Short-Term Missions

MY TRIP TO EL SALVADOR

Missions, Short-Term Missions -

It’s that time of year when many people set aside time to volunteer outside of their normal context…whether in a different city or around the world, they are often anticipating an experience that will change them. We hope that everyone who visits our site has the chance to learn and serve, to change others and to be changed…mutual transformation is one of our goals! Please join us as we prepare to welcome our summer intern and our summer Service and Learning teams! You can take a moment to read one of the testimonies from one of our 2022 team members… “When my family signed up for a mission trip to El Salvador, I was excited but nervous. Nervous because I didn’t speak Spanish, didn’t see how my skills would help the […]

CLOSING THOUGHTS…

Interns, Short-Term Missions -

Today’s blog is in Madalyn Chevalier’s words. She just finished a five month internship with us and she had some closing thoughts as she finished the last weeks of her internship.  So many wonderful things have happened that I barely know where to start! The more I think about it, the most ministry comes from friendships created with clients. Yes we provide therapy.Yes, we provide drug-dependency workshops. But that is not the whole story. It is dangerous and decieving to just tell one story. Yes, El Salvador has issues but if you choose to only listen to one story, you will never hear of the continued rise in healing and revival. You will never hear of the miracles happening every day as people find hope in Jesus. Not because us […]

To the Volunteer Coming from Outside – A Los Voluntarios que Vienen de Afuera

Crossing Cultures, Interns, Missions, Short-Term Missions, Thinking About God -

Today one of our summer interns, Savanna Groft, is sharing some of her thoughts about her volunteer experience, as well as some words of wisdom for anyone thinking of volunteering with a non-profit organization.  Most credible texts, whether the Bible, a journal article, or some other scholarly work, emphasize that real change happens from the inside out. Jesus made it very clear that what makes us clean or unclean is what comes from within our hearts, not external things, like food, that we put into our bodies (Matthew 15:11, 17-20). Scientists, even those who think nurture plays a big role in our lives, will tell you that nature, or what exists within us, is integral to our development. The same concept applies to cultures and social systems. I came to El […]

Jesus Was A Medical Missionary – Jesús Era Un Médico Misionero

Justice, Medical Missions, Missions, Short-Term Missions, Thinking About God -

Today we welcome a special guest blogger, Mary Frances Morris (pictured below left). She was recently in El Salvador providing healthcare to our clients as part of a medical team from Mission To The World.  Jesus was a medical missionary. The Gospels repeatedly state that Jesus went about the towns teaching, preaching, and healing. “Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” Matthew 9:35-36 NIV Jesus also tended to hang out with the outcasts, or the marginalized, such as the tax collectors, lepers, and prostitutes. He even called the children to Him. […]

Expectation vs. Reality – Expectativas vs. Realidad

A New Dawn, Crossing Cultures, Kids at Risk, Life in El Salvador, Short-Term Missions, The Lighthouse Project -

Laura Bubar, an art teacher from Maine,U.S.A worked as a volunteer for five weeks with us, here are some of her thoughts on the experience… Any time we begin a journey or step out and take a risk, we have expectations. We make assumptions about what that journey will look like or what the consequences of that risk will be. I entered a journey here in El Salvador five weeks ago and despite my best efforts to make no assumptions, I had formed expectations for my journey. Two years ago, while researching ministries in El Salvador, I came across the website for Mission To El Salvador. My cautious heart then followed their work (from a safe distance) for the next two years, reading this very blog, and watching to see the work […]

Seeing Through New Eyes – Viendo la Vida con Nuevos Ojos

Medical Missions, Rural Ministry, Short-Term Missions, The Lighthouse Project, Urban Ministry -

There are so many days that our clients see themselves through eyes of self-doubt, or frustration. They may even see themselves through the eyes of an abuser, or through the lens of a traumatic circumstance. Our prayer is that over time that would begin to change. Our goal is to help them to see that they are loved, and that God truly loves them. Our dream is for them to see themselves as valuable, cared for, and worthy. We hope that when they arrive at our building, they see people that care for them. We hope that they see a future that can be theirs, and we hope that they see healing. Our goal is to provide an environment where they can see all of those things, and where they […]

“I have two feet!” – “¡Tengo dos pies!”

Medical Missions, Short-Term Missions, Urban Ministry -

Last month we had the joy and privilege of hosting a team of medical professionals from Mission to the World. They brought with them their expertise and their medications, but more than that they brought their hearts. They visited the cancer ward of a local children’s hospital in partnership with CCI, our church here in El Salvador and they spent four straight days seeing patients onsite at the Lighthouse Project, and also at the Latin American Children’s Fund Clinic. They didn’t complain about the heat and long days, they simply loved and cared for our clients. One of the members of the team works in the physical therapy world and on the second day at the Lighthouse Project he was seeing one of our clients. She had many aches and […]

Thank You For Serving With Us!

Medical Missions, Missions, Short-Term Missions -

It’s definitely “back to school” season which means that the summer is wrapping up! We want to take a moment to thank the teams that have served with us this summer. We appreciate your willingness to come serve in a context far outside of your own. There is much debate about the positives and negatives of short-term service in another country, which brings up many valid points. There is potential for both parties to be damaged in the process, but there is also potential for great partnerships and understanding to be forged. We have been privileged to partner with some great organizations over the years that have provided a long-term investment into El Salvador. We welcome teams to our site that are interested in working to help strengthen and encourage […]

Lifeline

Discovery, Holidays, Ministry Center Project, Short-Term Missions -

When we came to El Salvador five years ago, we were sent out from an amazing church family. We grew so much during our time at Discovery Christian Church, and the opportunities that we had there for leadership and service helped to prepare us for full-time ministry. Discovery continues to act as our “lifeline” in many ways. They handle our finances, pray for us, do our mailings, and send teams every year to see firsthand what is happening in El Salvador. They also raised the funds to help us buy our building which currently serves more than 100 people each week, and offers a safe haven for people struggling on the streets. Individual members of Discovery support us with their personal finances, volunteer time to work on our website, and […]

Teamwork

Missions, Short-Term Missions -

The summer is really starting to wind down. The kids are back in school, and we will only be hosting one more summer volunteer team. It’s been great to partner with so many churches and organizations this summer and they’ve plugged in well to help us further the work that we are doing. I’ve also been so impressed with all of our staff members. It’s been less than a year since we transitioned out on our own here in El Salvador and this past year has been about building a team. We’ve prayed and searched for people who have a vision to see people walk off the streets of San Salvador and into new purpose. It’s a job that requires years of personal investment with very few payoffs. We are […]

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