It's raining again. A cool calm washes over me as the water rushes over the beautiful landscape surrounding me. No fear. No worries. The most pressing issue on my mind right now is whether or not I want to take the time to put my sweatshirt on. I remember having days like these when I was staying with my dad at the lake this summer. Looking out across the glass-like lake early in the morning put my heart close to God and prepared me for whatever came my way. I have a problem with worrying and letting things out of my control cloud my mind. It's like that's all I can think about until it's poisoning my every thought. I drive myself crazy trying to battle my own self. That's one of the most amazing things about this place- I'm so sensory oriented it's easy to shut my mind up by breathing and taking in the beauty around me. Without this place I would still be slaving away at Chick-Fil-A becoming more and more bitter about how it seemed there was no plan for my life. In bible study class we're working to discover what the plan for our life is, and I for one cannot wait to feel everything in me being pulled towards something I have a passion for.
Yesterday was my first experience with evangelism, and I was scared out of my mind. As I was walking up to that first door all I wanted to do was run back to the bus and tell them there was a mistake, who was I to be telling someone what they should believe? But then I realized, if I'm the reason someone goes to heaven someday, then there is nowhere in the world I would rather be. I am so homesick right now, but I have to tell myself when I start feeling like this that I am here for a reason. God wants me here. I want to be here. So here's to a new week, and to new beginnings.
All For His Glory,
Taylor
Monday, August 30, 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
I've Found A Reason To Change Who I Used To Be.
The lights are red and blinding and make me sweat. My heart is pounding and my throat convulses when I try to swallow, it's so dry. I need some water. I need a coughdrop. I need to get off this stage and be anywhere but here. The music starts, and I have no choice but to sing. Here it comes, swallow, breathe. Applause. Nothing but applause. I sang my heart out on Friday night and got a thunderous applause from hundreds of strangers. It was the scariest and most exhilarating thing I've ever done. My voice is a gift from God, and I'm glad I finally used it in front of someone other than my car windows and showerhead. School that day was typical, we're still learning about phonetics in Spanish and working really hard to get the accent out of our voices. After the Festival we went home and had dinner with our host family.
Saturday morning we got up early and went to the church. We pulled up and noticed emmediately the wide eyed looks we were getting from the homeless. The people in charge were so nice and happy to have us there to help. While we helped set up the food, the homeless were given showers and given any extra clothing there was to spare. In order for them to get food, they are required to sit in the cafeteria for a devotional time. During this time they introduced us to the people and we sang a song for them. They lit up when they saw us. I love how despite their situation, they still put their hands in the air and sang and worshiped with the passion of someone who eats on a regular basis. God is truely all they have and they cling to Him with a fire that's indescribeable. We passed out the food to them and as they were leaving some of them took the time to approach us. They are understandably not the most cleanly people, but once I forced myself to look past it I was slapped in the face with the reality of how grateful they are for every opportunity they are presented with. It makes me ponder whether I am truely using my time here for the right reasons. Yes, I helped feed the homeless, but did I really put my heart into it? Did I just go through the motions? Are any of us actually using the time we have to the fullest?
That afternoon we went back to the church to watch Jorge's concert rehearsal. The entire concert incorporates sign language with dance moves. I sat so that while he was dancing in front of the group, his back was facing me. Watching the sunlight pour around him as he lead the group, I got chills. It's like his hands are made for signing. My eyes were glued to his every move and I can honestly say everytime I see him doing his thing I become more and more inspired. He is a master of touching people's hearts simply by being who he is. I want a day to come where people see me and how I live and become mesmerized by the work God is doing through me.
Church that night was really great. We were split up into three groups for small groups. We have a leader and it will be an opportunity to meet new girls and really get into using Spanish. My leader is Liz and she is such a sweetheart. She was so nervous to talk to us because she is self-concious about her English, but I assured her we are the least judgemental people she'll ever meet. Katelyn and Leah are also in my group and I cannot wait to start discussing the gospel with these girls and really making some friends here. Fransisco, one of the pastors at the church and our friend, took us out to Pizza Hut to eat. It was good, of course, but it was the first time in a long time I've felt our team really start to bond again. I hope we are able to come together in a big way, because if we can't stand united with people we live with everyday, how can we expect to reach the hearts of people we've never met before?
Sunday morning we got up for church as usual. I love our church, but when we don't have a translator it is so frustrating and difficult to get into it. You go to church to celebrate the word of God with other believers, and it's dissapointing to only be able to be there halfway. It's just another reason I can't wait to fully pick up the language. Jorge translated for us, but instead of going to bible study afterwards we visited one of the daughter churches. It was tiny and the people who attended had chairs flowing out and down the stairs. It was the most intimate experience of worship I've ever born witness to. I had no idea what the service was about because we had no translator, but the music was wonderful and there was not a single person in that room because it's "just the thing to do on Sunday mornings". They all threw their hands into the air, closed their eyes, and worshiped with their whole hearts. I have lost count of the number of times I've gotten chills since I've been here, but being inspired and taken aback by the passion of these people never gets old. That night we went to the mall and I started feeling really tired and fatigued. We've been going nonstop since we got here and I think it's finally catching up to my body.
This morning I slept in, but woke up aching still. We've done laundry and cleaned and relaxed. As much as I love being active and busy, I really did need this day to just let myself quiet down. Tonight our friend Quique is taking us out for some much needed American quisine.
The only big issue resting on my heart at this point is that our team needs to come together. There's nothing huge keeping us at odds with each other, but you can tell there are little things that cause tension. We are so blessed to have been given this opportunity, and I think we just haven't fully realized it yet. We want to do more ministry, but the process is gradual. We've had three Spanish classes, we can't expect to be able to get out there and change lives. With the help of God and some hardwork in the classroom, we're going to be out there rocking people's worlds before we know it. I for one cannot be more thankful for the chance to share my love and heart with someone. Who knows, maybe I'll change the life of someone just by being myself. God made me who I am, afterall.
All for His Glory,
Taylor
Saturday morning we got up early and went to the church. We pulled up and noticed emmediately the wide eyed looks we were getting from the homeless. The people in charge were so nice and happy to have us there to help. While we helped set up the food, the homeless were given showers and given any extra clothing there was to spare. In order for them to get food, they are required to sit in the cafeteria for a devotional time. During this time they introduced us to the people and we sang a song for them. They lit up when they saw us. I love how despite their situation, they still put their hands in the air and sang and worshiped with the passion of someone who eats on a regular basis. God is truely all they have and they cling to Him with a fire that's indescribeable. We passed out the food to them and as they were leaving some of them took the time to approach us. They are understandably not the most cleanly people, but once I forced myself to look past it I was slapped in the face with the reality of how grateful they are for every opportunity they are presented with. It makes me ponder whether I am truely using my time here for the right reasons. Yes, I helped feed the homeless, but did I really put my heart into it? Did I just go through the motions? Are any of us actually using the time we have to the fullest?
That afternoon we went back to the church to watch Jorge's concert rehearsal. The entire concert incorporates sign language with dance moves. I sat so that while he was dancing in front of the group, his back was facing me. Watching the sunlight pour around him as he lead the group, I got chills. It's like his hands are made for signing. My eyes were glued to his every move and I can honestly say everytime I see him doing his thing I become more and more inspired. He is a master of touching people's hearts simply by being who he is. I want a day to come where people see me and how I live and become mesmerized by the work God is doing through me.
Church that night was really great. We were split up into three groups for small groups. We have a leader and it will be an opportunity to meet new girls and really get into using Spanish. My leader is Liz and she is such a sweetheart. She was so nervous to talk to us because she is self-concious about her English, but I assured her we are the least judgemental people she'll ever meet. Katelyn and Leah are also in my group and I cannot wait to start discussing the gospel with these girls and really making some friends here. Fransisco, one of the pastors at the church and our friend, took us out to Pizza Hut to eat. It was good, of course, but it was the first time in a long time I've felt our team really start to bond again. I hope we are able to come together in a big way, because if we can't stand united with people we live with everyday, how can we expect to reach the hearts of people we've never met before?
Sunday morning we got up for church as usual. I love our church, but when we don't have a translator it is so frustrating and difficult to get into it. You go to church to celebrate the word of God with other believers, and it's dissapointing to only be able to be there halfway. It's just another reason I can't wait to fully pick up the language. Jorge translated for us, but instead of going to bible study afterwards we visited one of the daughter churches. It was tiny and the people who attended had chairs flowing out and down the stairs. It was the most intimate experience of worship I've ever born witness to. I had no idea what the service was about because we had no translator, but the music was wonderful and there was not a single person in that room because it's "just the thing to do on Sunday mornings". They all threw their hands into the air, closed their eyes, and worshiped with their whole hearts. I have lost count of the number of times I've gotten chills since I've been here, but being inspired and taken aback by the passion of these people never gets old. That night we went to the mall and I started feeling really tired and fatigued. We've been going nonstop since we got here and I think it's finally catching up to my body.
This morning I slept in, but woke up aching still. We've done laundry and cleaned and relaxed. As much as I love being active and busy, I really did need this day to just let myself quiet down. Tonight our friend Quique is taking us out for some much needed American quisine.
The only big issue resting on my heart at this point is that our team needs to come together. There's nothing huge keeping us at odds with each other, but you can tell there are little things that cause tension. We are so blessed to have been given this opportunity, and I think we just haven't fully realized it yet. We want to do more ministry, but the process is gradual. We've had three Spanish classes, we can't expect to be able to get out there and change lives. With the help of God and some hardwork in the classroom, we're going to be out there rocking people's worlds before we know it. I for one cannot be more thankful for the chance to share my love and heart with someone. Who knows, maybe I'll change the life of someone just by being myself. God made me who I am, afterall.
All for His Glory,
Taylor
Thursday, August 19, 2010
You Are Beautiful My Sweet, Sweet Song.
I can't believe it's already Thursday. Time flies when you're changing your life. I've been going through a bit of homesickness and mopeyness. That's my excuse for having writer's block and refusing to touch this blog until now. That's probably the only thing I'm worried about here- not being able to escape feelings of lonelyness when I'm missing home. The fog I've been in seems to have cleared for now, and hopefully for the duration of the trip. Let me catch you up on the whirlwind of excitment we've been through this week so far.
Monday is laundry/clean the house/be a bum day. The washer in the house is broken, so we took seven teenager's worth of laundry to a laundromat. Jorge and his friend Eduardo showed us around the university they attend. It's a beautiful campus. That's where Jorge is going to be teaching his sign language class every Saturday, and I'm hoping to attend when they start in September. The best part about the campus was probably the fact that we ate Little Ceasars there. Terrible, I know, but a little taste of home was really needed at that point. We also went to the mall again and jumped on those trampoline things where you're strapped to the bungee cords and fly in the air. It was a lot of fun, and definately worth the chaffing I suffered.
Tuesday was our first day of school. 5:30AM wake up call anyone? I've been assigned to teach English with Teacher Cristy. She and the principal and Jorge brought us around to all of the classes and got introduced to all of the students. It's so amazing to watch their faces light up when they see us. The younger ones especially seem to be in awe of us. I can't get enough of how sweet and silly they are. Teacher Cristy does not have a fourth grade class so Katelyn (my teaching partner) teamed up with Wes to help him since Kirk had not yet arrived. This fourth grade class is by far my favorite. They are so eager to learn and share what they know with us. This is also the day we were informed that there is a festival on Friday for the parents of the students. Our team of eight is singing "You Are So Good To Me" by Third Day with the ninth and tenth graders. There is one solo in the song and guess who's singing it? That's right, yours truely. We were exaughsted by the time we got home that day, but overall that first day was the most refreshing and heartening day thus far. It doesn't matter what kind of mood I'm in going into the day. When I see those kids running towards me everything else seems so insignificant besides the happiness they send rushing through my soul. Kirk met us at the school at lunch time and we are all so excited to have him here. Our little family is finally complete and our bond can only grow stronger from here.
Wednesday's schedules are a little bit differnet than every other day. We get to school about 25 mintues later and teach the seniors on only this day. Our Spanish classes are really exciting. Our teacher Sylvia (the one who went to the beach with us) is so kind and really has a passion for helping us learn the language. We've only just begin to scratch the surface, but everyday I feel my mind opening more and more to this strange new world. We were sitting in the cafeteria surrounded by the younger kids when an alarm began to sound. None of us had any idea what was going on but two of my favorite girls took my hands and dragged me out of the building. A sea of children with their hands sheltering their heads surrounded me. Apparently earthquakes are a common occurance in El Salvador. Teacher Cristy was polite enough to inform me it was just a drill after we were already outside. It's amazing how quickly and efficiently those kids got out of the building. When it comes to earthquakes, these people don't mess around. We rehearsed for the festival instead of teaching. I doubted myself more than ever during this time. What was I thinking volunteering for a solo? Not only have I never performed for an audience before, but I shake and get crazy nervous. I got through it though, and Leah reminded me that with God, I can do anything. We left school at around 1:30 and relaxed at home for a little while. We headed off to church for the Wednesday night service at 5:30. We were not fortunate enough to have a translator this time so it was a struggle to even stay awake. Dinner, however, was amazing. For someone struggling with stomach issues, a good meal is nothing short of miraculous.
Today so far has been fantastic. Our driver was late picking us up so we missed our 7:20AM Spanish class. As strange as it may seem I was dissapointed to miss what little school I actually have these days. We went straight to the final rehearsal in the church. The entire school was there. While waiting for it to be our turn, my stomach was churning and my mouth was bone dry. I again began to doubt myself until I looked up at those kids performing and realized that everyone is so excited to have us there, what better audience to share my passion for singing with? After I sang my part the entire group of kids went crazy, and the song wasn't even over yet. It was such a spectacular feeling, and I know tomorrow at the festival I'll do my best and it will be good enough for them no matter what happens. I taught a 9th grade class today. Because I'm teaching the advanced level classes, they already speak really good English. I'm basically there to force them to use it. I also co-taught Wes and Kirk's fourth grade class again. It continues to be the highlight of my day. Wes managed to work in putting on his rainbow clown wig somehow. The kids are so drawn to him and it's incredible to observe their interactions with him. In Spanish right now we're learning about Phonetics, so that when we talk we won't have an accent and we will truely sound like native speakers. After classes are over everyday we are going to be taking bible study classes for an hour. Today was just an introduction period for the Youth Pastor, Mario, to be able to get to know us and check up on how we're doing.
It's crazy to me how I can look out the car window at home and not take anything in. I can't imagine what beauty I've been missing even in the place I've been living in for my entire eighteen years of life. Even the rain here is beautiful. I want to really start seeing the world, instead of passively looking. I urge you to do the same, because you never know what you'll let pass you by.
All for His Glory,
Taylor
Monday is laundry/clean the house/be a bum day. The washer in the house is broken, so we took seven teenager's worth of laundry to a laundromat. Jorge and his friend Eduardo showed us around the university they attend. It's a beautiful campus. That's where Jorge is going to be teaching his sign language class every Saturday, and I'm hoping to attend when they start in September. The best part about the campus was probably the fact that we ate Little Ceasars there. Terrible, I know, but a little taste of home was really needed at that point. We also went to the mall again and jumped on those trampoline things where you're strapped to the bungee cords and fly in the air. It was a lot of fun, and definately worth the chaffing I suffered.
Tuesday was our first day of school. 5:30AM wake up call anyone? I've been assigned to teach English with Teacher Cristy. She and the principal and Jorge brought us around to all of the classes and got introduced to all of the students. It's so amazing to watch their faces light up when they see us. The younger ones especially seem to be in awe of us. I can't get enough of how sweet and silly they are. Teacher Cristy does not have a fourth grade class so Katelyn (my teaching partner) teamed up with Wes to help him since Kirk had not yet arrived. This fourth grade class is by far my favorite. They are so eager to learn and share what they know with us. This is also the day we were informed that there is a festival on Friday for the parents of the students. Our team of eight is singing "You Are So Good To Me" by Third Day with the ninth and tenth graders. There is one solo in the song and guess who's singing it? That's right, yours truely. We were exaughsted by the time we got home that day, but overall that first day was the most refreshing and heartening day thus far. It doesn't matter what kind of mood I'm in going into the day. When I see those kids running towards me everything else seems so insignificant besides the happiness they send rushing through my soul. Kirk met us at the school at lunch time and we are all so excited to have him here. Our little family is finally complete and our bond can only grow stronger from here.
Wednesday's schedules are a little bit differnet than every other day. We get to school about 25 mintues later and teach the seniors on only this day. Our Spanish classes are really exciting. Our teacher Sylvia (the one who went to the beach with us) is so kind and really has a passion for helping us learn the language. We've only just begin to scratch the surface, but everyday I feel my mind opening more and more to this strange new world. We were sitting in the cafeteria surrounded by the younger kids when an alarm began to sound. None of us had any idea what was going on but two of my favorite girls took my hands and dragged me out of the building. A sea of children with their hands sheltering their heads surrounded me. Apparently earthquakes are a common occurance in El Salvador. Teacher Cristy was polite enough to inform me it was just a drill after we were already outside. It's amazing how quickly and efficiently those kids got out of the building. When it comes to earthquakes, these people don't mess around. We rehearsed for the festival instead of teaching. I doubted myself more than ever during this time. What was I thinking volunteering for a solo? Not only have I never performed for an audience before, but I shake and get crazy nervous. I got through it though, and Leah reminded me that with God, I can do anything. We left school at around 1:30 and relaxed at home for a little while. We headed off to church for the Wednesday night service at 5:30. We were not fortunate enough to have a translator this time so it was a struggle to even stay awake. Dinner, however, was amazing. For someone struggling with stomach issues, a good meal is nothing short of miraculous.
Today so far has been fantastic. Our driver was late picking us up so we missed our 7:20AM Spanish class. As strange as it may seem I was dissapointed to miss what little school I actually have these days. We went straight to the final rehearsal in the church. The entire school was there. While waiting for it to be our turn, my stomach was churning and my mouth was bone dry. I again began to doubt myself until I looked up at those kids performing and realized that everyone is so excited to have us there, what better audience to share my passion for singing with? After I sang my part the entire group of kids went crazy, and the song wasn't even over yet. It was such a spectacular feeling, and I know tomorrow at the festival I'll do my best and it will be good enough for them no matter what happens. I taught a 9th grade class today. Because I'm teaching the advanced level classes, they already speak really good English. I'm basically there to force them to use it. I also co-taught Wes and Kirk's fourth grade class again. It continues to be the highlight of my day. Wes managed to work in putting on his rainbow clown wig somehow. The kids are so drawn to him and it's incredible to observe their interactions with him. In Spanish right now we're learning about Phonetics, so that when we talk we won't have an accent and we will truely sound like native speakers. After classes are over everyday we are going to be taking bible study classes for an hour. Today was just an introduction period for the Youth Pastor, Mario, to be able to get to know us and check up on how we're doing.
It's crazy to me how I can look out the car window at home and not take anything in. I can't imagine what beauty I've been missing even in the place I've been living in for my entire eighteen years of life. Even the rain here is beautiful. I want to really start seeing the world, instead of passively looking. I urge you to do the same, because you never know what you'll let pass you by.
All for His Glory,
Taylor
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Be the Passionate Generation.
Yesterday was a pretty slow day as far as slow days here go. We were supposed to go to the church in the morning to help with the homeless from seven to ten, but the pastor felt it would be better for us to start doing that when we got more comfortable with the language and the people. Understandable, but I am truely looking forward to helping those people. With no homeless to help, we got to sleep in. Too bad for me, right? ;) We pretty much lazed around and talked to family and friends on skype until about three o'clock, which was when our driver, Jose, picked us up. We attended our first youth group that night. It's pretty amazing how you have this set image in your mind of what a youth group feels like to attend and then you go to a completely different culture and all set pretenses are blown. Don't get me wrong, it's still a group of young adults gathering to celebrate their love of God and Christ. The room still pulses with the glory of God and every single person's passion for Him resounds off of the walls. It really just makes you feel kind of silly sitting there attempting to follow along when you have no idea what the message of the night is. I took the opportunity to catch up on some Bible reading. However, when the band started playing music it brought the whole room to life. I attempted to follow along with the lyrics, but the unity and peace from the music was all that mattered. After the youth group we went back home and shared dinner with our host family. Milton and Marta (aka Papa and Mama) are two of the most genuine and caring people in this world. They are so gracious and their daughter Adrianna is beautiful and so sweet. They make everything so easy for us.
Today we got an early start. 6:45AM to be exact. We attended the early service at church. Jorge translated the sermon for us so we wouldn't feel so lost. It was a guest pastor preaching, but he was very good and had a great sense of humor. The real thing that got my heart thumping today was our bible study. Jorge leads it and it was the most inspiring message I've heard since the sermon that caused me to stand up and sign up for my baptism. The class he teaches consists of teenagers around our age and a little younger. The awesome part about the class is that he teaches deaf students as well as the others. They begin class by listening to a song, writing down the lyrics, and then deciphering how the lyrics connect with the bible. The motto of the class is to "be the sign for the spiritually deaf". So those who have not yet heard the bible, they want to be the ones to help them hear. Today Jorge's message centered around being a passionate generation. He challenged us to stand up for what we believe in and be the inspiration the world needs. He posed three questions: 1. What's going to be written on your tombstone? The amazing soccer player? Or the amazing soccer player with a passion for God? 2. What does Jesus think about your life? Is he content with it? Saddened by it? Will he have someone write it down someday in a book? 3. What does Satan think about your life? Is your picture on his most-wanted list? Are you lifting people out of Hell, or putting them there? Overall his message left my mind whirling and incredibly inspired.
Today we got an early start. 6:45AM to be exact. We attended the early service at church. Jorge translated the sermon for us so we wouldn't feel so lost. It was a guest pastor preaching, but he was very good and had a great sense of humor. The real thing that got my heart thumping today was our bible study. Jorge leads it and it was the most inspiring message I've heard since the sermon that caused me to stand up and sign up for my baptism. The class he teaches consists of teenagers around our age and a little younger. The awesome part about the class is that he teaches deaf students as well as the others. They begin class by listening to a song, writing down the lyrics, and then deciphering how the lyrics connect with the bible. The motto of the class is to "be the sign for the spiritually deaf". So those who have not yet heard the bible, they want to be the ones to help them hear. Today Jorge's message centered around being a passionate generation. He challenged us to stand up for what we believe in and be the inspiration the world needs. He posed three questions: 1. What's going to be written on your tombstone? The amazing soccer player? Or the amazing soccer player with a passion for God? 2. What does Jesus think about your life? Is he content with it? Saddened by it? Will he have someone write it down someday in a book? 3. What does Satan think about your life? Is your picture on his most-wanted list? Are you lifting people out of Hell, or putting them there? Overall his message left my mind whirling and incredibly inspired.
There's a soul that's still listening
it's the hunger for His love.
There's a movement he's feeling
it's the sound of His voice.
It's a passionate generation.
There are parts desperate for His word.
We want to see His power and majesty
and we want to hear the sound of His voice.
There's a flow you cannot stop,
it's the river of the Lord.
There's a voice that cannot be silenced,
they want to sing about His love.
That's a rough English translation of the song, but listening to the music for the first time and watching Jorge sign it for the deaf students made it seem like time was slowing down. All there was at that moment was the music. It didn't matter that it was in Spanish and I had no idea what the lyrics were saying. In that moment, I felt God move in my life on a whole new level.
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| Meet Jorge. :) |
Tonight we're having a birthday dinner for Milton's brother. I'll get to experience a fiesta El Salvador style. Tomorrow is our off day so Jorge is going to take us for some American food our poor stomachs are dying for (mine especially). It's so astounding that I've only been here for a week. The relationships that I've formed are so strong already and are only getting stronger by the minute. You would think that in a group of such different personalities and backgrounds that we wouldn't all get along so smoothly and easily. Katelyn and I have the unspoken bond of a desperate need for fiber in our lives. Kaylie is one of the funniest people I've ever met in my life and I could not have asked for a better roomate. Kirby and I have met somewhere before and we can't seem to figure out where it is, but she's a fellow John Mayer fan so no more needs to be said. Tiffany and I know when the other doesn't like what we're eating, but we smile and suffer through it more easily knowing that we're not alone. Leah is a completely free spirit and her openess and pure love for God are evident in everything she does. Kirk (my own Clark Kent) is arriving on Tuesday to start classes with us, but we've talked on skype and we all can't wait for him to join the family. Wes and I were best friends from the start, but even in the past week we've grown closer and I love the person he is more and more everyday. I'm so blessed to have this beautiful new family, and the memories we're going to make in the upcoming months are going to be ones that last a lifetime.
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| The gang at orientation with Johnny's son, Seth. |
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| The ladies. |
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| Katelyn! |
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| Wesley! |
All for His Glory,
Taylor
Saturday, August 14, 2010
He's Getting His Spidey Senses Back.
First of all, can I just admit to myself and the world that YES, I AM PRONE TO MOODINESS. Today was no different, but I am pleased to also admit that I was moody with good reason. Having said that, our day was amazing. We headed to the church to pick up our Spanish teacher, Sylvia, and her two year old son, Daniel. We waited at the church for about half an hour, so we spent that time playing basketball and soccer with the students. Something about these kids makes you just crazy about them. They have so much energy and enthusiam and I love that they never do anything halfway. They truely get all there is to get out of life.
We headed off to the beach with Slyvia and her adorable Daniel in tow. This child is so sweet and social you just want to scoop him up into your arms and make him giggle until he's pink in the face. The first thing I notice about the beach is the sand. It's black and glitters with gold flecks of something beautiful. I've never been near the Pacific Ocean, and I've never seen waves quite like that before. I'm talking fifteen to twenty foot waves. The area we went to the beach on was part of a complex of rental houses, which was lovely.
Before we went home, we stopped at an outdoor mall on the ocean. This is where the moodiness comes into play. Looking out at the ocean and seeing the monsterous waves crashing onto the shore below me made me go into pensive mode. I wanted to breathe and just soak it all in. We walked down a pier to get a better view of the sunset and I experienced my first moment of unhappiness since coming here. The pier doubles as a fish market and the people there just looked so desperate for business. I fear that if I take every person's pain personally I'm going to drown myself in these heavy feelings of sympathy. I did however take that moment on the end of the pier to just bask in the glory of God and how magnificent his creations are. Kaylie gave a local boy her "I <3 Jesus" bracelet and it just tore my heart to pieces watching how easily she shares her heart with people. The word beautiful has a whole new meaning. What I found beautiful before this place seems to dull in comparison. I didn't know what beauty really was until God opened my eyes.
We had a really tricked out van today as our ride and we watched Spider Man during the car rides. Of course it was in spanish, so Kaylie took it upon herself to provide her own script. I can honestly say I've laughed more in this week than I have in a very long time, which is saying something because I laugh so easily and readily.
At dinner we went over the house rules, such as a schedule for who helps with cooking and cleaning throughout the week. It truely makes me feel at home in a foreign world and I have never felt more sure about this being the right decision for me. Johnny is leaving tomorrow. It's saddening, mostly because I have gotten to know him in this week and my respect for who he is has mulitplied exponentially. He is an incredible man and God speaks through him in wonderful ways. As Jorge says, "Give it up for Joney!" He challenged us today to make the most out of our experience here, and to talk to him at the end of the year and proclaim that we did everything we could learn and come away with this with no regrets. Amen, Johnny Condrey, amen.
All for His Glory,
Taylor
We headed off to the beach with Slyvia and her adorable Daniel in tow. This child is so sweet and social you just want to scoop him up into your arms and make him giggle until he's pink in the face. The first thing I notice about the beach is the sand. It's black and glitters with gold flecks of something beautiful. I've never been near the Pacific Ocean, and I've never seen waves quite like that before. I'm talking fifteen to twenty foot waves. The area we went to the beach on was part of a complex of rental houses, which was lovely.
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| The complex by the beach. |
Before we went home, we stopped at an outdoor mall on the ocean. This is where the moodiness comes into play. Looking out at the ocean and seeing the monsterous waves crashing onto the shore below me made me go into pensive mode. I wanted to breathe and just soak it all in. We walked down a pier to get a better view of the sunset and I experienced my first moment of unhappiness since coming here. The pier doubles as a fish market and the people there just looked so desperate for business. I fear that if I take every person's pain personally I'm going to drown myself in these heavy feelings of sympathy. I did however take that moment on the end of the pier to just bask in the glory of God and how magnificent his creations are. Kaylie gave a local boy her "I <3 Jesus" bracelet and it just tore my heart to pieces watching how easily she shares her heart with people. The word beautiful has a whole new meaning. What I found beautiful before this place seems to dull in comparison. I didn't know what beauty really was until God opened my eyes.
 |
The pier in comparison to the waves. |
We had a really tricked out van today as our ride and we watched Spider Man during the car rides. Of course it was in spanish, so Kaylie took it upon herself to provide her own script. I can honestly say I've laughed more in this week than I have in a very long time, which is saying something because I laugh so easily and readily.
At dinner we went over the house rules, such as a schedule for who helps with cooking and cleaning throughout the week. It truely makes me feel at home in a foreign world and I have never felt more sure about this being the right decision for me. Johnny is leaving tomorrow. It's saddening, mostly because I have gotten to know him in this week and my respect for who he is has mulitplied exponentially. He is an incredible man and God speaks through him in wonderful ways. As Jorge says, "Give it up for Joney!" He challenged us today to make the most out of our experience here, and to talk to him at the end of the year and proclaim that we did everything we could learn and come away with this with no regrets. Amen, Johnny Condrey, amen.
All for His Glory,
Taylor
Friday, August 13, 2010
We Have A Pig On Our Wall.
As I am sitting here in my new bedroom surrounded by the girls of my new family, I can't help but feel the joy of this new life fill me to the brim. It's been only three days since we began this new life and it seems like I've been with them for a lifetime. God smiled upon me the day he brought these girls into my life.
This morning we headed over to the church for in-country orientation. It was really neat to be able to hear about the history of El Salvador from the perspective of a native. As much as I enjoyed it, if I'm being honest all I wanted to do was fall asleep. However, we learned a lot about the culture and how the El Salvadorian people truely love each other.
During our lunch break Wes challeged Kaylie to eat an entire slice of lime for the reward of a cup of coffee. Needless to say she did it and after minutes of struggling and spitting all over her plate, she finally succeeded. For such a small girl she certainly is fiesty.
While waiting for our van to transport us from the church to our next destination, the group went down to the cafeteria and hung out with some of the students of the school. They were all between the ages of 10 and 12 and were mesmerized by the light-eyed Americans invading their worlds. Wes played soccer with some of the boys while the girls circled around us asking question after question. They were so open minded and eager to gain new knowledge of the world from us. It was inspiring and pumped me up to start teaching the students English next week. Which one of them could be the next actor? Singer? Politician? Pastor? Which one of them could change the world?
We drove up the San Salvador Volcano in the afternoon. It's funny how you never really realize how beautiful the world is until you see it in a whole new light. We first stopped at an area about halfway up to take pictures before the clouds rolled in.
Then we stopped at the top and hiked up to the rim. Not only is it the most extraordinary thing I've seen thus far in my young life, but it was also the closest I've felt to God since coming here.
Beams of sunlight peaked through the clouds and I spread my hands wide to just soak in His power and love. There is nothing more satisfying than sharing that kind of intimate moment with Him.
We grabbed a cup of coffee at a restuarant hidden away in the mountain. I've decided once and for all coffee is just not my thing. Dinner tonight was an unforgettable experience. We drove 45 minutes to get to this place where we were served El Salvador's most common food- the pupusa. It consists of your choice of beans, cheese, pork, or squash between two flat bread slices. It was delicious. Wes and Katelyn both ate a half of a jalepeno. "Spicy in, spicy out" as we always say at Chick-Fil-A. ;)
The thrill of this week and today have left me somewhat exaughsted and quite frankly extremely bloated. I cannot wait to see what God has in store for me tomorrow. I'm hoping the beauty of El Salvador's beaches leave me breathless. Hasta mañana!
All for His Glory,
Taylor
This morning we headed over to the church for in-country orientation. It was really neat to be able to hear about the history of El Salvador from the perspective of a native. As much as I enjoyed it, if I'm being honest all I wanted to do was fall asleep. However, we learned a lot about the culture and how the El Salvadorian people truely love each other.
During our lunch break Wes challeged Kaylie to eat an entire slice of lime for the reward of a cup of coffee. Needless to say she did it and after minutes of struggling and spitting all over her plate, she finally succeeded. For such a small girl she certainly is fiesty.
While waiting for our van to transport us from the church to our next destination, the group went down to the cafeteria and hung out with some of the students of the school. They were all between the ages of 10 and 12 and were mesmerized by the light-eyed Americans invading their worlds. Wes played soccer with some of the boys while the girls circled around us asking question after question. They were so open minded and eager to gain new knowledge of the world from us. It was inspiring and pumped me up to start teaching the students English next week. Which one of them could be the next actor? Singer? Politician? Pastor? Which one of them could change the world?
We drove up the San Salvador Volcano in the afternoon. It's funny how you never really realize how beautiful the world is until you see it in a whole new light. We first stopped at an area about halfway up to take pictures before the clouds rolled in.
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| Katelyn and I having a "King of the world" moment. |
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| San Salvador Volcano |
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| Everybody's hands go UP! .....AND THEY STAY THERE! |
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| Mi familia. |
Beams of sunlight peaked through the clouds and I spread my hands wide to just soak in His power and love. There is nothing more satisfying than sharing that kind of intimate moment with Him.
We grabbed a cup of coffee at a restuarant hidden away in the mountain. I've decided once and for all coffee is just not my thing. Dinner tonight was an unforgettable experience. We drove 45 minutes to get to this place where we were served El Salvador's most common food- the pupusa. It consists of your choice of beans, cheese, pork, or squash between two flat bread slices. It was delicious. Wes and Katelyn both ate a half of a jalepeno. "Spicy in, spicy out" as we always say at Chick-Fil-A. ;)
The thrill of this week and today have left me somewhat exaughsted and quite frankly extremely bloated. I cannot wait to see what God has in store for me tomorrow. I'm hoping the beauty of El Salvador's beaches leave me breathless. Hasta mañana!
All for His Glory,
Taylor
Caliente y Fresco.
August 10th, 2010
How does waking up at 5:00AM sound? Pretty miserable, right? Trust me...it is.
Luckily I had the smiling faces of Kaylie and Katelyn to perk me up. We met Wes and Johnny at FBCW and took a shuttle to the airport. It was hard saying goodbye to my family, especially when my mom starting losing her cool. The prospect of the journey I was about to take eased any feelings of remorse at leaving home for the first time in my life. Airport security and all that jazz was pretty standard, nothing interesting there. The flight was a little over three hours long. I sat next to a woman named Lorena Cardona. She was curious as to why a "beautiful American girl" like myself was traveling to El Salvy. I explained our situation and what Global Year was all about. When asked about her travels she explained to me she was a native of El Salvy and was traveling back for the first time in five years because of the death of her grandmother. You see Lorena is a chef who travels all around the world searching and exploring the culinary arts of different cultures, and her grandmother inspired her to begin that. It astounds me that I could get to know a strange woman in the span of a three hour flight better than I know some of my high school teachers. Only in the walk with God, eh?
Arriving in El Salvador was breathtaking. Mountains covered in green trees and houses of all sorts of shapes and sizes nestled in the rolling hills. There's just something raw and unnervingly beautiful about El Salvador that sets your heart on fire. My first meal consisted of fried chicken and french fries (go figure). Our house has eight bathrooms. Eight. Ocho. Twice the amount in my home in Kennesaw. It's a gorgeous home and our hosts are nothing but gracious and kind. Kaylie and I set up our room and have already shared more silly moments together than I care to count...even if she does stay up all night Skyping her boyfriend. ;)
August 11, 2010
Today we visited our school and church for the first time. Iglesia Bautista Miramonte (Miramonte Baptist Church). The teachers and administrators were amazing and their love for the students and school oozes out of them by the bucketful. Our translator/tourguide is Jorge. His adoration of people and God and overall aura of amusement and joy makes him one of the most incredible people I've ever met. He has a habit of calling things "hot and fresh" which is where caliente y fresco comes from. While talking to the English teachers I volunteered to work with the advanced students. There is a possibility I could work with deaf students also and learn a little bit of sign language. How. Epic. Is. That?
That afternoon Jorge took us to a market and two malls. Wes and I battled in giant plastic balls on water.
That night we attended church for the first time. Everyone is so genuinely excited and happy that we've come. That's the thing that I've already fallen in love with about the El Salvadorian people- when they smile, they're truely happy to see you. No false pretenses, nothing fake. It's refreshing. Having a translator explain the entire service was interesting, and it just makes me more motivated to learn the language and be able to worship freely. I look forward to the day when I can worship God in English and Spanish. Who knows, maybe someday I'll be able to praise Him in all of the world's languages.
Until then...
All for His Glory,
Taylor
How does waking up at 5:00AM sound? Pretty miserable, right? Trust me...it is.
Arriving in El Salvador was breathtaking. Mountains covered in green trees and houses of all sorts of shapes and sizes nestled in the rolling hills. There's just something raw and unnervingly beautiful about El Salvador that sets your heart on fire. My first meal consisted of fried chicken and french fries (go figure). Our house has eight bathrooms. Eight. Ocho. Twice the amount in my home in Kennesaw. It's a gorgeous home and our hosts are nothing but gracious and kind. Kaylie and I set up our room and have already shared more silly moments together than I care to count...even if she does stay up all night Skyping her boyfriend. ;)
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| The view from the bedroom balcony. |
August 11, 2010
Today we visited our school and church for the first time. Iglesia Bautista Miramonte (Miramonte Baptist Church). The teachers and administrators were amazing and their love for the students and school oozes out of them by the bucketful. Our translator/tourguide is Jorge. His adoration of people and God and overall aura of amusement and joy makes him one of the most incredible people I've ever met. He has a habit of calling things "hot and fresh" which is where caliente y fresco comes from. While talking to the English teachers I volunteered to work with the advanced students. There is a possibility I could work with deaf students also and learn a little bit of sign language. How. Epic. Is. That?
That afternoon Jorge took us to a market and two malls. Wes and I battled in giant plastic balls on water.
Until then...
All for His Glory,
Taylor
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
A Little Bit of Clarity to the Chaos.
I suppose I should start by introducing myself. My name is Taylor Blankstein. I turned 18 years old four days ago and yesterday I moved from Georgia, USA to San Salvador, El Salvador. It seems crazy right? Why would a high school grad (who graduated in the top 100 of her class) skip going straight to college to go to one of the world's most dangerous countries? I thought it was crazy myself. I had a plan. I was going to get accepted into the University of Georgia and my life was finally going to begin. My world came crashing down, however, when they decided I did not qualify to attend their university. In that moment of self-hatred and confusion and all around disbelief, a sense of inner calm washed over me and my first thought was "God must have some amazing plan for me".
Hold up...what? Previous to this God had been on the back burners in my life. Sure, I prayed when things weren't going my way or when I was unhappy, but that's no real relationship. I ignored that thought for about a week. I visited Georgia College and State University, which I did get accepted to, and as I walked around the campus my heart sank lower and lower. I knew it wasn't where I was supposed to be.
I work at Chick-Fil-A, and one of my co-workers and best friends Wes Price kept talking about how he was doing a GAP Year and how excited he was about it. His enthusiam and passion for the journey he was going to embark on caused an idea to spring in my mind. I don't have to go to college right now. I immediately arranged a meeting with Johnny Condrey (the head of Global Year through First Baptist Church of Woodstock). As Johnny explained to me what the GAP Year involves (learning Spanish, teaching English, helping people, and most importantly growing spiritually) it was like God was screaming at me "THIS IS IT KID! GO GO GO!".
So I worked what feels like a million hours this summer to raise the money (with the help of friends and family of course) and here I am. Here I am to meet God head on and surround myself in His love. Here I am to make a difference. Here I am to change a life. Here I am to become the best version of myself.
All for His Glory,
Taylor
Hold up...what? Previous to this God had been on the back burners in my life. Sure, I prayed when things weren't going my way or when I was unhappy, but that's no real relationship. I ignored that thought for about a week. I visited Georgia College and State University, which I did get accepted to, and as I walked around the campus my heart sank lower and lower. I knew it wasn't where I was supposed to be.
I work at Chick-Fil-A, and one of my co-workers and best friends Wes Price kept talking about how he was doing a GAP Year and how excited he was about it. His enthusiam and passion for the journey he was going to embark on caused an idea to spring in my mind. I don't have to go to college right now. I immediately arranged a meeting with Johnny Condrey (the head of Global Year through First Baptist Church of Woodstock). As Johnny explained to me what the GAP Year involves (learning Spanish, teaching English, helping people, and most importantly growing spiritually) it was like God was screaming at me "THIS IS IT KID! GO GO GO!".
So I worked what feels like a million hours this summer to raise the money (with the help of friends and family of course) and here I am. Here I am to meet God head on and surround myself in His love. Here I am to make a difference. Here I am to change a life. Here I am to become the best version of myself.
All for His Glory,
Taylor
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