Highlights, El Salvador Campaign, Part 3

Even though the team was small (13 people), they were very hardworking and faithful to share the gospel when we went out for the family festivals in the afternoon.  We were able to hold at least one festival for each of the four campuses of our church here in El Salvador.  Sunday night we worked in Nueva Lourdes with Pastor Koky Lopez and the Lourdes cammpus; Monday and Tuesday night we worked in two different neighborhoods in Apopa with Pastor Chity Escobar and the Apopa campus; Wednesday night we worked in Santa Tecla with Pastor David Aguilar and Campus Hotel and on Thursday night we worked in the southern part of San Salvador with Campus Miralvalle.  

Here are some of the precious pictures of the team sharing the gospel one-on-one in the neighborhoods, as well as pictures from the festival proper.  More than 150 people made professions of faith during these festivals.  

Highlights--El Salvador Campaign, Part 2

Monday through Wednesday morning we were in schools in Lourdes and on Thursday morning we were in a school in Apopa.  The value lesson for the week was about "Kindness."  Here is an assortment of pictures from the week.

 

May Campaign, Part 1

We welcomed a team of 12 people from First Baptist, Ferguson, Missouri, to El Salvador on Saturday afternoon.  Don Laity joined the team, as well.  The Vida Nueva youth had a celebration for their mother's on Saturday night, so we were not able to schedule a family festival.  

We had orientation at the hotel at 4:00 p.m. and then Guillermo picked everyone up in the van and we went to Los Planes for a bit of tourism and some of the best pupusas in the country.  We had the opportunity to go to one of the national parks named, Puerto del Diablo (Devil's Doorway) which got it's name for the whistling sounds produced by the wind blowing between the clefts in the rocky precipices.  We did not have time to make the climb to the top, nor were we brave enough to zip line across the chasm.  

 

Our next stop was Coty's pupusaria.  She and Guillermo have been friends for more than ten years so it is one of our favorite spots for the Salvadoran specialty.  Mark Cote, the Ferguson team leader, was treated to the "giant" birthday pupusa.  

As I have often said, it's a very, very rare person who doesn't like pupusas and this team was no different--100% loved them.

Sunday in St. Louis

We had the great privilege to share our El Salvador ministry with First Baptist Ferguson (a St. Louis suburb) on Sunday.  All of the adult Sunday School classes met together and we talked about Vida Nueva, Good News in Action, Metro America 0-20 and invited all of them to come on a mission trip.  It was fun telling them about the work and encouraging them to step out and trust God in a new way during 2016.

During our time in the service, Stephen sang "Poderoso" in Spanish, we both briefly shared with them and then we showed the "Call to Prayer" video.  

After a fantastic lunch at a local restaurant, we watched a little football at the hotel.  Then, returned to church to meet with persons who wanted to hear more about the mission trip to Guatemala in August.  At 7:00 p.m. we went to Parker Road Baptist Church and caught up with a small group after the service.  Members of this church have come to El Salvador for trips, but haven't been down in many years.  We're hoping that they will join with the Ferguson group and come in August.

We finished the evening off with Mexican food (awesome chips, salsa and white cheese dip) and great fellowship.  

It was such a blessing to get to know the people of the church and we're looking forward to serving with them in August.

Saturday in St. Louis

We were waiting on the east bound Amtrak train in Lee's Summit this morning at 8:30 a.m.  The air was a bit crisp, so we stayed in the van until we heard the train whistle.  There were about 10 of us who boarded there.  It had been years since Stephen and I were on a train . . . it was a nice, comfortable ride to Jefferson City.  

Because of the recent and on-going flooding in the eastern part of the state, the train could not continue all the way to St. Louis.  So, we all unloaded at the station in Jeff City and waited for the bus from St. Louis to arrive.  It was a big switch . . . the St. Louis passengers got off the bus and got on the train and we got on the bus.  Again, due to the flooding, the bus went north to I-70 and then east to Kirkwood, where we were met by Mark Cote, associate pastor of First Baptist, Ferguson.

We were starving so our first stop was for burgers at Fuddruckers.  It had been years since we'd eaten there, but the food was great.  The next stop was at the oirginal Ted Drewes for their famous frozen custard.  

Mark asked if there was anything else we'd like to see, so we asked to go by the church.  As we neared the area, Stephen realized it was really close to where he lived as a boy.  We passed his elementary school and then found his street.   Since they moved when he was nine, he couldn't remember the house number.  After a quick call to his parents, we felt confident we found his old house.  

We spent some time at the church (Stephen played the grand piano in the auditorium) and then Mark took us to check in to our hotel.  We had a short time to rest before going to dinner with Mark and Pastor Joe Costephen's and his wife.  Great company and great Italian food.

We're looking forward to tomorrow . . . we'll be talking with the adults during the Bible study time.  Stephen will sing in the service and we'll give our testimonies. Please pray that we'll be able to share God's message with the congregation.