This past month (October) we were in Santa Ana working with a church plant of a mega church (between 5,000 and 8,000 attendees) in San Salvador which is an hour away. There were 3 World Race teams there and we lived with an amazing family, *Shoutout to the Santos family*. We were all sad to leave them because we loved this family!
The ladies had our own house (called the Bunny House) that was a block down from the Santos family house which is where our guys slept and we spent our days there. They had a pool too which was a blessing for rest days.
This month gave us experience in a broad range of ministries. The theme was that we were encouraged to be prepared at all times to share testimonies and lessons anywhere from a small group of people to thousands. Everyone in the 3 teams stepped up to the challenge and it was cool to see many who aren’t comfortable with public speaking rely on the Holy Spirit provide the confidence to do it.
Highlight #1
I shared my testimony at the youth group at the mega church in San Salvador. There were close to 300 kids there and I decided during the sermon that God wanted me to share my story. The Holy Spirit spoke through me. I was able to share that the South is the best part of the United States and how God’s love saturated my heart, filling my life with unexplainable joy and purpose.
Many other squad mates shared testimonies at the church in Santa Ana, at the mega church in front of thousands plus tv and online streaming, at prisons, and on a local tv show.
During the month, we also evangelized on the streets to invite people to the church, handed out bread and hot chocolate to homeless people, gave snacks and prayed for people living at a local dump, participated in a church service at a prison, and painted and cleaned the church. We also went to their church services at night at least 4 or 5 times a week. We helped lead worship at the church which leads me to Highlight #2…helping lead worship with my team! I clearly don't sing but I was able to help out several times and it was a fun change from the norm.
Highlight #3
Going to the hospital to pray for sick children, desperate mothers, and women who had pregnancy complications. Some trips were really hard but this trip was an exciting one because Liz and I saw a baby we prayed for the week before get to go home healed and I met these beautiful girls who were so full of life!
Highlight #4 is a two-part event that happened different times both on the way back from the beach in the back of a pick up truck. The first time it rained like crazy for about an hour….so fun
The second time we made our own band. A guitar/harmonica/chip bag/drums/vocals had the locals stopping to listen to us.
Highlight #5
Going to the prison and experiencing the reflection of God's future glory in the faces of the prisoners. Check out that blog here… http://jennimasters.theworldrace.org/?filename=reflections-of-gods-future-glory-in-prison
Highlight #6
Going to a local rivalry soccer game which was out of control!!! Soccer fans are insane and I loved it. Instilled a desire for more soccer games in my future, mainly for the fan experience.
Highlight #7 Going to the streets to evangelize to kids in a poor area. We held a traveling VBS and at the end the kids got to hit a piñata!
Last Sunday at our church in Santa Ana! Really going to miss this place and the people we met!
Cheers to pickup trucks, testimonies of the redeemed, healed babies, and soccer fanatics,
Jen
