July 2009 Update

2009

J U LY

U P D A T E

2009

JO SH & L I SA SE A RS IN

EL SALVA D O R

JOSH AND I MINISTERING TO THE CHILDREN THIS SUMMER ON THE STREETS OF EL SALVADOR

It’s been a busy Summer, but well worth it! Wow! It’s hard to believe that we have already been on the field for two months. How time flies when you’re having fun! The summer season is always busy with Castle, especially with numerous AIM teams coming to minister.

SHE’S WATCHED BY HER GRANDMA

Typically we host between 30-50 AIM teams in a summer, which equals about 600 youth and adults that come to do ministry throughout the country.

We had 22 AIM teams this summer who carried the Gospel to the lost of El Salvador. Together we reached 94,765 people, prayed for 11,261 problems, 8,287 healings, and had 15,023 decisions We’ve seen souls saved, miracles performed, and unreached communities for Christ! Truly nothing can stop the Gospel from advancing. exposed to the light of the Gospel.

HE’S CARED FOR BY HIS SISTERS

SHE CAME BY HERSELF

TH IS S U MM E R I N P H OTO S

WE WERE

OUT WITH THE INTERNS AND

TAKING THE HIGHWAYS WITH BIBLE AND SIGNS SAYING

3

WORLD WARRIORS

MINUTE SCENES FROM THE

“VICTORIA

EN

CRISTO”

OR

VICTORY IN CHRIST. WHEN WE TOOK A BREAK AT THE GAS STATION, ROBERTO (SEE LEFT) CAME UP AND ASKED FOR MONEY SO HE COULD EAT. WE GAVE HIM SOME FOOD AND SOME CHANGE. AFTER FORMING A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM, HE WENT AND BOUGHT BANANAS FROM HIS MOM FOR EACH OF US WITH THE CHANGE WE GAVE HIM. HE HAD SO LITTLE YET STILL WANTED TO GIVE AND BLESS US!

R IC H IE Though we are leaving El Salvador to transition into language school, ministry doesn’t stop. The same day we leave El Salvador we’ll be going straight into a different kind of Spanish ministry. During General Council we have a very unique opportunity to work with Mark Vega and the Southeast Spanish District to do ministry in the Hispanic churches around the Orlando Area. During General Council, Josh will be judging Fine Arts Festival while I will be going out with an editor from On Course magazine to photograph the ministry that will take place all over Orlando. Youth groups from across the US will join us in reaching out to the Hispanic communities in my own hometown. This is a great opportunity for us to continue reaching the Latino culture. Pray with us that this week of ministry will not only change the communities, but spark a revival in the Spanish churches of Orlando. Also, we hope to establish a ministry relationship with these churches, encouraging them to come work with us in El Salvador, as well as providing possible opportunities for us to bring Salvadoran teams to do missions work in the U.S.

RECE N T S TAT I S TI C S WE WERE READING THE DAILY NEWSPAPER HERE THE OTHER DAY ABOUT SOME RECENT GANG ACTIVITY AROUND THE CITY OF SAN SALVADOR. HERE’S WHAT WE FOUND OUT: THERE ARE NOW AN AVERAGE OF 12 HOMICIDES A DAY IN OUR TINY COUNTRY. 70% OF ALL CRIMES ARE COMMITTED BY GANG MEMBERS. OF THOSE CRIMES, 80% INCLUDE FIRE ARMS. THESE ARE TOUGH TIMES HERE IN EL SALVADOR. PLEASE CONTINUE IN PRAYER FOR THE SAFETY OF THE CHILDREN AND THE GANGS TO BE TRANSFORMED.

RICHIE IS A FELLOW MISSIONARY ASSOCIATE WHO HAD A TERRIBLE CAR ACCIDENT ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON AFTER DROPPING SOME KIDS OFF AFTER CHURCH. HE IS RECOVERING FROM KNEE SURGERY AND STILL WAITING FOR THE LEGAL ASPECT TO BE FINALIZED. HIS LAWYER IS TRYING TO GET ALL THE SIGNATURES ON THE SETTLEMENT SO HE DOESN’T HAVE TO GO TO JAIL. IN EL

SALVADOR,

IF THERE IS ANY INJURY THE

DRIVER AUTOMATICALLY GOES TO JAIL.

BR A N D ON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THE

INTERNS WERE ON THEIR WAY TO MINISTER AT THE CHURCH IN LAS DELICIAS AND ON THE WALK UP TO THE CHURCH FROM THE BUS,

BRANDON,

ONE OF OUR INTERNS, HAD

HIS CAMERA STOLEN BY A GANG MEMBER.

HE

HANDED IT OVER TO HIM AND WASN’T

4 MONTHS HERE NOW WITHOUT A CAMERA. HE’S A LITTLE SHAKEN UP. PRAY FOR BRANDON AND ALSO THE GANGS IN LAS DELICIAS. HURT BUT HE STILL HAS

PRAY ER REQUESTS: 1. SAFETY DURING TRAVEL AS WE GO TO ORLANDO AND THEN TO COSTA RICA. 2. CONTINUED FINANCIAL PROVISIONS. 3. SAFETY FOR FRIENDS AND MISSIONARIES IN EL SALVADOR. 4. TRANSFORMATION IN THE LIVES OF GANG MEMBERS. 5. WISDOM AND GUIDANCE FOR MINISTRY ONCE WE RETURN TO EL SALVADOR.