I'm Heading to El Salvador!!!

So, it's official. I'm going on a Mission Trip to El Salvador in June! I am SOOOOOOO excited.
Let me tell you a little bit about El Salvador. With 6.2 million people, it is sandwiched in between Guatemala and Honduras in Central America. The Spanish Conquistadors discovered El Salvador back in the early 1500's. In 1821, the country freed itself from Spanish rule...but this decision led to a period of unrest.
The 1900's were full of coups and political turmoil, culminating in the great coup d'etat of 1979. A civil war ensued, between the government and several leftist groups. Lasting from 1980-1992, the civil war left about 75,000 people dead. El Salvador is also affected by many natural disasters, including volcanoes (they're in the Pacific Ring of Fire), earthquakes, flooding and mudslides.
Salvadorans are 52% Catholic, and 28% Protestant, but many are still unreached. Not to mention the fact that religious teachers are stretched very thin. The local priest at Cideco, the village I will be visiting, has to care for 12 different villages...with thousands of people to care for (and he only has one tiny church to work with). Also, the children have never done many of the things that we take for granted. For instance, my group leader told me that a few years ago, some of the missionaries had to teach the children how to color a coloring page...they had never done it before! This is where I come into the picture. The group I am going with is called Mission Youth, and their mission is to help youth spread the Word of Christ through missionary work. There are four steps that students try to follow during the mission:
R elate to others
E ncounter Christ
A ct on your faith
L earn your faith
We are going to be VERY busy. Days will start at 6am, with Mass, prayer, visiting families in the community, going door-to-door, giving catechesis talks, organizing and promoting devotions, inviting people to the sacraments, organizing games or sports activities for the kids, giving English classes, working in the medical clinic, and coolest of all, actually building a church. Noon, we gather back for lunch, and a short break (my group leader said I'd need it ;)). Then, it's back to work until dinner. After dinner, we will have a meeting, and Biblical reflection, before bed at around 11. This experience is so unique in that the mission brings the physical and spiritual building of the church together, into one beautiful, combined act of service. Girls and boys work in separate villages, and the main missionary tool is your example to others.

This video shows a little bit more about the mission. It's very inspiring, and makes me want to go all the more! =D

There's just one problem....


Money.

The mission costs $490, the airfare roundtrip from Houston to El Salvador is $598.06, and from my home city to Houston is approximately $300-$500 more (I still have to book this flight, so I'm not yet sure of the cost). With a cost up to $1588.06, the idea of fundraising so much sounds very daunting. Mhmm. I'm asking you. If God wants this for me, He will help me raise the money. If you're not in a good financial situation, with the bad economy and all, I understand completely. But if you can even donate $10, this would help alot (if everyone who saw this donated $10, I'd be in good shape :D). And even if you cannot donate, please pray for me. I want to grow spiritually through this trip, and help others to grow as well, and your prayers are the best way to help me with that.

***Also, all of the proceeds from our Etsy boutique, Mystical Rose Design, from now until July will go towards Molly's missionary trip. :D***