Mr. Cete Dillon is better after a round with asthma this week. Pray he continues to improve.
Message from Dwayne Wilson
Today, we´ll be going to 4 different schools here in El Salvador!
Messages from his team in El Salvador
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Today was an exhausting but rewarding day. The many miles of driving; the early alarms to catch the van by 7:00; the many encounters we have with the children; and just the drain of being in a foreign country and struggling with a foreign language are seen in the bodies of all of us. But there is much joy in our faces because of the work that Jesus Christ is doing in El Salvador. The team was on the bus at 7:00 AM for the second straight day and headed out for a full day of ministry. Our destination was the area of Sonsonate, about an hour southwest of San Salvador.
Our host for the day was Pastor Guillermo and his wife, Mayra (My-ruh). Pastor Guillermo has a fantastic testimony. Ten years ago, Jesus Christ pulled him out of the drug trade through the prayers of another pastor. Guillermo arrived at the home of this pastor with the intention to kill his son. The pastor confronted Guillermo with a Bible and said to him, “Are you Guillermo? I have been praying for you! You did not come here tonight to kill anyone. You came here because God has a message for you.” Guillermo did not kill the man’s son and the pastor invited Guillermo to a lunch with business men, where he heard the good news of Jesus Christ. That night he went home and flushed all of his drugs down the toilet and stopped using drugs. He has not used any drugs since that night.
That was over 10 years ago. Today, Pastor Guillermo and his wife minister at their church and work with the schools and the poor in Sonsonate. The have four children and the older three are youth and Sunday School leaders in their church. Pastor Corleto supports his family as a business owner. He owns an auto mechanic business, a car sales business, and a car wash. God has blessed Pastor Guillermo with leadership, not only in Sonsonate, but all of El Salvador. He is the vice-president of the inter-denominational council of pastors for El Salvador, with over 5,000 members.
The first school the team visited was Centro Escolar La Coquera. After two days, the drama team is working well together and the children are very attentive. One drama is humorous and all of the children are laughing throughout. The second drama is much more intense and tells a powerful message of redemption. The older children grasp the message and the younger children are still enthralled with the story. It is amazing to see the children’s faces as the drama unfolds. After the drama, the message is clearly explained so that everyone can understand.
The teachers at all of the schools sacrifice so much. There are precious few supplies and the classrooms are hot and sometimes crowded. The kindergarten teacher at Centro Escolar La Coquera is Dina Luz Monge Ramirez. “Lucy” has been teaching for only one year. She said she started teaching after staying home to raise her children. Her son is a first grader at the same school. “Lucy” said her greatest joy in teaching kindergarteners is when they comprehend the lesson and she can see they are really learning. “Lucy” was very helpful to our team when we shared the gospel story through the gospel bead bracelets. We need to pray for “Lucy” and all of the teachers in El Salvador. Like many teachers everywhere, they teach because they love the children. Even more so in El Salvador where the conditions and supplies are challenging. Praise God for these believers, like “Lucy”, who give so much for His children.
Wed 1 Jul 2009
Today was our second full day of travel in El Salvador and we got up extra early this morning (6 a.m. instead of 7) because the school we went to was only in session during the morning hours. On the bus ride, we enjoyed one of our daily devotionals from Leslie, who talked about how we need to humble ourselves as a team and allow the Holy Spirit to work in us, to work through us.
We arrived at the Bonanza school (grades 1-6) around 8 a.m., where we were greeted warmly by the children peering out of their classrooms to see what all the excitement was about. Once we arrived, we performed a couple of skits, shared a little bit about our lives in America, and Jaye did a little magic show (probably the most popular amongst the younger kids). Afterwards, we broke up into 4 different classrooms (in our small groups) where we played some more games (my group in particular did an egg-race). When it came time for us to share our pictures which help tell our spiritual paths) and the gospel-bead bracelets, the kids were really responsive. A couple of girls, named Katya and Maria, gave me hugs; and it made me feel that I really do have a purpose here and God has put us here for a reason: and this is it! The principal told us that since they have no one at home to love them and care for them, they are so grateful we came along and showed them compassion and kindness: the things that they are missing in their lives.
After we were finished at the school, we went to the local mall, around 5 minutes from Hotel Siesta. There, we played a scavenger hunt game, where each small group had a list of tasks to complete in 2 hours: ranging from buying a candle, to seeing how many people each group could share the gospel bead bracelet. I believe that we were able to minister to more than 50 people at the mall, which was nice since they stopped what they were doing to listen what we had to say about God’s love for them.
Lastly, in the evening, we traveled to a homeless shelter where we served for a couple hours. There, Tim presented the gospel bead bracelet and Howard said a prayer to bless them and let them know that there is someone who loves them and desires to become part of their lives. It was really moving to see the way that so many people wanted God to lift the burden of their sins away: there were even people gathering outside to listen to what we had to say.
This morning the GAiN El Salvador 09 team travelled 2 hours by bus to visit a public school in San Jose El Naranjo. In this school we split into groups and shared our testimonies and the Gospel using the Gospel Bead Bracelets. We also did skits, magic and balloon animals and face painting for the kids. Numerous children raised their hands indicating they had invited Jesus Christ into their lives. The team travelled 45 minutes to reach our afternoon assignment, Quebracho school. The school staff graciously provided lunch for us. We repeated our program for the students, grades K-9.
Many of the roads we travelled we’re unpaved and the going was slow. But after a hard, hot day’s work we had some r & r time down a scenic route to our dinner on the coast. After dinner the team invested time in concerted prayer for the students and school staff we have visited so far, the those we will visit tomorrow. We also prayed for the team to work at the Holy Sprit’s direction and by His guidance, and for God’s work in the hearts of the children preparing them to hear the Gospel.
Sun 28 Jun 2009
Today we started off like a shot! The first day of ministry was spent serving at a local church. When we arrived we split into 3 groups. The first group was involved with the adult in the worship service, the second group spent time working in the Sunday school, and the third group went into the neighborhood inviting neighbors and kids to a small program put on by our team so they could learn more about the local church and God. Today was a wonderful day where we experienced the hospitality of our host country and got to worship with our El Salvadorian brethren.
Died at 5:20 p.m. on Thursday, July 2, 2009 at Kentwood Manor Nursing Home in Kentwood. He was a native of Poplarville, MS and a resident of Kentwood. Age 80 years. Mr. Harrell is a graduate of Gulf Coast Military Academy and Southeastern Louisiana University and is a U.S. Air Force Veteran of the Korean Conflict. He was a member of Kentwood Rotary Club, American Legion, and V.F.W. Visitation at McKneely Funeral Home, Kentwood, from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. on Friday and from 8 a.m. until religious services at 10 a.m Saturday. Services conducted by Rev. Joey Miller. Interment Woodland Cemetery, Kentwood. Survived by sister-in-law, Norma Harrell, Kentwood, nephews & nieces, William C. “Bill” Harrell, Hazlehurst, MS, John Hove, Westby, MT, Kathy Hove Wankel, Miles City, MT, Becky Hove Sweat, Broadus, MT, Benjamin C. “Ben” Harrell, III, Ponchatoula, Bruce Harrell, Kentwood, Ronnie Harrell, South Pasadena, CA, numerous great-nieces, great-nephews, and great-great-nieces and great-great-nephews. Preceded in death by parents, Claiborne Harrell, Sr. and Lillie Cuevas Harrell, 2 brothers, Hollis Harrell and Claiborne Harrell, Jr., 2 sisters, Lillie Mae McGlathery and Bonnie Jean Hove, nephew, John Bruce Harrell.
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