Before I tell you stories from my trip to El Salvador, just let me say in repsonse to your emails and letters that I realize "The Loop" is not really a proper Blog. That would involve me posting my thoughts on this page with a far greater regularity than once every six months. But truthfully, I am a terible typist and it is, for me, akin to medieval torture to sit and type for long periods of time (at least that's what I told my high school English teachers). So I would ask you to expand your concept of the Blog as e-literature, and think of it more like a column from a magazine--one that only publishes twice yearly....and contains only one column(!).There. Am I now off the hook sufficiently to continue with the story? It's a good one this time, I promise.
We got great seats for the big show. (I knew a guy.)
I never had a chance...I was smitten right away. I spoke enough Spanish to tell her my name, and how adorable she was. We established an instant rapport, and we were teasing each other and playing games in no time.
AN INVITATION SOUTH FROM COMPASSION CANADA
Several months ago, my wife and I were invited to take an 'exposure tour' of the ministry of Compassion, specifically in El Salvador. I do some advocacy work for Compassion at some of my concerts, and I know many of you sponsor children around the world through this worthy organization. I had never been on one of these tours, though, so as I cleared my schedule to go, I was anticipating a mind-blowing trip and a renewed sense of purpose in advocating for these children. The trip certainly delivered that, but I discovered that God had something much more personal in store for me, and he planned to surprise me at every turn with incredible moments of grace.
The group from Canada was comprised of 15 (amazing) people from across Canada, mostly pastors and their wives, with the exception of musician Andy Park, his son David, and Ally and I. The group was led by a seasoned trio of Compassion staffers, and a fabulous squad of nationals who served selflessly as tour guides and interpreters (and for me, private Spanish language tutors).
I was scrambling to learn the language in the weeks before, so to hear it spoken so beautifully for a whole 7 days...man, I'm hooked! Check out the Coffee Break Spanish podcast online at iTunes if, like me, you're dying to learn more.
DAY ONE
We got off the bus to a riotous "Bienvenido" from our new little friends-- 150 kids from the Compassion Project. They even wore red and white just for us...
This was followed by a big presentation with drama, dance and singing.
We really felt like visiting dignitaries!
We got great seats for the big show. (I knew a guy.)So on this day(and most days) we hugged about 100 kids and played games and talked to the teachers and pastors, all of whom were working overtime to provide the very best care and love for these precious kids, most of whom come from troubled homes and deep poverty. At this project, and every project thereafter, we made fast friends with many of the little 'chicos', and took pictures. Check out the face of young El Salvador...
Everywhere we went, Ally made friends. Her sunny disposition and easy laugh made her a popular figure with the young girls, who flocked to her.
DANIEL
On three of the days, we had the opportunity to visit the homes of some of young people enrolled in the Compassion day programs. One such fellow was Daniel: 15 years old, a gifted singer and an A+ student. His mother had 12 children, and young Daniel has a few older siblings...and he is the only one in his family to be involved in the Compassion program. Yet through him, his entire family has been given hope and blessing. When asked to explain what the efforts of Compassion have meant to him, he had no words, but broke down crying. He was well aware of how blessed he was to recieve the education, food provision, community and care that Compassion provides, and can see how God has raised him up and caused him be strong for his mother, and to shine a light for his brothers and sisters.
His dreams are lofty (wants to be a doctor), and he shows every promise of achieving them. Compassion offers a new yearly leadership program that Daniel is a perfect candidate for, and for Daniel, this is all he needs: a chance to show the grace of God has birthed inside of him.
After spending an afternoon with him, I have no doubt that he will accomplish all of this and more...
meeting SARA: a new beginning
Waiting is one of the toughest things to do. You feel like you're missing the boat, like you're being passive, like you're wasting. For the past 3 1/2 years, Ally and I have wanted to start a family, but found ourselves forever waiting for results...and it felt to us more and more like a waste of time, the steady depletion all of our emotional resources. Still, our desire for children grew stronger, even in the face of the possibility that we may not be able to have kids of our own.
It was out of a desire to connect with those children that God did give us to love that Ally decided to sponsor another child with Compassion. We were eager to find a child that was from El Salvador, since we would get the chance to meet her personally on this trip. As it turned out, everyone in the group had a sponsor child in El Salvador, and we were all going to spend 'Fun Day' with them at the Children's Museum in San Salvador.
We were tingling with excitement when the bus pulled up to the assembly of kids and their parents that fateful morning.
Fun Day begins: meet little Sara.
I never had a chance...I was smitten right away. I spoke enough Spanish to tell her my name, and how adorable she was. We established an instant rapport, and we were teasing each other and playing games in no time. 
Her mom warned her that she cannot
be forever blowing bubbles.
One cheeky monkey.
(that's my) FUN DAY
Needless to say, we had a ball with this energetic and hilarious little gal, who was full of life and just needed a gentle nudge to come out of her shell and embrace the fun of the day.
One of the exhibits allowed the kids to turn the tables on the adults and play doctor for a day. As soon as she donned the lab coat, she was in full method-acting mode, bringing to mind a mixture of Doogie Howser and Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman. She inspected my ears (and pronounced them 'dirty'), weighed me on a scale ('too fat') and had a gander at my gums (c'mon, be gentle, Doc!).
She had us in stitches for much of the day, and we had the opportunity to spend some time at the end, giving her a few presents and singing her some kids songs.
It was an incredible day, and one that I was eager to capture in song, as soon as I could.
So a few days ago, I put the finishing touches on Sara, a song I hope to feature on the new EP that's due for release this Fall. Funnily enough, I took a band into the studio days after coming home, and recorded a song I'd written with finished music, but no words...and this past weekend I holed up in the studio and wrote the lyrics.
I think I just needed time to process all that had happened on that amazing trip. So many stories could still find their way into song, but for me, this day with Sara was one of the most significant moments.
I hope to have that song wrapped by the end of August, and released as a single in September.
I haven't been this excited by a new song in a loooong time. It's full of hooks, it's bouncy, innocent, and yet lyrically retains some of the sense of weariness and sadness that Ally and I have felt, and felt rescued by that day.
"Sara you came along like a dream/When our dream was gone"
-----------------------------
ADOPTING A NEW POINT OF VIEW
Up until meeting Sara, I couldn't imagine adopting a child. I didn't feel called to it, the way I thought you were supposed to be. I worried about attachment, and whether it would 'take'...for me and for the child. Loads of fears about being a good dad. A keen desire to have kids the way everybody else does...
But all that was blown out of the water when Sara looked at me with those eyes, eyes that seemed, all at once, to address everything that was holding me back.
Ally and I are now exploring adoption in El Salvador, praying that God will bless us with a child from this beautiful country, where we have made so many great new friends. Amazing progress has already been made in finding agency contacts and lawyers there, and there is a new government that appears to be friendly to international adoption.
El Salvador has a reputation in adoption circles here as a closed door, and no agency in Ontario deals with them at this point. And I can accept that if that proves to be the final word, but something is telling me that God wants to open that door, and may be using our story to help. If we can connect the lawyer contacts we have in El Salvador with an agency in Ontario willing to license for ES, then there is a chance that the doors will fling wide, and many more than just us will be able to enter in.
These are just hopes and dreams at this point, but they are so much more than we had before El Salvador.
Thanks to everyone on the Canadian team for your friendship and insight, to the El Salvador team of Compassion Staff and translators...we owe you all a great debt of gratitude for opening our eyes to the amazing work that Compassion is doing around the world, and specifically in the lives of children through the partnership of staff, the local church, and sponsors.
I will sign off here. It's time to write some Sponsor letters to my kids.
Shout out to Robert in the Phillipines, Dawit in Ethiopia and the newest addition, little Sara in El Salvador. May the Lord bless you and keep you; may He make His face to shine upon you, and give you His peace.
