As a part of our mission trip to El Salvador, we brought gifts for the children of an orphanage. Saturday night, we all brought together our gifts and packaged them into a gift bag for each child. It was important that every bag have approximately the same things so that no one would feel left out. Toys, candy, pencils, notebooks, towels, balloons, balls, toothbrushes, coloring books and much more went into these bags.
Linda and Isabel bought the food we were to give them. There was so much that it took a truck to transport it to the orphanage. Cornmeal, beans, rice, apples, cooking oil, milk powder, soap, toilet paper, thousands of pounds of supplies were purchased for them. Leftover money was placed in an envelope to give them.
 Twenty-five of us boarded a bus and drove to the site Sunday. The man and his wife and their 32 children greeted us. I’m not one to cry, but when we presented the stack of food to them the impact hit me. Here were these two foster parents and one hired worker caring for these children (wards of the state) from ages six to 16! Some of the children were found wandering on the streets and were put there by the court.
 The reason we chose this home was because the other orphanages in San Salvador had most of what they needed. But this one was the most needy in the city. I was very interested in the fact that we didn’t give to our denominational orphanage even though we operate one here in this city. We chose to give to the one who needed our help the most. And the foster mother broke down and cried to see all the food. They desperately needed food.
 The children had sad faces. They were well behaved but so sad looking. They thanked us and smiled when they got their gifts but soon that sad look again settled on their faces. All the girls are packed into one room of bunk beds, and the boys into another smaller room. They hugged us and were warm to us and presented the music they had prepared for us. But that sad lonely look was there all over their faces. When our bus pulled away it tore our hearts to know that one day that food will be gone and their needs will go on. |
