, too. But some stories cannot be shared.
Nila is truly a woman of God. Every word that comes out of her mouth is positive. I’m not kidding. I’ve never heard her say anything that would hurt someone else. She is a Spanish teacher, so she can speak with the Salvadorans very well. They open up their heart to her. They tell her about their families and their living conditions and their hardships. She’s that kind of lady. You know you can trust her. You know that she’ll open up her heart to you. She looks at dirt and says it is beautiful. She told us that being fluent in Spanish is both a blessing and a curse because people tell you very personal things, but sometimes those things break your heart. Yet, she loves deeply. I want to be like her. Well, really, I want to be like all of our team members combined.
And finally, Momma Jane. I’m so happy my mom came. We share mostly everything, and she is my best friend. She was so worried before we came that she would be of no use. She was so wrong. She dug and hauled wheelbarrows upon wheelbarrows of dirt and did whatever she was told. But more than that, she loved with her whole heart. She shared in my joy as we played with the kids, and she bonded with all of our teammates. I’ve always wanted to be like my mom. She’s so incredibly smart, and she loves like Jesus did. She walks up to people and asks who they are and how they are doing. She is curious and joyous and interested in the people and world around us. Her goal now is to get our families running water at their house. And while we were here she was constantly thinking about Papa Ronnie and Regan and Nate and Justin and Hannah and Charlotte. She’s the best mom ever. Her love goes on and on.
I would truly love to stay here and relive this week over and over again. But, I am blessed to have scholarships and opportunities at home, and I want to honor my heavenly Father and my dad by taking full advantage of those and becoming more educated. I will not drop out of school, (I keep telling myself that), but I will come back to El Salvador. Like Roger said, we all left a piece of our heart there.
God is love. Dios es amor.
written by Kelli Green
