The Blog About All Things Kingdom. THE OFFICIAL BLOG OF THE YOUNG ADULTS OF THE LaGRANGE DISTRICT OF THE NORTH GEORGIA CONFERENCE OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH.
Apple Founder and Chairman Steve Jobs didn’t invent the mp3 player. Or the computer. Or the cell phone. But, what did he do? He re-imagined the mp3 player, the computer, and the cell phone to such an extent that when that vision was actually come to fruition, it changed peoples’ lives. They caught on to the vision (quite literally) and it was made plain to them in a way that they believed in, bought in to and were amazed and impacted daily by the vision once realized. The mp3 player, computer and cell phone were already there, as is the good news of all that Jesus Christ did for us is and has been for 2,000+ years. But where is the guy or gal that is bringing a revolutionary message that people can catch on to? Not physically, like we hold on to an iphone, but felt in all aspects of our daily living. Why does it feel like the church is still dealing with eight track tape players and rigged up 1950s-era telephones? Wherever that guy or gal is, I would follow them in a heartbeat. Until then, we all should try to be them.
I’m a huge fan of Jason Upton. I heard his band member, Bryan Willard tell this amazing, touching and thought-provoking story about a little girl sharing the love of Jesus to an atheist. Jesus loves atheists, Jesus loves homesexuals, there is no one that Jesus does not love. Take a listen when you get a chance.
Ahuachapan El Salvador, Tuesday 06/07/11, New Jerusalem Methodist Church:
Construction continues on the church addition. Today is the 4th and last day of Vacation Bible School. Mandy, from Pine Mountain, only planned on three days, but to popular demand, the children wanted another day. A lot of fun has been had by all. The theme for VBS has been Noah’s ark. Last night there was a soccer game, Locals vs. The Mission team. Score 3-1 in favor of the locals. The people here are very friendly and smile constantly. The appearance is one of poverty, but they are so happy! Traffic on the roads is truly exciting, rough roads and everyone dodges everyone else, we have yet to witness an accident. There are a lot of “tricked out” school busses, a lot of hand waving and horn blowing.
We finally got a little rain last night and it stopped just in time for the soccer game. We were over at the Good Samaritan house, a two story building is utilized, clothes and shoes on the first floor and the second floor there are 8 sets of bunk beds, much like the Ronald McDonald’s house. The beds are offered to the community, to people who have family members in the hospital, which is two blocks away from the house. Excellent ministry, our two guides are Juan, president of Methodist Church in El Salvador and Brian, the other guide, who is from North Carolina, and is currently serving as a long-term ministry volunteer in the Methodist Church in El Salvador. Brian, The pastor from the Methodist Church in Georgia, arranged for us to visit Mayan ruins and a Geo Thermal site, which the country uses to generate electricity. Very hot and some of the local women use the water in the creeks, to wash and scrub their clothes on! How about that girls? The local ladies serve the team lunch every day and the food is exotic, as well as delicious. Between these ladies and our host family, each member has probably gained 10 lbs! The construction project is so accomplished with mattock, shovels, and strong backs, sweat, and forbearance.
The church here has a lady for a pastor, her name is Marta and she delivered a sermon on Sunday. The message was from the book of Luke. Brian from Greenville, Wayne from Grantville, and Joe from Fayetteville served communion and Juan was the translator. His music is performed by the three young fellows, on the drums, keyboard, and guitar. Natalie, a beautiful young lady who is also Marta’s daughter, sings like a bird. The entire service experience brought tears to this old man’s eyes. Until our next submission on the blog I am outa here. Headed home tomorrow with breakfast at 5 and then a long 2 ½ hour bus ride to the airport in Guatemala City. See you all soon with stories to tell!
Monday El Salvador report from Joe Harrington, North Fayette UMC:
Monday.
The end of our trip is approaching, tomorrow is the last workday, today the end of VBS. Very mixed feelings accompany this thought. It is sad to know that we will be leaving so many new friends here in El Salvador, but at the same time it is exciting to be thinking about going home.
Work is hard. It is no hotter than it is in Georgia, but the humidity (believe it or not) and the sun are both much more overbearing. Blocks arrived this morning. Five hundred blocks were unloaded by hand, stacked near the truck, then moved by hand into the worksite. The walls are now rising! When we arrived, footings were laid out down one side and about 40% dug and now the walls are rising! Quite an encouraging feeling to know that there is really something to show for all the hard work.
Saturday, VBS was a great success. Somewhere between fifty and sixty children came here, many more than the first day. All the children, the adults, the construction crew and even a few neighbors lined up in the street holding outstretched hands to visualize the length of Noah’s ark. Even the adults were amazed, I for one have read the passage giving the dimensions many times; but I have never really visualized how big the ark was.
Sunday was rest and relaxation day. We gave our cooks at the hotel and church a break by eating lunch and dinner in restaurants. We had very good, reasonably priced local food at both meals. Football was on the big screen TV. You probably would call it soccer, but any good Salvadoran knows it is really football. Unfortunately the national team got slaughtered by Mexico 5-0 after a scoreless first half.
We did a little sightseeing. First we visited the natural geothermal vents (the Los Ausoles) near the geothermal power plant. Sulfurous steam was coming from many holes in the ground. Several pools of ugly muddy grey water were actually boiling. The smell and humidity were awful.
Afterwards, we went to two local towns in the mountains, Concepción de Ataco and Juayúa for sightseeing shopping and lunch. Many souvenirs and ‘missing you’ gifts were purchased, while others rested in a local coffee house.
But the real highlight of the day was when we rushed back to Auachapán for worship at Iglesia Evangélica Metodista Nueva Jerusalén (New Jerusalem Evangelical Methodist Church). The music was great and sprit filled. Pastora Marta Landaverde preached a great sermon from Luke 24, emphasizing the brotherhood of Christ in the coming kingdom. Juan de Dios Peña translated the sermon for those of us who are language challenged. The three pastors from Georgia, Brian Funderburke, Wayne Sutton, and myself, served communion. The sharing of communion with so many newly met brothers and sisters in Christ in El Salvador was especially moving. The Holy Spirit was truly present as we shared in Christ’s offering for us.
A picture is worth a thousand words; at least it is here in America. In El Salvador it is worth so much more. Our worlds are filled with pictures of memories. We keep them in our pockets, on our desk at work, and on every wall in our house. But in El Salvador you would more than likely not even own a mirror.
This week I have been in charge of VBS at New Jerusalem. We took my portable printer, and we were able to make picture frames with the kids. The best thing in the world is watching the kids and parents reactions when you are able to hand them a picture that they can actually keep. We then took pictures of the workers at the job site. They are so use to Americans coming in and having their pictures taken with them. I’m pretty sure they were more excited about receiving photos than the kids.
VBS first day had less than 40 kids. Second day had more than 50. The third day will be Monday, and we’re definitely looking forward to it.
Day Two summary and reflections from Kaylen Short of St. Paul UMC, our primary El Salvador mission team blogger:
Our time here in El Salvador has been remarkable. We are constantly being treated not as outsiders or strangers, but as friends and family. In fact, even now as I type this blog at the church, I find that I am surround by kids who are here for our VBS who have undoubtedly never seen someone type so quickly in English before. The primary focus of this blog today should be on the way in which I know God is moving in this place, through us and through the gifts that many of you all gave us. Yesterday, we gave out gift bags to all the children on their first day of “escuela biblica” or VBS. Inside the bags were some crayons or other things to draw with, but also things like toothpaste, soap, and lotion. By the end of the day every kid had a bag and a big smile on their face. However, I overheard a small quarrel between two of the ladies here at the church. My curiosity caught the best of me and as one who has rapidly became one of the primary translators for our group I was eager to listen to what was going on. Once I got over there I found that I knew both of the ladies quite well from my last trip to El Salvador. I also knew that one of them was one of the most caring and Godly women I had ever met, but who by the world’s standards has almost nothing. No running water in her house, no electricity, and nothing that we consider essential. As such, the quarrel that I overheard was her friend telling her that she should take a bag home for herself. She of course refused saying that the bags were for the children, but I came over and assured her that we had plenty of bags and simply said “por favor.” She then took the bag, and with tears in her eyes hugged me. If we ever wondered what God is doing here, we need not wonder any longer. We are giving, but I know that I personally am receiving much more. I must, of course, relay all of the messages back to all our loved ones at home. Well back to work for me! Dios te bendiga, God Bless you.
Friday June 3, 2011, 10:30 AM. The whole crew got up around 5:30 to 6:00 AM, El Salvador time (2 Hours behind), had coffee ready and then Breakfast at 7:00 am. Every morning for breakfast we have fried bananas, just like my grandma used to make for me as a kid. Haven’t had fried bananas in a long time.
After breakfast, we had a mandatory stretching exercise program lead by the Johnson sisters. We needed it from yesterdays digging and ground prep; could hardly bend over to tie my boots this AM. Today is preparing the reinforcing steel for the foundations; got an idea we may be mixing concrete later on today.
VBS will get underway at around 1:30 PM today. The theme is the story of Noah’s Ark; we should have a ton of kids from the neighborhood.
To all of the group at Brooks UMC, wish you were here!
Day One wrap-up from Kaylen Short of St Paul UMC, our primary mission team blogger who will give us summaries and reflections of the work being done in El Salvador:
Today is our first full day here in Ahuachapan, El Salvador. At the beginning of the day we were filled with what can only be described as nervous excitement at who we would meet, what work we would do, and how God would work in us and through us. Ultimately, we found that we would be digging out 80 centimeters worth of dirt along several trenches for the base of a new addition for the church, as well as creating the base of the building so that we can lay concrete tomorrow, and whatever else is needed. However, a blog is not necessarily about what we did, but more about how we felt and how it impacted us and as such I would much rather talk about that. I think the best way to describe it is with an image, an image of the most exhausted faces that you can imagine absolutely covered in dirt but faces that still were filled with nothing but smiles. I heard no complaints all day just conversations that went on as we worked. I loved to watch as the sense of community began to be established between two groups of people, from two different countries, who all worship the same living God. Truly a remarkable beginning and I can’t wait to see what day two holds.
This is an amazing place full of nice people and lots of fun. We are all having lots of fun especially with the local children they are fun and they love to talk…. Most of the time . we have also been trying to catch up on our Spanish some more than others but we are doing well and working hard.
Caleb Caldwell, Whitesburg UMC:
When we woke up this morning, bright and early, we were all ready to work. We helped our self’s to wonderful food that that locals had prepared for us. After breakfast we gathered on a small bus and headed over to New Jerusalem United Methodist Church in Ahuachapan El Salvador. There was another UMC group from North Carolina that was here to help us. We all found a place, and something to do. I have been breaking my back cutting rebars for the last five hours! I know everyone is having a great time helping others.
