Identity

There’s something about gifts and talents and abilities that give us a sense of pride. We belong to those things; we become what we are able to do. Our whole sense of being surrounds our ability to sing or dance or speak, dare I say preach?

I am a writer. Why do I call myself that? Because I find my identity in my writing.

It is who I am! I have learned and grown and become a “better” person because of the experiences my writing has given me. There’s a certain cliché to all practices. Writers are flighty and opinionated and passionate, and so that’s what I’ve become.

Likewise, singers are strong and outgoing and perhaps loud. That’s who they become. And anything you’re good at, you look at the best of the best and mirror the examples, good or bad. Why not? They must have become the best of the best for a reason. Talent and cliché go hand in hand.

This is how we form our identities.

I was reading a book by Charles Stanley titled The Source of My Strength. (Can I just say that is a man who has some opinion! All God-based, of course.) I came to the section of “Words of Comfort and Healing to Those who are Frustrated.” I wouldn’t necessarily call myself a very frustrated person, but a part of that chapter was dedicated to obeying God’s will and being joyful in Him rather than in the things of this world.

You see, the Lord required Mr. Stanley to give up his dear and beloved cameras in order to give more money to the church. Begrudgingly, he obeyed… and was blessed.

Matthew 6:20-21 says, “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

When we place stock in our talents, we sometimes forget to thank God for giving us those talents in the first place. Maybe I’m talking to myself here. I thought I had given God what was rightfully His, but I’m realizing that I’m still hoarding a lot of what I think is rightfully mine.

It’s time to give it up. 

Place your identity in the God who gives you life and strength and the talents that you now possess.

I firmly believe that once you give Jesus your all, He will do so much more through You.

What do you have to give up today?

Getting Personal (guest post)

It’s time to get personal…

Many of you know that this past trip to El Salvador was the second time our church has participated in a mission trip there. One of the advantages I experienced of going to the same place a second time is that I had a better idea of what to expect which helped calm a lot of my uncertainties and anxieties. Instead of being worried about some of the culture differences, it seemed to give me more confidence, more boldness, and more of a focus on the hearts of the people we were going to serve.

One thing I noticed on this trip was how much more our team seemed to have the opportunity to hear many Salvadorans personal stories. I’d like to highlight just one of the many personal stories that I learned about on this trip.

Two years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting a precious two-year old boy named Stanley. I remembered him because he had light hair and light eyes (amongst Salvadorans) and he was just so beautiful to me. His mother and older brother were regulars at the church. When I saw him this past March I immediately recognized him. His smile captured my heart and we began sitting next to each other each time we worshipped together at church. After speaking with their pastor, I learned some things that give me a greater understanding of why his mother so faithfully attends the church what seems like every chance she gets.

Stanley has three older brothers. His next older brother is several years older than him, and also attends church every chance he gets. I never met the oldest two (that I remember) but they are both teenagers. According to Pastor Martinez, the oldest one is very strong. Their family lives in Buena Vista, one of the poorer neighborhoods near Chalchuapa. Stanley’s father is an alcoholic, and gets into fights with his oldest brother. Yet rather than seeming depressed or hard-hearted, Stanley’s mother struck me as a kind and faithful woman. You could tell her church family obviously meant a lot to her and to her boys.

Since we’ve returned, I think of Stanley often. I pray for his safety and wonder if he gets scared when his father has been drinking. I wonder if he will someday be teased because his appearance makes him stand out. I think of his mother and wonder if she ever feels lonely. I’m sure it is hard living in a home with all males, let alone having your husband struggle with alcohol, and knowing that he gets into fistfights with his son. I try to put myself in her shoes and think of what I would do if I were in her situation. Her story inspires me and fills my heart with compassion. If I’m blessed to be able to return to Chalchuapa again, I hope to learn more about her and ask her more questions about what life is like for her. I pray for her often.

You see, I’ve realized something very powerful since we have gotten back home. Whether we are trying to win someone for Christ, or whether we are trying to help another Christian grow in his or her faith, we often have to hear their personal story, and we have to be ready to share ours. If you look through the Bible, it is filled with personal stories—good, bad, ugly, redemptive—all of them powerful testimonies of how God and His Son, Jesus, work in the lives of others and how They can work in ours. These stories seem to draw people toward God. Your story may help someone with no faith to believe in Him, and his or her story may inspire and teach you something new as well.

I’ve decided I’m pretty terrible at hearing others’ stories. It’s not that I don’t care (I really do—I’ve got a heart that tends to break easily for others). However, either I don’t take the time needed to really hear their story, or worse yet, I make assumptions about them without hearing their story, and neither of these are good traits. But thankfully, God’s not finished with me yet!

Hopefully, this revelation will be a lifelong lesson for me. And hopefully, if I put this lesson into practice, I can make an impact on those whom I cross paths with, and they can leave an impact on me.

It says in 1 Peter 3:15b: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give a reason for the hope that you have.” My interpretation: Always be prepared to share your story. But perhaps even more importantly, always be prepared to listen to someone else’s—whether they are a fellow Christian or not. There will probably be a blessing in store for you. God used this trip and Stanley’s family to reveal this to me. Gloria a Dios!

Jackie

God's Guiding Presence

I have more to say about the Indianapolis One Heart Many Hands trip later, but for now I want to address a Britt Nicole song from her new album Gold.

As a whole, I didn't really like the album at first. It just all seemed the same to me, and I grew impatient.  I think that always happens to me when I get a new CD though, so I gave it another try. After another couple of listens, a few of the songs really impacted me, but one in particular spoke to my heart.

"Seeing for the First Time" talks about feeling God's presence in a new and exciting way. Every time you can feel God near and working is exhilarating, of course, but Nicole talks about God planning every moment, Him knowing when she would really need to feel Him by her side.

We know that God has a plan for our life if we choose to accept His free gift of salvation, but I guess I never really thought about the little things. I can trust God to lead me in the right direction. I know He has lead me this far, and He will continue to guide my path throughout college and when it comes time to choosing a career, but I never thought about the little things.

You know? I mean, what about the moments that I have to stop and ask myself "Okay, will this matter in five years?" He is still in control of those times of my life... if I let Him.

Wouldn't it make sense, then, that God has those crazy, out of this world, supernatural moments, when there is no denying He exists moments planned out for us? 

Nicole puts herself "under the stars" and I think that's exactly right. Both the care-free and worry-some nights when you look up at the stars and pause to wonder at their beauty, there is a clear and definite Presence.

You can just breathe and say "God is here."

I realize now those moments are in His beautiful hands also. Because through everything, if you put your trust in God, if you give your all to the Creator of the Universe, He will be there for you. He's been there for me even when I didn't realize I needed Him, and even when I wished He couldn't see me, He was holding out His hands, knowing that His Presence was all I needed to get me through.

"How many years did You plan this moment here to show me how You love me?"

One Heart Many Hands

One Heart Many Hands was born out of Dr Gary Morsch's passion to serve and give back to the community. The Church of the Nazarene gatthers together every four years for a General Assembly, and since the community of Indianapolis was giving so much to them, they decided it was time to do something to benefit the people of this city.

Our youth group had the opportunity to participate in One Heart Many Hands this year. On Sunday morning, we all made the long drive to Indianapolis and sat down together as a community of Believers. People of all ages and all different kinds of skill levels brought together by one purpose. Plans have been being made for almost two years - where to serve, how to serve, and who will serve.

Our youth group was divided into three teams with three different houses. The house I was assigned to didn't sound like a whole lot of work, but the big tasks took longer than everyone allotted time for. We put up new gutters, which involved putting up wood for the gutters to rest on, and painted all the wood white, new boards were put into the deck, the faucet was fixed inside the house, and new doors were put on the front and the back.

We were also blessed to be working right beside another group of ours, which allowed us to help on both houses when needed. The other house needed a lot of TLC. All the windows were scrubbed and re-caulked, I think there were twelve in all, on the front of the house all the paint was scraped off and then they of course painted it again, there was a fence that was paint-scraped and repainted, and then people were up on the roof doing who knows what to fix it.

This wasn't on our itinerary, but when the other group arrived they realized the basement was just a hole in the ground with no supporting beams. Big problem there! (I mean, I don't really know. I know nothing about fixing houses.) So there were a bunch of guys stuck in the basement all week solving the problem of the sinking floor.

Our plan for the week was very straightforward, but when we got there we found a lot of twists and turns that challenged us in ways we were ready to be challenged. You don't expect to see any "miracles" on a trip where you fix houses, but miracles we saw. It was a week of questioning and a week of blessings,

and God provided.

"Share the Gospel story with strangers."

One of the things I loved about our short term mission trip to El Salvador was observing how God used each person to minister to others. This applied not only to the team members, but to the brothers and sisters in El Salvador. It was such fun watching the smiles and listening to the laughter of the children, while seeing the joy on the faces of those ministering to them. And the hosts seemed to derive such pleasure from serving us meals and waiting on us. Then there was the awesome experience of seeing the excitement as our team members moved out of their comfort zones to share the Gospel story with strangers. 

Grant and Trudy presenting the gospel and
praying together during a medical clinic.

The two most rewarding experiences of the visit definitely had eternal consequences. I watched as our bus driver, Oscar, watched all the interaction between us and the El Salvadorans each day,especially one day when we went door to door sharing the gospel using the Evangecube. He stood close by so he could hear each explanation to the people in the homes we called on. It was so obvious that he was wanting to be a part of this big happy "family," but didn't feel like he belonged. As our time grew short, we all began to pray a little harder for Oscar and when, at the Holy Spirit's prompting, one of our team members asked him "the question," he submitted his life to Christ! What a thrill that was!

The second event was when the young girl who had "attached" herself to me two years earlier, and who again became my buddy, came to the medical clinic that we held in the Chalchuapa Nazarene church. She had seen the doctor and then came to Grant and me for prayer (as was the custom). I presented the gospel, using the Evangecube and she accepted Christ then and there. That was truly a blessing!

I am asking the Lord to keep me alert to the opportunities here in my daily life to share Christ's love with each person that I interact with and to be willing to move out of my comfort zone as we all did in El Salvador. It's not as scary as we think. "Try it--You'll like it!"

Trudy 

Give Thanks Through Prayer

I gave a devotion in Chalchuapa that bears repeating.

Paul in Thessalonians tells us to “give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

How can we do that?

Because in Romans, Paul tells us that “In all things, God works for the good of those who love Him and have been called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).

So how do we know how to be “called according to His purpose”?

In John, the Lord tells us “The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my Name, will teach you all things” (John 14:26). If we ask the Lord (the Spirit) to guide us in our prayers and actions, we can expect that God will work for our good.

How this works best for me:
“Lord show me how to pray.” Then I pray whatever comes into my heart.
Or, “Lord, I have this problem. What's the next step?” Then I trust that He will show me one way or another, what to do and when.

These prayers have brought me the best results, and I am able to thank the Lord in all circumstances.

Grant

"Keeping the Flame Alive"

We had yet another missions meeting over the weekend. Our topic Saturday night was "Keeping the Flame Alive." As teammates, our goal after the trip part of this journey was over is to get the church to move towards the direction of missions and service in our community and around the world. I think it is our responsibility as short term missionaries to create a fire that spreads to the rest of the congregation. We need to be motivated to love one another, and I have really taken this message to heart coming back from El Salvador.

My mission field right now is all around me. That's the truth for everyone. But I especially want to focus on the teens in my youth group. I've noticed a pattern. It isn't anyone's fault, but it should and can be stopped. The seniors graduate, the juniors step up, but there really aren't any true leaders. I don't know why the teens here don't understand what it means to be a true follower of Christ, or if they do aren't sure enough in their faith to show it until it's time for them to graduate.

We need to bring up senior leaders to lead the juniors so when the seniors lead they can take over. We need to bring up high schoolers who know what they say they believe to show the middle schoolers that Christianity and having a relationship with God is actually pretty legit.

If we can better understand sooner what it means to be an "on fire for Christ Christian" nothing can stop us.

I hope everyone has the opportunity someday to partake in a short term mission trip. The stories you hear and all the experiences you receive can never compare to someone telling you that this is this way and that is that way. If I blabber on too much about how it was like in El Salvador, shut me up! Because I don't think story after story about how these people are "more on fire" than we are is going to help anyone. As a church we need to be on fire in our own way, and I believe we can do it.

So the first step is to step outside your comfort zone. How many times can I talk about it? No one likes to do this. Obviously. I mean, we don't call it stepping outside of your comfort zone for no reason. By doing this, however, God will use you in ways you never could imagine, and you will grow in confidence as a Child of the One True King.

Get involved!!! I can not tell you how tired I am of hearing people talk about how they're being ignored and left out when all they do is sit on the sidelines. Make this your church home. Have a good time. Why does it matter if you make a fool of yourself? If it's for God, it's good.

Be the hands and feet of Jesus. There are so many opportunities to get involved in our community. Everyone is busy, but guess what? Summer vacation is practically here! And that means you have an extra six hours in your day plus homework time that you don't usually have. Do something productive and get creative.

I really hope I can be the leader in my youth group God wants me to be in these last few months before I'm "out." And I know we're going to have great leaders next year, but I think it's time to pick up the pace. Live a God-filled life. You won't regret it, I promise.

Show God's Love

With three weeks left of school, I'm beginning to feel like a failure when I should feel like a champion. I don't want to regret the last four years, but I sometimes wonder what could have happened had I lived every single moment of every day glorifying God. We all have our ups and downs. Not just in our Christian walk with God, but in our daily lives. Life can be a little overwhelming after receiving assignment "essay five, due tomorrow" along with thirty hours of work a week, but is that reason enough to put on a sullen expression, plug our music into our ears, and tune out the lost and hurting around us?

I'm as guilty of this as the next guy. Plus, I don't want to feel bad about feeling bad, you know?

There's nothing wrong with feeling down because of a not so good test grade, or because you didn't get enough sleep the night before, or because you can't take one more customer's snarky remarks at the check-out. But that doesn't mean you can check-out of life for a few hours. Who is going to pick up your slack?

With three weeks left of school, I'm beginning to feel like I need a more positive attitude. No use looking at the past and thinking, "Man, why didn't I smile at that person in the hallway?" or "Man, why didn't I give a high-five to my teammates when they made a good play and I screwed up?" Instead of feeling sorry for yourself about how all your friends ditched you at lunch, take the opportunity and make a new friend. Maybe someone who needs to be shown the love of Jesus.

With three weeks left of school, I'm beginning to feel like I need to stay on top of things. We are called to be the light in a dark world. Jesus is life to the dying and broken. How many dying and broken people do you see every day? Don't want to think about it, right?

I challenge you to make a pledge. From here on out. No matter what kind of "debbie-downer" mood you're in, take a step back, look at your problems from God's perspective, and show your peers God's love by simply being joyful in each and every situation. You may not necessarily be happy, but joy can come from a place deep inside of you that only the grace of God can reach.

Be a short-term missionary in your school. For those of you seniors, who cares what anyone things of you? You're going to be gone soon. For those of you with a few high school years ahead of you, dare to be a "Jesus Freak," a "religious nut," or simply be a kindhearted person who let's Jesus' love wash over everyone they meet.

I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart. Where? Down in my heart. Where? Down in my heart, I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart. Where? Down in my heart to stay. 'Cause I'm so happy, so very happy. I've got the love of Jesus in my heart. And I'm so happy, so very happy. I've got the love of Jesus in my heart.

"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

Defining Moment

Throughout my entire trip, I was looking for one defining moment. One thing to bring back and say "there, I did it. Now I am completely changed by God." It didn't happen.

I overheard a teammate say that this trip was so perfect, no complications, that she hoped the next missions trip I went on wouldn't seem like a downer. I've been blaming my "no defining moment" on the fact that nothing went wrong the entire trip, not taking any credit for my attitude.

Of course, I think I shaped up. It's kind of hard to be grumpy for ten days when you're around so many amazing, God-filled people all the time. But I was still looking for that moment. I want to be able to share with everyone exactly when I felt God calling me His child. Exactly when I knew He existed. When I knew He was calling me to share the Gospel with everyone who's path crossed mine.

But of course, God is always routing us on when we talk about Him to His children. And He knows He exists, and He knows I know He exists. He also knew this before I did: there wasn't one defining moment. Every single second of the trip, God was moving. He would have moved even without us there. God is all-powerful.

Is it possible that a heart can change in a moment? Absolutely. I've been witness to it on several occasions. However, it didn't work for me that way. The funny thing is it took me until now to realize it.

Every person on our trip was called there for a specific purpose in mind. We each had an individual role that God was calling us to fulfill.

I was pushed and shoved and forced to go to El Salvador because Gloria needed a friend. I didn't realize this, but I needed her too. I still do.

I guess my defining moment is continuing, and will continue until my last breath. Being who God wants you to be takes a lifetime. Literally. But you should know this. Even if you don't know what you believe, and you're struggling with your faith, God will still use you. Through each and every circumstance you face. We are always being changed by God. No matter how much you think you get it, He will show you something new if you take the time to listen to His voice and obey His commands.

Romans 8:28, 37-39 says, "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. But in all these things we overwhemingly conquer through Him who loves us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will e able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

In the short term for the long term.

As of noon today, this whole ordeal if finally over. That was the thought I had while standing up in front of the church this morning talking about our trip. All this preparation, with the trip over, here we were presenting what we had learned. And now it's over.

I had to stop that thought in its tracks, though. Because it's a lie! This journey is only beginning. Not only will there be many more trips, but we should be living as missionaries every day of our lives.

This thought has been with me since I began this blog. If we are already here in the "short-run," shouldn't our whole life be dedicated to missions?

We are the living, breathing short term mission. As Christians, it is our responsibility to live out our faith, to serve, to not complain, and to live everything cleaner than we found it, not just when we're in a good mood, but all the time. Every breath we take should be given to God's work.

I know (trust me, I know!) in this chaotic world we need to actually be productive and efficient in order to not end up homeless, but why not be productive and efficient for God? And if you end up homeless, that's probably because God wants you to evangelize on the streets! Best of luck to you.

I'll be serious now. I feel like I've been taking too much time preparing myself for whatever God wants me to do without really thinking what that is or when that would be. But it's here and now. Everywhere. Anywhere. God wants you to join His army.

So will you join me in living every day like you're on a short-term mission?

We need a revival.

We've been home for two weeks. At least I think that's right. Coming home from El Salvador felt like a dream. I'm not sure if it was good or bad. Reality started up, and going back to school was a definite culture shock. That first swear word I heard made my head whip around to find its culprit. I had forgotten about bad language, and homework, and getting up early. But I'm determined not to forget what I learned in El Salvador, or the people who made my time there memorable.

These crazy kids changed my life forever. Their perspective on serving and how they live out their faith is so bold and selfless. When we were at construction, they were always there to help us - even before we showed up at the church! The boys rode their bikes down to Bueno Vista and Tazumel to evangelize. They took time out of their lives to help us serve others in their community. 

The boys you see in this picture are truly the leaders of their church. It's just how it is. They aren't the future, they are the here and now. And these kids believe that and are embracing it with their entire beings. 

Every church congregation, every denomination has their "issues," their disagreements, but while we were down there, I didn't see one instance in which someone let their negative attitude get in the way of their work. 

We need a revival.

The American church is too complacent. We think coming to church, mumbling a song or two, and bowing our heads during pastoral prayer is enough to get us by. We did our part. Time to go home and take that Nazarene nap!

You know what I've realized? This past month has been such an eye opener for me. Sure, I prayed. I read my Bible. I fellowshipped with other Christians.

But I never talked to God. I never incorporated His Words into my daily life. I never took the time to care about the people I rub shoulders with.

We need a revival.

It's time to stop worrying about tomorrow. Don't think about how you're going to make money, and live in a fancy apartment, and dress in the latest fashions. We need to stop worrying about tomorrow, I need to stop worrying about tomorrow, and trust that God has a purpose for my life every single day I am on this earth. Whether it's laughing with a little child in the nursery, praying at the alter with someone who's going through a tough time, or sharing the Gospel at school, it's all for God's glory. Not your own.

That's something we need to remember. I am not here for me. I will not get satisfaction from anything I do, if I do it for my own glory. I'm trying to live every day for God's glory. We need to willing to be martyrs for Christ.

We need a revival.

Forever In Our Hearts

Thursday’s service was a night of tears. It was time to say goodbye. When we walked into the church, there was a melancholy quiet. We sat down, and waited for the service to start. It began with Pastor Nelson saying how grateful he was for our help. I hope he knows we were just as grateful to them for opening their hearts to us so quickly, and allowing us the experience to serve them. And that’s when, not five minutes into the service, I had already begun to cry.

Worship began with Josue’s powerful prayers. Although we couldn’t understand the Spanish, we could understand the Spirit. God was with us, as he had been throughout the entire trip. The young people of the church performed a drama for us about Jesus’ life. Knowing how hard they worked on it to show us how much they care about us was just so touching.

When the service ended, they had us all stand up front so everyone could say goodbye. In a way it kind of felt like I was at a funeral. Tears everywhere, goodbye’s and God bless you’s all over the place. But we kept reminding each other that even if we didn’t see each other in this life, we would find one another in the next.

Once everyone had kind of shuffled out, we ate dinner with the pastor’s family and others who had helped us a lot during this trip. We all tried not to think of it as the “last supper,” and had a really good time fellowshipping with one another. Besides, at this point we still had one more morning to work together.

Then Friday morning came. As we gathered around the breakfast table, we all tried not to think about the inevitable, and tried to focus instead on our morning in Tazumal, the little suburb we had visited two days before.



Jackie and Jeffery

At Tazumal we performed our last clinic, finished giving out toothbrushes, and entertained the children while their parents were busy talking with the doctor. And of course we evangelized. I had the enjoyment of throwing a Frisbee with little David, a five year old kid that had way more energy than I did. He never got tired, and didn’t quit until he was thirsty.

It’s funny how your perspective than change so quickly. Normally I never want anything to do with the children; they don’t listen to me, they’re loud, and I’m just not good at kids. That is until God intervenes. Because I’ve been working with the children of El Salvador more in the past week than I have ever worked with the children in my church at home.

The best part? I had fun doing it.

That just goes to show that God can do anything if you let Him work through you.

We ate a quiet lunch with those who had become our close friends. For Bailey and me, it was hardest saying goodbye to Gloria, Josue, and Marlon. Not only had Gloria and Josue been our translators, but they have become closer friends to us than I thought possible. And Marlon had always been there when we needed him.



Gloria, Josue, Me, and Bailey

Going into this trip, I never thought I would have a hard time leaving. Becoming friends with teenagers just like us, hundreds of miles away has been such a blessing. I don’t regret a single moment I served in El Salvador. As sad as I am to leave, I’m excited to see what God has in store for us next, whether that’s coming back to El Salvador (I hope so!), or discovering someplace new.

We’re home now. Exhausted from being in an airplane/sitting in an airport for 15 hours. I feel like I’ve been away for a lifetime. There’s so much more to share with you all.

“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom… For those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40: 28, 31

Tazumal and Our Day of Rest

Yesterday, we spent the morning at Tazumal, another suburb of Chalchuapa. Although we were told it was dangerous, I didn't feel unsafe. We had lock up our bags at the church there, because they didn't want the people to know we had anything "expensive." We went in three groups of about eight. One to each house, criss-crossing down the dirt roads.

One of the poorer areas around here, the streets ran with dirty water. Jackie said she watched an elderly man take his bowl and scoup up some of the water for hydration. As we walked along, greeting everyone who would open their doors to us, we saw both desolation and hope. The first family we went to talk to, the woman of the house had been a Christian before, but the struggles she faced had hardened her heart. She allowed us to present the gospel, but she wouldn't accept what we had to say. There just isn't a whole lot you can say in a situation like that.

Another couple, Marlon and Anna greeted us with open arms. When we said we wanted to share the Gospel with them, they immedietely said that they were already Christians. From the evangelism I've done, a lot of folks say that they're Christians, but you just don't see it. I saw it in them. They had a joy that others in that area lacked. We prayed with them and for them before heading to the next house.

 

After spending a hot morning evangelising, we were given an opportunity to rest. We drove to a resort down by the beach and were able to spend all evening and morning relaxing. Although a few of us felt a little guity about having so much after witnessing so little, I think we all enjoyed the change of pace.

 

Tonight is our last night in Chalchuapa, and our last worship service with the church. Tomorrow we'll spend the morning in Tazumal again, evangelizing, giving out toothbrushes, and working with a medical clinic.

I feel like I've been in El Salvador for a lifetime. We've really made this place our home the past few nights we've stayed here. The friendships I've made run deep, and I hope they will last a lifetime. I'm not good at goodbye's. I avoid them at all costs. Hopefully this is a "see you later." I'm not sure how to say goodbye, so I'll just trust God. Beside, we have still have two full days.

All the Children of the World

For the past two days I've been hanging out with the children of El Salvador. For me, this is stepping out of my comfort zone. I'm not good with children, but here, it's different. I can't speak their language, and they can't speak mine, but they try to understand me, and I try to understand them. We're equally curious about each other.

Yesterday, I went to a school to hand out toothbrushes and toothpaste. When we arrived, all the children started yelling and screaming. They were just soo excited! I made sure to shake a lot of the children's hands, and, in my broken Spanish, ask for their name. One little girl wouldn't let go of my arm, and I had to pry her off of me. It was adorable.

We said a few words about ourselves, sang and danced (which I think was just so they could make fun of the Americans), and presented the gospel. We think about 25 kids accepted Jesus. How awesome is that?

They got into lines and we just gave them a toothbrush and a small tube of toothpaste, but they couldn't have been more grateful. Sure, just like any child, they want a different color, or a different design, but they were grateful, nonetheless.

Today, we went to a suburb of Chalchuapa, Buneo Vista. It’s one of the poorer areas around here, and that was certainly evident in the long line of people who lined up for the free clinic. While some people from our team went to evangelize, Bailey and I stayed back and played with the children. You think they would understand Uno, but after about an hour of trying to teach them, I just let them lay down cards and throw dirt all over them.

After awhile, I realized that a lot of the children didn’t know their colors. With the Uno deck, we practiced rojo, azul, verde, and amarillo. These children weren’t little either. The youngest was five, and the oldest who I was teaching was ten. I tried to teach them their numbers (0-9), but they lost interest, so we went back to colors.

 

We did another children’s program today too. Clowns and everything in the sweltering heat. I wasn’t a clown this time, but I got to sit with a little girl named Betsy. She was the cutest little thing. Five years old, but so tiny! When the girls broke the piñata, she was running all over the place, happy as can be. It melts my heart.

As I'm writing this, I realize we only have three more days of work here. I can't imagine leaving this place; especially leaving knowing I might not ever return. It's amazing how deep friendships can become in a few short days, not only with the people of Chalchuapa, but with the people of my team also. No cultural barriers at work.

Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world. Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.

Gloria's Perspective

Last night I was feeling a little down, and I might have left you feeling a little down too. When I got back to my room after writing, Gloria, the pastor’s daughter, was waiting for us because we invited her to spend the night at our hotel. She noticed I was a little down, and asked about it. And I told her I just wasn’t feeling anything.

This is what she said:

This is a different trip, a different time with different people and group dynamics. God is working here, but it might not be like he did two years ago. It’s not necessary to feel like you’re doing anything, because faith isn’t about feeling, it’s about doing, and it’s about a relationship. God is moving in Chalchuapa, whether we feel it or not.

Gloria and me/awkward sunlight picture.

She also said we inspire the church here. We gave up our lives at home, and we worked to raise money to come here and serve. We inspire them because of our love for them. We are the princes and princesses, part of God’s army, forever loved by Him.

 

Gloria touched my heart last night, and made me realize that I just need to keep loving, keep serving, and always smile, because God loves us, and we have found a love for his people.

Persevere

Happy Sunday!

Guess where I spent my day? Why a wedding, of course. And guess what else? I walked on stage, with a guitar in hand, and sat down and played, while the rest of the team sang.

In front of 100 El Salvadorians.

Talk about exiting your comfort zone. The morning consisted of the service and the wedding, and then we spent half the afternoon at the reception.

When we got back to the hotel and "dressed down," we went to visit the Mayan ruins. Although interesting, there wasn't a history lesson in store for me today. Of course it doesn't help that everything was in Espagnol.

So basically today has been a chill day. Tomorrow we'll start on construction for the church again, and do a free clinic with a doctor from San Salvador.

I don't really want to write this, but I will anyway. I'm feeling a little down right now. I guess I just had all these great ideas of all the compassion I would feel for these people. I don't feel anything. I want to help them, but I feel like I'm not really doing much. I love discovering a new culture and making new friends, but I'm not connecting with anyone outside the church. Everyone is expecting me to come home changed and so crazy on fire for what God is doing. But I just don't feel anything. So for now I'll put others first, and trust God to do the rest. Whatever that may be.

I'm sure I'm just tired. We'll get more rest tonight, and tomorrow's a new day! I can't wait to see what God has in store for us.

Bound Together (Guest Post)

"And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." Colossians 2:14

Something amazing is happening here. We are seeing two different churches from two different countries speaking two different languages serving together as one. Language barriers are being broken down, and humility abounds here between the two groups. And it is a beautiful thing to see.

Yesterday we had a big party for the children of the church and the surrounding neighborhood. It was complete with pinatas, candy, toys, puppets, and even clowns. Most of the party was led and directed by the youth and young adults of the church. It was so inspiring to see these young people care, nurture, and just plain have fun with the children at the party. If you add in a few awkward American clowns, you get a pretty good picture of what the unity looked like. We were working together for God's purpose.

This unity is definitely an answer to prayer. Before we left, I asked my mentor to pray that we would have team unity. Close-mindedly, I was only asking that for the 13 of us from Oakland. But as He so often does, God answered my prayer in an unexpected way.  Our team is now made up of the 13 of us plus the people of the church here in Chalchuapa. I believe this is what God intended all along.

When we were preparing for this trip, we learned something important. I guess it is pretty common for American mission trip teams to think that it is their job to be the heroes. There is the notion that we are going to come with all of our mighty resources and rescue these poor people who have nothing. But early on at one of our team meetings, we learned that we are supposed to do ministry WITH them, not FOR them. They don't need us to save them, they just need our support.

Bound together in unity by the same love for the same God. Beautiful. Inspiring. Perfect indeed.

Jackie

All Over Town

Things to check off my bucketlist: walk the streets of El Salvador as a clown.

This was a definate step out of your comfort zone moment for me. I am not used to being around children, and acting like a clown in front of children who you can't really communicate with was the last thing I thought I'd be doing. Of course, it was pointed out to me that it wasn't the worst possible thign I could be doing.

Watching the kids reactions to the stories and the music was so precious. Bailey and I were talking, and we find more often than not that culture isn't an obstacle. Three children accepted Jesus into their lives today. In all the chaos of the moment, there was peace in that little circle. They were sincere.

After the party, we were asked by Gloria, the pastors daughter, to help set up for a wedding that we're attending tomorrow. I was suprised when my father agreed to let Bailey and me leave our group and go off with two natives our age to gather supplies. That was the original plan, at least.

We ended up driving around El Salvador. They wanted to show us the town, and embracing the spirit of adventure, we agreed. Our first stop was a Catholic church adorned with gold. Literally, from floor to ceiling, back to front, gold was everywhere. Afterwards, we went to a park. Interestingly enough, it was way nicer than any park back home. There were flowers and trees, and so many people! All staring at us.

Our next stop was a lake. We learned from Gloria that the lake used to be a place to swim, but after a hurricane a while back, it was so polluted there weren't even fish living there. That was when she also pointed out the knocked down houses, "from the wind," she said.

Although Bailey and I were somewhat hesitant when leaving with Gloria and her friend Marlon, we were certainly glad we did. We were afraid that the language barrier would be a problem, but Gloria is very fluent in English, and with her help we were able to converse with Marlon. The best part was that it felt no different from hanging out with friends back home.

One last thing:

 

His name is Salvador. He has truly stolen all our hearts. Not only is he one of the hardest workers on the team, that smile never leaves his face.

 

Dios te bendiga!



Evangelism/Construction

Waking up this morning was like taking a breath of fresh air – considering every breath we take is fresh air. The buildings are all open. With hardly any rain and no temperatures below 60, they can afford to not board up their houses like we do. When the bathroom was open, I decided it was my turn to get out of bed and start the day.

We ate breakfast at eight o’clock. It was gloriously not-early for a high school student. We ate fried plantains, which are a lot like bananas, scrambled eggs with peppers, onions, and a type of hot sauce, and refried beans. The El Salvadorians eat well, my friend.

Our job today was to begin construction, which actually turned out to be mostly demolition. I couldn’t believe the turnout of young adults that showed up to break up concrete, rock, and gravel. Not only did they work hard, but they smiled the entire time! I could never have done half of what they accomplished today.

In the morning, I started out with the evangelism team. I really didn’t know what to expect. Like at all. We walked from door to door, asking people if they were Christians. If they said that they had a church home, we prayed for them before moving on. We shared the gospel with two homes, both of which afterwards said they had already accepted Christ as Lord, but just didn’t have enough time for church. So that was interesting.

Although I’ve only seen a living room or two, the houses here are about the size of your average kitchen. Which means the kitchen is about the size of your average bathroom. Like I said, it’s mostly open. Some don’t have complete roofs. The roofs that they do have are tin with barbed wire around the top so thieves don’t dig through the ceiling. On the outside, it looks like one building. They’re all connected. When we would talk to people, the screen door would remain locked, with bars across to keep out intruders.

I’ll tell you about sharing with the EvangeCube. I said one sentence, the translator repeated. What I didn’t expect was how attentive the couple I shared with was. If I tried that in the U.S, I might get two or three words out before someone shouted it was a violation of their freedom and we were forcing religion on them.

Not only that, but they’re right when they say God is already where you’re going to serve. We didn’t bring God here. He’s been in El Salvador all along. We won’t take him with us when we leave. There’s a movement here. You can feel it, and that’s something you can’t say about the U.S.

We ate lunch at someone’s house. Everyone who was working construction was there with us. It was a great Fiesta! We were served beef with rice, green vegetables, tortillas, and fruit. So far, all the meals here have been amazing.

We finished eating and got back to construction. It wasn’t just about the building process. Sure, everyone was focused and working hard, but there was more to it. It was about two churches coming together. There’s that “unity” word again. This is the first experience I’ve had where I felt like every move we make is for a bigger purpose.  

 

Currently, I’m sitting in the courtyard of our hotel, watching the sun set and enjoying the spring breeze. We have another church service in about an hour. Right now I feel very unready for the rest of the trip. You’d think after the first day everything would be easier, but I’m more nervous than ever. I’m constantly praying for peace. I want to do this thing right, and I don’t want to regret a missed opportunity.

Pray for us?

Una Iglesia

My day began at two o’clock in the morning. As I struggled to pull my thoughts into reality, my heart began to skip a beat as I realized that today was the day. Off we were going to be to El Salvador. I didn’t really feel anything but an upset stomach as we boarded our first plane. I couldn’t believe that it was only eight when we landed at the Houston airport and rushed to our connecting flight taking us to San Salvador.

When I wobble off a plane, the first thing I do is smell the air. And El Salvador reminded me of Florida. Fresh, warm, and tropical. We went through customs with few difficulties and blinked into the sunlight to find Milton smiling at us.

Left to right: Andria, Rene, Milton

Milton is a native El Salvadorian through and through. Always smiling, and greeting everyone with a firm handshake, Milton is the one planning our work down here. Our luggage was loaded onto an old school bus as we took a few deep breaths to appreciate the warm weather. From San Salvador, Chalchuapa was about three hours away. We all took lovely naps as the warm breeze washed over us.

At this point in the whole fiasco of life, I was very unsure that I wanted to be here. I felt like we had left home days ago, and all I wanted was to crawl into bed. Not to mention I was still feeling very sick at this point.

 

When we arrived at our hotel, thirteen hours after we had crawled out of bed, I was just so overwhelmed.

We got to the church, and Bailey and I sat down in the middle section. As the locals wandered in, saying hi to all the old timers of our group, I was feeling pretty left out. I just couldn’t help wondering why I was sitting there. What was the point of all this?

I was introduced as my father’s daughter. Hugs all around. Names tossed at me like potatoes. The pastor went up front and asked us to stand. Music began, and we all immediately recognized the song. Hearing the Spanish translation was a huge wake up call. I began singing along (in English, of course), and clapped to the off beat with everyone else.

 

And that was it. We were one. We are one.

One church.

In those few minutes, I went from being an outsider to a part of the family. What I didn’t realize when I walked into the church was that I already was a part of the family. If we can’t be united, then there’s nothing fight for. We are the body of Christ.

Jackie put it best during our devotional time. She said that through our worship tonight she saw a glimpse of heaven. Everyone praising God, singing “holy, holy, holy.” Two languages with one purpose.

Unity. 

12 Hours

That's right. There are twelve hours before we fly out. Our bags are packed (mostly), our Bible's are secured in our carry-ons, and I am so full of butterflies right now. If I ever get to sleep tonight it will be a true miracle.

I was going to type up some big long truth about how I'm really feeling, but I really don't know. I go from sky high excited to so jittery I can barely think straight. Right now my biggest fear is my luggage not arriving in El Salvador with me. I'm also a little scared about going through customs. The only thing you can do for that is pray!

So there's not a lot I have to say right now. But keep reading, because the best is yet to come. See you in El Salvador.

"Okay, God. I'm Yours."

In preparation for this trip, I've spent so much time preparing my heart. I've been trying to reconnect myself with God's voice. All this time I've been trying to prove to myself that I was good enough, smart enough, compassionate enough.

In trying to be closer to God I was really taking him out of the equation, trying to rely on my own strength to get me there. I was trying to do all this preparation on my own... until I realized that I can never be ready.

I will never be prepared. No matter how hard I try, no matter what action I take to be good enough, enough will never be enough. I need to stop relying on my own faith, my own strength and integrity. I need my full trust and dependency in Him. That's the way to be "ready." But what if I can't do it?

What if I say "Okay, God. I'm Yours." and I still can't get my butt out of the drivers seat? Life has just been so chaotic lately, and I've been so overwhelmed with senior year and the mission trip. I've been focusing on what I want, thinking that if I keep an open mind it will translate into what God wants. I realized that that can't happen unless I give Him full control of my life.

I thought I did, I thought I did once. But it's clear to see through how I treat others and how I put what I think is most important first that I most definitely have not. No matter what action I take to ready myself for the future, when it comes, I'll still be too overwhelmed to function unless I give my future to God. So isn't it obvious? Then why is it so hard to let go of control?

He's imagined so much more for me than I could ever imagine for myself. And He's imagined more for you than the life you're living now.

He met us halfway by dying for us, and now it's our turn to walk into His arms and allow Him to take care of us.

To Build and Plant

As the day of our departure is quickly arriving, I find myself more and more nervous. We had our last ever meeting last night. How is it possible?

We've begun working in our Spiritual Journals given to us by DELTA Ministries. Every day there's a Scripture passage and a place for journaling your thoughts and prayers. The first one has really stuck with me. It's from Jeremiah 1:4-10:

"Now the word of the Lord came to me saying, 'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.' Then I said, 'Alas, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, Because I am a youth.' But the Lord said to me, 'Do not say, I am a youth, because everywhere I send you, you shall go, and all that I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you,' declares the Lord. Then the Lord stretched out His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me, 'Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. See, I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.'"

As we begin packing and as this trip becomes more real (and some of us start panicking, some of us meaning me), I just pray that we can have the experience that God is planning for us, not the one we plan for ourselves. I am going to be honest here, I just feel like everything is so focused on what we are going to do and see and how we are going to come home changed, it's just a lot of pressure. Don't we need to be focusing on what God is going to do through us? And we are, but I pray that we don't get in each other's way of "changing lives."

Last night as we sat down for our very last meeting, we began putting together care packages for the children. A notebook, some candy, a few crayons, and a toy. With each Ziplock bag that I sealed I just couldn't help wondering what kind of home live the child who received this has. What am I supposed to say to someone who seemingly has nothing?

We leave in eleven days. This song has been playing in my head all week. Give me Your eyes and ears and words to say to show your love to the people of Chalchuapa. 

Pray for us?

What is Worship?

As a noun, worship is defined as the feeling or expression of reverence and adoration for a deity. I think it's better expressed as a verb: to show reverence and adoration for God.

During our mid-week youth group, we had what we called an Agape feast. Agape means love; we were celebrating God's love for us, our love for Him, and our friendships with each other. We were sitting around tables, and after we ate we worshiped. I was sitting awkwardly in the front facing everyone, so when we stood up to worship I was able to see everyone's expressions.

I couldn't help but smile.

Seeing your closest friends giving themselves over to worship a God you both believe in might be one of the coolest sights ever. One of the songs we sang was "Beautiful Things." It's probably my favorite worship song.

You make beautiful things, you make beautiful things out of the dust. You make beautiful things, you make beautiful things out of us. 

It gives me shivers every time.

I've heard Americans are pretty low-key worshippers. Laid back, quiet, maybe even just plain lazy. Whatever you want to say, I'm not sure we know how to give our all over to God. I mean, worship can be anything you're doing to praise God. Worship can be through singing, playing an instrument, or serving in a soup kitchen. For me, writing blogs about God is a form of worship.

My first year at teen camp was probably the first time I had ever felt worship. As a little seventh grader, it also might have been one of the most terrifying experiences I had ever had. The music was loud enough to wake the dead. You know the type that you can feel inside your chest? There were flashing lights, and when the performers took the stage all of these teenagers rushed forward and threw their hands in the air praising God.

I guess my point is that I'm looking forward to seeing how the El Salvadorians worship. I'm guessing we're going to be the "awkward Americans" standing off to the side. I hope I feel like I can participate. It'll probably be scary, but there's obviously going to be a lot of "change." It's going to be exciting to hear the songs we sing in church every week sung in a Spanish.

Usted hace cosas hermosas, usted hace las cosas bellas del polvo. Usted hace cosas hermosas, usted hace las cosas bellas de nosotros.

How do you worship?

Stuck (guest post)

Last summer when I was on my first "real" mission trip, there was a moment that I will never forget. As I sat in tears, God told me to be a missionary. So of course I got all excited and scared and told everyone I knew. With pride I said that I was ready for what God had in store for my future. People don't expect an 18 year old girl to come back from their first mission trip (only a few hours away, nonetheless) with a calling from God. I blew off their weird looks thinking they didn't understand. I thought I knew I was ready. I was so wrong.

Lately I have been feeling stuck. Stuck in the same life, the same high school, and possibly even the same Christian lifestyle. I let my feelings come out as anger and hatred, lashing out against God and everyone around me. 

As I was brushing my teeth last night, I began tearing up, and God began to talk to me. He told me that being Stuck is one of the best ways to know you're ready to move forward into the life He has planned for you. That you're ready to give God control of all aspects of your life. 

So what? Am I still stuck for now? Yes! But this time I can rejoice in it because I know that there's something better around the corner. Childlike faith is something to hold onto, but in some ways I feel like this is God's way of telling me to enjoy my life as a kid, because He has bigger plans for me than the life I am currently living. 

I promise that this does have something to do with El Salvador, so here is the magic connection. 

I was already stoked for the trip, but now I realize that the purpose of it is to prepare my heart for the future. It's the beginning of getting unStuck. El Salvador may be the stepping stone into what I'm supposed to do with my life, and I believe that's the reason God has made it possible for me to be here. 

The date of the trip is rapidly approaching, and as scary as that is, I am preparing my heart to serve the Lord. I will enjoy and appreciate all that I am blessed with, such as my extensive wardrobe, running water, readily available meals, and my daily intake of tea (it's a must have!). Not everyone is blessed with these things as I am. Leaving the country will be a huge wake-up call. Goodbye shoes, hello lost souls!

If you take anything from reading this know that I will be spending the next three weeks before we leave opening my heart to what God has in store for me in El Salvador and beyond. Next time you feel Stuck in life, ask yourself if you're ready to accept your next God-given mission, and then praise Him with me!

Bailey

God Is In Control (guest post)

I believe those who say that the Bible is not relevant today just don’t spend enough time reading it. God’s Word is alive and speaks just as clearly today as it did thousands of years ago. How else can it be that I always seem to come across just the right verse right when I need to hear it?

As team leader for this mission trip, I try to juggle a lot. There are registration forms, insurance forms, passports, fundraising totals, ministry supply lists, and payment schedules to keep track of. I need to order team T-shirts, organize team meetings, plan a commissioning service, and write thank you letters to those who have supported us.

Rather than getting smaller, it seems like my “to do” list is growing larger as our trip approaches. The organized, administrative side of me is on high alert and is thriving. The worn out, full-time mother-of-four/part-time pharmacist in me is wondering why there aren’t more hours in the day. I’m frazzled. I’m tired. And I keep thinking that there are things I’m forgetting.

This is when God decides to chime in. One of the memory verses we are supposed to learn for our trip is 2 Corinthians 3:4-5. It says, “We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. It is not that we think we can do anything of lasting value by ourselves. Our only power and success come from God.” Other versions word it as “Our adequacy comes from God.” Thank you, Lord for telling me exactly what I needed to hear!

You see, I’ve been extremely focused on getting our team to El Salvador. It has gotten to the point where almost every free thought of the day is devoted to something I need to get done for the trip, or how I am going to get our team through customs without any trouble, or how I can make sure that we all stick together and don’t leave anyone behind…or countless other things I think I need to be in control of. I’ve effectively taken God out of the equation. Things are going to go smoothly because I am working so hard to make that happen.

What a bunch of hogwash!

Our success on this trip is going to be determined by God. Our adequacy depends on Him. It’s time I quit focusing so much on the things that need to be done to get us there, and start focusing my thoughts on the people we are going to be serving. I can have confidence that God will take care of the details. He will make me adequate as a team leader. He will put the right words in my mouth. And He will help a great love for His people spill out of my heart.

“It is not that we think we can do anything of lasting value by ourselves. Our only power and success come from God.” Thanks for the chat, God. I needed it.

Jackie

Speaking Jesus

I don't know more than two words of Spanish, and even then I can never remember how to say a simple "hello" (... Hola, right?). For those of you who don't know, El Salvador is Spanish-speaking. And the girl who is in her fourth year of French is going to a Spanish-speaking country. No hablo espanol...

In our meetings someone always mentions how amazed they are that the last time the group went two years ago how little the giant language barrier didn't get in the way when they were witnessing. It always reminds me of Acts 2:1-12, when the Holy Spirit came down and filled the Apostles and they were able to speak in all languages.

Acts 6-8 says, "And when this sound occurred, the crowd came together, and were bewildered because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own language. They were amazed and astonished, saying, ;Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born?"

This also reminded me of Jamie Grace's song "Show Jesus." One of the lines is "You know love is what they heard and you didn't even say a word. Ain't it funny that's the way it works when you show Jesus?"

Just something to think about. 

The other side of prayer

Sooo... yesterday we had our second to last missions meeting. Sad day? I'd say bittersweet. I try not to procrastinate on homework, but yesterday I still had so much to do! It was like projects threw-up on my life. The classic life of a high school student. Whatever.

Back to the meeting. Confession: this was the first meeting that I had actually looked forward to. Normally the night before I'm dreading Sunday so much that I just want it to be Monday. Which is stupid. Everybody knows that Mondays are no good. We talked about packing and what to bring. I guess the trick is to pack three times. Pack three weeks before the trip. A week later unpack and take out everything you won't need, then pack again. Wait a week. Repeat. Good suggestion. My friend Bailey and I are planning on packing together - taking two suitcases of course. We figure that if one of our suitcases falls off the face of the earth, we'll at least have half of our clothes in the other bag. Travel smart, people.

We were sitting meeting and it was suggested that we take a group prayer time. Popcorn prayer, if you will. I was sitting there listening and praying when someone brought up them. Prayed for them. Asked for their hearts to be open. For them to be willing to speak with us. For their minds to understand what Jesus is all about. And it hit me. I never thought about praying for those we were going to serve.

How did I miss that???

I guess I was so caught up in the "ohmygoodness-I'm-going-to-another-country" that I forgot what I was going to another country for. I am so excited to "see the world." Traveling is in my veins! But meeting and seeing and being with the people in that world is what's most important. 

Right now I'm most worried about being distracted by the, um, unsanitary conditions that these people might be living in and not being able to see past that. People are people are people. We all need love, we all need security, and we all need God.

1 Peter 4:7-11 says, "The end of all things is near. Therefore, be clear-minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply because love covers a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another, without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus christ. To Him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen!"

In The Face of Adversity

Day two of our DELTA missions training was all about culture. Culture stress affects the body by heightening focus, which I find a blessing. 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 says "For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. To the Jews I became as a Jew, sot hat I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself  under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of christ, so that I might win those who are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it."

The Incarnational Model is the philosophy of voluntary setting aside our way of life in order to conform of the way of life of those one is seeking to reach for the purpose of being able to show Jesus' love in word and deed. That's basically what Paul is saying in 1 Corinthians. He is forming to their culture in order to better understand those he is ministering to, and so that they may better understand Paul. We were told to be award of Ethnocentrism which affects our bias and causes us to be judgmental of another way of life.

I wouldn't know, but apparently Americans are the only true "time-keepers." What I mean is that we always say "Let's meet here at this time" and shun the late-comers (at least I do). Americans are punctual, anticipate crisis, and take satisfaction in achieving goals. On the flip side, we were told to expect El Salvadorians to not stress time, downplay crisis, and be satisfied by interaction. Some of that sounds pretty nice. I mean, if I never had a time commitment, I could never be late to anything! Not even my seven o'clock government class. Sad to say, that just isn't the American way...

We did several team building exercises. One of them being lunch. Bound together like prisoners, we were forced to work together, otherwise no sustenance for you! Our wrists were tied together so when I moved my arm, my teammates arm followed. So we decided to take turns. She took a bite, then I took a bite when she chewed. And on and on. Drinking the dark red punch was much more difficult. It's a miracle we all got away without a spill.





The other difficult, and my least favorite task was balancing. We were given a square block of wood with a large nail hammered in the middle and twelve more nails of the same size, and we were told to balance all twelve nails onto the one. No touching the wood or the table, and no help from the twenty-four hands surrounding. Half the group gave up without trying. I might have taken a five minute nap. We were lucky that one of us had done it before, although he was given careful instructions not to help us, he may have hinted a time or two. Forty-five grueling minutes later, and only two team members left at work, we had finally balanced twelve nails onto one. And yes, it is possible. Don't give up so quickly.

All but four of us had participated in training before, and they kept bringing up another balancing game. I had finally had enough of their roundabout talk and demanded our task-manager to bring out the old ball and rope. On a three inch long pipe were tied many strings which we had to hold onto the end of. On top of the pipe was placed a whiffle ball. The twelve of us circled up, grabbed our strings, and began to lift the centerpiece into the air. No dropping allowed. This was my favorite game of the day, not only because I had to take charge, but because it was successful in less than ten minutes. We walked across the room, slowly, without dropping the whiffle ball, and then through a doorway. One by one, tugging and pulling and straightening our strings, we arrived safely on the other side. No one dropping the ball.