Bienvenidos

 Welcome!

And what a welcome it was. 

Our day started with a 7am breakfast, of egg sandwiches, potatoes and banana. 

Then we headed out on about a one hour drive into the community where we would meet our families. 

After driving "in" our vehicles for most of the trip, the last portion of our journey required us to get out of the trucks and van, and climb into the back, in order to cross a small river.  On the other side of the river were our families: they were all dressed up, the hair of the little girls were all done nice. Balloons, so many of them, were tied together lining the entry way. And the families?  Well they were there, cheering and waving as we crossed the river. Fireworks were going off. 

It was an incredibly generous and hospitable welcome!!

Together, we played silly games which mostly proved to show that all of us (or most of us) feel inhibited when we meet other people - but we all love to have fun and laugh. 

And then we ate some food which was prepared in abundance for us to enjoy.  It's an act of gratitude and reciprocity, for what they feel we are giving to them. 

Before leaving them for the day, we split up into our three build teams to meet the 6 or 7 families that we'll be building with this week. Simple introductions are made with big smiles, and even bigger sense of anticipation of what we all sense God will do with all of us, this week, and for time to come. 

In the afternoon, we took a short hike into an area with sulphur hot springs. Besides being mesmerized by the billowing clouds of steam, and bubbling sulphur streams, many of us also took the opportunity to get a little sulphuric mud treatment on our faces...I know...it sounds weird...it probably was...but it was also a lot of fun. 

Before leaving, with the backdrop of steam clouds rising into the shadow of the volcano, our translator Brandon, shared with us the importance of putting into practice the words of Jesus in John 13:34-35 

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

He reminded us that we weren't here in El Salvador by accident or coincidence. God has chosen us to be here, to be with this team, to be with the Shelter Staff and with the families. Therefore, just as God has loved us so much to bring us here, then we ought to love one another - all others, knowing that as we do we grow stronger as disciples of Jesus. 

Monday, we begin building. 6 families will receive new homes. 

Thanks for journeying with us. 

Deve

2024 November Team - We're All In This Together

 Finally!

All 25 of us are in the same place. 

It didn't happen during our 9 months of preparation. 

It didn't happen when we left the SEMC parking lot. 

It didn't happen when we picked up 10 of our team in Wyoming, ON. 

It didn't even happen when Granpa Greg met us at the airport in Toronto (who flew in from Thetis Island, BC yesterday). 

(And by the way, a huge thanks to our bus driver, Bailey, for getting us there on time, and altering her route to ensure that all went smoothly). 

Once we landed, we met with Deb and Chelsea, from Lethbridge, AB. 

All is well...even in the travel day we have seen the Lord answer prayers for healing, peace, perseverance and endurance. 

Thanks for joining us on the adventure of discovery and learning the Lord has in store for us. If you want to pray into our theme verses, asking for God to direct us according to His truth, then we would welcome this: Isaiah 58

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
    and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
    and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
    and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
    and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
    and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness[a] will go before you,
    and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
    you will cry for help, and he will say: 

Here am I."

Tomorrow, we start at 7am, and then we're off to meet 20 families, whom we will work with and play with, while 20 houses get built - celebrating the faithfulness of God.