Day 5

Today was wonderful... Much like every other day, but also very hard, being taken to places in which you feel so helpless to help. Today we were taken across the valley to the 2 other transition homes that were built with room to build 8 more of these homes on the back of the property. A group from Canada came up to build them and had almost finished painting them. We were able to go in and add our touch to the walls like around the trim and a few walls needed to be finished. These 2 homes both have composting outhouses and a large cook and wash station, they are beautiful, but I still could never imagine having to live there. It might be fun for a night or too, but that's it! The community is about an hours drive up this crazy mountain road and over a river. They just recently built a little suspension bridge because I guess in the rainy season the river gets so high that people get stuck on the one side and can't drive over, so they needed a way to get food. Can you imagine having to find food per meal and the main thing you eat is beans and tortillas? Many don't have fridges so there is no way to keep anything fresh. We heard many sad stories today. Ron told us about these 2 young girls who's mother had remarried to a very sexually abusive father. So the girls decided they needed out so they found land across the village and started working while going to school to build this shack, it took them 2 years and they had to hire out there step dad to finish the work. When it was all done the girls mother came to them with her new son and asked to move in because she wanted to escape the violence. The girls reluctantly let her, but shortly after she let the abusive step dad move in as well. Such a hopeless situation, the older daughter picked up and moved an hour away to escape it all and they aren't sure how she is doing. There are stories of hopelessness everywhere, and that is the reason for the transition homes. A safe place for people like these 2 girls to move into where there are strict rules and people to protect them.
 In the afternoon we went to the market and got a few souvenirs, we were told to bargain with the people and we did a bit, but we felt so guilty as this is the way these people are making an honest living. After dinner we went back up the mountain to the church we have been going to, to put on a service that was made up of mainly youth. We sang with them and then Sarah and myself went up to share our stories. Sarah has a pretty sad story and she is still such an amazing, strong, joyful woman. When most people would complain and find reason to give up on God, she has clung on to Him and his promises that He has a plan for our lives, plans for hope and a future. I am truly honored to have met her as she encourages me so much to find the positive in each and every situation and to be thankful for the lives God has given us and some things we have no control over. After Sarah is was my turn to stand up and share. God filled me with such a sense of His peace and I was able to share with confidence my testimony. About my struggles in my relationship with Steve while dating and about getting pregnant. And even when you make a decision that isn't part of Gods will that if you seek him with a repentant heart that he is willing to forgive you and you can start over. As Gods grace is so amazing and a free gift. Ron my interpreter had the crowd laughing a few times (not sure why!?) haha and I tried using a few of my Spanish words. After I was done Linsey and Melody stood up and sang Amazing Grace, without any practice at all. It was AMAZING. I felt the Holy Spirit in that little church and afterwards they all came up and layed hands on us and prayed for us... What an amazing experience, why don't why do that in Canada?? At the end each person came up and gave us a hug, and a kiss on the cheek. Such love shown to us, it blessed us all A LOT. We had the opportunity to stay and mingle and I was able to have a few conversations with my little Spanish. We met these 2 young girls ages 10 and 14 named Isabelle and Lizette- their mother took their younger brother and left them about a month ago. We get to go see their home and hear there story in the morning...