Pictures From the Youth Retreat - 8/1-8/2

Worship Service – The Church of Faith and Worship

The Sunday service is similar to what we experience back home. The morning opens with greeting each other. The Salvadorans are very friendly and I receive and give many smiles and greetings. I feel so proud of my limited knowledge of Spanish greetings.

They lead off with singing. I recognize a tune or two, but do not know enough Spanish to sing along. As I listen, an image enters my head. Perhaps even a vision. I see God wrapping his arms around the church building, looking at me and saying, “These are my people.” I feel and sense his love and affection for this church. These are no longer strangers. These are fellow brothers and sisters. These are God's loved ones. Something beautiful has just happened for me. In a foreign country, I am no longer among foreigners.

El Boqueron – A Volcano

We ride the pickup truck up to El Boqueron, a volcano north of the city. 

On top of the mountain, we take time for pictures. 

The view is great and the company is awesome!

On the ride back, the clouds thicken. We brace ourselves and hunker down in our raincoats. The sky opens up, stinging rain hitting exposed grinning faces. Water pools and runs down our faces and collars, sleeves and legs. Juan pulls into a gas station and we cheer as the station canopy stops the rain above us. We hand our phones and bags into the cab, and then tell Juan to keep on going, we're already wet. Juan grins at us and shakes his head before getting back into the truck. He pulls out into the downpour again. We laugh at the shock of the raindrops hitting us. Nate shivers, drenched from head to toe. From where I sit in the bed of the pickup, I feel the water sliding back towards the cab and soaking my pants. Nice. 

Deb pipes up, “I brought a poncho.” She pauses. “It's back at the apartment.”

Laura doesn't have a raincoat and is getting drenched. Ethan's poncho becomes a double raincoat, shelter for two. Caleb crouches down on the bed of the truck bed with Deb and I. He disappears. All we can see is a raincoat covered rock, that occasionally offers choice comments.

The rain lets up as we near Zacamil and the apartment. Our hoods come off and we laugh at the adventure of it all. We've passed a team initiation of sorts! Apparently rainwater not only gives life to the earth, but works as a bonding agent too.

Today has been a day of coming together. Two churches came together this morning, our team from York Alliance and the body of Christ at The Church of Faith and Worship. This evening, our team came together, including the York Alliance members and the Salvadoran members.

“How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! . . . For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore” (Pslam 133:1, 3).

Some of San Salvador from up on El Boqueron.