God wanted us in Santa Ana, El Salvador. We just didn’t immediately know why. In my blog Made it to El Salvador, we stumbled upon a church, asking their leaders if we could be any service to them, such as painting or teaching, telling them that we were only in town a few days. The next day I had a funny, nervous-like feeling on the way to visit the church influencers. I asked God to make clear the path, whether or not it involved serving.
When I arrived at the house/church that evening, the leaders handed me a typed list of five things they needed, a few involving finances that were way above my budget. (During the ATL – Ask the Lord – month, I’ve been living off 80% of the normal, already-slim WR budget.) Other items were out of my expertise (such as medical and dental services) or involved long-term commitments (such as teaching someone how to play the keyboard, constructing a new ceiling with no materials readily accessible or financed, etc). Yet I knew if God wanted us to serve in that way, He would provide the means and finances. That part didn’t worry me.
My hesitation came from a small voice telling me, “Pray for them. Just pray, Esther.” The challenge: How do I pray for the 6-member church without injuring relationships. The people needed to know prayer was God’s best plan for them, not a cop-out answer. I was invited to see inside the church building. I asked if I could pray inside the small, newly remodeled church room. For about an hour, I walked slowly, praying over each inch of the church room. I prayed for the leaders who stood inside the building. And deep in my gut I knew God was saddened. The Holy Spirit whispered to me what the church really needed: Return to God in repentance, starting with the leaders that were standing there, and then, and only then, would Christ’s glory fill His Church there in Santa Ana.
How do you tell strangers, “Return to God”? I had only known these men an hour over two days combined. As you may know, I’m not good at fluff or watering down the truth. So I humbly and clearly told them the brief message. It reminded me of the passage I had been reading that morning in Isaiah 4-5, of God beckoning His people to return, eagerly desiring them to produce spiritual fruit. In that same moment, one church leader asks, “Do you want to go see my fruit farm tomorrow?”
As we walked through the fruit farm the next day, the guide was telling us how the farm produced so much more fruit two decades ago. The trees are still large and beautiful. But the farm seemed somewhat forgotten. Overgrown. Brown in some spots. 
Watering-wells stopped-up. Fallen fruit spoiled before being harvested. What once was a financially-strong business now became a hobby-farm, yielding much smaller quantities of fruit. The guide blamed it largely on the upkeep of the farm. Three things came to mind: 1) How much our lives look barren, not living up to our full “fruit potential,” when we fail to daily spend time with the Lord in His Word and just being in His Presence. Like working the farm, it’s not always easy, but it’s definitely rewarding. 2) God is the one who planted us and takes care of us. My duty and delight is to spend time with Him, trust Him, and let the fruit grow as He wills. He’s the one who waters and prunes me, planning my highest potential. I think I have the easier end of the deal. 3) These orange chile peppers are VERY HOT! (Yes, I tried one. Our guide laughed as he handed it to me to eat, not eating any for himself.)
