Me gusta pupusas!

So the days continue ticking away faster and faster. Already my first week in El Salvador is complete. Since the last time I blogged not a whole lot exciting has happened, but I´ll try to keep you up to speed.
I´ve still been helping out with English classes and working in the clinic in CISNA. So far I have met several challenges. It has been difficult to communicate the necessities of what should be done especially for the health of CISNA and have the directors and teachers understand that we are coming from a postition of love for the kids and are trying to help them, not trying to change their ways of doing things from an arrogant American perspective. For example, today Lauren, Teddy, and I taught our first health class to some of the teachers and directors. It began well, but soon turned into a rant about how they did not have enough supplies and how though our suggestions were heeded they could not be implemented. This was pretty frustrating, but I was able to take command and communicate to them that it was their responsability to look out for the health of the kids, to set examples of servant leadership, and to assert authority to get things done. They seemed to shutup after that hahahah.
Anyways, I have met several boys at CISNA who I have begun to hang out with when I go. One of them, Carlos, I met sitting near the clinic all alone. He had been punched in the head and had to get stitches. He was crying when I met him. I got to talk to him and hear his story. He had been abandoned by his parents, hadn´t heard from them since he entered the orphanage and felt that know one loves him. I got to show him love and give him a hug and just talk to him. That was awesome, and even if I came to El Salvador for that one experience it was all worth it.
Additionally, I have been able to build some relationships with the boys in the house and have been able to exchange stories with them. This has also made the trip worth it.
For awhile, though, I have been feeling burdened just for the brokeness, the poverty, and seeming hopelessness. I have hope though that things will improve and that the work that I and the other interns do this summer will make a difference not only in others´ lives, but in our own as well.
Other than that, life has been tranquilo...peaceful. We even got to go to the beach for the day on Saturday and rest. We Americans are also growing closer which has been awesome! Love you all and talk to you soon...PS TOMORROW IS MY BIRTHDAY!! YIKES I´m gonna be an old man!