Two weeks from today a team of 16 will travel to La Palma for a week of evangelism and teaching and helping in other ways. Please be praying for safety and success of the team, as well as for the security and safety of our families who remain at home.

No posts for a couple days. Will be helping with tornado recovery work. Ralph

Kids walking along the side of the road were treated to candy, toys, and clothing as we traveled down the mountain from El Pital. I cannot help but wonder what they thought of that truckload of laughing people!

This is the view of the 'valley' where La Palma and San Ignacio are located--viewed from El Pital, the highest point in El Salvador. It makes you say "WOW!".

A couple days ago I talked about price increases. The cost of torillas is no 4 for a quarter--not 4 for a dollar as I stated.

This is one of the upper level grades - 5th or 6th. I recognize some of them as having started in kindergarten when the school first began in 2007!

This is the 7th grade class at the La Palma Christian School.

We are concerned here about the rapidly rising cost of fuel and the other costs of living that it affects. In El Salvador, they feel those rising costs before we do and to a larger extent. Since their primary expense is food, any rise in cost hurts a lot.
In March the cost of their gasoline was well over $4. Their diesel fuel is priced lower than their gasoline and there was none available for less than $4/gallon. It is even higher now.
Those rising costs affect the cost of food also. Lori reports that tortillas were formerly 5 for a dollar and are now 4 for a dollar. Other foods have risen similarly. Flour, rice, and beans all cost more than they did just 6 months ago.
Imagine if you were barely feeding your family before, how much it would affect your life to see those cost increases!
Pray for the people that we know and love in La Palma and the surrounding region.
God bless you,
Ralph

These children live up in the mountains where the temperature is always cool. They were happy to receive bed pads which can be used as covers or are soft to lay on.

This was our transportation for two of the trips to remote areas for medical clinics.

School class photos always seem awkward. Someone will have an unusual facial expression or their eyes closed.

Norma and one of the smaller classes.

This photo was taken in March 08 on a medical mission trip. The fellow 3rd from the right was affectionately known as "the Gopher", because he always wanted to be a helper. He resisted any recognition for what he did, he just wanted to be of value to the team. I had trouble finding a photo with him in it, because he just did not want to be seen.

"The Gopher" died this morning, and we mourn his loss to the community. He had suffered from cancer and spent some time in the hospital recently.

Doyle Angel is survived by a son, Dan, and Dan's wife Allison. Doyle's wife died about 5 years ago.

Bessy's class at the La Palma Christian School.

Kindergarten class at La Palma Christian School.

This is the other children's class at Ocotepeque. What an enthusiastic group!

This is one of the two children's classes at the Ocotepeque church.

Lori uses her teaching skills to make lessons memorable. In this video you see the culmination of a lesson on Moses leading the children of Israel out of Egypt across the Red Sea. The lesson has included the characters of Moses and Pharoah and others (in costume) and their actions. The Israelites have gone to their Egyptian neighbors and 'borrowed' many valuables. Now they are fleeing Egypt. Watch as Moses leads the Israelites safely through the 'sea' and then it closes in on and destroys the pursuing Egyptians!

Please read Monte's blog for yesterday!

http://lallifamilymission.blogspot.com/

This is a tremendous project and a blessing to be a part of.

It causes a lot of concern and stress, and it requires a lot of faith and trust in God to put a team that you are responsible for in the back of a truck and send them off up a mountainside to conduct a medical clinic!

More flowers!

The people at the clinics were very appreciative of our work and effort to help them. Since they did not have money or other ways to reward us, they gave flowers! Beautiful flowers!

This is a short video taken on the truck ride. It seems like we were having fun!

I have to wonder what the local people think when they see a truckload of us on a narrow mountain road!

Sunsets are almost always beautiful in La Palma, as this one was.