Precious Gifts...Sister to Sister.

I think you all know that that we returned from a trip to the states on March 2nd. We had been there for a time of rest, loving on our family…sharing about El Salvador with everyone we had a chance to…hanging out with our friends, and being at our home church with all our brothers and sisters. It was a sweet time! While we were there, I had the opportunity to share with the ladies of our church at a women’s breakfast. At that time, I told them about the precious ladies, and children that God has put into our lives in El Salvador. Janet LaPore, the director of the women’s ministries, gave the ladies an opportunity to give a love gift to our friends here…as a way to encourage them, and show them that they have sisters in Washington that are praying for them and loving them from afar. The ladies responded in an amazing way, and their generous gift was sent down to be used in whatever way that our family felt was best for each one.

I want to report to you, that so far, we have given three ladies gifts from the offering that was sent. I want to tell you about them!
First, you know, from my last blog-post about Nelsi…if you don’t, read the last blog! Last week, I was able to deliver a container of necessary food stuffs, a large bag of nice clothes, (most of the clothes were from Susy’s sister, who lives in San Salvador, and Esther!) and a bag of gifts to this precious family.

Maddie, Susy, (our translator and friend), and I had the privilege of delivering all of the goodies together. Nelsi and her children received them with joy and tears. She said, “I can’t believe what God does with me, sometimes….I give Him so little, and He gives me so much…” It was a delight to watch them exclaim and giggle and screech over the little toys and the clothes. I also gave her a copy of a picture that was taken of the whole group of ladies that were at the ladies breakfast that Saturday morning in Washington. Janet had had some copies made and blown up for me to give the ladies.
I showed Nelsi and her children the picture and told them about their sisters in Washington. She was so moved. Shaking her head in wonder, she said, “Oh, please send my greetings and my thanks to these sisters!” They enjoyed looking at all the sweet faces in the photo…and were just delighted!I gave them the picture, with a plastic cover on it, to save and remember that they were loved and that they were being lifted up in prayer all the way from the state of Washington, in the good ole’ U.S.A!

NEXT! I also shared with the ladies at the breakfast about Lupita and Grecia. Two sweet young ladies that I meet with on Monday nights for a bible study. The week before I left to go for our visit to the states, Grecia gave her life to Jesus! Hallelujah! Lupita and she have been friends for a long time, working together every day at a little store. Lupita has been praying for a long time for her salvation! Grecia had been borrowing a Bible from a relative for our studies. Lupita has had a little Precious Moments bible that she received when she was a teen-ager. It is very special to her, but tattered and torn and falling apart. She has something going on with her eyes…haven’t pursued that yet, maybe she just needs glasses…anyways, she can hardly read the tiny print. Soooo….I expressed to the ladies in Washington that I would LOVE to buy them each a nice, beautiful study bible. Last week, Susy and I went to San Salvador and found two beautiful study bibles….and last Monday night, we presented them to Lupita and Grecia. What a joy it was to watch their faces! They were very overwhelmed and touched. Lupita kept clutching the bible to her chest and sighing with a huge smile on her face…at one point, she said…”I NEVER thought that I would have a bible like this…it is a dream come true!” She could read the print perfectly! Then I presented them with one of the photos of the sisters in Washington and told them all about their generous gift. Grecia asked me, “Can you please give me the names of all the ladies? I want to write them in the front of my Bible.” These two precious sisters were encouraged and blessed by the hearts of my dear friends in Washington. Bless your hearts, ladies! Bless your hearts!