 |
|
In El Salvador, Volunteers Build Homes and Offer Vacation Bible SchoolDate: July 5, 2003 
Asbury United Methodist Church from Maitland, Florida sent a mission team to Jayaque, El Salvador from May 31 to June 7, 2003. Our mission was to build homes for victims of the 2001 earthquakes, offer Vacation Bible School for the local children, and to build relationships with the people of El Salvador. This was a return trip for our church as we sent a team to Jayaque in 2002. We were very excited to return and once again serve in Jayaque.
Our team was composed of 18 missionaries of all ages with unique talents and abilities. We have been blessed to have Pastor Brian Carr and his wife Lorena as our mission trip leaders over the past 5 years. With their leadership, we have developed mission teams with a strong attitude of serving. We had great fellowship and built relationships that will last a lifetime.
We worked at three different work sites and offered Vacation Bible School to the local children. At the first site, we were able to pour the foundation, assemble rebar and lay all the blocks for the house. At the second site we dug and assembled rebar for the foundation. At the last site we helped to put on the roof and pour the cement floor. Our three local foremen kept us busy and needless to say we were quite tired at the end of each day. But to see the smiles on the faces of the families as their homes were being built revived our tired bodies.
We announced Vacation Bible School to the local community Monday morning. We started Monday afternoon and held VBS each day during the morning and afternoon. We had about 50 to 60 kids each day. The members of our team that prepared VBS were spectacular. They played games, acted out plays, taught Bible stories and built relationships with the kids and the community.
Our coordinators Gelmarie and Danny made our mission experience unforgettable. They were well prepared, gracious hosts and were always there when we needed help. They are doing a wonderful job of serving in El Salvador. We served with them last year and they
are one of the main reasons we returned to Jayaque once again this year. We
also wanted to again hear Danny sing "How Great Thou Art" in Spanish.
Our team members return with a mission excitement that can be used in our local community and on future foreign mission trips. Our faith journeys have been improved because of this mission trip. We look forward to our next mission trip.
Photos: 1. The volunteers assemble rebar and dig the foundation for a house in Jayaque, El Salvador. 2. Some of the local niños smile for a picture after Vacation Bible School. 3. Volunteers mix cement to be used for the foundation of a house. Credit: Linda Stevenson. Click on any photo to see a larger version.