Month 10 – The Human Investment

It’s though to believe it’s been a little more than one year since training camp. Yet here I am month 10 of the trip in El Salvador in La Libertad.

This month we have been helping out at Iglesia Gran Comisión with the kids center and mainly visiting schools.

I got to meet Cindy the smartest 5th grader I’ve ever seen, she explained her desire to study environmental policy and described issues with Mexico city’s air pollution.

We also got the opportunity do door to door evangelism, visit a local orphanage and build a family a bunk bed. A lot of great conversations in evangelism with one person praying to receive Christ.

Yet the thing that stands out the most this month is the hospitality of the church and the fact that this month has been more relational then most for me.

I can’t stress how important getting names right is…I try but still haven’t gotten the hang of it we meet so many people it’s nearly impossible.
Yet a smile and looking someone in the eye and trying to speak in their language or listen are also valued.

Sometimes the hardest thing to do is just listen to people or spend time with them.

Sometimes people from back home ask “why don’t we just send money instead of sending short term missions teams?”

Frank from Honduras once said in response to that question “what did God send to humanity when we needed help? Did he send money? No rather he sent Jesus a person to them…”

It’s relational, it goes beyond the box of food or the meal you provide.
It’s the encouragement to the local church and being willing to be a small part of something much larger that will endure long after your gone.

Alex a missionary in El Salvador told me a story. He said before he went into missions, a guy was telling him about wanting to help people in Haiti and needing a generator.
The man explained the shipping process and how the generator would be used…so Alex asked how can I help?

To Alex’s surprise the man said “get your passport and go with me to Haiti”. The man explained if you were to send me money or buy a generator It would help, but you wouldn’t have a tie to the people…

If you go and see for yourself even over a few days, you will remember the people and maybe, just maybe you will be changed such that you won’t stop helping.

It’s the human investment that is the non tangible the tie that keeps your mind on a country or a place.

It’s not about the fun stuff we get to do or weird animals we see, rather the who we get to meet and remember.

For me Vladi, Giovani, Alex, Pastor Ivo and their families are in my memories. There are many others in the church that have welcomed us in this place and I am grateful for them.

Please don’t misunderstand, any help or aid sent to a place is good yet there is no substitute for the human investment. It doesn’t have to be going to other countries it’s the process of stopping and spending time to learn others stories. 

Visiting a school – Cindy, Giovani, myself and Casey Murry in Picture

Alex and Rafi inspecting finished bunk bed for the family

Vladi, Pastor Ivo and myself

Kids at the children’s center and Alex’s family where most ministry days were at 

Dinner with church family – Walberto, Beatriz, Nicole and Karen