Nov 5, 2009
Compassion Countdown: 4 days til El Salvador!
*Warning: this is a disjointed, brain-dump post as I try to organize my thoughts and life before my El Salvador trip*
In some ways, I’m totally in denial that I’m leaving the country and my family in four days.
In other ways, I’ve been anticipating and preparing. For example, I’ve been trying to make some freezer meals for Abraham and the kids to help them along the way. They should be well-stocked with spaghetti sauce and wild rice soup. I figure if I get one more meal made, that should be sufficient (taking leftovers into account). I mean, I’m only gone for five days. And if they get really desperate they can always order pizza or make scrambled eggs.
I’m going to meet our family’s sponsor child while I’m there! I’m so excited about that. I have yet to get gifts for him and his family. What I learned in our team meeting the other day is to think practically, and to think about the whole family. Toothbrushes and toothpaste, soap, deoderant, and maybe some small items like photo albums and little toys for the kids.
I think I’ll get our little guy a soccer ball with a pump for a special gift. That way he can use it with his friends and siblings and everyone can enjoy it.
I had a good idea last night to bring some of my extra stashed yarn and needles along to give away to women/moms there who knit! And if they don’t know how to knit, maybe I’ll give a knitting lesson! Good thing I’ll have a translator! And some things can be done through demonstration, so how cool would that be???
And of course I chose yesterday to paint my laundry room. I am such a random weirdo. I mean, who does that? Apparently I do. I think I respond to stress by choosing to take on more stress. Actually, painting feels more like an accomplishment. So maybe it’s that I take on projects that I can control when there’s so many other things out of control.
And who psychoanalyzes their painting? Apparently, I do.
Congrats on going! Can’t wait to read your posts. A dude at our church just got back from there.
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Praying for you! Can’t wait for your updates!
I’m with you, I usually start a project of some sort before a trip…I guess I like to procrastinate…I get more done when I’m under a deadline? We’ll keep you in prayer for safe travels and God can be glorified through your trip!
Hmmm. That made perfect sense:
1. Painting the laundry room at a randomly weird time
2. Psychoanalyzing the painting…
3. All that “control” stuff
Blessings as you travel, minister and are ministered to. You are in His grip!
Maybe the extra needles and yarn I gave you can be used as part of the demonstration. Actually, PLEASE use the stuff I gave you….or as I would like to say, please redeem my knitting failures!
You should talk to Dorothy — if only either of you had TIME to talk, between you getting ready to leave and her getting ready to move! I think you could relate to each other very well!
We visited our Compassion kids when we were in Ethiopia in August and also brought them soccer balls, which I think were a hit. My advice (if you want it) – give him the gift at the beginning of the visit. We didn’t do it this way and I think our kids would have opened up to us more during the visit if we had. Excited for your experience in El Salvador!
The soccer ball will make you his hero forever. Praying for safe travels and a great trip!
Painting is very calming to me so I get why you’d do such a thing!
I’ll be following every post from y’all and hope to learn more about the country of my sponsored child.
Be safe.
I am the same way- I take on MORE stress in times when I should be taking it easy. for me, it really is a control thing- it’s nice to be able to control one thing in our lives…i’m right there with ya on the psychoanalysis.
Praying for a productive and good trip for you! How exciting!!!
You sound exactly how I sound before a big trip — filled to the brim with details.
I remain so excited for you and Team Estrogen. ;-) Prayers going up even now.
Totally understand. I’m leaving for Turkey in the morning, and I still can’t believe tomorrow won’t be just another day. I’m excited for you!
Any pics of said laundry room? Ours is hot pink and I LOVE it. :)
God willing, have a great trip! Best wishes. I’ll be praying. :)
i love brain dump posts. i know i write them way too much, but then, i like reading them so much.
love that you got a project done this week in the midst of chaos.
i’m so excited to hear how it all goes. i’m sure it’s going to FLY by!
so excited for your trip!!! I can’t wait to read your updates. May God be glorified in your time there!
funny that you say that about painting. when I paint (as in canvases) it really helps me b/c like you said, I feel like I’m getting something done. Everything else in my life (parenting, dishes, laundry) seems to perpetually need to be done. It’s really nice to have something I can complete :)
As for things to take, I just keep thinking “stickers.” Every time I’ve thought of you I think I need to bring you stickers to give to cute little kiddos there.
I just returned last Saturday from a Compassion tour to El Salvador. How I wish I was returning with you this week!
I am still in the process of blogging and posting photos (I took 1500 in a week) and I am eager to see your posts next week.
So I’m with you in the whole “I-can-control-this” painting projects. When I was going through chemotherapy this past spring, in between treatments, I decided to paint one of my bedrooms, walls, ceiling and put in base boards. Everyone thought I was nuts, but it helped me feel like there was something I could do in at least one small area of my life. Aaaah, the illusion of control…
so funny – I do stuff like the painting too. Although the last few years I have sort of forced myself not to do stuff like that- maybe I’m just getting old!
[...] week Molly is visiting El Salvador to see and blog about Compassion’s work [...]
I’m so excited to read about your experience!
I follow your husband’s blog, and when I saw the name “El Salvador,” my eyes just popped out of my head. I just got back from two years with the Peace Corps in El Salvador, and while I was living there, my parents chose to sponsor a little boy and had the opportunity to visit him. I served as their interpreter. It was an unforgettable experience. What is the name of the city where your child lives? Are you going to be able to see any other parts of the country?