Hello friends,
With a few visits to the beach recently, I am becoming tanner than most of the locals and am also learning a huge amount of Spanish here. I thought I would write a few updates to bring everyone up to date on what the Lord is doing in my heart and San Salvador.
As far as ministry goes, our team has been busy the past 4 weeks getting involved with numerous ministries across San Salvador.
The first ministry consist of our team going to a children’s hospital with terminally ill cancer patients about 3 times a week in the morning – we pray over them, share God’s love, and do skits to make them smile. Usually after those times of ministry, we visit local kindergarten schools across different parts of the city and teach them songs about Jesus and love and spend time with them.
Another big ministry we are apart of is working at a local church in San Salvador called Tabernaculo Biblico Bautista – the church is in the heart of MS – 13 territory. Our team has recently been teaching bible schools for kids between the ages of 10-13 and are currently working on a piece of land for a new campus. It has been such a wonderful experience leading worship for their Church and using the gifts God has graciously given me. I am both grateful and humbled the Lord has used me to lead others into His presence. With that said, it has also been a joy to see the global church in action and a people who are hungry for the Lord.
My favorite ministry so far has been Pan y Chocolate – a beautifully ran homeless ministry by our church. The church usually comes together around 4 times a week at 9 pm to ship out to different regions in downtown where homelessness is high. We feed them, give them coffee and cookies, build relationships, ask for prayer requests, and testify to the Word of God. This is by far the most intense homeless ministry I have ever experienced – this is what my first experience looked like. I got out of the van and walked a dark corner filled with all sorts of people in need. I saw young men falling over after sniffing glue, old married couples sitting in hunger, young children asleep on a trash filled street, and so many other people who are in need of the gospel. I had the opportunity to chat with a young prostitute, selling her body to older men at the age of 14. I felt the spiritual darkness and was astounded after realizing the reality of where I was and how the Lord brought me to El Salvador through his sovereignty.
Which leads me to an update on my heart and how the Lord is showing me new things about Himself each day. As I am reading, praying, and fasting about my purpose here, I am reminded of how good and faithful he is and how the obedience of Christ begins with a willing spirit. Whether we choose him or not, he is still faithful to fulfill His promises. With a fresh realization of God’s faithfulness, satisfying goodness, and sovereignty, I have found myself delighting in the name of Jesus. It is such a humbling reality to consider. Once a sinner dead in my transgressions has been redeemed by the blood of Christ after Him revealing himself to me in brokenness. It has given me a deeper more intimate revelation on where I would be without the Lord, and so it urges a response to dwell solely in God’s presence. My prayer is that the Lord would continue to give me a hunger and thirst for Him and give me a new taste on what is good and evil. Create in me a spirit of discernment, clinging to the Word of God.
Continue to lift up our team – being healthy, filled with the Holy Spirit, and free of any sickness. As for me, I have recently been out due to a high fever – which could possibly be Dengue Fever. Keep me in your prayers!
Blessings from San Salvador,
Ethan Pugh
