We are on our last ministry of the race. We have had the amazing opportunity to work with Las Tablas. This ministry is run by a woman named Bella Flour. She is an inspiration and an incredible woman of the Lord.
So what does a typical day look like?
Tuesday through Friday, from 7:15 to about 12:30 we are in mi mistry mode. After our 1-2 hour bus ride in the mornings we arrive at ministry. Crossing a bridge from the main street into a pretty ghetto neighborhood.
I honestly didn’t realize how ghetto and crazy the area we are in until 1. We were told we couldn’t go to ministry unless we have a SQL or Base Leader. And 2., the fact that there are gangs, drugs, and probably some other shifty things going on right in the area we are serving and bringing light to. *Don’t worry Mom and Dad our ministry hosts and AIM wouldn’t send us somewhere that we would be in terrible danger.
Anyways, when we arrive, before we even venture into the neighborhood, we usually get attacked by multiple littles all screaming “Hola hola hola” and wanting to be hugged, kissed, and held before heading to the community center.
Now most days of ministry we cycle kids through Spanish/English classes. We teach colors, numbers, words, ect… A lot of the kiddos that come don’t even know how to count to fifty in their own language so we are teaching them English and Spanish alongside one another.
The times they aren’t in class and learning we are playing and trying to teach them with whatever else we can outside of the class room. The majority of playing consists of “caballero” or “caballo” which is just running around with them on piggy back. We have also been trying to teach manners and typical healthy behaviors and habits because 1. There are no good male role models leading and disciplining them and 2. Their mothers just kinda let them do whatever.
And then at the end of the day, after the children have eaten, played, learned, and gotten some of their energy out they get sent home or to their actual school.
The remainder of our time is spent cleaning, mopping, sweeping, and picking up toys. Then we head home for lunch and go out in the afternoons to the community we are living in trying our best to pray for and talk to different people we come into contact with.
Fridays we have community trash clean up. Which just looks like walking around the neighborhood with gloves on our hands, closed toe shoes, and trash bags. The majority of the community trash is thrown into or near the river where sewage is also dumped into. We have the privilege of going into these areas and making the community look nicer and making the environment healthier.
It’s not always easy and most days we are exhausted but we count it all joy and praise the Lord that we have this opportunity to serve this community that is in so much spiritual sin and darkness.
Prayers:
We continue to count the work we are doing with all joy.
We stay safe and the Lord sets His protection over us.
We can bring light and Jesus to the lost.
We can show these kids we work with the life that being a follower of Jesus brings.
