Day Two: Leader's Perspective

Today we had a chance to see authentic El Salvadorian culture, and we were invited into the homes and lives of many people who are involved with Young Life here. It being Sunday morning, we were invited to Enrique's church in Apopa. There, we sang a few (spanish) worship songs, and had a chance to break into small groups and share our stories with each other, as well as some of our favorite bible verses. It was fun to be engaged with their community in that! 

After a great lunch at (wait for it) Pizza Hut :), we got a chance to visit one of the big cathedrals in Popotlan. It was absolutely gorgeous. Huge ceilings, amazing sculptures, and lots and lots of history. We then went to Apopa, where the majority of the El Salvadorian Young Life community lives, and met several of the families in their homes. Blake's thoughts go deeper in this, but it was so cool to see the community that authentically. Everyone was so generous and thankful for us to be there, it blew me away. At the end of the neighborhood tour, they asked if we wanted to play futbol. I thought it was just a low key game, but when we got out to the street, the El Salvadorian teenage guys were fully decked out, soccer jersey's, soccer shoes, the whole deal. It was meant to be USA vs. El Salvador. The girls chose to cheer us on from the sidewalk, and us guys rallied together as a team. It was a valiant effort, but the home country got the best of us, 2-0. (Looks like they went easy on us :) 

We got to build relationships with these teens through playing soccer, and for that I was really thankful. It was cool to play in the street as well. 

We finished off the evening with dinner at the church, and then stopped near the hotel for some ice cream as a team, which really hit the spot. All in all, it was a fantastic second day. We will start our work tomorrow, and are planning to do a garden project at the main school in Apopa. Please be praying for our time, and of course, for continued health and safety!