It all happened just four blocks from the famed Tazumal. I was by myself with no support staff. I was praying for all I was worth. We were running a little late. The 1984 Honda creaked and groaned as we negotiated around chuckholes. The warning light that read “rear brake light” glowed brightly. Would there be a place to plug in the evangelism equipment? How would the projector work? Would there be a screen or wall? My thoughts raced. I was praying hard. This was opening night.
My location was at Chalchuapa, El Salvador. This place was steeped with Mayan history. “Tazumal” was an ancient Quiché word which meant the “pyramid where the victims were burned.” The Mayans occupied this area of about four square miles from about 300 BC until about 1000 AD. Much of the city is built right over the top of this ancient Mayan stronghold.
“Lord, please cleanse my heart from all sin. Fill my heart with your Holy Spirit. Please protect us. Protect the equipment...” Crunch! The car just bottomed out on a high spot in the road. We’re OK. It’s only a few more blocks to the church. The pastor wheels the car, which he borrowed from his father in-law, up to the curb. We made it.
 The church is packed. There are people out the back door peering in. “I thought we were going to be outside. Never mind. Be flexible. Remember? Quick, set up the equipment. It’s time to start.” My mind whirled. “God, please help me. Never mind the wrinkle in the screen. It’s time to preach.” It was exciting. God was there. The Holy Spirit was strong. The people in the “shadow of Tazumal” were anxious to hear every word. They listened eagerly.
Night two
The setup crew struggled to set up a screen. Pastor Ardon pulled the car up beside a couple of one-step risers. The street was now blocked. The wooden bench pews smartly filled the street. “Uno, dos. Uno, dos. Sonsone. Sonsone.” Miguel, a young teenager baptized the night before, tests and adjusts the microphones. The crew is still struggling with the rope going across the street from one power pole to another. The screen is still not quite straight, but it will have to do. It’s time to sing some songs. “I’m sorry, but we don’t have a VCR,” Pastor Ardon informs me. “We’ll try to find one.”
Oh well, no “Jesus” video tonight. I guess we can make it up another night. It’s time to pray. A prayer circle meets in the back corner of the church. “Lord, please forgive our sins and mistakes. Please fill us with your Holy Spirit. Send your heavenly angels to fill this place. Drive away the evil angels.”
A truck pulls up. People are packed in the back like vertical cordwood. The back opens. People begin to spill out. They’re coming to the meetings. A bus pulls up. It is packed with eager people. They’re coming to the meetings. The street is packed with people. A few street drunks saunter up. Light is beginning to flood into the “shadow of the tazumal.” A new day is dawning for Chalchuapa. Two hundred fifty people flooded the street to hear the gospel.
Night three
The screen is hung. The rope is tight. The PA is set up. We meet for prayer. “Lord, please forgive our sins and mistakes. Please fill us with your Holy Spirit. Send your heavenly angels to fill this place. Drive away the evil angels. Prepare the hearts of the people to hear the message.”
The song service went great. The message was powerful. The Holy Spirit was being poured out. The people were responsive. What a wonderful night.
We packed up our equipment. The church was locked. The gate was locked. We got into the 1984 Honda and rattled down the road. Sylvia, Pastor Ardon’s wife, began to tell about a conversation with a neighbor lady. This lady lived near the church. She came to the meetings. She really liked the meetings. She said to herself, “I’m going to watch that church.” Later in the night, some ruffians came by. They were looking for a church to rob. The Adventist church looked like a good target. They peered through the cracks. To their surprise they saw someone in the church. As they looked closer they determined it was a guard. They decided they would have nothing to do with an armed guard. As the ruffians made a hasty retreat, the lady heard them talking in shock about the guard inside the Adventist Church. They went one block down the street. They turned right. They robbed a protestant church just a block and half from the Adventist church. They took the PA system. They took the pews. In fact, they took everything. It just so happens that this church had seen all the people coming to the Adventist church. They had decided to run a competitive campaign at the same time as the Adventists. Unfortunately, they had no PA system now. Instead, people flocked to the Adventists' meetings.
“Lord, please forgive our sins and mistakes. Please fill us with your Holy Spirit. Send your heavenly angels to fill this place. Drive away the evil angels. Prepare the hearts of the people to hear the message.”
“Thank You Lord for answering that prayer. Thank You that you still send your angels—to a small church in Chalchuapa, El Salvador.” |
