Meet the Team (Guys!)

This is Jeff Lehman! Jeff is currently on staff with Young Life College and will be leading the trip to El Salvador this week. He graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in Journalism. Jeff is most excited about what God will be teaching him about dependance and faith, and how being in a different culture and spot in the world will make him see how God is present all over the place. 

This is Shawn Petrunak! He is a Sophomore majoring in Economics with minors in both History and Real Estate. He's most excited about just getting away for a week with a bunch of good friends to make an impact in a different country. He is currently a Young Life leader at Winter Park High School!

This is Fred Hamilton! He is a Senior majoring in Finance who is most excited about experiencing the culture of El Salvador and interacting with the locals! Fred is hoping that this week will bring him closer to God.

This is Cale Maddox! He is a Freshmen majoring in Mechanical Engineering. He's most looking forward to learning about the culture of El Salvador while simultaneously growing closer to God!

This is Blake Smith! He is a Junior majoring in Communications who is most excited about seeing the culture of El Salvador and seeing how it compares to the United States. He currently a Young Life College leader at UCF!

This is Ethan "Slagathor" Cahill! He is a Freshmen majoring in Mechanical Engineering. He's excited to be challenged mentally, physically, and spiritually, and to come out of the week stronger then ever! He is currently a Young Life leader at University High School!

This is Ryan Hunziker! He is a Junior majoring in Criminal Justice with a minor in Sociology of Crime, Murder, and Deviancy as well as getting his Certificate in Criminal Profiling. He is most excited to spend a week growing with the Lord thru a culture that he has never encountered before! He is currently a Young Life leader at Winter Springs High School!

Meet the Team (Girls!)

This is Callie Suzanne Lajza. She is a Sophomore who's majoring in Interpersonal Communication with a minor in Nonprofit Management. She is most excited to be in a new place, meet new people, serve along side her friends, and to wear overalls without judgement! She is currently a Young Life leader at Winter Springs High School.

This is Mallory Spence! She is a Senior majoring in Theatre Studies and minoring in Education. She is excited to see how God will use this trip to affect the people there, and to affect those of us going! She is currently a Young Life leader at Lee Middle School, and recently won Miss Congeniality in the Miss UCF Pageant!

This is Jessi Tobin! She is a Senior majoring in Hospitality and minoring in Art! She is most excited to be taken out of her comfort zone and to see how God can use that to impact the lives of others. She is currently a Young Life College leader at the University of Central Florida!

This is Sarah Smith! She is a Freshmen with no declared major as of yet! She's excited to see how different cultures live and to be doing something really positive and meaningful with her Spring Break!

Welcome to the El Salvador Blog! Letter from Trip Leader

Dear Parents, Young Life Committee Members, and Friends,

Welcome to the El Salvador 2014 Blog! We will be updating this every day while we are down there, sharing prayer requests, highlights from each day, and updates to how the team is doing. I hope you can live vicariously through the stories we share. We have been meeting as a team for over a month now, sharing stories with each other and building relationships within our group. I cannot wait to begin this adventure with these amazing young men and women.

For those of you who do not know, we will be spending our week in the suburbs of Popotlan and Apopa, San Salvador. Young Life has a team down there who is running a Young Life club, and our main project will be assisting them in some basic construction and clean up projects around their club site so that they can continue to reach El Salvadorian youth and tell them about Jesus. Apart from this project, we will be staying in a hotel together with the El Salvadorian Young Life Staff, growing closer as a team, and soaking in our surroundings! Of course, our trip will end with a fun day at the beach and a chance to debrief with stories, what we have taken away from the trip, and how we have grown close together in our own relationships.

I encourage you to read each one of our posts, and be praying for us along the way. I am excited for these students to just see how God is working all around the world. The following post will highlight each student on our team and how you can be praying for him/ her. God bless you all, I look forward to updating you soon!

In Christ,

Jeff Lehman
Staff Associate with Young Life College
University of Central Florida