El Salvador

Horrible night's sleep due to a party all night the floor above us at the Courtyard. But we got up early, squeezed our way onto a shuttle, and set off for the airport. 

We almost lost some of our bags when the back door of the van flew open.  Fortunately I was in the back seat and was able to secure Shelby's bag as it slid toward the pavement. No biggie. 

Delta Sky Caps once again took care of us and we were able to get all our 50 pounders check in without issues. 

We spent uneventful hours in the airport and then 2 more on the tarmac waiting for a software glitch with the ground crew. Ultimately they got the plane full of luggage, and we shoved off - albeit very late at this point. 

What a riot the flight was. One of the best stewards I have ever had. He had the plane in stitches for 5 hours (including the time on the tarmac) cracking jokes in Spanish and English. Most of the plane was filled with either Salvadorians or  people on missions trips. So there was plenty of opportunity to see how far my spanish had come. 

Not far. Nope. 

We landed to new smells and a wave of heat and humidity.  We breezed thru customs with all our bags (and two handy push carts) and walked out of the airport into a sea of people behind a rope barrier. 

At this point we were very vulnerable. I just stood there and scanned the crowd, hoping someone would recognize me. And then a guy in glasses waved at me - a guy I have never seen. 

So I went with him. Yup. That's how it works I guess. Just go with a guy in a foreign country because he waves at you. 

His name is Josue and he works for Christ for the City. Lauren wasn't with him, but she showed up shortly after. They got us into a van and off we went thru the hills of El Salvador. 

This is the third world. No doubt. The street dogs, fully employed 8 year olds, and reckless driving give it away. But there is something peaceful about it, almost attractive. The people seem happy and apparently are very hard working here. I noticed on the plane how quick the Salvadorians were to laugh. It puts me at ease. 

We made our way to the crime city of Soyapango. Thankfully, we are not near the gang areas. Otherwise the city seems like most Latin American cities. Busy, dirty, frantic, and colorful.  

The mission house we are staying in is in the heart of the city. There is a locked gate that will allow a car in to a small courtyard. One side of the yard is a wall, the size of a prison wall - who knows what's over there. Another side of the yard is a small office room in a one story building. The adjacent wall has a toilet and shower stall, much like you might see in a German concentration camp, and the final side is the street side that goes up to the house itself (the driveway is under the house). 

It feels safe in the courtyard behind the locked gate. There are three short term missionary women who live here in the house with us, along with three local boys who live behind the office. They volunteer with the mission and are being cared for due to threats on their lives. More on that in another blog. 

The mission cook fed us lunch and dinner, broken up by a trip to the mall to buy a guitar. The food is really really good. She is a great grandmother and might be 60. Maribell. Her grand daughter and great grandaughter (2 years old) were there to help out most of the day. 

We went thru an "orientation" too with Lauren and Josue. That was helpful. We discussed the schedule and the rules - like don't give stuff to people and don't take orders from anyone other than Jake, Josue or Lauren. Good to know. 

But the best part is that they have put us in charge of some very exciting soccer opportunities, which I look forward to sharing more about. 

The kids crashed early. We are all tired. And we are sleeping in the heart of poverty thousands of miles from nowhere. Pray for us.