The beginning of the end.....

Well.... this is the beginning of the end... We are all starting to feel that our time here is drawing to an end. It's a sad time, but sweet too, as you really start to see that our time here has meant something and has impacted us all.

Yesterday was more of the same - tortillas, firewood, stoves, maintenance of stoves, painting doors, covering desks. We worked the kids hard, knowing it was pretty much the last of the hard work we had to do.

Last night we went to the house of Dora and Elias (Dora is who I worked in the kitchen with 5 years ago, and Scott and I sponsor one of their boys). Dora and I were - once again - in the kitchen cooking while everyone else chatted and swapped stories with the rest of their family. We ate "pupusas." They are oh-so-yummy! They are the typical food of El Salvador, and are made of two tortillas cooked together with cheese, meat, beans, or whatever you'd like inside, then topped with a fresh saurkraut. (For those of you who are cringing in disgust, I'll tell you what I tell everyone - you have to TRY them! It never sounds good, but most everyone is pleasantly surprised when they actually try the saurkraut on top.... We even have a "Pupuseria" there in Anchorage. It is owned by people that go to FCC. Worth a stop in sometime.......) Anyways... it was a lot of fun, but most were pretty worn out, so we called it a night and went to bed.

This morning we ate breakfast and headed to the school where they had a "goodbye" assembly in our honor. It's very sweet - one of the few ways the people here feel that they can express their gratitude to us. Part of the assembly is a time where the kids sing praise songs - some fun and upbeat, and some very...... I'm at a loss of words as to how to even try to explain it. We would call them "worship songs," but I don't care for that term, and to call it that just doesn't seem to do it justice. There was hardly a dry eye in our group as we watched these little - LITTLE - kids with their eyes closed sooo tightly and hands raised as they belted out their hearts to our God. Quite humbling to watch.... and precious, so so precious.

Towards the end of the assembly, the women who received stoves this week thanked us and passed by us all to hug and kiss us, and Alex told me later that it was all he could do to not burst out in tears as he hugged and kissed the women he'd spent time with this week. I just love that....... I picture Jesus so content, smiling at moments like that...

Another neat moment today was when Pam told Alex (who'd asked about a kid that needed sponsored, being that he wanted to sponsor one...) about a kid who needed sponsored. The kid's name is Axel, and he is the son of one of the teachers at the school. Alex was so happy to find a kid that NEEDED sponsored, and Axel was beside-himself-happy to find out that he now had a sponsorer and that that sponsorer just so happens to be here NOW. As I write this, Axel is helping Alex sand and paint doors in the school. I know how special it is for a child to have a sponsorer (having had 3 of my own, and hearing their stories and words of gratitude over the years), and being present for and translating for the situation with Alex brought tears to my eyes. How special for both Alex AND for Axel... Thanks God........

Right now everyone is finishing up last minute projects before our "goodbye" dinner tonight at the school. We all are well, but reality is definitely setting is, knowing that our hours here are dwindling. Tomorrow will be a sad day for us - for your kids - so please keep them in your prayers. It's a good sadness, though..... one that changes us and never leaves us the same. One that makes me look forward to the day that we, who know Jesus, will all be together, and when we never HAVE to say goodbye again.....

-Liz Luber