Two of my favorite songs…
“Wise men say
Only fools rush in
But I can’t help falling in love with you”
“I see trees of green, red roses too
I see them bloom for me and you
And I think to myself what a wonderful world”
If you haven’t figured it out, I’m in a rather romantic sort
of mood. Not romantic as in I’ve found a gorgeous woman here in El Salvador,
though there are many. I have found a love for the people here. We have been
able to spend more and more time with kids in the neighborhood and orphanage
throughout the past week. We had a wonderful group of mostly Juniors from KOR
private school in College Station, along with some couples as chaperones.
Mostly first time SHIP trippers with a few who had been before. They were great
workers who interacted well with everyone. No real squabbles is pretty
impressive for a group of peers in a new place that is physically and
emotionally draining.
We had the largest attendance ever, by 30, at our outreach
of 100 people from the community.
This involved our team leading worship, sharing some testimonies, a
short sermon, and some sweaty chicken. Not sure exactly what sweaty chicken is
or why it’s called that but it tasted good. SHIP has become a major life/hope
giving location here in El Salvador. If you didn’t know, it took about 7 years
for SHIP to be able to build their main building. Though it was very hard, the
Horton’s look back on this time as a blessing because it allowed them to build
relationships in the community. It is an honor for me to be here at this time
where SHIP is so established. Part of our project over the next few weeks is to
get the second building in a livable state. This means doing the finishing
touches on the apartment windows, doors, and bathrooms for the 8 or so
apartments. We will also finish the SHIP shop retail store to move it to that
same building, as it is outgrowing the big room in the main building. So when I
say I’m getting to see projects come together, I’m not kidding. We also will
finish the house I was able to work on during my spring break trip. This will
be for a mom with two wonderful high school or college age daughters who have
all been living in one of the rooms of the main building. So much of this place
is coming together. God has been working through everyone that has come and
through those supporting us. Though we are here to build houses and provide
material needs, we desire for the people here to know God. A few days ago, a
young man, David, who has been a hired hand and helped work on many of the
projects accepted Christ as Lord of his life. Whoop for that! God is making
Himself known!
It has been a frustration of mine not being able to interact
and share everything that is going on. I could type until my fingers fell off
and still not be close to saying everything. There is simply not enough time to
go through life alongside every person. However, there will be time in heaven
for us to catch up. I truly hope and pray to see you there! Whatever your
beliefs may be, the bible is clear that Jesus is the way, truth, and life and
no one gets to Heaven unless they accept Jesus as Lord of their life. What does
that mean? To put it simply, admit and understand you are broken and in need of
a savior. Understand and believe that Jesus has paid your penalty for sin
against a holy and perfect God. Accept this gift of being reunited with God and
tell people about it. It is entwined in all the bible stories how God wants us
to know Him. If you are new to the Bible and want to learn more, I would
recommend starting in the book of John. And feel free to message me on Facebook
if you have any questions or thoughts. I may not be able to help clear up
everything but I will do my best or point you to someone who can.
As always, I would ask for prayer for safety, health,
energy, and boldness to follow God’s will. Here are some pictures to enjoy.
Ryan Green
Seth defending the fort
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