We’ve begun our ministry in San Salvador, which has been very diverse so far. We’ve spoken at Teen Challenge services and helped clean their facility, we went to San Vicente, about an hour away where Jackie and Oscar grew up, and attended a church service and got to meet some of the community. Earlier this week we visited an orphanage and got to play with the children, while also having the opportunity to get to know an American couple who are the house parents. It was so encouraging seeing this house because there was so much love between the house parents and children. Right now, they have 10 girls and 5 boys, ages 6 months to 16. It was really neat to experience a place that brought so much joy and love to children who otherwise would be living very painful lives. We’ve talked at schools in very poor areas and even were able to go on air at a well- known Christian radio station in El Salvador! The other day we went to a children’s cancer hospital. We took time going around and talking to the patients and thier parents (yes, in Spanish!) and asking if we could pray for them. The three of us in the room fell in love with an 18 month boy, Fernando, who was being treated for leukemia. His mother was 25 and we enjoyed getting to talk with her since she was close to our age and was able to speak a little bit of English. Before we left, Traci handed the mom a Spanish-English Bible and as we left, we saw her reading the Bible to Fernando. It warmed all of our hearts as she had become very uncomfortable when we asked her if she was a Christian. Some fun things we’ve experienced here so far in El Salvador: We got a good laugh when one night instead of asking what I could use to clean the table, I asked our pastor what HE would like to clean the table… Dustin kindly informed me that’s not what I wanted to say! 🙂 Another night Stephani said “Buenos nachos” (Good nachos) instead of “buenas noches” (good night). Who knows what else we’ve said incorrectly! The people have been very considerate in trying to help us.
Steph and I doing laundry
We’ve been in San Salvador for a week now! We’re staying with Oscar, the pastor of Teen Challenge and his wife, Jackie, and are so thankful for beds, hot showers and homemade meals. We found out people aren’t kidding when they say you live off of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on the World Race. We had seven pb and j sandwiches within six days! They’re cheap, easy, and don’t spoil easily. However, we’ve also gotten to try lots of El Salvadorian food. These meals consist of fried plantains (similar to bananas), rice and beans, and homemade tortillas.
We’ve also spent time on stage singing for youth groups. If you don’t know, I do not like to sing in front of people, much less, to be on stage. So yes, we’ve all been stretched in new ways which is definitely a goal for this year; to get rid of restrictions we’ve placed on ourselves.
Erika and I doing our best “look like a missionary pose.”
The mentality of “hurry up and wait” is most certainly true here. And unfortunately, not all of our plans have followed through. Oscar has been wonderful at trying to schedule lots of ways for us to get out into the community, however often on our way there, we find out our plans have fallen through. We continue to pray though that God will place us where we’re meant to be, and not where we are forcing ourselves to be.
A church we visited and spoke at.
After visiting China, I have had a few moments of panic of being cautious about saying “Jesus.” I forget we are not in a closed country, and in fact, there are many Christian churches surrounding El Salvador.
Erika and a huge grasshopper!
Julia and I at the orphanage. She wants to be a teacher too!
