Hola from El Salvador!!

We have arrived and the adventures have begun! The adventures were delayed by a couple hours due to a malfunction with the airplane leading to a change in planes after everyone had boarded and was ready to go. This affected the most important start of our trip: pupusas for lunch! We still got 'em but it was a much longer wait than any of us wanted. But in all seriousness, our trip has had no major obstacles. Pupusas were delayed, so what? My bag didn't make the flight, so what? (My bag made it earlier today) I feel like it was a warm welcome to our practice on flexibility. Flexibility will be our new middle and last names. We have been repeatedly assured that God wants us to be here in El Salvador through countless reminders. It's going to be alright, no reason to worry. Worry is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do but gets you nowhere.

After lunch at the pupuseria, we made it to the SHIP facility to get settled in and see some familiar  faces. Smiles everywhere! We took some of the girls with us to go shopping for our food for the next few days. They had a blast! It's hard to convey everything that is going on because there is so much of it. Our goals for the past two days have been to get settled in and prepare for the group coming on Saturday. We have been and will continue to make sure all the rooms have enough beds, bedding, and all the bathrooms have working toilets and showers. We will also be hanging soap dispensers above all the sinks, and soap/shampoo/conditioner dispensers in all the showers. We have been constantly busy and productive, but it's been the good kind. Low stress levels have remained constant. No reason to worry. Worry is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do but gets you nowhere.

Now for a couple of fun things. I got to chase a vicious gecko, and i mean vicious, out of the two girls' room. They asked me if I was scared of them but I said no they didn't bother me. It brought back memories of chasing them growing up. I didn't catch him, well not all of him...I caught his tail and he ran off. It's natural for their tails to come of when they get grabbed so don't worry or call peta. He's perfectly fine but still missing, although we all agreed that he'd be too traumatized to stay in that room anymore. The second fun thing I did today was go shopping. Well, that's not totally true but it led to a fun thing, driving. The roads are chaotic and fast paced from my Texas point of view. Nevertheless, it is possible to drive here. I got to drive us back from the shopping center where we bought some beds and mattresses. Talk about an adventure! I had three guys telling me where to turn in order to get home but I was the one doing the turning. It was fun in its own way. And if this story made you worry, don't. We believe that God has led us to be here and will protect us. We still use our brains, but we rest in God's security. Worry is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do but gets you nowhere. 

God is doing amazing work and is changing lives. I can hardly wait to see what else will come our way. There are opportunities to engage and encourage people constantly. I can speak for the group in asking for prayer for seeing and acting on those opportunities. We have come here to make the name of Jesus known and help people form and strengthen their relationships with God. The construction, safety, money, resources, etc. we bring are important but not our end goal. We want people to know God how we know Him. It is weaved  into every Bible story how God acts according to His plan and that His name will be known. We believe that He is using us to do just that, and that plays a major role in our motivation to keep moving forward every day. 

I hope all is well with you! Hasta luego y Dios lo bendiga!

Ryan Green