Our Trips

2009 El Salvador

November 9-13, 2009, four bloggers will witness firsthand the ministry of Compassion International to the poor of El Salvador. Visit this page daily to travel with them through their stories, pictures and videos.

For more information about Compassion International or to sponsor a child visit Compassion.com.

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Praying For My Family

Posted on Nov 23, 2009 by Shaun Groves

In the first year of our relationship Yanci asked me in a letter to pray for her Dad because he needed help. What kind of help? I thought. Is he OK? Is there something more I can do than pray?

On the bus last week I asked Yanci’s mom what that prayer request was all about. “I’ve been praying for him for four years now and I don’t why. I don’t know if God’s already answered my prayers.”

Her face broke into a huge grin as she told me the story through a translator.

Recap

Posted on Nov 23, 2009 by Heather Whittaker

I will be doing a few more posts on El Salvador, but I need some processing time. I don't know if you have followed the trip and read the other bloggers posts, but I thought I'd share my favorites.

I'm A Blubberer

Posted on Nov 23, 2009 by Patricia Jones

Hello, my name is Patricia and I am a blubberer.

I don’t know why I even bothered to put on any eye make-up today, because I certainly cried it all away. The mascara smearing down my cheeks is far less attractive then just going without makeup at all. Oh well, I will live and learn.

I think this trip is my 10th trip with Compassion, and I still blubber like a baby. The first thing I do when I start to cry at a Compassion project is look around to see if any other Americans are joining me in my emotional state. It was a relief to see that Kelly was joining me. It’s a pride thing I guess, but God made me soft. In other words, I cry at sad movies, I cry when I see someone else crying and I cry at Compassion projects.

The Fishermen's Field

Posted on Nov 20, 2009 by Shaun Groves

The fishermen and their children planted. But they didn’t plant in well-spaced rows. They didn’t plant deeply enough either. Some expert corn farmers inspected their work and told them they’d have to start over. “We can’t afford to start over. We’ll pray instead.”

Reentry Sickness

Posted on Nov 20, 2009 by Molly Piper

No matter how much I wanted to, I didn’t wake up in El Salvador today. My week with Compassion International is over, and I’m grieving that.

I got home Friday night around 11pm and woke Orison (our then-4-year-old) and he greeted me very drowsily. In the morning he didn’t even remember it! But when he woke up Saturday morning, he was FIVE! That’s right, I got home just in time for his birthday.

Compassion And Giving

Posted on Nov 20, 2009 by Kelly Stamps

So I wanted to answer a few questions about Compassion. If you have more - I'd be happy to add on to this post and try to answer them.

1. First - how did I get to go on this trip and how can you go on one?
I was asked to go on this trip. Compassion has taken four trips now with groups of bloggers.

Yanci Is Famous

Posted on Nov 20, 2009 by Shaun Groves

“Did you know that you are famous in America?” I asked.

She shook her head no.

“Do you know what my job is?” I asked.

“You are a writer?” she guessed through a translator.

“Well, yes,” I said, “but mostly I sing and preach.”

Her eyebrows raised.

“After I visited you four years ago I went back home and started traveling all over America and Canada, to churches and universities, singing and telling people all about the day we spent together.”

She laughed.

Mom To Mom

Posted on Nov 12, 2009 by Kelly Stamps

I was trying to think about one story I could tell you to really affect you. One thing I want you to know about Compassion and El Salvador and about my trip. One thing I wanted to leave you with.

And I couldn’t come up with just ONE story because I have seen so much this week. But I can tell you what I think the one thing that has struck me the most. And I can tell you that two years ago – I could have come on this trip and felt completely different.

This trip I saw everything through a mother’s eyes. I know probably 65% of you are mothers and probably another 35% of you hope to be a mother one day. (and maybe 3% of you are men? Ha!) Being a mom has just totally changed my heart.And this week I have thought SO much about the mothers here.

You’ve Been Cordially Invited To Break Your Heart

Posted on Nov 12, 2009 by Molly Piper

Child sponsorship has always seemed like a very safe way to help another person. Most of the time you never look them in the eye.

But today I met our family’s sponsored child. All the safe distance of sponsorship was completely obliterated. Now all the “ideas” of sponsorship were humanized into a six-year-old boy. His name is Hector.

Babies, Moms and Compassion

Posted on Nov 11, 2009 by Keely Scott (photos)

Compassion is all about kids and what you might not know is we are all about moms and babies too!

I am so excited that today we are launching our Child Survival Program Website Where you can go and be a part of sponsoring one of these projects! Check out this awesome site full of information but first take a look at the new moms, mom to be and super cute babies we visted today. . .

And be sure to check out Compassion Bloggers so you can learn more about this AH-mazing program!