Mission Trip to El Salvador: Rescuing One Church and One Family

Story by Washington Adventist University Staff

Washington Adventist University (WAU) had not planned any mission trips last school year, but during service day in the fall, conversations with students revealed an interest in planning a trip. A Salvadoran student mentioned that El Salvador was building a Seventh-day Adventist College and suggested they could help with the project. This idea sparked interest, leading to research on the Adventist college.

After several days of searching and phone calls, contact was made with Pastor Abel Pacheco, president of the Salvadoran Union. He agreed that it would be a great idea for the team to help with the Adventist College and engage in the community projects typical of their mission trips.

Armed with this information, the mission trip was presented to Ralph E. Johnson, the VP for Student Life overseeing missions at WAU. Although he found the idea appealing, no funds were allocated for mission trips last school year.

During a convocation last fall semester, a presentation about previous mission trips generated excitement among students about restarting the abroad mission component at WAU.

After months of recruiting WAU students, a group of 15 missionaries and faculty gathered to plan the trip. The programming elements included VBS, a soccer clinic, a health fair, clothing distribution, community service, and painting new classrooms at the Adventist college. Initially, the VBS was planned for 50 children, but Salvadoran leaders advised preparing for 100. Eventually, preparations were made for 120 children.

On Saturday night, June 1, 2024, the team met in the Health Science building on WAU's campus to prepare for departure. They managed luggage to meet airline weight requirements, totaling 30 suitcases at 1,650 lbs, along with carry-ons and personal items.

The flight was scheduled for a 2:43 a.m. departure, so they arrived at the airport around midnight. After a long flight delay, they landed in El Salvador around 5 a.m.

Upon arrival, they were picked up on a sunny day and immediately felt the heat and humidity of the tropical weather. They enjoyed the sights while traveling to Escuela de Capacitacion Adventista Salvador (ECAS), an academy with nearly 1,000 K-12 students, 90 of whom live in dorms. The team stayed in the dorms, which provided everything needed during their 10-day stay. They also visited the capital, San Salvador, to buy souvenirs, materials, snacks, and drinks for the VBS.

On Monday, while the team started painting at the college, a visit to the church assigned for VBS and painting revealed an abandoned-looking building. The elder explained that the church had only six older members and no children, with the children’s rooms infested with bats.

Initially confused and questioning the situation, the arrival of the new pastor brought clarity. He admitted not having advertised the VBS but promised to invite people from the neighborhood.

Back at the base, the team was informed of the situation. Despite concerns about the bats and the potential lack of attendees, they prepared in faith. Setting up 20 extra chairs and 2 tables, they started the VBS at 6 p.m., with only one child initially present. By 6:25 p.m., 83 children had arrived, and the program began smoothly without any bats in sight.

Throughout the week, attendance grew, with 91 children on day two, 98 on day three, 104 on day four, and 130 on days five and six. On Friday night, a call for those interested in knowing more about God saw a strong response, with five children deciding to get baptized. Jonathan, a 12-year-old boy, felt the Holy Spirit and chose to give his life to Christ.

As VBS concluded, Jonathan’s mother requested help to repair her dilapidated house. The team, through contractors working on the college, planned to make her house safer. Fundraising efforts ensured they had enough money for the repairs, with plans for a follow-up trip on July 22-26 to complete the project. Jonathan would also be sponsored to attend ECAS the following school year, with efforts underway to facilitate his siblings’ attendance as well.

On the last night of the trip, the president of the Salvadorian Union met with the team in person. He expressed his happiness with the mission’s outcomes and how the team’s efforts had been utilized. He extended an invitation for the team to return. Professor Fuentes negotiated an agreement in which WAU would cover only the airfare, with the Salvadorian Union handling the remaining costs, allowing the team to visit annually.

The team painted half of the new Adventist College classrooms, ran a soccer clinic for more than 100 students at ECAS, completed painting the VBS church, and donated new lights and fans. They distributed more than 300 pieces of clothing, held a health fair for five churches, distributed more than 400 reading glasses, and tested 250 individuals for glucose and blood pressure. They also taught infant CPR and provided oral hygiene demonstrations, distributing 400 toothbrushes and toothpaste. Fitness assessments included jump ropes, hula hoops, and more.

In conclusion, 130 children and 73 adults attended VBS at the church that originally had only six members. Praises were given to God for paving the way to fix the church for future members.

The spiritual lessons learned included recognizing that God has a plan, as mentioned in Jeremiah 29:11; understanding that serving others is a gift to God, as referenced in Matthew 25:40; and appreciating the power of VBS, as stated in Matthew 19:14: “Let the little children come to me” (NIV).