Yesterday was a day full of challenges.
We began the day by spending the morning at a nearby orphanage in San German, where the group had the opportunity to play with children from less than a year to eight years old.
Some played an interesting game of "tag" in which they helped little girls lock the boys in the bathroom, while others played with balls and dolls.
At any given moment, the room was full of laughter.
Two hours later, when we left, it was a bittersweet moment. Some of the children cried while others merely asked, "Why?"
For the first time, the group had to face the fact that their presence here was only so long. As we debriefed this, we came to realize that this was why it was important for us to work with existing ministries, like the church, orphanage, and other places.
In the afternoon (after yet another amazing meal), we split the group in two. One half stayed at the school to clean classrooms, while the other went to the nursing home.
The group that remained back at the school had plenty to do, but the group at the nursing home spent about thirty minutes praying with the residents before they ran out of tasks to complete.
So a group of us walked to the town plaza, where we split into a few groups and offered to pray with the locals. Some were eager to receive prayer, while others were not.
A few highlights included Will playing dominoes with the old men, and some of the guys (Cole, Karsen, and others) meeting Robinson, a young boy they met the previous day. Lori led a charge of young ladies to find women in the area who needed prayer.
The group returned, sharing stories of excitement at how God moved in spite of a schedule hiccup.
In the evening, we had a time of worship that was so powerful and profound that it's hard to describe. God is definitely moving in and through this group.
Our local contacts have told us that it's been a blessing to host the group, and we've learned a lot from being around such godly and inspiring people for a week.
I trust that the friends and family for which you're waiting will not return to you the same way in which they left.
