THE beach day... whew

Sunday was a day of rest for the group. We went to church and then left at 11:15 for the beach. I drove a full van for the first time without even one problem!! We arrived, ate lunch, then headed into the water around 1pm. I was the only senior staff there, accompanied by an intern, Stephen (who'd only been here for 3 days), a volunteer translator, and 13 girls (the group). I stayed on the beach with several of the girls to watch our stuff, but was keeping an eye on the group members in the water. None of the swimmers were more than waist deep in the ocean, but a huge wave knocked 7 or 8 of them over and the undertow pulled them out to the breakers. They could not get their footing and the waves kept pounding them. All but 4 people were able to get out on their own - they were worn out from fighting for air, but were okay in a matter of minutes. 3 of them had to be rescued by lifeguards - they both told me later that they truly thought they were going to die. Thanks be to God, at the moment that they were not able to fight the water anymore, the lifeguards reached them! All of them were shaken up badly and one of them was hyperventilating and had swallowed a lot of sea water. She (Sarah) ended up going to a nearby clinic and then to a hospital in San Salvador for over 24 hrs. Back to the story: Once I had all the girls out of the ocean, I had a moment of relief right before I realized that Stephen was missing. We looked up and saw his head WAY out past the big breaker waves. (At this point, he had been struggling on his own for about 10 minutes). Thankfully, lifeguards were already close to him. When they reached him, he had just about given up. Because of the current and waves, they had to stay out there for another 20 minutes holding him up, until finally a boat made it out to them. When they got him to shore he was out of it. He threw up a couple times. He was talking to me, but was still out of it a little. Within a minute, the guys who rescued him placed him in the back of a police pick-up truck to take him to the clinic. I had to make a split second decision to go with him and leave the group in the hands of the volunteer (who had also been stuck in the waves). (I'll add that while all this was taking place, about 200 Salvadorans were crowded around our group, making things more nerve-racking...). To speed up the rest of the story: We got to the clinic, the police went back to get Sarah, brought her to the clinic as well. I had been in communication with Tony, Ness, and Elijah during this whole time, so I had Ness, Anna, and Vlady already on their way to help. Ness and Anna went straight to take charge of the girls left at the beach. Vlady came to the clinic. The doctors at the clinic told me we HAD to get the 2 of them to a hospital, so they put Sarah in an ambulance and I left with her, then Vlady followed in another with Stephen. (Speed up again...) Sarah was held Sunday night and all day Monday for observation mostly (she was dehydrated and extremely exhausted). Stephen was in the hospital until the following Saturday (6 days) mostly for the doctors to monitor his creatinin (don't know how to spell that...) levels in his kidneys and, because he had a lot of water in his lungs, they were monitoring his oxygen saturation levels as well.

That's the story in a large nutshell. I'm so thankful that everyone is okay and thankful, thankful, so thankful for the Wired team that jumped up at my first cry for help and came to the rescue. There's no doubt that God was orchestrating all of what happened on Sunday!

More Pictures from El Salvador!

More pics for your viewing pleasure!

We spent a day at Tia Ana's house (one of my favorite things to do) with the Crown College/ Simpson University group. I was trying to make Bruno laugh ...

Liz and Sam are back!!! Along with Anna - all interns from previous years! We are so blessed to have the three of them and now we've added Stephen, Jennifer, Rebecca, and Daniel as our new interns. Each of them are here for 3 weeks to 1 year! 

The group from Crown and Simpson helped with VBS at several different churches and schools during their almost 3 week stay.

All thirteen girls (Crown and Simpson)

Camilo and Edwin - my volcano-hiking buddies/bodyguards

Right after the Crown/Simpson group, a group from Missoula Alliance  (one of Envision Wired's most-involved partners in the States) came to help with an evangelism campaign. Many people came to the Lord! This pic is from a visit to a university, where over 50 students had the opportunity to hear the Gospel.

Streams in the Desert, April 15th

I trust in your word. (Psalm 119:42)

The strength of our faith is in direct proportion to our level of belief that God will do exactly what He has promised. Faith has nothing to do with feelings, impressions, outward appearances, nor the probability or improbability of an event. If we try to couple these things with faith, we are no longer resting on the couple these things with faith, we are no longer resting on the Word of God, because faith is not dependent on them. Faith rests on the pure Word of god alone. And when we take Him at His Word, our hearts are at peace.

God delights in causing us to exercise our faith. He does so to bless us individually, to bless the church at large, and as a witness to unbelievers. Yet we tend to retreat from the exercising of our faith instead of welcoming it. When trials come, our response should be, "My heavenly Father has placed this cup of trials into my hands so I may later have something pleasant."

Trials are the food of faith. Oh, may we leave ourselves in the hands of our heavenly Father! It is the joy of His heart to do good to all His children. Yet trials and difficulties are not the only way faith is exercised and thereby increased. Reading the Scriptures also acquaints us with God as He has revealed Himself in them.

Are you able to genuinely say, from your knowledge of God and your relationship with Him, that He is indeed a beautiful Being? If not, let me graciously encourage you to ask God to take you to that point, so you will fully appreciate His gentleness and kindness, so you will be able to say just how good He is and so you will know what  a delight it is to God's heart to do good for His children.

The closer we come to this point in our inner being, the more willing we are to leave ourselves in His hands and the more satisfied we are with all of His dealings with u s. Then when trials come, we will say, "I will patiently wait to see the good God will do in my life, with the calm assurance He will do it."

In this way, we will bear a worthy testimony to the world and thereby strengthen the lives of others.

Picture Time - March 2013

At the end of February, Sharla, Nate, and I ran a 1/4 marathon (13km) with a few hundred other Salvadorans! It was a blast, I mean, sure I was tired at the end, but these two friends made the experience a fun one! AND I got to check "Run a race in El Salvador" off my bucket list. :) (In case you're wondering, every participant received a medal; we didn't win or anything...)

We were super blessed to have Richard and Jen and also Matt Peace (from the C&MA National Office) come for a week at the beginning of March. This visit was to help make the decision about when the Mullinax family will return this summer. It was so wonderful to have them here and spend time together again. Can't wait for them to get back!

Some exciting news is that our Nathan Hare is getting married! The news that goes with that is that Nate is no longer with us at Wired. He has returned to the States for the time being, preparing for his marriage to Meghan. We are so excited for them both... We miss Nate, but we rejoice with him!

Wired went into Guatemala for the FIRST time this past month! A veteran team from Gospel Alliance Church + 3 men from NC served with us at a C&MA church in Cuilapa doing construction and evangelism.

Guatemala is a beautiful country!

Our caravan on the way to Guatemala, including a police escort (for security)!

I couldn't resist adding a couple of the flower pictures - Pastor Joel's house  (where the ladies stayed) had a beautiful garden just spilling over with flores.

Have you ever seen a poinsettia tree??

One of the most loving women I have ever met - Mama Gretel. She is Pastor Joel's wife. She served us humbly and self-lessly for the entire week. 

Training for CPE (evangelism) appointments!

The menfolk worked hard on building cinder block walls in the church building (you can see their work on the 2nd level). 

The ladies painted in the pastor's house every morning and, in the afternoons, went out to into the community to share the Good News of Jesus.

Yes - I am learning how to play the guitar. I was able to play for our morning worship for the first time!

Overlooking the city of Cuilapa, Guatemala

God blessed this evangelism campaign, allowing us to go into over 30 homes and share the gospel. Many people came to know the Lord! This was the first CPE that I really got to be a part of - what a blessing.

This whole family accepted Christ!

The Guatemalan team! They tore it up!! Each of these people blessed me more than I can say. 

These beautiful girls help their mom make and sell tortillas all day long. We loved getting to know them and sharing time with them.

Nestor, Mama Gretel, and her daughter Michi. 

My family came to visit! Oh my goodness, my heart was overflowing to have them here and have my two world's meet! My mom, dad, and my sister, Caroline, came for the whole week of Semana Santa! 

I wanted to throw in this last photo of my reunion with a family that I met in Salcoatitan  in 2011 with my short-term team from ABF. This woman accepted Christ during the evangelism campaign we helped with and her twins were part of the VBS. 

Today's "Stream in the Desert"

February 9th devotion from L.B. Cowman's Streams in the Desert:

"Jesus did not answer a word." (Matthew 15:23)

"He will quiet you with His love." (Zephaniah 3:17)

Are you reading these verses as a child of God who is experiencing a crushing sorrow, a bitter disappointment, or a heartbreaking blow from a totally unexpected place? Are you longing to hear you Master's voice calling you, saying, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid" (Matt. 14:27)? Yet only silence, the unknown, and misery confront you - "Jesus did not answer a word."

God's tender heart must often ache listening to our sad, complaining cries. Our weak, impatient hearts cry out because we fail to see through our tear=blinded, shortsighted eyes that it is for our own sakes that He does not answer at all or that He does not answer at all or that He answers in a way we believe is less than the best. In fact, the silences of Jesus are as eloquent as His words and may be a sign not of His disapporval but of His approval and His way of providing a deeper blessing for you.

"Why are you downcast, O my soul?... I will yet praise him: (Ps. 43:5). Yes, praise Him even for His silence. Let me relate a beautiful old story of how one Christian dreamed she saw three other women in prayer. 

When they knelt the Master drew near to them. As He approached the first of the three, He bent over her with tenderness and grace. He smiled with radiant love and spoke to her in tones of pure, sweet music. Upon leaving her, He came to the next but only placed His hand upon her bowed head and gave her one look of approval. He passed the third woman almost abruptly, without stopping for a word or a glance.

The woman having the dream said to herself, "How greatly He must love the first woman. The second gained His approval but did not experience the special demonstrations of love He gave the first. But the third woman must have grieved Him deeply for He gave her no word at all, nor even a passing look."

She wondered what the third woman must have done to have been treated so differently. As she tried to account for the actions of her Lord, He Himself came and stood beside her. He said to her, "O woman! How wrongly you have interpreted Me! The first kneeling woman needs the full measure of My tenderness and care to keep her feet on My narrow way. She needs My love, thoughts, and help every moment of the day for without them she would stumble into failure.

"The second woman has stronger faith and deeper love than the first, and I can count on her to trust Me no matter how things may go or whatever people may do. Yet the third woman, whom I seemed not to notice, and even to neglect, has faith and love of the purest quality. I am training her through quick and drastic ways for the highest and holiest service. 

"She knows Me so intimately, and trusts Me so completely, that she no longer depends on My voice, loving glances, or other outward signs to know of My approval. She is not dismayed or discouraged by any circumstances I arrange for her to encounter. She trusts Me when common sense, reason, and even every subtle instinct of the natural heart would rebel, knowing that I am preparing her for eternity, and realizing that the understanding of what I do will come later. 

"My love is silent because I love beyond the power of words to express it and beyond the understanding of the human heart. Also, it is silent for your sakes - that you may learn to love and trust Me with pure, Spirit-taught, spontaneous responses. I desire for your response to My love to be without the prompting of anything external."

He "will do wonders never before done" (Ex. 34:10) if you will learn the mystery of His silence and praise Him every time He withdraws His gifts from you. Through this you will better know and love the Giver.

Pupusas!

Last week, Elijah, Sharla, and I were invited to our friend Vianka's house to learn the art of pupusa making. It was very fun and hilarious experience (as is everything with Elijah and Sharla!) and it was an honor to be invited into a Salvadoran home to share a meal. Enjoy the pictures!

Our teacher, Vianka, about to demonstrate how to make pupusa masa (dough).

Pupusa masa is made from either rice or corn flour (or both) and water. You have to mix it with your hands to make sure the texture is right.

Here you can see the salsa and slaw (the salvadoran name eludes me right now...) that goes on top.

Cooking pupusas on a traditional comal. In all the pupuserias, they use huge griddles or planchas, but the taste is different and better when they're cooked on this pottery.

Sharla is becoming a master pupusa maker. :)

Elijah, Sharla, and Vianka

Success! They were delicious!

 

Back home

        Tuesday night I returned to my home from my home. :) I had a wonderful visit with my family, my friends, and my church family at Alliance Bible Fellowship in Boone, NC. I was given several opportunities to share about serving and life at Envision Wired and in El Salvador, the work being done here, what God has done in me, and about Broken (if you're reading this and don't know what Broken is about, check out the website: www.brokencampaign.com or on facebook). God richly blessed the time back home and He even answered my prayers for snow - on a couple different occasions!

The Lonas family Christmas picture (yes, we are all wearing long underwear...)

My dad, my brother, Justin, and my niece, Canaan, and I went for a hike in the snow!

Speaking about Broken at First Alliance Church in Franklin, NC.

     Upon arriving at the airport, I was greeted by Vladi who came to pick me up. Then, as we were pulling out of the parking lot, three people (who I later recognized as Nestor, Sharla, and Elijah) came running out of the bushes to greet me! It is so good to be back and be reunited with the people who have become incredibly dear to me. At Wired right now we have jumped into the new year, thankful for what God did last year and we are greatly anticipating what God has in store for the coming one! 

Please pray for:
- my transition back into life here and into language study
- the coming year for Wired and the short-term groups coming down to serve, beginning in Feb.
- Broken: funding (we have almost raised the $30,000 for our first payment on January 30th), and the lives that are and will be touched by it
- a site associate. Currently the only full-time missionary for Envision is the Mullinax family. Join me in praying for another family/couple/single person to come serve in El Salvador.

Thank you all! Happy New Year!

Con mucho amor,
Melissa