We worked with Sports Outreach Institute in San Salvador. We taught P.E. and English in two different schools every other day. At night, we taught a soccer class. On the weekends, we ran additional basketball and soccer camps. We also ran an art class in an underserved neighborhood a few times a week. This was an amazing, busy month. We got an opportunity to disciple young men and women/children at such pivotal parts of their lives. You see, there is an incredibly high school dropout rate in El Salvador. Our host told us that many times, this is due to students joining gangs or having unplanned pregnancies. One hope of SOI is that these extracurricular sports activities will give each student or child a stable, encouraging community. We try to disciple these young people as we spend more time with them. We teach them about our hope and strength, Jesus, and how He believes in us even when no one else seems to.
It’s funny how hope can change an atmosphere. It’s funny how Jesus can change an atmosphere. If hope deferred makes the heart sick, then hope at the right time makes the heart thrive? I guess it’s good news for those of us who choose to put their hope in Jesus because He’s never changing and His timing is perfect. As for the rest of us, when we live in a world that pushes and pulls as much as it does, how is our hope affected? Does it come and go too?
Dang. My teammates and I all had some individual circumstances that tested this. I had to check myself a few times this past month. I got some disappointing news during this month. However, my world didn’t come crashing down. Maybe because I am physically away from the situation. Maybe because I have an amazing community supporting me. Maybe because finally I wasn’t focusing on the world. Maybe I was choosing to set my eyes on Jesus.
Disappointments and trials come and go but that doesn’t change His goodness or His plan for us. If we have someone as great as Jesus cheering us on, then we can dream as fast and far as His plan for us. Trust me, friends. It’s farther and faster than we can even imagine. My prayer for my Salvadorian students, me, my community, and you is that when the world is trying to trip us up, we look up.
Pictures from El Salvador!
