Who, what, when, where, and why? I’m not sure how that
relates to anything but it helped me start writing. So there you have it, an
introduction.
I have a hard time knowing what to write about because there
are so many experiences we are having while here in El Salvador. This week we
had no group so it made a different atmosphere for us. We have still been
making progress and staying busy working to finish the apartments of the
expansion building so there will be enough rooms and beds for everyone coming with
the next group. We still have a couple weeks before they get here and everything
will be ready by then, but there is still much work to be done. I have been
learning a lot about many different areas of construction. Just to name a
few…framing walls, hanging sheetrock, hanging/framing window units in
cinderblock walls, repairing metal roofs. I am grateful for the opportunities
to learn how to be a handyman. Being a handyman could come in handy. And while
I’m on the topic of handy, knowing another language would definitely be handy.
So, if you get the opportunity to learn another language, go for it. You never
know when it will come in handy. I’m still working on my Spanish but I’m
learning a lot.
We went on an adventure this past Saturday. We took a trip
up to the nearby volcano! I’m not sure if the volcano has a different name but
there were signs welcoming us to “El Boqueron” National Park. I had been
looking forward to going to the top since before we even got here for the
summer. The view is indescribable. The crater in the top was much larger and
deeper than I expected it to be. I got some pictures of the view but it really
doesn’t capture even a fraction of what we actually saw. We also ate at one of
the restaurants high on the volcano. Café Miranda I think was the name. The
food was excellent and the view was absolutely stunning. To top it all off, I
couldn’t ask for a better group of people to be having these experiences with.
Later on that day, we met with the family who we get coffee from. They were
very hospitable and also had this wonderful bulldog. We spent some time at
their house and then went to eat at a Chinese restaurant for supper. Though it
was a little different, it was still very good. We ordered four large platters
and soup for all of us to share. It felt like we were eating the majority of
Saturday. But that’s not something I will ever complain about. Good food, good
adventures, amazing views, and amazing people; Hard to get any better than
that.
Another story I would like to share goes back to the mango
tree incident of the previous blog post. If you remember, the tree limb fell
and interrupted our bible study on one night. The next night we picked up where
we left off but there were a few different people that night. One man, who brought
his two sons, told us he was very grateful that we were having a bible study he
could attend along with his sons. He wants his sons to learn about God and for
them to not be on the streets or get caught up in the gangs. Earlier this week,
we replaced the metal roof at their house. This served as another opportunity
to deepen our relationship with them and point them to God. To make a long
story shorter, we asked if there would be a good time where we could all, not
just the guys, go to their house to have a Bible study. We got it set up for
Sunday afternoon. Our group was there, he was there with his wife and kids, his
brother and brother’s wife and daughter were there, along with some of his
in-laws. Leon presented a wonderful message out of 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 about
how our level of wisdom and intelligence does not make us acceptable or
unacceptable to God. It makes no sense according to our wisdom or intelligence
as to why God would send Jesus to die in our place and be raised from the dead
to forgive us our debts. Verse 30 says, “You are God’s children. He sent Christ
Jesus to save us and make us wise, acceptable, and holy.” The important thing
to note here is that we are God’s children. When I say that, I don’t want you
to think that we are His children by default. Unless we choose to know Jesus
and accept His gift of covering the punishment for our sins, then we are not
His children. That may sound harsh and we would probably all like to believe
everyone will go to heaven, but it’s the honest truth. It’s not that God
doesn’t let us be his child, it’s that we don’t choose to know Him and accept
the gift of forgiveness through Jesus. I urge you to figure out where you stand
in this area. If you have questions, find someone you trust who is a Christian,
or feel free to ask me any questions. I got a little sidetracked from my story
but I feel what I just said needed to be said. Anyway, at the end of the Bible
study we asked how we could pray for them. The brother and brother’s wife asked
if we could pray for them, so we gathered around and prayed for them in their
situation. I’m not real sure what they are going through but I prayed for God
to make Himself known to them and that they would gain the peace and joy that
comes from knowing Him. After we had prayed for them, we asked if they knew
Jesus and they said no but they want to. Both of them prayed to receive Jesus
as Lord of their lives! Praise God for that! They also asked if we could pray
for their two year old daughter who has some sort of congestion and breathing
issue for about a week, and the medicine from the doctor does not seem to be
helping. We gathered around her and prayed for healing and that God would make
Himself known in this situation. That is about where the story stops for now,
simply because these events happened a few hours ago. But I have faith that God
will continue to pursue this family and work in their lives. I would like to
know the next part of this story, and I pray God shows it to us, but I know God
will continue to work even if I’m not around to see it. I will be sure to share
the story if it is shown to me.
As always, I would ask for prayer for safety and health
within our group. God is working through us here in El Salvador. Until next
time…
Ryan Green
Our group at the volcano
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