What have I done? What have I
experienced? What have I learned? What have I changed? What has changed in me?
All these questions have been constantly in my head these past few days. To be
honest, it’s hard for me to put to words but I know I have done things, had
experiences, learned things, changed things, and changed myself. Spending two
months in a different country/culture will do that to you.
It’s
been a couple weeks since my last blog post but it feels like only a few days.
These past weeks have been busy and full of adventures, just like the others,
but something has made time pass more quickly. Let’s talk about some of what
has been going on here. I can finish an amazing story that started several
weeks ago now. If you recall, there was a man who was unable to be at our Bible
study the night the mango tree threw it’s limb at the building, and so we had
it again the next night. This man was grateful for us having a Bible study he
could bring his sons to. He later invited us to have a Bible study at his home,
along with his family and his brother’s family. That night, the brother and his
wife accepted Jesus as lord of their lives. Fast-forward to a few nights ago,
this same man who invited us to his home came to the SHIP facility for Bible
study, even though we weren’t planning one for that night. I had prepared a
lesson from an earlier time, so that’s what I used. We talked about God’s
reputation. Everybody has a reputation and it’s not until you actually get to
know them before you know how much of their reputation is true. Many people say
and believe things about God that sound wonderful, but they are not true about
God. This message led to some discussion and brought openness from this man
about why he had come that night. He and his wife were having some problems and
he felt like he had no clue how to make his marriage work. We talked to him
about how the Bible has answers for us on how to live with a perspective
focused on God, and how it all starts with accepting the gift of Jesus as payment
for our sins. Jesus primero. We could see that God was working in Him, but he
was not ready to make a change because of feeling like his search for answers
for his family situation had brought him to our Bible study that night. He
wanted his decision to be based on him having a clear mind. We made
arrangements to meet with him and his wife the next day to follow up. Well that
was our plan, but not God’s plan. The next day, our van had a flat tire
preoccupying the couple planning to meet with the local couple that night. What
should have been an easy fix did not work at all…the spare tire would come down
a couple inches then get stuck, but the cable would keep dropping down. They
tried everything to get that spare tire off but with no luck. They had to call
for some help, which meant there would be no time to talk to the couple that
night. They got to visit the couple on the next night and the couple accepted
Jesus as lord of their lives. Talk about God’s timing and not ours. If I’m
honest, I was very worried that there would not be another chance beyond that
night at the Bible study. I was afraid that the opportunity was gone and was
afraid that something would happen to him. I did not want him to die without
knowing Jesus, especially after being so close at the Bible study. Then the
issue with the van. But it all worked out…according to God’s plan and timing.
We looked at the van today, ready to get after that spare tire with some
vengeance. Guess what…it came down exactly like it should with no problems,
without any change in our methods. God’s timing. It’s beyond our control and
comprehension, but it is good and true.
Okay
another something I’ve been doing these past couple weeks, talking with SHIP
Trippers. We have had two weeks of groups, with some staying for both weeks.
There is also a wonderful story of God working to get one girl to be able to
stay for the second week, but I’m not going to tell that story right now.
Myself and a few others spent several days, more than half, staying up late talking
with each other. Late being anywhere between midnight and 2am, while still
waking up between 6-6:45. There were times when it was rough, but it was worth
every moment of being tired. We talked late into the night about anything and
everything. Serious, scary, personal, goofy, funny, adventurous, and sorrowful.
We covered ‘em all very well. It was not the easiest thing for me to do because
I have had a few relationships go sour, leaving me hurt. This has made me
hesitant to get to know people on a deeper level. I can talk about me but for
privacy sake, I’m not going to share the details of our talks, but I would
share that God used each of us to impact the others. For me, I have had a hard
time engaging people again because of being scared of getting hurt again.
Something I am coming to terms with is that I’m going to be hurt. There will be
pain either path I take. If I stay stand off-ish for as long as I currently do,
then I will always be distant to people. If I engage people and just go for it,
then I will continue to be hurt by people because nobody is perfect. One path
is pain, the other path is pain. Among God’s many promises to us is that He
will be our comfort and our peace. As a Christian, I will still face the
brokenness of our world but “There is love, that came for us. Humbled to a
sinner’s cross. You broke my shame and sinfulness. You rose again victorious.
You are stronger, you are stronger. Sin is broken, you have saved me. It is
written, Christ is risen. Jesus you are Lord of all.” That comes from Stronger,
aka Poderoso by Hillsong United. It’s one of the songs I learned and we played
during this past community outreach. We did the Revelation song, Poderoso, and
Cambiare Mi Tristeza, which is Trading my Sorrows. What fun we’ve had! Anyway,
back to my story, I have learned so much over the past couple weeks by talking
with the fellow SHIP trippers. I have made some new friends and we have had a
mutually beneficial relationship thus far. They have spoken life into me and I
have spoken life into them, and we have all grown closer to God through our
relationships. What I want everyone to take away from this story is that we can
still learn and grow in our relationship with God during the times when we are
doing what many would call “serving God through missions.” I personally don’t
like that phrase because I don’t want to live with intentionality only during
times when I am on a “mission trip.” We can still be poured into during times
when we are reaching out to show God’s love to others. We still have problems
and need truth to be spoken to us. “See to
it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that
turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it
is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.
We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction
firmly to the very end.” –Hebrews 3:12-14
What
else has been going on? Well, we built a house. No really, we built a house.
The first week we built an expansion to a house and replaced the roof, and the
second week we built a whole house. The construction guidance of the leaders
absolutely amazes me. Not much material is straight and not many of the workers
have much experience, be everything always comes together. Another project we
finished was the duplex that was started in March. It was the first project I
got to work on, and now I get to see it finished. The mom and two daughters
moved in a couple days ago. Let’s see, what else? I’ve learned a few new songs,
some in English and some in Spanish, helped lead music during our two community
outreaches, played at the beach, and eaten some more pupusas. I am constantly
running around and doing a little bit of everything. It leaves me very tired
each night but it has been worth everything. If I could ask for something right
now it would be prayer for me as the end of my trip approaches. I leave for
Texas in a few days and am not ready to say goodbye yet. Don’t get me wrong,
I’m excited to see everyone back home, but I know I will miss the people I have
grown close to here in El Salvador. I would like to return at a later time but
I don’t know when that will be. I know I will leave part of my heart here in El
Salvador. There will come a day when we will be together again with our
brothers and sisters in Christ, in this life or the next. I will count it a
blessing if it is once again in this life.
