December 31st, 2017
We made it!
We finally got into our hotel in San Salvador around 4:30 this morning. Getting through customs at 1 am was a bit of a hassle, and some of luggage hasn’t made it here from the States yet unfortunately. Our whole team is here safe and sound though! We’re hoping to get our bundles of walkers, crutches, and canes by Tuesday. For now, we’ve got our hands and some suitcases full of other equipment to use for our first clinic day tomorrow.
Our physicians and pharmacist aren’t so lucky…all of our medications for the clinic were sequestered at customs and we’re just praying we can get them by Tuesday. Our pharmacist who’s been on this trip before says this happens sometimes and the best we can do is still evaluate patients and prescribe them meds for them to come pick up later.
First Baptist Bolivar has been connected with a church here for a while and the pastor, Jimmy, was so excited to see everyone and has been very hospitable to us. We attended their service this evening and it was so full of joy and love for the Lord. We haven’t even been here for a day and I’m already getting a taste for how big our God is. Dr. Hamann last night when we got in pointed out the full moon, and told us how he loves to think about how, even far away at home, we’re all looking at the same moon, and all worshipping the same God.
That was definitely a realization for me tonight as well when a congregation of 1,000 or so people at the church sang songs to the Lord in Spanish. I can only catch maybe half (if that) of what the words mean, but by watching the El Salvadorians worship, I could tell they were praising the same Jesus I know.
Jimmy translated the sermon for us, given by another pastor and I think the message is so fitting for this time of us being here. 2 Corinthians 3:18 talks about how the Lord transforms our lives. If we truly encounter Jesus, and not just religion, our lives are going to look different and we are going to be different. This is so much different than just claiming religion and showing up to a building on Sundays. God’s grace isn’t about changing where we are (maybe like even going to El Salvador from Bolivar, MO). His grace tells a story about sacrificing for those you love and keeping a steadfast hope in times of suffering. Experiencing Jesus leads to real life change that will persist no matter your location.
I hope to convey that to people here as we treat them and lay our hands on them. They may not have medical care like this, but Someone cares about their health and so much more about them.
Please keep us in your prayers as we go into our first clinic day tomorrow! I appreciate each and every one of you who reads this and I’m forever grateful for all of your support! Thanks from our team and happy new year!
-Nicole
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