Day 3

Today was an interesting day. The gang members have put a stop to public transportation throughout El Salvador and they are making most stores close at 4pm. It has really complicated things for everyone. The girls that help me with the children had a little trouble getting here today, but were able to make it in the end. I am going to send Trini for them in the morning. The stop is supposed to end tomorrow. It's frustrating to see that the gang members can so easily control the country. I don't know why they let them get away with it; they don't even seem to be trying to do anything to stop it. Javier and Sandra said the gang member are often very young, between 13 and 16 years old. That is why it is so important to work with the children in this country. They need to be taken out of the culture of crime before it becomes too hard for them to get out of it.

We had 11 children today. Jocelyn's mom tried to bring her today, but Jocelyn wouldn't have it. Brayan didn't come today. He is usually my most enthusiastic child and makes us all laugh. I hope he comes tomorrow. Fabian is still a little rebel. He will look directly at you and do the opposite of what you just asked him to do, but he also has his good moments and he's very cute. I am learning a lot already about how to do this better in the future, so that is good. Please pray that I will be a blessing to these children and their families in these 2 months. 

Kember was a much better today, but every now and then he gets a little violent for no reason. He still doesn't actually engage with us very much. I hope that we can gain his trust and let him see that we love him soon. It's a hard case to handle because we constantly have to take him off to play something else. He just doesn't know how to play with the other children. The pastor and I are going to try to talk to his aunt tomorrow to see if she will let me take him to the doctor to check out his health. I am finding out more and more about little Kember. His mother has practically abandoned him and left him with his grandmother and aunt and they really don't pay much attention to him. There is a man that lives with his grandmother, but it is not his grandfather. They have a very complicated story, but they are very poor and don't really seem to know any better. Please pray for little Kember and that we can be of help to him. It breaks my heart the more I find out about him.

I've been trying to post some cute videos of the children, but for some reason it isn't working. :( I have the most hilarious videos of the children cracking themselves up over nothing and some very cute ones of them practicing English. :)

I was surprised by a gigantic tarantella tonight! I was sitting on the back porch and was startled by a big black creature running across the wall. I was going to take a picture, but I decided it was better to let Sandra try to kill it before it got away. :)

Oh the fun stories of El Salvador! Please pray for my children: Fabian, Allison, Brayan, Guillermo, Madelyn, Madelyn Jasmine, Iseyda, Nathaly, Cecia, Kember, Tania, Melvin, and Jocelyn. Pray that the gang activity in this country will disappear.

Good night everyone!