Mission Statement
El Salvador 2014
Caleb & Della
El Salvador 2014
Caleb & Della
Visions of
Working in El Salvador
Della and I will work as members of a team supporting and growing the Kingdom of God by planting congregations through local outreach. We are committed to stay in El Salvador for at least three years. We are called to El Salvador because of the exciting growth of the Kingdom and opportunities to share God’s plan of salvation with the lost. We also see a chance to work with believers to train them to be leaders, to be active in outreach, and have strong marriages.
Reasons for going to El Salvador
On our visits to El Salvador over the last three years we have seen a great response to the Word of God. Thirty-two people were baptized into Christ between February and July of this year. When studying the bible in people’s homes we observed sincere concern and attentiveness. To serve and promote the growth of the Kingdom where there is such fertile soil for planting God’s Word makes us long to be there. In contrast, going door to door here is the U.S. has an average yield of 1 bible study out of every 500 homes visited.
Della and I will work as members of a team supporting and growing the Kingdom of God by planting congregations through local outreach. We are committed to stay in El Salvador for at least three years. We are called to El Salvador because of the exciting growth of the Kingdom and opportunities to share God’s plan of salvation with the lost. We also see a chance to work with believers to train them to be leaders, to be active in outreach, and have strong marriages.
Reasons for going to El Salvador
On our visits to El Salvador over the last three years we have seen a great response to the Word of God. Thirty-two people were baptized into Christ between February and July of this year. When studying the bible in people’s homes we observed sincere concern and attentiveness. To serve and promote the growth of the Kingdom where there is such fertile soil for planting God’s Word makes us long to be there. In contrast, going door to door here is the U.S. has an average yield of 1 bible study out of every 500 homes visited.
In El Salvador, the majority of the population maintains a
standard of living that challenges us. We are often wasteful and excessive with
money. In El Salvador we saw people living humbly and frugally. Over the past
two years we have struggled shift away from materialism and we believe moving
to El Salvador will greatly help us in this battle. For these reasons and more,
we also believe that El Salvador is a more suitable place to raise a family. We
have experienced firsthand the need for spiritual and physical relief and our
hearts are filled with compassion for the people of El Salvador.
On our visits to El Salvador we have had the opportunity to
work with the same members of the body as well as meet new members. We consider
our fellow brothers and sisters in El Salvador dear friends and we want to
continue to build these relationships.
Preparations for El Salvador
Our target date for arriving in El Salvador is March 2014. Between now and then we plan to complete our schooling and gain a better understanding for the process involved to acquire visas. Currently, I am working full time and taking the last two classes required for completing a M.S in computer science and Della is taking the last two classes required for completing a B.S in Spanish with a minor in art. Della is teaching Spanish to a homeschool group and taking an online course for teaching English as a second language.
Our house sold in May of 2012 and we have since downsized to a small apartment. We have had several yard sales and donations to local thrift stores. We also had several pets that we found new homes for. Once in El Salvador we plan start at Concepcion De Ataco. We plan to reside in the community and have a standard of living that is not extravagant allowing us to invite our neighbors into our homes. We will encourage small group devotionals and fellowship in our home. We also hope to have some funds available in the budget to afford feeding our guests from time to time. The outreach will include frequently visiting the homes in the community of believers and nonbelievers alike for personal bible studies.
Preparations for El Salvador
Our target date for arriving in El Salvador is March 2014. Between now and then we plan to complete our schooling and gain a better understanding for the process involved to acquire visas. Currently, I am working full time and taking the last two classes required for completing a M.S in computer science and Della is taking the last two classes required for completing a B.S in Spanish with a minor in art. Della is teaching Spanish to a homeschool group and taking an online course for teaching English as a second language.
Our house sold in May of 2012 and we have since downsized to a small apartment. We have had several yard sales and donations to local thrift stores. We also had several pets that we found new homes for. Once in El Salvador we plan start at Concepcion De Ataco. We plan to reside in the community and have a standard of living that is not extravagant allowing us to invite our neighbors into our homes. We will encourage small group devotionals and fellowship in our home. We also hope to have some funds available in the budget to afford feeding our guests from time to time. The outreach will include frequently visiting the homes in the community of believers and nonbelievers alike for personal bible studies.
After visiting El Salvador over the past three years we have
developed close relationships with the local congregations and laid ground work
by being involved in door to door bible studies. Living in El Salvador will
grant us the opportunity to strengthen these relationships and follow up with
the contacts made in the bible studies.
Team
The team for mission El Salvador includes; Della and I, Hector and Rachael Cortez and their four children, and Dwaine and Charlotte Simmons. The Cortez family will arrive on February 12th followed by us in March and Dwaine and Charlotte in September of 2014. The Cortez family has worked in Costa Rica for five years planting congregations. Hector was born in El Salvador. Dwaine and Charlotte were missionaries in Brazil and China for three years each. We are excited to work with this team that God has brought together who all have a passion for serving in El Salvador.
The team for mission El Salvador includes; Della and I, Hector and Rachael Cortez and their four children, and Dwaine and Charlotte Simmons. The Cortez family will arrive on February 12th followed by us in March and Dwaine and Charlotte in September of 2014. The Cortez family has worked in Costa Rica for five years planting congregations. Hector was born in El Salvador. Dwaine and Charlotte were missionaries in Brazil and China for three years each. We are excited to work with this team that God has brought together who all have a passion for serving in El Salvador.
Timeline
and Daily Activities
For the first three to six months I will be focused primarily on learning Spanish and securing visas. During this time we will be primarily building relationships and reputations within the church. Outreach is difficult with me not knowing Spanish, therefore learning Spanish is his goal for this time. I will learn Spanish by emersion, studying with tutors, and working through the text books Della got from college. I am currently starting a Spanish class that meets two hours a week at the First Baptist church.
For the first three to six months I will be focused primarily on learning Spanish and securing visas. During this time we will be primarily building relationships and reputations within the church. Outreach is difficult with me not knowing Spanish, therefore learning Spanish is his goal for this time. I will learn Spanish by emersion, studying with tutors, and working through the text books Della got from college. I am currently starting a Spanish class that meets two hours a week at the First Baptist church.
The plan is to work in planting a church in Shucutitan and
maturing the Ataco for the first six months. Once the members there are ready
for us to move on we plan to spend the rest of the first three years planting a
church in Apaneca. At some point during this time we expect to move our
residence from Ataco to Apaneca to be closer to the community that we are planting
the church in. Hector has surveyed five cities for which he hopes to plant a
congregation in each over the next fifteen years.
We expect to be preaching in congregations, youth groups, and
small groups about five times a week. We plan to be in homes having bible
studies and going door to door for six hours a day three days a week. After
having been there for four months we hope to not be dependent on translators so
can focus more time on outreach.
Short Term
Missions
Many people have been to El Salvador for short term missions over the past three years. The Church of Christ in Dalton, Signal Mountain, Cullman, and Huntsville has all sent teams. Having a full time missionary sent from the U.S. in El Salvador will improve communication while planning and effectiveness on the ground. We expect that these churches and more will continue to be involved so we want to help make the future short term missions even more successful. These visits from the U.S. are another reason we want to be in El Salvador. John and Jordan Gibbs are already planning and budgeting to join us for three months in 2015.
Many people have been to El Salvador for short term missions over the past three years. The Church of Christ in Dalton, Signal Mountain, Cullman, and Huntsville has all sent teams. Having a full time missionary sent from the U.S. in El Salvador will improve communication while planning and effectiveness on the ground. We expect that these churches and more will continue to be involved so we want to help make the future short term missions even more successful. These visits from the U.S. are another reason we want to be in El Salvador. John and Jordan Gibbs are already planning and budgeting to join us for three months in 2015.
Personal
Roles and Strengths
Della plans to use her experiences in sewing and her minor in art to have gatherings with the ladies developing those talents and building relationships. Della is currently at a conversational level with her Spanish. Della plans to leverage her communicational skills to fellowship with the women and help me learn Spanish. Della has already started corresponding with a sister in Ataco to plan and teach a ladies devotional group when we arrive.
Della plans to use her experiences in sewing and her minor in art to have gatherings with the ladies developing those talents and building relationships. Della is currently at a conversational level with her Spanish. Della plans to leverage her communicational skills to fellowship with the women and help me learn Spanish. Della has already started corresponding with a sister in Ataco to plan and teach a ladies devotional group when we arrive.
I have been involved in many teaching ventures at Central. I
co-taught teens for 4 months, the 6th graders for 2 years, and
co-taught Wednesday night adult classes. I am currently leading a study group
teaching lessons and facilitating communication in the group that meets weekly.
I plan to continue this commitment to teaching in El Salvador. I will also be
looking for opportunities to teach Computer Science subjects such as
programming.
Drawing on
our experiences for El Salvador
Together, Della and I have learned a lot through receiving marriage counseling and attending marriage seminars. We have witnessed many successful marriages that have greatly influenced ours. We see great value in having and building strong marriages in the church. We will be searching for opportunities to share and relate the lessons that God has taught us in our marriage through counseling others. In particular, the Love & Respect conference by Emerson Eggerichs has helped ours and many marriages at Central and is therefore something that we would love to relate to the families in El Salvador.
I have had several opportunities to learn leadership skills which can be applied to help develop the leadership in El Salvador. While in Boy Scouts I served as assistant senior patrol leader for a troop of 60 and patrol leader several times for groups of 10 to 12. While working at Dynetics I have had the opportunity to lead development for several successful projects. These experiences are applicable to leadership development in the body of Christ and the lessons I learned will be used to grow the leadership in El Salvador.
Together, Della and I have learned a lot through receiving marriage counseling and attending marriage seminars. We have witnessed many successful marriages that have greatly influenced ours. We see great value in having and building strong marriages in the church. We will be searching for opportunities to share and relate the lessons that God has taught us in our marriage through counseling others. In particular, the Love & Respect conference by Emerson Eggerichs has helped ours and many marriages at Central and is therefore something that we would love to relate to the families in El Salvador.
I have had several opportunities to learn leadership skills which can be applied to help develop the leadership in El Salvador. While in Boy Scouts I served as assistant senior patrol leader for a troop of 60 and patrol leader several times for groups of 10 to 12. While working at Dynetics I have had the opportunity to lead development for several successful projects. These experiences are applicable to leadership development in the body of Christ and the lessons I learned will be used to grow the leadership in El Salvador.
Della and I have had some experiences on the mission field. As
a child, I spent three years in Macau China watching my parents working with a
team with an English teaching school and having bible studies. Into adulthood,
Della and I have separately worked in Guyana and Ecuador. Della has
additionally been to Costa Rica and Peru. Together we have been to Haiti, El
Salvador, and Ireland. We hope that the lessons we have learned with these
experiences will have helped prepare us for full time work in El Salvador. Even
with these experiences, we eagerly anticipate the growth opportunities that we
will encounter working in El Salvador.
No comments:
Post a Comment