Lasting Fruit

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Hello Team!!

I hope that everyone is doing well and surviving the snow. As usual it is 95 degrees and sunny every day. The phrase “snow day” just doesn’t make sense here, haha.

I wanted to give you a brief update of what has been going on here in El Salvador. We received a mission team from New Life Church, a university campus church in Ann Arbor, Michigan on February 21 to March 1. The New Life team came ready to serve. Directly from the airport, they went to minister to children with HIV/AIDS in Zacatecoluca, setting the pace for the rest of the week. During the week, the team was split in two groups, one to teach English classes, and the other to teach ethics students. They shared the gospel with over 486 students throughout the week on the university campus called, La Evangelica. The University is a Christian university, yet, statics show that a shocking 78% of the students are non-believers. The harvest was plentiful and God sent the workers!!

It was a first-time experience for both our local church, Iglesia Gran Comisión and La Evangelica. The spiritual rector of the university, Bob Kendrick, and English Department Head, Guillermo Bustillo were very grateful and excited that a team came to reach-out to their students. The doors were wide open to preach the gospel, and the team, along with local volunteers from IGC, preached with boldness. Over 16 university students came to faith throughout the week. In addition, the team joined together with dentistry students on Thursday and Friday to do dental hygiene campaigns in a poor community, called El Prado. Eight people from the community came to faith as a result. We celebrated on Friday with the kids and their parents with pinatas, face paint, gospel bracelets, and games in the community school. Several other activities that New Life Church did throughout the week included: serving the IGC-La Libertad church on Tuesday by painting their new facility, preaching at the monthly youth meeting (Pastor John Allen), and taking the students to the beach on the last day of the trip to build relationships.

We at IGC are excited to follow-up with the people who accepted Christ, with those who are still seeking, and continue to reach out to students on campus. In fact, we had a follow-up meeting with the department heads from the university, and our first weekly meeting with the students this past week. New Life Church served as a catalyst for our youth ministry, because our vision is to expand the youth ministry to include youth adults, both university students and young professionals. God opened so many doors to share the gospel with people throughout the week, and now the work continues. We do not grow weary; we do not lose hope; we keep our eyes fixed and focused on the goal. The apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 9:24:

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.

Prayer Requests:
1. Finish my Bible class research paper on “Contextualization”
2. Follow-up with the students at La Evangelica University
3. Planning for the rest of the mission teams this year
a. Crossroads, Delaware (July)
b. Bay Area Community Church, MD (Aug/Sept.)
c. Cedar Creek, OH (Sept/Oct?)
4. Wedding Plans for Jorge and I :)

Thank you for your continued love, support, and prayers.
In Christ,
Sarah
Rom. 11:36/Col. 1:16