We left Pittsburgh and arrived in El Salvador by evening. No forgotten passports, easy flights, praise God! We walked through a beautiful airport and breezed through customs, again praise God! There was a large crowd of people as we exited- balloons, flowers, and cheers… not for us 😆. The people gather at the airport to welcome their family members home!
The next morning, we were up with the sun. Personal devotions on the porch were its own experience. Smells of flowers, the calls of unique birds, peaceful. God is here. We went to church with the Snyder family (the missionaries we are serving with here in El Salvador)- John, Danielle, Tori, and Ian. The sermon message was about Jesus walking on the water, and Peter attempting to walk to Him. The sermon points: 1- no fear, just keep going. 2- no doubt despite storms that never stop. 3- don’t forget to worship Jesus, always. The children waved flags from around the world from the platform. It was Mission Sunday!
After the service, Chris H. was approached by a woman who prophesied over him. She told him God revealed to her that he was going to be a pastor and that God knows his struggles. It was a very moving and emotional experience for him. And us.
After church, we drove to the Mission To El Salvador (MTES) compound. We did a prayer walk with Danielle at a nearby park. The park is a beautiful area to walk and have concerts. There is art and sculpture from local artisans to admire. There is a mural depicting their history and the civil war from 1980 – 1992. A wall, similar to our Vietnam Memorial in DC, lists all of the names of the civilians who were murdered or had disappeared and never found. It was a long wall. This is for the people to remember their history, and shows us that despite scars left from recent war, the resiliency and resolve of the El Salvadoran people is mighty.
After the park, we went to the New Dawn building at MTES, where we met and had lunch with the boys who live there. They are overcoming addiction issues, which is one of the ministries at MTES. Our team member, Noah F., gave a powerful testimony which impacted those boys. They thanked him and said he offered them hope through Jesus and through sharing his own struggles. After lunch the men played soccer and basketball with the boys into the later afternoon.
We were greeted with an amazing aroma when we arrived back at the house— an El Salvadoran dinner. Chicken and onions with rice and vegetables. Delicioso! We had fellowship over the meal, had a debrief time to plan the next day, then to bed.
The day was wonderful but I am surprised of the exhaustion I am feeling. Culture shock is real. So much has happened and it’s only Day 1. God is here, His presence is everywhere. This country is growing, so many new buildings, so much beauty. I am so excited to serve and share the hope of Jesus with some of the most marginalized people in this beautiful country.