Going on this El Salvador trip was a long time coming, both of my parents had gone before (my dad many times) and I’ve seen dozens of church members and friends depart to help this missions trip (Shelter) to El Salvador.
Now that I get to go with my dad, it has become a very special experience. As we built up to the trip I was told by Pastor Deve that circumstances stances always change and that he told us only a rough outline. He added that things change a lot and we should "just go with it". Therefore my expectation of this trip was from what I’ve heard of others who’ve gone before. I can say now that the experience far exceeds the expectation.
As we started making our way to the airport, I received a notification for the verse of the day which was “The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”” Exodus 33:14. I thought I’d save the verse because it sounded like the Lord would be with us throughout the week.
Once we landed in El Salvador, and felt that warm air hit us, we looked around at how much of the surroundings were different yet similar. The fast food restaurants on one side and the illustrious flora of tropical trees and plants on the other. We were told to head to the Subway for a late night dinner and met some of the Shelter drivers along with another team from Edmonton who ended up on the same flight as us.
As we drove along the El Salvadorian roads on our way to the Shelter house, I along with Jacob, Naomi, and Samuel were experiencing El Salvador for the first time. Some of the observations we noticed were the amount of stray dogs that wander around the streets and the trash tossed everywhere along the sides of the road. Noticing how much this country could use some aid, we were ready for the week.
Then morning came and with it many more expectation breakers. For an early morning breakfast, we walked a few blocks away to the small restaurant that we were able to eat at. On the walk there the more of the El Salvadorian country we were able to view. Two of the big things were the colours that all the buildings wear along with the small and narrow streets. The colours are very opposite to the views in Canada, around Sarnia, Petrolia, and Wyoming all the houses are mostly three colours (if you can even call them colours) of black, gray, and white. So that is one contrast I noticed on the first day. The narrow streets are another difference that I observed, the drivers are so good at speeding up, then breaking for people who cross or other parked cars on the sides. Since in Canada we always try to be careful, however most days there are crashes but not here, I have yet to see one.
As we then started to head off to meet the family’s for the first time, we were told that this was a newer area we would be building houses in. Upon arrival at the community gathering pavilion, we saw the family’s all gathered in rows of chairs and we were to be seated by the nice tables on either side.
Once everyone was seated, the translator (Kaily) started us off by introducing the community leaders. They expressed immense gratitude for us and what we were about to do. That was the first (but far from last) time that the El Salvadorians expressed their gratitude upon us but most of all God.
Then the games started, half of the Canadian team and a handful of the El Salvadorian family’s rose from their seat to start the first game. As one of the members of that first group, we made two lines and had to pass a hula hoop through our bodies and to the next. It was a great way to have some laughs with the families as we began to meet them. As for the second game, the other half of our team and almost all of the rest of the families rose from their seats to play musical chair WHILE DANCING (it was an emphasis) and so it came down to Pastor Deve and a man named Luis who we would be helping build for on the Tuesday. As they danced, Pastor Deve kept rotating the chair so that it was in his favour and the family members watching were falling off their seats laughing. This was the first time I saw the families so joyful.
The day passed and after many more greetings and conversations with them, we were off to visit some of the families who have received houses this past year (April, November and January). First we met (or re-met) Rosa, who they had built for in November and whose story impacted all who heard it. This was the first time I felt for the people of El Salvador and saw that even in another country far from home, there were those who were similar and yet far better than us in faith and the way she went about her life after receiving her house.
Lastly, we went to visit a community where last April they had built a few houses for, including the community leader (who was enthusiastic about showing off his house to us). Next we visited Francisco whose story also gave a big impact knowing the hardships he had to endure as well. This was the first time I saw God building through the two families to create something pure.
The next day came and everyone was itching to get out and start building and developing relationships with the families. The first house we had to hop into the back of the truck to arrive at their building site. This was the first “adventure” of the trip where we had to dodge branches and make sure we didn’t fall out and that the truck wouldn’t stall at the tops of giant hills of cobblestone.
However, Margarita and Jose along with their two children Liseth and Eliezer were very glad to see us and begin the construction of their new home. The build team as well as many community and family members and the family who we were building the next house for all pitched in under the boiling sun to assist in putting the house together. At first it took some time figuring out all of the components and finding out where to help with a language barrier. However soon after we swung into rhythm and began enjoying constructing the house (especially Tim Allen and Eric, one of the builders). This was the first of many times that Canadians and Salvadorians were working together.
After construction was finished we sat down to have a conversation with the family. We started by introducing a little about ourselves so that the family would be comfortable sharing their stories as well. They told us that they have been waiting for this house for many years and that this year God has answers their prayers for the house along with their jobs. Margarita and Jose work as tailors for school uniforms and this year they told us that they received 4 schools who asked them to tailor their uniforms instead of the one or two they used to do. This was the first time we shared about ourselves and learned much more about the family we were building for.
Then the afternoon came and the heat turned up, the next family lived down the road a bit from the first. This house was for Yimi (pronounced Jimmy) and Deisy and their 5 kids, Yimi had helped build the first house with us along with 3 of his kids. The house went up in the blistering heat and we went to speak with Yimi and Deisy. They had been living in that area for a long while, however their house was very bad shape and when they we going to take it down for the space for the Shelter house, they removed one piece and the whole thing came crashing down. They explained that their kids were upset at them because it was supposed to rain and they had no shelter (thankfully it didn’t rain). This was the first time that the family showed strong emotions towards us and brought tears to their eyes and ours.
We returned to the Shelter house feeling accomplished and were ready for tomorrow to do it all over again with new stories.
The morning came with a routine of waking up, walking to breakfast and then hopping in the truck to head to the site where we were to build houses 6614 and 6615 (or 3 and 4 of our trip). The first house was for Luis and Sonya with their two kids, Irma and Valeria. Luis was the one who was with Pastor Deve at the end of the musical chairs game two days prior, he and his family along with the build team and community neighbours were prepared to commence the building as soon as we arrived.
The build went quicker since our team knew where, what, and how to construct the house. However, the heat seemed hotter than the day previous but thankfully there was some shade on the site where Valeria and Irma were playing with a number of members from our team.
As we sat down after the build to hear their story, they told us that they had moved there a few years ago after Luis’ mother had bought some land. He also added that most of his family lived on or around the land, including his brother and mother who would be receiving houses the next day. In addition to his family being close he told us that his mother, brother, and sister were all praying for him to become a Christian and believe in Jesus and that he was beginning to see how God was working in his life. This was the first time Luis and Sonya were expressing their desire to learn more about Jesus and his amazing ways.
As we said our goodbyes/see you laters, we approached the next house of a lady named Maria. Maria was introduced as a community leader at the gathering on Sunday, and she was the recipient of a new house. Her area where we were constructing her new house had very rocky and solid dirt/clay that gave us some trouble (and later sunburns) while digging. The team pushed through the rocks and heat to finish before any rain arrived and we sat down to talk to Maria.
Her first sentence was that she was sorry for not being there when we arrived because after the gathering on Sunday, she went to visit her daughter and drank some chlorine she mistook for water. As a result, she was in the hospital for the past 2 and 1/2 days getting treated. However when she told the doctors that she was receiving a house that day, she was let out and raced to be there just in time. Thankfully Maria was ok and also shared that she became a community leader to help her community in God’s name just as Jesus did. This was far from the first time we could see that God works in his own time and always has a purpose for our lives.
After the long day, I remembered the verse I saw at the beginning of this journey, “The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”” Exodus 33:14. I realized that this verse already had major implications for our team and I. During our build days the heat was gruelling as the days went on. Nevertheless I never felt like I was going to stop, neither did the rest of the team, everyone felt that God was with us throughout the week giving us strength and showing us that he was there through the coincidences that appeared throughout the week.
One coincidence that I experienced was the number 116 kept appearing. It is significant to me because I first discovered it while listening to a Christian hip-hop group named after that number, then I found out it stands for the verse in Romans 1:16, “Paul states, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes: to the Jew first and also to the Gentiles.” The description of this verse if you search it up is that it emphasizes the gospel's power and its universal message of salvation, which fits perfectly into what Shelter and we as a team are trying to do. I thought of that number first before we were about to leave as it could be used for any lock combos. Then across the street from the Shelter house where we were staying, the bus terminal was 116, and every bus there had that number. When we were driving around the town or to a build site, those buses kept popping up right when I was looking out the window.
This was one of many times I have experienced coincidences that make me trust and believe in God more, and this one was one of the most convincing.
The last build day arrived and when we arrived at the second to last house, we realized that it was only a path away from Luis and Sonya’s new house. This one was for Rosio and Jorge. Jorge is the brother of Luis and their mother was up the hill being built for next. The build is always a way to continue to develop relationships with the families and the rest of the team.
Once we finished the house, we sat down once again and had a conversation with Jorge and Rosio. They told us how they had met, which was when Jorge was a transportation driver and Rosio sold candy. Then Jorge had an accident where he has a hard time moving his one hand/arm and foot/leg. However God had and still has a plan for them because 5 years later they found each other again and then 5 years later they were married and moved to live on the land Jorge’s mother bought for them. Their first question for us was asking if we knew Jesus because if we didn’t then we have to because he was the reason for the house. We couldn’t agree more with him and Rosio. This was the first time the family was the first to ask us about Jesus and knowing him. They also added that God works in his own time and his ways are perfect.
After that impactful discussion, we were on to build the last house of the trip, it was for Maria Deisy and Jose. Fittingly Maria Deisy is the mother of Luis and Jorge along with 8 others. She was the one who bought the land and invited her children to come and live nearby with them. Her story tied a few of the others together and she emphasized that she has been praying for her family ever since she met the Lord, 8 years ago.
Overall, this journey is unlike anything I’ve experienced. The stories of the families and the impacts we had on them and they had on us will stick with me for the rest of my life. Along with the relationships we made with the Shelter and WGM (builders) staff (like Kaily, Marlin, Edwardo, Jackie, our translators and Sergio, John, our drivers, Eric, Bernard, Rafa, our builders and many others) who aided us with this mission of providing houses for those who need it.
This was my first time going to El Salvador to share the gospel and aid those who need our help, but it is far from my last. God works in many ways and it was incredible to see that even in distant countries, God is working, he never stops working.
Micah
