El Salvador: Monday Mission to "Montrial"

Normally, Mondays seem to come at the expense of an all-too-sudden end to the weekend. If you're anything like me, a rock'n worship song alarm barely begins to ramp up before you throw your phone behind the dresser (hence the hardshell, shock-proof case). Too much light is streaming through the blinds even at this early hour and there are just so many things that have to get done. Or maybe like Brittany, the alarm clock is a lively two-year old with an insatiable appetite who really needs to stay in bed a little longer but grumpily greets the day anyway. I toss the pillow off the side, drop to my knees by the edge of the bed, and thank God for the day and a night's rest, for my family, church, and friends. I pray for vision and God-sized goals and dreams then trudge through another Monday. But what if we treated that first day of the work-week like a fresh and new opportunity to do intentional missions? What if we sought Jesus and His Father's will for our vocation, relationships, and service? After being filled on Sunday, why do we rely more on a tall, mocha latte than the Holy Spirit to get us functioning and ready to tackle each morning?

In this mission field we call El Salvador, mornings come early, jet lag is real, but the excitement for a new week is contagious amongst our co-laborers in the Gospel. Maybe that's to be expected but if we are going to begin living missionally everyday, what should our attitude be? Breakfast was orange juice, eggs, sweet plantains, black beans, and hot dog rolls - atypical for most of us, I'm sure, but delicious nonetheless. We loaded up the bus and pickup trucks then drove the 30 minutes to the only school in a small town named Montrial. It was a new adventure for everyone because Montrial is a notorious place associated with gang violence and also a location where Jireh Ministries had never before conducted medical clinics. On the one hand, we had no idea what to expect or who would attend but on the other, our team was prayed-up and incredibly well-protected by our special-forces, police escort! So we set up our stations, broke out the supplies, and greeted our on-location ministry team as if to say, "Bring it on, Montrial" (at least in the words of Mrs. Connie anyway). By the end of the day, we treated more people than in any other single-day clinic in the history of Jireh Latin American Ministries - about 575 men, women and children. We ran out of many medications filling more than 450 prescriptions as well as depleting our reserves of clothing and eyeglasses. But we never lost our drive to serve so that people would hear about the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Teens, young adults and kids played soccer and others helped to lead children's ministry activities for the more than 100 children we saw. Our awesome team of hair-stylists (Gary, Juli, and Katie) stayed busy with approximately 40 haircuts and about as many braiding jobs for the ladies. We don't yet know the total number of people who decided to follow Jesus today but even if it were only one, that would be worth every sacrifice for the heavenly celebration that is now raging on in the celestial realm. In fact, what we all must strive to remember is that we are responsible only to be obedient - then we get to leave the results up to our great God and King! Paul teaches us in I Corinthians that some have been called to plant and others to water but it is the Lord who brings the increase.

Our prayer is that our Mondays will never be the same again - that we will see them for the opportunity that they are to continue the work of going and making disciples throughout the world. If anything, we hope our testimony will encourage you to come and reap a harvest after our team has departed. As our day was winding down, one of our team members, Becky, a private-school teacher and nutritionist from Texas, was quietly cuddling a one-month old little girl. Admittedly, I was jealous and eventually weaseled my way into holding that precious baby before relinquishing her to Brittany (which is pretty normal). That baby's mother was just a 15-year old girl. Maybe she's married so that her family could pass along the responsibility of provisions to her husband. But it's more likely that she's been sexually abused at home or raped by Salvadorian gang members. I might never know but maybe you will be the one to reach her for Jesus' sake. Or maybe you will be playing parachute games with that little girl's baby girl in the years to come. The work MUST continue...YOU have to go and share the Gospel, the hope of our risen Lord - until the whole world hears. Until then, we covet your prayers. Let's all strive to have only MISSIONAL MONDAYS from this point forward.
 

P.S. At the eleventh hour of the Wendy's 1st Annual Arm-wrestling Championship, Pastor Jon wrenched the crown from the undefeated Ben White to become the undisputed victor...that is until dinner tomorrow night. It isn't all work in El Salvador because we do have some great fun! Stay tuned, friends for more updates to come. Hasta mañana, mis amigos!

Because it's all about Jesus! 

- S.S.