We arrived on March 31 after a sleepless overnight flight. It was very hot (98 degrees) and humid and it seems to suck the energy right out of you but we were glad to have finally arrived after a four year wait. Note to self: never pray for patience again!
The Porters found a lovely rental home for us and we were able to move in after a week of shopping for furniture and other other household items. The nights are very warm and it's hard to sleep but when you do drift off you are blessed to wake up early to the “el pan” lady. Pan means bread and this older lady walks the streets of San Julian quite early and sells her bread by announcing in a very nasally voice "paaaaaaaaaaan". I think the marketing strategy is that you will buy some just to get her to stop. If, however, you somehow manage to sleep through this it is difficult to miss the orchestra of dogs, roosters, pigeons and honking cars starting at around 5 a.m. Ahhh, the joys of life in the country.
Street vendors in San Julian, El Salvador
Home Sweet Home
One night on the way to watch Kathy play futbol Dave and I ran into Manuel. Manuel is an alcoholic like so many other men here. He says he wants a life like ours but right now just wants the alcohol more. He kept saying repeatedly how much he loves Dave because he takes the time to visit with him and encourage him. Isn’t that what we all want? Pray for Manuel that he can be filled with the Holy Spirit and be freed from his bondage.
On a similar note, Christina and I were driving to our house the other day and as we turned a corner in the van we found a drunk passed out in the road. I had to have Christina get out to see if I had enough room to get by so I wouldn't run over his feet. As she did, another drunk moved his buddies legs out of my way so I could get by. Nice that they look out for each other. Or so I thought. Later I found out they steal from each other once the other passes out.
Dave Porter and I have developed a list of classes for the local Pastors and church leaders so that they can be equipped to better lead and feed the flocks that God has entrusted to their care. The classes are typical to what one would find in a seminary or bible college but may need to be modified to fit their educational levels. We will be meeting with the Pastors at the local Pastors Association meeting on April 13th so please pray for discernment, direction and unity.
Our Spanish lessons are vital to our success here as we need to become fluent as soon as possible. Hour after hour of conjugating verbs and remembering that the adjectives and adverbs go after the noun instead of before (at least most of the time) gets a little tedious but it is all part of the package. The Lord has blessed us, though, with a national by the name of Susy Ayala who will act as our translator in the meantime and has moved to San Julian from the capital of San Salvador. She is staying with the Porters for now but needs to find a room to rent so please also keep that in prayer.
As always, thank you for your support for this ministry. You are an integral part of it and it would not happen without you as partners.
Psa 84:12 O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!
