Throughout the week, our team used the call to DEP. Students and leaders prayed a lot for each other, for our circumstances, and to give God thanks for the day. We were grateful to be reminded that we can trust God with all things. Also, our team really relied on each other in times of need. Being vulnerable and asking for help isn't easy today when we have to keep up the image of having it all together. Our team was forced to reconcile what to do when we don't have the answers or when we need help. It may not seem like a lot, but this is huge for young people who are constantly bombarded with the perfect, edited images of what life should look like, to know that God is with you in the mess and you have people around you that will love you, help you, and not leave you.

The water system in Taura is nearly 20 years old and we learned in January that the energy costs were skyrocketing and the likely reason was a leak in the system. There is a clean drinking water well, but this is the water that goes to each house in the village for cooking, dishes, showers, etc. When we arrived in Taura, we had an electrician, the water committee workers, and a few guys from our team ready to troubleshoot. We had to turn off the water to the entire village, but miraculously, we were able to find the leak in the pipe and develop a plan to fix it. This did take a 5-hour round-trip-adventure to what was described as the Lowe's-Ikea store to obtain the right parts for the system. After 36 hours of the community being without water, our team was able to help turn the system back on with replaced piping, a new pump and tank, and updated plumbing and electrical work. We are grateful that we have been here so long that we can help with long-term maintenance and support for our friends.

Clinic!!

This year in Taura, we were able to open a medical Clinic to see all the families in the village. Since COVID, the clinic has served the community, but not at full capacity. We are grateful for Dr. Purnell and our team members Chloe, Emerson, Sara, Preston, and Skylar who triaged families and helped work together to address many of the health needs of the community. Each family received medical attention, vitamins, hygiene supplies, and a few blessings of clothing and shoes. We also had two students who helped organize the information we collected at the clinic regarding the needs of the people to better prepare us to serve the community next year. Lastly, we gathered prayer requests to continue to pray for our friends back home. Please pray with us for the families!

The Joy of the Lord!

Maybe it's getting out of the snow to the sunshine, but I doubt it. The joy of the Lord was so evident in our friendships. Students experienced being fully known and fully loved by the niños and the people of Taura. Without showers, without the conveniences of home, without our phones, without the pressure to perform, without the demanding schedules we keep, without being concerned that someone is judging you, we were able to focus on loving God and loving others. We received an incredible gift to be free in Christ and to be kids! We played with the niños, we laughed at ourselves, we received hugs, we danced, we were silly, we had good conversations about things that matter, we prayed together, and were reminded of God's presence with us. This is the Gospel and our presence with each other is the best gift we can give. As an adult that works with teenagers, this experience in Taura and the Central American culture is a drastic difference to the culture we experience at home. This week gives all of us an opportunity to see life lived differently and take back home new priorities for our lives. What a blessing to see kids full of the joy of the Lord!

Greenhouse! House! Painting!

Our team worked really hard in the heat to help make progress on a handful of projects around the village. We sure broke a sweat and drank a lot of water!

In 2022, we partnered with RISE Nutrition to build two greenhouses in the community. Each year, we get to help turnover the Greenhouse, work on any needed maintenance, and plant for the next harvest. It is hot in El Salvador and it's even hotter in the Greenhouse. Our students worked hard digging and were good teammates helping each other out. We pray this project continues to add nutrition to the community and provide for the children!

We have been blessed with the funds to help build houses in the community. Each participant on the trip raises funds to support their travel, projects in the village, and a blessing to the Young Life El Salvador team that hosts us. Through the project budget and generous donations, this year we started the sixth house in the village. These homes are life-changing for the families as most sheds in our backyards are in better condition than their current homes. Our students learned how to dig a foundation, mix concrete in the dirt, bend rebar, and how strings and sticks can create a precise template. We pray for the family that will receive this house and it was fun to work alongside them and hear their story!

We also were able to freshen up the water treatment facility in the center of the village. As a focal piece near the church, students worked hard to bring back the beautiful bright colors to the building. The people were very thankful to see the building cared for! We also were able to help with some baños for families who were in need of new facilities. The very basic needs of the families are always a priority for our teams.

Throughout our time in Taura, we had the opportunity to share Bible studies with our students, the women of the village, the men of the village, and host a few Vacation Bible School days with the children. There are so many layers to this trip and experiences we get to share together that help us grow in our faith. It is a joy to take time each day to discuss scripture with students and hear how they are experiencing the Lord. Also, the ladies gathered multiple times to pray together and shared a devotional book with the women that they can use all year. A few of our students prepared times for the children with songs, Bible stories, and crafts. This time was so cute, fun, and encouraging to the families in the village to see their kids learn about Jesus. Lastly, we hosted our first men's Bible study in the village. The men often are working and not available to meet, but this year we took a chance to try and gather together. It was a good time encouraging the men to love God and serve others. We are grateful to have these relationships with the people of the community and our friendship be rooted in the hope of Jesus!

Celebrating 20 Years!!

This year's trip marked 20 years of Young Life serving the people of the Bajo Lempa Region. Six different Young Life areas have built relationships with communities to help them dream together and better their communities, but it all started when a group of students from Syracuse showed up in Rancho Grande in 2006! We now serve, Rancho Grande, Taura, Los Naranjos, Monte Cristo, La Pita, and Porto Nueva with teams from Syracuse, Rochester, Orchard Park, Tonawanda, Boston, and Baldwinsville. Well over 1,000 students have given up their February break to serve the people of Bajo Lempa and have left an everlasting impact on the people of this region. This trip started as a way for the American teenager to grow in their faith through serving the poor in a cross-cultural experience. We had dreams, but are in awe of how the Lord has blessed this friendship and transformed so many lives by the simple invitation - come and see! Thank you, Lord! Gloria a Dios!