This post is going to be really difficult to write I think. There is no way to put into words the experience we had this morning and get the point across. You would have to be there to even half-way comprehend what it's like. Hopefully with a lot of pictures I can try to explain, though.

Jesus (the preacher from San Ignacio) came this morning and picked us up in his truck along with Josue and Carlitos, also known as Charlie ;). Dad and Nathan and I were in the back with Josue and Carlos. He drove us from La Palma to San Ignacio, and we stopped at a corner there and waited for a sister who was also headed to Chuntrun. Here's the house we stopped in front of while we waited:

Were we were headed did not have running water, did not have electricity, no stores or little tiendas, basically there was the school and then some houses scattered across the mountainside. It was surreal. Once the lady we were waiting for and her son got there, we started down the mountain. Yes, down. It was pretty rough, too. In the picture above, the road is obviously man-paved to an extent. The road down was steep and bumpy, and we had to go extremely slow. The woman's little boy we'd picked up fell asleep sitting on Dad's foot on the way, which was pretty cute, even if his foot was asleep for a while. The view was pretty amazing , though. Actually, that doesn't cover it. If only pictures could really capture it...


It was so awesome. Reality check: These mountains are actually this beautiful, and we're actually HERE? We really do serve an awesome God :) And really. This is just land. If He put so much amazing, gorgeous detail into this, think about what He does with His people!

When we got to a certain spot, the truck couldn't go any further. That's when the real hiking started. At first, it was just really steep downhill but it was smooth-ish. Then we got to the bridge. There was a rope bridge thing we had to cross the river over. Some people in the group were a little scared of bridges. Others, like Josue and me, enjoyed jumping on them and messing with those who were scared! :D
It was fun. After the bridge was some of the toughest hiking. Some of the people who live there walk all the way to and from San Ignacio every Sunday for church, even in the "torrential downpourage". Plus, one of the ladies said she comes every Thursday as well for services because she needs the spiritual food for her soul or something similar. Kinda makes us think about our lame excuses for not going to church sometimes, huh?

Eventually, we reached the school. Josue and Jesus a little before the rest of us... But it was like something from "Little House on the Prarie". A one room school house, with only grades kingergaten through 6th. No one goes higher who lives in this town. The teacher only lives there during the week and lives in Chaletenango or some other city on the weekends. Here's the entire school. The only part not shown in this picture is the little outhouse bathroom.

Crazy, right? But the people are so sweet and happy. They've never known anything else. Jesus did a Bible lesson for the kids and parents on John the Baptist baptizing Jesus. He made a craft to illustrat it. Just a simple piece of paper and a few shapes and some glue, but they were thrilled. Most of these kids have never been exposed to making art projects and using glue! The ones whose mothers were there, wanted to do a lot of it for them, because they had never done it either. We also sang a bunch of songs. The kids were so cute... We gave out bedrolls to some people, and a couple baby carriers to some families with young babies who have to carry them all over those mountains. And at the end, we passed out the goody bags. I think that in the bags were vitamins, parasite treatments, a little individual pack of cookies, a piece of bubble gum, a little plastic toy, a box of juice, and maybe some other stuff that I unfortunately can't remember. They were so excited just with the little stuff. At the end Nathan and I played some soccer with the kids and kicked a ball around.

It has been a wonderful day. This morning was beyond incredible or any other words I could put down here. And tonight was pretty great, too :) Thank you always for the prayers. Continued prayers for Alfredo's family, please! More to be posted soon!
su amiga,
Erin <3