El Salvador Mission Team Updates

Just want to say thank you to the missionaries that shared last night at the missions conference. We have received a lot of good feedback.

I want to remind you as well that we are scheduled to share at AWANA on Oct 14 (6:30 pm). We will have to do something a little different that night for the younger set. Please keep posted. And, let me know before the day of if you can be there or not. We will have to brush up on the balloon thing. I believe we will maybe sing the Lord’s Army song, do balloon swords, and move in that direction as we share about our experience.

Thanks for your willingness to share and pass along the fire that God put within you to share more of Him with others.

Please remember that we are in a mission field here as well and that your neighbors and friends (enemies) also need to see the love of Christ within you. Smile and let your light shine for Him!

Love You,
Mike & Denise

PS – It’s looking like maybe a Christmas get-together to watch Jonathan’s 2-hour version of our mission.

El Salvador Summary 2009
The preparation went pretty well for the trip. I tried to emphasize how important team meetings were. However, we had started meeting before I went to the coaching weekend in Philadelphia and there I learned that we probably should have set some stronger boundaries for missing team meetings. The preparation work we did paid off and we were ready to b e off and running on July 17.

We began packing on the 17th at 6:30 pm and at about 8:30, the parents left. (We could have been more particular about the ministry packs and the 3 ounce rule etc.) Many of the parents cried.

We practiced Spanish songs and had pizza, pop and a birthday cake for Tom & Nick. At about 10:30 we started a movie and rested till 12:30 when our bus driver (Jason Cummings) arrived. The bus was packed and we waited for Pastor Matt to come and do the trip with Jason. Pastor Matt also blessed us with a really nice send-off. When arriving at the airport, we unloaded and headed for the ticketing counter. Brander discovered that he didn’t have his passport. We called Jason and Matt and they turned the bus around while searching. We prayed. We were so very thankful that Matt found it wedged in the seat. We got all our bags checked and grabbed our carry-ons and headed to security where we were stopped on three bags for glue, toothpaste, and nail-crosses. They let us through and we bolted for our gate as they called us by name, “El Salvador Missions Team, your plane is leaving in 2 minutes!” The flight went well and it was so nice that they fed us. We changed planes in Houston after a long walk to the next gate. Many of the kids found food to eat while some of us guarded bags.

We boarded and arrived in El Salvador about 2. We were met in the restroom by some ladies asking where we were going. We told them Zacamil. They said, “Very dangerous”. Next we had to fill out forms and make it through customs. I talked with the man that checks the bags. I actually asked him if prescription drugs and bug spray was alright to bring in. Then we talked to men at the counter (they all wore masks because of the H1N1 scare). When they saw where we were going as tourists they were whispering about Zacamil. When we got to the place where they check our bags, they let us pass. Aram, our main intern, met us with a van and a pick-up truck. Our bags went in the pick-up with Mike, Jimmy, and Nick on top. The rest of us piled in the van for our hour ride to our apartments. “Crazy Drivers” in El Salvador (100 cm per hour). It was 970 and hot. We arrived at the apartments and moved in to live in community with the people. We walked to have papusas for supper and then Aram met with us for a briefing on all the rules and boundaries for our stay in El Salvador. Aram was the main intern that worked with us.

In the morning we discovered we were missing two bags. One was a carry-on and one had all our sport equipment in it.

We woke up to the rooster and birds, honking horns, and the quesadilla lady. I slept very well though because I was so tired. I realized I must have clenched my teeth – my jaw was sore. We had morning devos and cold cereal for breakfast before walking to church. Church was awesome and we hardly noticed that three hours had passed when it was time to leave. Sometimes we joined in worship when they sang familiar songs. They sang in Spanish, we sang in English. They prayed over us and with us. The people were very friendly and brought us water. It was hot. Sweat dripped and we only had to sit there. We did lunch with Pastor Juan’s family. In the afternoon we took a walk and learned about the gangs in the area and played with the children in “18’s” territory. Aram told us that they liked AY Missions and we were not a threat to them. Mario (our neighbor), shared his testimony about growing up with the gangs and the trial they presented. We didn’t have a ball, but Aram wanted to see if the children would come out. They started a game of tag and sure enough, more and more kids kept coming. Some just watched from the peripheral area. Men (probably gang members) watched as well. Mike tried out a skate board, the girls played in circles. We received flowers from the kids. Some acrobats, a little thumb wars, and sword fights happened and the children responded. I was so very proud of our team who played so hard and built relationships with the children in this community. We had steak or chicken supper with Pastor Mario’s family. That evening was filled with a little volleyball.
The next morning our wonderful cooks made scrambled eggs, rice, and bananas (cooked). We then had devotions and headed to the City Center to learn about the history of El Salvador. Our first stop was the Catholic Cathedral. We had time to look and absorb all the sights and then Aram explained the story of “Romero” and the revolution/civil war. We went downstairs to see the memorial in honor of Romero and the vaults of other important people of El Salvador. The kids were impacted by the beggars on the steps leading to this impressive landmark. We visited a second Catholic Church equally impressive but very different and more contemporary. It had the Stations of the Cross in it. We went to shop for souvenirs and we watched the people on a very busy street corner. We did VBS in the afternoon. We painted nails, played soccer, and did the puppet skits with songs following. Margarita called for a testimony. Alane gave hers on the spot – she did great! We worked very hard to prepare VBS only to learn that what we brought was not what they expected. There was a huge communication glitch between the states and the intern team in El Salvador. In spite of that, our team has been amazing- so serving and giving, engaging the kids – sweating, playing hard and loving on the kids. We learned that we could not just give to the kids. We were called “Gringos”. Trying to communicate has been fun. We learned new words and new names of new friends. That evening at our debrief we talked about the contrast of the reverence in the Catholic Church and the casualness of a church who calls Jesus their friend.
There was a bit of an issue and attitude problem with one of our team members. However, our morning devotion spoke about anger. It was right on! I loved the way God worked ahead of us and in our team. The team worked hard and they were hearing from God in a BIG way!
Tuesday, we cleaned house for Tia Ana, played in the street with her kids, and some of the girls got their hair done. Teresa talked to them about the sick puppy and the snails in his water. Mike did wash, I swept, Nick washed the floor, and Christian made lunch. Janelle and Alane did dishes. Jimmy did dishes after lunch. We went back to the apartments for our lunch of some kind of Spanish spaghetti. The next day we were allowed to bring more for VBS, but to carry it in all one bag of supplies besides our puppets and stage. We added a mime-type skit to what we brought. We did face painting, balloons, puppet skit, songs, and we also did the salvation bracelets and coloring sheets. Margarita was happy today. Aram and Tom did their testimonies. We were so proud of him and all the team members who told of God's work in their lives. At evening debrief Aram talked about how in the USA we have material possessions and our dependence on God is not so high. In El Salvador, their dependence on God is high and their material possessions are low. Who is more blessed? We should pity us!
Wednesday, at morning devotions, the parrot in the apartment above us joined us in worship. He would squawk and dance, turning in circles. (We laughed and enjoyed every minute of it!) We had sick team members and members of the community as well. We did a bucket brigade of about five yards of sand up a hill at Tia Ana’s worksite for her new home. It was so hot and we were tired at the completion of that job! Jacob ran a fever, and most of the team had diarrhea. The team thinks it was the pizza we ate for supper the night before. However, it has been so hot that I think it could either be a bug or heat related. VBS went well. We brought the balloons again, did puppets, song and crosses and coloring. The women at VBS asked to pray over us and Margarita had affirming words to say when we got back to the apartments. She told us of a woman from Argentina on the last team that called her when she had met our team and said that she knew that God had a special team here. She said it was the first time the women had done that and she had tears in her eyes. I did as well. Aram was sick and Jonathan led the evening debrief with “Imagination Worship”. It was a good but exhausting day! (I wrote a 5th day skit for VBS.)
Thursday, the team hiked the Puerto de Diablo. There was an easy and a tough climb. However they got to the top, they said it was beautiful! I stayed back to post pictures on our blog so the parents back home could see how their children were ministering to the people of El Salvador. This was another Godcidence day. The morning devo talked about the city on a hill that could not be hidden and letting your light shine. They climbed the mountain and the VBS that day was on letting your light shine! We received special bracelets from the women at VBS today. Janelle announced that she wanted to stay in El Salvador and not go back with us. (Against AY Missions Policy.) That evening the team played soccer under the lights. I brought Willie Wonka candy with for the spectators and whoever wanted some. There were Shockers, Nerds, and Laffy Taffy to choose from. Some of the women chose the Shockers thinking it was Chocolate. OOOOOh did they get a “sour” surprise! Anyway, they got a kick out of it and had fun tricking new people that came to watch at later times! The girls tried to use the restrooms by the field but found there was not any toilet paper or toilet seats. When they asked for toilet paper, the guy showed them the hose! We laughed a lot that night!
Friday our team split. Half stayed to swim with Tia Ana’s kids and do VBS and half went to a Compassion Visit at San Sebastian about 25 miles east of the city. Our half went to Mr. Donut. The Compassion sponsor and translator met us with a van. When we got to the site, we were greeted with a line of children holding balloons that we walked through, we were escorted into the church with one child on each arm, and cheered for by about 200 children! We cried. They sang songs, did a devotion, and 2 skits including one to the song, “Thank You for giving to the Lord.” We cried. The team helped serve lunch to the children and we took the family out for lunch at Pollo Comparro in a neighboring town. When we went back to the project, we broke piñatas, learned about Compassion and played soccer. Before we left to see Jesus’ home, we went to visit a textile store and were able to see them spin the thread and run the looms. We also made some purchases. We then went to Jesus’ home. Jesus is living with his Aunt and Uncle and their two children and, with his brother, Oscar. His father was threatened by gangs and fled with his wife to the US. The aunt and uncle moved into the house where his brother lived with Jesus and Oscar. Oscar is having a difficult time with the situation. We knew Jesus had a sibling, but we didn’t know how old or if it would be a boy or girl. We felt bad when we didn’t have something especially for him. We did bring a family gift though. Jesus lived down a long cobblestone hill and over a river into a much more jungle-like area where the poverty was more obvious. There were chickens in his yard and an area where they cooked outside. The home had a concrete floor, metal sides, and metal roof. There was an area just inside the door to wash clothes and take a shower behind a plastic curtain. We saw no bathroom. There was a small stove with a propane bottle beneath it in the kitchen area. There was a living room area with not much for furniture. Oscar and Jesus had bunk beds in another area. The Aunt and Uncle slept in another room with their children. Mom and baby slept together, Dad and child in the other bed. There were no screens on the windows. Outside you could see banana trees. I asked how they got the bananas down and they said either with a knife on a long stick or they would just cut the tree down because they grew back pretty quickly. We were allowed to ask questions of the family. The Uncle talked about how he is now threatened as well by the gangs. We will pray for them. Jesus opened his backpack we brought for him and we gave them the family bag as well. We took pictures, did hugs, and headed back to the van to go back to the apartments. That evening we headed to the wealthy part of town where we went to a ritzy mall with all the stores we are used to in the states. We ate there, but many of us had little interest in making purchases there. That night Aram told us that 14 people control the wealth of the country. They are the coffee farmers. He also talked about how the rich don’t talk to the poor and the poor don’t talk to the very poor. A class system of sorts.
Saturday, we headed for the ocean. It was great! Beautiful, vast, strong, warm and refreshing. We swam, walked along the shore, relaxed in hammocks, had sandwiches for lunch, mango on a stick, coconut milk, and just enjoyed the company of each other and the community that helped the interns all summer. Many of the kids got sun burned even with sunscreen on. After swimming, we went souvenir shopping for our last purchases. We debriefed with Aram talking about our transition back into our world. We packed our bags, gave parting gifts, and spent some last moments with the people of Zacamil.
Sunday morning we said more good-byes, gave hugs, cried and headed to the airport. Many did not want to leave. We checked our bags, loaded the plane and flew back to the states. We went through customs in Texas. Nick got held up a little only because he filled out his form in pencil. We had only about 25 minutes to relax before getting on our next flight home. We arrived in Minneapolis at 10:05. The bus picked us up at 11:00 pm and we arrived back in Detroit Lakes at 4:00 am on Tuesday.
I am exhausted. Many of the team were as well. It was an incredible trip. It was so exciting to see the work that God was doing in the lives of this team as they experienced the people of El Salvador and the love they gave to us. We thought we would go to bless them, but they blessed us in a bigger way! Our God is an awesome God! Praise God for his protection and His hand upon us who worked in and through us. We have seen Him at work! We bow at the wonder of His work. We thank the church for helping us to go and for praying for us while we were there. There is no greater work than in the power of prayer. We are a changed people. You can continue to pray for the fire within us to not stop burning and that we will carry the things we learned to our families and community here. Please pray for the next team that will be called to “GO”.