[NOTE: This is a post from Mission Team members Katie Swanson from Chicago and her sister Kristi Mueller from OshKosh, Wisconsin]

In lieu of Letterman’s Top Ten Things…I bring you Katie and Kristi’s Top Ten Things We Love About Our Habitat El Salvador Trip

10. Chowing down on Pizza Hut after 8 days straight of beans and rice
9. Building muscles, no need to go to the gym.
8. Enjoying a “Type A” organized trip – Habitat El Salvador is one well-oiled machine!
7. Eating pupusas (stuffed tortillas)!
6. Loving our masons and their assistants Roy, Omar, Jamie, Rafael, who are not only wonderful builders but wonderful people!
5. Basking in radiant smiles from the adorable El Salvadorian children (kidnapping seems rational…for a second).
4. Building homes not for just these homeowners but impacting generations to come.
3. Meeting Pastor Carlos at Cristo Rey Lutheran Church in Santa Ana and being inspired by his church’s mission to help the most disenfranchised of his community.
2. Seeing the immense poverty firsthand and thinking twice about wanting a bigger home or anything else materialistic for that matter when many are living in dilapidated tin shanties.
1. Feeling God’s love exude over all of our work and knowing we are fulfilling His mission for us to serve the poor, love one another and glorify Him in doing so.

“If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother.” Deuteronomy 15:7

“Love one another as yourself.” Luke 10:27

“All the people’s on the earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord.” Deuteronomy 28:10