When my church planned a mission trip to El Salvador, I jumped at the chance to go. Ever since my early teens I have wanted to go on a mission trip. One of the hardest obstacles I had to face before going was to get permission from my mother and dad to go on the trip. I cannot thank God and them enough for letting me go.
Since I had never been out of the States before, I was curious to see how El Salvador would look. One of the things that I noticed first was the heat wave that struck me as soon as I stepped off the plane. Then, as we drove down the “interstate,” I was dumbstruck with the beauty of the palm trees, flowering bushes, and the fruit trees that grew in profusion. We were not in the country at the rainy season when everything is in bloom, so I can only imagine what it looks like then.
It was also interesting to see the roadside markets along the “interstate.” The trucks of sugarcane were also a sight to see. The part that I enjoyed the most while in El Salvador was the tasting of all the different and unique foods and fruits that the locals get all the time.
Next to the beauty of the country’s view and the delicious food, my greatest enjoyment was the people themselves. I do not think that I have ever met friendlier people in all my life. They were so giving and wanted to please so very much. They wanted to talk to me so much, but since I do not speak Spanish and they do not speak English, we did not talk much. I still continue to wonder how a person can feel so bonded to another when they can’t even speak to each other.
While I was in El Salvador, I had many interesting opportunities to help the local people. Every night for about three weeks, I conducted children’s meetings while my pastor preached the adult sermon. Since I do not speak Spanish, I asked one of the local women to tell the Bible story. One of the men, who does Christian puppet shows for a living, performed the puppet show every night for me. Most nights the attendance of my group was around 70 children. Without the Lord’s and the local people’s help, I would not have been able to accomplish the meetings.
I was also able to help in the clinics that the Quiet Hour ministry conducted every day. Since I have no medical background, I was only able to help by weighing and measuring the patients as they came in. It was such a joy to see the smiles on the people’s faces as they were treated.
In addition to the clinics and children’s meeting, I had to prepare each night’s crafts with my pastor’s wife. My group was responsible for supplying the crafts for 15 sites. We had only bought enough crafts for five. It was amazing to see how the Lord multiplied the supplies and crafts.
This trip has made me evaluate my goals and dreams for my life. I have always enjoyed helping people, but until this trip, I think I lived my life for my pleasure. After seeing all the poverty of the people, compared to what I have, and hearing the stories of people who walked miles to come to the meetings every night, it made me think. Would I be so hungry for the Word of God that I would walk three to four miles up a steep hill every night to hear it? If I had to give all for the work of God, would I give it?
I believe that the Lord has given me this opportunity to see how most of the world lives and to change my perspective on life. The most important thing that I learned was that there is more to life than just school, work, and play. I also learned that we do not always get second chances, and therefore, we need to always be ready. Since God has blessed me with these insights, I feel obligated to give back my life to others, beginning first with my family, friends, and then to the world. I plan to devote my life to missions and the spreading of the Word of God. I cannot thank the Lord enough for the opportunity to go to El Salvador. |
