Update 5-5 to 5-16

     So this past week (Wed. 5/9 to Wed. 5/16) we had our first group from the United States come and visit San Martin since we arrived. Jesse and I stayed with them at San Martin all week and got to know them really well. It was a college group from Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee who came down with their church (Pump Springs Baptist Church). There were fourteen of them – 2 guys, 9 girls, and 3 chaperones. In the mornings we would usually go to a place and do some kind of work project such as setting up a wire fence, painting, cleaning up a play area, etc. In the afternoons, we did some kind of outreach for the kids in the community (or mothers on Mother’s Day which is Thursday, May 10^th here in El Salvador). We usually did games, crafts, a Bible story, and a gospel message each day at the places we’d go.

     This week was especially cool for me for a few reasons. First, it was great making friends with this group. Everyone was so friendly. Second, on Sunday afternoon, we had a time to just hang out with the boys at the Casa and the team cooked burgers for dinner. It was the first time that Jesse and I really got to just hang out with all the boys and get to know them. Throughout the week, we also got to hang out with the older boys at the Casa a couple additional nights and play soccer with them. We had a couple games of soccer – Americans vs. El Salvadorans. They easily won the first night we played 5 to 3, but we redeemed ourselves the next time when we beat them 4 to 1 (granted, two of their players were on our team and we only played half the field, but a win is still a win). Violeta told us that no teams had beaten them before so we felt really proud of our accomplishment. One of the coolest things throughout this week, though, was how God was able to use me with my limited knowledge of Spanish. Only one or two of the team members that came really knew any Spanish, and many times they would have me translate games or a Bible story or something. Twice I even got to translate the gospel message to a group of kids. The team had brought a soccer ball with different colors on it, and one of the team members would explain in English the different colors on the ball, what the colors meant, and how it pertained to the gospel while I translated.

     All in all, it was probably the best week I had here in El Salvador yet. Lives were touched, friends were made, the Word of God went forth, and many salvations were witnessed throughout this week. Please continue to pray that the Word of God would go forth and produce fruit here in El Salvador and that the mission team that just left would continue to be a light for Christ back in their homes and communities as they grow closer to God.