Week 14 in El Salvador

I am home from an amazing week in El Salvador where the baby and I were showered with so much love.  Both times I have been to El Salvador it's been such an awesome experience that any attempt to describe it does it a complete injustice.  But I shall try. :) I was a little concerned about sharing the news with some of the kiddos and worried about their reaction. It breaks my heart to know that this precious child will have so many people to love on it and these children don't receive nearly as much love as any child deserves. However the children were happy for me and too cute about the whole thing.  About halfway through the trip the baby got nicknamed little Amanda. In the mornings I'd get so many sweet rubs on my tummy with a "Buenos dias little Amanda," and at night "Buenas noches little Amanda." Throughout the 2 hour church service the beautiful little girl that I sponsor, Carolina, kept her hand on my belly a good portion of the service.  I am so glad that I got to have this experience one more time before the baby comes.  I have every intention of returning next summer. I can't even imagine how hard it will be to know that I'll have to leave my little one behind while I am gone but we are so blessed that I know it will be taken care of while I'm gone and surrounded by love while I get to love on other deserving children.  

Tonight I talked to one of my friends that I hadn't gotten to talk to in quite some time and share the baby news with her. As we talked about the pregnancy and I mentioned that we'd been trying since October it hit me that if we had gotten pregnant right away then there would have been no way I could have gone to El Salvador this summer.  I spent a lot of time frustrated and shed many tears for things not going the way that I had planned. But I was reminded again that God's timing is not my own. "For there is a time and a way for everything, although man's trouble lied heavy on him." Ecclesiastes 8:6 "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven" Ecclesiastes 3:1.  I am thankful for a God that has a plan for me. If I had control of my own life I'd have a baby in the next few weeks and wouldn't have gotten to share this time with the kids of El Salvador. 

If you feel called to do so anyone is able to sponsor a child from the orphanage. It's only $35 a month and a very simple process. Let me know and I'd be more than happy to get the information to you. If not I ask that you pray for these beautiful children.  As one bright child spoke so wisely one night he said "Ya we may need money, we may need food, we may need beds, but more than anything we need prayers."