Only one week left

Today is the official 1 week mark. It still baffles me how quickly time passes by. My prayer is that this week will go by SLOWLY and I'll ENJOY every little detail. Here's a little update on a few things that happened this past week:

~I was able to help prepare meals for the homeless for the 4th time being here. It's always so cool seeing tons of bags being filled with food and knowing that someone's belly is going to be full that night.
~The music pastor from our church asked me to sing again. So that was an honor to be able to practice with the worship team on a Saturday night and to sing for the morning and night service on Sunday. Both songs were in Spanish...and one was a personal favorite.."Hosanna" by Hillsong United.
~Me, Marissa (another short-termer), Eliseo & Josue (local missionaries here) all went to the El Salvador Zoo. I think one of the funniest things for me was that the first animal we saw was a raccoon! I'll admit that it was much bigger than I expected, so we had a pretty good time looking at all the animals.
~I told the kids that my last day would be this coming Monday, and they were all sad and kept repeating.. "Noooo...nooo...whyyy. Don't go!" What a precious thing to know that they care for me...because I sure do care for them and have so much love for every one of those students. They have definitely made an impact on me.

I just want to thank you all again for taking the time to read my blog, pray for me, and support me every day that I have been here. I love you guys!
~Lorena

Yes...this is proof that they have raccoons in their zoo!

This sweet guy is Mario. Every time I see him he ALWAYS has a smile for me.

I was blessed to sit behind him in church and see his little bible with different verses highlighted...

so precious!

2 weeks to go!

Well I sure can't believe it, but I officially have two more weeks left here in El Salvador. Time has flown by SO quickly and it's hard to fathom that I have been here for almost 4 months! I've enjoyed every good, tough, confusing, and fun time here. God certainly has allowed me to learn through all these different experiences and I'm so grateful. My prayer is that I can "finish well".

So this past Thursday through Sunday I had a GREAT and BEAUTIFUL time with my friend Erin in Guatemala. She is such a great friend/sister/and spiritual mom to me and my Spirit always is stirred when I get the chance to spend time with her. This trip was no different! I saw so many great things that God did with those few days. First, I think the trip was good for me and for the people in El Salvador to get a taste of what life will be like when I'm not here. I for sure missed them and they missed me as well, but it was good to kind of feel what it's going to be like in a few weeks. Secondly, it was a straight up blessing to meet the people in Erin's life there in Guatemala City. I have been able to read about her life there as a coach/missionary but it was so much different actually being able to see it for myself! The athletes there and other people in her life are wonderful and I was just encouraged by how God has created His children, all around the world. It was also just a great time for me to relax a little bit and enjoy seeing Guate again and some friends that I had met 3 years ago on my first mission trip. Thirdly, this was the first time I had been around track athletes and a track meet since I graduated. What a pleasure to be around the sport that I love and dedicated so much time to. It's awesome how much you can relate to a person who is interested in the same sport as you. How amazing that God blessed me with little treats like this.

Yesterday was class and I walked in to a whiteboard full of names and a message saying "We missed you Lauren!" from all my students. I felt like the most special person in the world. It was so sweet of them!

If you could just pray for these last 2 weeks for me; that I would make the most of every moment, serve with everything I have, and be able to listen to the Lord in every moment. Please continue to pray for support for the local missionaries here, financially. If you are interested in supporting a missionary or ministry please contact me and I can give you the details.

I appreciate you all and love you very much!
With the joy of Jesus,
Lauren

Me and Erin!

Meeting new friends (athletes of Guatemala's track team)

Florian, me, and Ernie

Just some photos to show you that I am still here in El Salvador..alive and well!

Me and our last missionary here, David.

Almost all of CPCI's staff to celebrate mothers day.

Visiting the biggest/most know "catedral' in ES.

My and the pastor's son, Carlitos, playing at church.

I promise I'm still alive!!

Hello to everyone...it has been way too long since you have all heard from me! Extreme apologies go out on my behalf as it's been 2 weeks since I last wrote. I can't come up with any valid excuse for not blogging except for the time has escaped me every chance I had to since down to write. But...here I am...ready to fill you in!

Last time I wrote you was when our last missionary just left to go back to the States. That week was definitely different without him since we spent the most time working in ministry together. We both taught English together, trained the soccer school kids, and had the most time here in El Salvador. It felt like one my of brothers leaving to head back home. So I had been tackling both English classes by myself for a week and a half. It actually went very well, praise the Lord, teaching by myself. Although the afternoon class can get a bit loud at times...it was very enjoyable and the kids were able to learn more while having fun. It's been such a blessing to not only see how much the kids love coming to class, but also to hear them saying how "cool" it is to be able to learn English! What a blessing! 

Because I had much more alone time since all the missionaries that came in with me are gone, I was able to do some reflecting and deep-thinking. For the first time I was truly able to think about my experience as a student and athlete at Marshall for the past 3 and 1/2 years of my life. There was a day where I just laid in my hammock...crying to God for how GOOD He has been to me specifically with my college experience. I could not have asked for it any other way! God blessed me with SO MANY opportunities during those years and I would not trade any of those times, good and bad, for anything! It was such a sweet and precious moment that Jesus gave me! For everyone reading this who is somehow tied to me through Marshall...I just want to say how IMPORTANT you are in my life, and how much I APPRECIATE you!!! You've played an important role in my life while I spent those wonderful years down in good 'ole Huntington, WV. I truly mean it!! Thank you thank you!

This past Wednesday, May 9th, we received another missionary, Marissa, who will spend the next 3 months down here also teaching English with me and helping at our Church's school, SILOE, with computer classes. So I've been trying to help her with the different cultural "shocks" and other aspects down here. It's been nice to have another person down here again and work together in the ministry.

I am very grateful to be able to travel to Guatemala this Thurdsay to spend about 3 days with one of my wonderful friends, Erin. I met Erin about 3 years ago when I went on my first mission trip to Honduras and Guatemala and she was our coach and basically became a spiritual mom for me. We've kept in touch every since and even had the chance to see each other at a track meet last year. Erin is a missionary in Guate with "Athletes In Action" and she has just 2 months left to finish her year commitment. I will also get to visit with some of the people that I met down there. I just think it's so neat of God to be able to spend time with a woman to has offered so much spiritual wisdom to me, who has similar passions, and is in Central America as well. Who would've ever thought two gringas from the US would be able to visit each other while in Latin America! Im very excited to have this time...thank you Jesus!

One last thing is that I was asked at Church 2 Sunday's ago to help out with the praise and worship team with the singers and also to sing with them as well. At times it's frustrating because honestly things are very disorganized and late, but it is typical in this culture...so I'm trying to understand and be patient. But so far it has been a blessing to be able to share my knowledge of singing (being involved in choirs for 10 years) with these young kids. I really enjoy it...not only teaching and helping them..but having the privilege to sing again. 

I think that is all the updates for now. Please be in prayer for my travels to Guatemala this Thursday and when I return on Sunday. Also for my last three weeks down here. I'm still not sure what God has planned for me after this, but it's all in His control. Also be praying for the local missionaries here. Specifically by name they are: Maltez, Karla, Eliseo, Josue, Alexis, and Guillermo.

Thank you so much for your love and support!

With much love,

Lauren