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Exodus
4:10-12
I don’t know how
hot it was, but it felt like it could have easily been over a hundred degrees Fahrenheit.
The first missionary team had arrived from the United States the day before and
today was the first full day in El Salvador. It was Thursday, May 10th
– “El Dia De Las Madres“ in El Salvador – and for the day, we went to La
Angostura where we did some work projects in the morning and then prepared for
a Mother’s Day celebration. In the afternoon, families started to come for the
celebration. We had some games and contests for the mothers and their kids.
Later, we split the adults and the kids. The adults went to go listen to a
Gospel message and the kids went to play soccer. Before we played soccer with
the kids, Karen called all the kids to gather around in the shade. She
introduced Corey (one of the guys from the team from the United States) and
said that he had to explain something first. (Violeta had asked Karen to
translate for him since she knew some Spanish.)
As she was
explaining that she was going to translate for Corey, Karen noticed me and
asked me if I wanted to translate instead, thinking that I would do better since
I knew how to speak a tiny bit more Spanish. Immediately, I was excited and
nervous for the opportunity. I love speaking Spanish, but I’ll be the first to
admit that I am anything but fluent in the language. Knowing that there might
be a word or phrase I didn’t know in Spanish that I might need help translating,
I agreed to do it, telling Karen that she might need to help me if I get stuck.
She said I’d do fine, and seeing the soccer ball in Corey’s hand, I figured
that it wouldn’t take too much to explain how to play soccer to the kids. I
mean, after all, it’s El Salvador – they eat and breathe soccer. So I figured
we were just going to make teams or go over boundaries with the kids or
something like that.
As Karen
continued explaining to the kids what Corey was going to tell them, I quickly
realized that I wasn’t going to be interpreting something as trivial as the
rules to soccer. Karen explained that the soccer ball Corey was holding had
different colors on it and that the colors tell a story. Looking at the soccer
ball, I immediately knew what the story was – the soccer ball had different
colors which told the Gospel story. I was going to be translating the Gospel
message to the kids! When I figured that out, I was even more nervous because
of the huge responsibility. But as Corey told the story of the different colors
on the soccer ball and I translated, God gave me the words to say in Spanish.
It felt so cool to be able to interpret – especially since it was the Gospel.
Near the end, Corey asked if any of the kids wanted Jesus’ free gift of salvation. At first, no kids raised their hands. I couldn’t help but wonder if maybe I hadn’t translated well enough and they were too confused by my Spanish to have understood the Gospel and what was being asked. But finally, one boy raised his hand. I was so excited! We asked him if he wanted to come forward and explained that he could pray to ask Jesus into his heart. Corey said a prayer in English, I translated in Spanish, and the boy repeated. I was so happy for him and we asked him his name and he told us it was Anderson (not the same Anderson as in my Campos Blancos group).
It was so cool to have led a boy to the Lord. Even though I knew that technically all I was doing was translating the words that Corey was saying, I also knew that just as my role was being Corey’s mouthpiece, I knew that the both of us were the Lord’s mouthpiece. It kind of reminded me of how God would give His words to His prophets and they would say it to others.
After that time,
there was another day where one of the members of the mission team gave the
same presentation to another group of kids and I again translated. God was so
faithful and another boy was led to the Lord. It’s so awesome being used by the
Lord in something that you love to do even though you know you’re not the best
at it. For me, that’s translating English to Spanish. But whatever it might be
for others, know this: God’s wants to use us to be His hands, feet, and mouth regardless
of our skills or inabilities – all we need to be is willing.
Also I heard
the voice of the Lord, saying: "Whom shall I send, And who will go for
Us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me."
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Isaiah 6:8
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