Our next home visit in Harlan County, KY, was to a family of six children in Harlan. Harlan is much bigger than Loyall, the County seat, but still full of scattered hills and various types of home. There is still little economy here. When we arrived, a little boy about three years old answered theContinue reading “A lesson in love: a grandmother’s sacrifice for her family”
Category Archives: Mission Trips
From ashes to renewal: meeting Kelly and Junior
One of the key parts of Mission Trips to Harlan County, Kentucky, are home visits. After picking up some bags of food and toys for various families, the group splits up into cars to deliver the goods to the immobile and those who cannot make it to the big giveaway. The home visits in HarlanContinue reading “From ashes to renewal: meeting Kelly and Junior”
A trip to Appalachia: Serving in Harlan County, Kentucky
Harlan County, Kentucky, is unlike where I live. Just five hours north of this unique area where I call home, neighborhoods and apartment complexes fill nearly any open land, and restaurants and businesses consume the rest. Interstates are filled with cars as people make their morning commute to jobs that range from manufacturing to finance,Continue reading “A trip to Appalachia: Serving in Harlan County, Kentucky”
Building homes of hope: the story of Anna and Jonathan
On our first day in El Salvador, we had to opportunity to see the Rosa Virginia community and meet the children. The children in this community were vibrant, but their homes and clothing were tattered. After seeing their community center/school and playing soccer with the children, we began to head back to the mission house.Continue reading “Building homes of hope: the story of Anna and Jonathan”
She chose me: encountering Carlita
“Look! I am bringing the city recovery and healing; I will heal them and reveal to them an abundance of lasting peace. I will restore the fortunes of Judah and Israel, and rebuild them as they were in the beginning. I will purify them of all the guilt they incurred by sinning against me; IContinue reading “She chose me: encountering Carlita”
Worship: the universal language
On Saturday, CEDEINFA celebrated their 19-year anniversary. As people of various ages began to arrive at the mission house for the celebration, one thing became clear very quickly: we did not speak the same language. I desperately wanted to hear their stories and get to know them, but it was very difficult to communicate. TheContinue reading “Worship: the universal language”
Funding futures: the value of education to provide avenues of hope
Leading up to our trip, our group decided to fundraise money to help support the education of 12 Salvadoran high school and university students. In El Salvador, most kids only go to school through the 8th grade and then quit to help provide for their families. Many live in single parent households and are expectedContinue reading “Funding futures: the value of education to provide avenues of hope”
Faith amidst filth: meeting Edgar Ramiro
After Mass tonight, we walked through the streets of San Salvador — past the markets, beyond the hustle of the city, to the outskirts of town. We scurried quickly until we were out of the crowded streets to a place that felt deserted. The poverty changed when we moved out of the capitol square. TheContinue reading “Faith amidst filth: meeting Edgar Ramiro”
The call of the gospel: ministering to the lame man, Jose
When we arrived in the city center, it was crowded. There were people all over the street from different walks of life. There were groups dancing their troubles away, street vendors, living statues, homeless begging for change, people sleeping on the street, and more. The bustle of the city surprised me compared to the calmContinue reading “The call of the gospel: ministering to the lame man, Jose”
First impressions: the slums and scenes of El Salvador
El Salvador is a bit different than I imagined. In one sense, it’s more developed and there are more amenities than I expected. On the other hand, when we turned down the alley and saw the slum community last night, my heart broke. It was more in line with what I expected so it didn’tContinue reading “First impressions: the slums and scenes of El Salvador”
