What's in a Day?

Buenos Noches para El Salvador! (Good evening from El Salvador - for all of our non-Spanish speaking readers!)

We've had another full day here at Kings Castle Ministries. After breakfast at our favorite time (6:30am), we loaded onto the bus to travel to a local school. There, about 75 kids waited for us to do our program. A word about the programs that are planned for each ministry site: they are composed of songs (which we do motions to - which are a lot like high-impact aerobics), skits, and a presentation of the gospel. At every program, kids are asked if 1) they want to invite Jesus into their hearts, 2) they want prayer for problems at home, with their family, or at school, and 3) they want prayer for someone that they know is sick. It's the best part of what we do when we gather around them to pray for them individually. We literally circile around them and each of us puts a hand on a little girl's shoulder or a boy's head. You'd be surprised at how sincerely they close their eyes and receive from the Lord!

So, we got to the first school and did the program I described above. While we are ministering, part of our team is praying - interceding for us as we sing, dance, do skits, and pray for the kids. After the program and prayer time concludes, we have opportunity to hug them, talk to them, ask them their name, play with them, and give them lots of candy and a gospel tract. We're careful to say adios to each child, because in Salvadoran culture you say a proper goodbye to those who have become your friend.

We did four programs today - all in schools in local neighborhoods. It was hot, wet (it rained in the morning), and we all drank lots of water to stay hydrated. Here's a few words about what each person did today:

Michele Romaniello worked in the clinic treating patients, helping the doctor triage patients.

Minerva Villareal also worked in the clinic. Her job was do intake - asking why people wanted to see the doctor and taking their vital signs.

Ray Hooley rested his ankle and worked with the eye doctor in the clinic. He was especially useful as a translator and though not able to serve on the evangelism team, God still had him in the right place, doing the right thing, at the right time. He'll have to tell you about his day when he gets back! By the way...his ankle is sore but he is in good spirits, determined to help out any way that he can.

Those working with the medical staff here are doing such amazing work. They have been separated from the rest of us for the last couple of days - staying on the camp while we have left to do ministry. But, the ministry staff is so grateful for medical personnel who can bring so much help to the people in the community.

Everyone on the ministry team participated in the skits, dramas, and human videos. Plus, we all had the opportunity to pray with kids, intercede for whichever team was ministering, and just love on every kid we met. Here are a few of the highlights:

Pastor Ray played Noah in one of our skits; plus, demonstrated his mad dance skills in the song, "My King Jesus!" (Just call him Spice!)

Patti missed out on our training yesterday so she wasn't as up to speed as the rest of us (which isn't saying much) but by the end of the day, felt confident enough to dance a few moves in the song, "My King Jesus" and then made her way to the sidelines to laugh at the rest of us.

George was Pastor Ray's back up dancer (just call him Flavor!) and played a mean bull in the " "Noah's Ark" skit.

Kim joined the Coast Guard and dutifully informed Noah (a.k.a. Pastor Ray) that it wasn't time to leave the ark yet.

Ericka and Liz served as the only two members of the Kingsway team coordinated enough to dance on the front row.

Allie & Nicole were both clowns today - a stretch from their normal behavior.

Dustin, in one of the human videos, was the only Kingsway member to remember to do the "L" move at the right point in the song.

Pastor Bryon & Georgie both played Jesus (at different times, of course!)

Ryan got his groove on and by the last program had worked his way up to the front row.

Pastor Arlena...well, she played a dove in the "Noah's Ark"skit. And, trying to make a dove funny....not as easy as it sounds.

Well, now you've heard about a few of our adventures in ministry. Let me tell you about our adventures in riding a bus on unpaved, broken, rock-filled, holes the size of craters road. Our bus driver, Hermano, is THE MAN! We are not sure how he is able to get a school bus, packed with about 30 people, up and down these hills but he does it with a smile. We, however, have found our prayer life enhanced as he drives the downhill curves with the same fierceness as he plows through the holes.

We can't believe it is only Tuesday and we have so much to share. Imagine what stories we'll have by Thursday. Keep reading. I hope this extended post gives you a taste of what we are doing, seeing, and experiencing here in El Salvador. You are all such an important part of our team and we want to keep you "in the loop."

Thanks for your prayers! Keep them coming! I hope to put some pictures up but the Internet connection here at camp is barely fast enough to post this text. It may take me a few days to get them there but I'll do my best.

Everyone is well! Love to all, Pastor Arlena

p.s. Tomorrow, we all stay on the campground to do construction, painting, and cleaning work. Hopefully, I'll post tomorrow night how our day went.