What happens when a hurricane hits the U.S.?
Telethons. Thousands donated.
FEMA. Thousands housed.
Hospitals. Thousands healed.
Insurance. Thousands rebuild.
What happens when a hurricane hits a house made of mud?
When earth by the ton gives way and slides through a neighborhood?
When beds, clothes, and families are swallowed up by flood waters and mud?
What happens when all this happens in a small village in the smallest nation in Central America? With almost no government resources? Without insurance and a hospital nearby or a car to visit it? What happens then?
The Church happens.
We drove and drove today to Santa Maria Ostuma, a small village where Compassion International cares for about 200 children through one Compassion project.
I wish Compassion International didn’t use the word “project” so often. I prefer the word “church.” Every Compassion project around the world is a local church. Compassion ministers to children and their families through churches because churches know and are trusted by their neighbors, they’re everywhere, and only churches – only Jesus – can meet both physical and spiritual needs. Compassion is about equipping churches to do just that.
Never has that kind of dual care been more needed than it was today in Santa Maria. Santa Maria’s residents grow their own fruits and vegetables and raise their own animals to eat. When hurricane Ida ripped through the country a few days ago, it’s estimated that 90% of crops were wiped out and almost every animal drowned in Santa Maria. The people now have no source of income, no food, and no transportation to visit a market in the big city. To make matters worse, every resident is without water and electricity too.
When we arrived at the project church this afternoon, dozens of families were waiting to receive bags of food and water. Before caring for their bodies, however, Israel, the pastor of the Compassion church asked if he could feed their spirits first. He read from Hebrews 13.
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence,
“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?”
Then he told them that a life built on the rock of Jesus cannot be shaken no matter what floods come. And all the people said “Amen.”
Then we held each other as Israel prayed for God’s help to come. And it did.
Families formed a line and, one by one, received God’s help: clean water and groceries and prayer.
“I am without hope,” Rosa told me in Spanish, her arms full of groceries. “Please pray for us. God is our only way. Pray for me now, please. Please pray for me!”
We cried together, two strangers turned into family. We pleaded with God to rescue her from hunger and homelessness. We asked God to provide all that she needs. We begged him to show Himself. We asked Him to resurrect Santa Maria with the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. We thanked Him for food and water and for the church. And we asked Him to make every one of you compassionate.
Yes, we prayed for you.
What happens when thousands of blog readers give? Rosa’s prayers get answered.
Visit http://compassion.com/ESflood to give Santa Maria and the rest of El Salvador the life they are praying for. Your money will allow local churches all over the nation to rebuild homes and hearts in Jesus’ name.
[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/7614254[/vimeo]
Lindsey says:
I’m going to post a link to this post in my blog, hope you don’t mind.
A special place in my heart is in El Salvador, with my sponsored child. I will be giving in the name of Jesus to help.
dean says:
got the email from Compassion yesterday concerning this, but it contained no link to the fund. thanks for posting this, shaun. we just sponsored a girl in el salvador (thanks to @whittakerwoman), so this takes on a whole new urgency for us now….
Jerry Walker says:
Awesome video – you’re becoming quited the filmmaker. Reminds me of our bus rides through Ecuador.
Is that music Explosions in the Sky?
Our church is having a concert raising money for Compassion & the Nashville Rescue Mission as part of Advent Conspiracy. Sorry you can’t make it.
God Bless & Stay Safe.
Jerry
Jen~Beautiful Mess says:
I love your take on the “project” term versus church! I think Compassion should take that suggestion into consideration.
Thank you for enlightening me because “now I have seen” so I am responsible.
If you are reading…you too are responsible…
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. James 2:17
God bless!
Becky says:
Great post. Again.
Thanks, Shaun.
Jason says:
You just keep leaving me stunned in awe. Thanks Shaun.
Sherri says:
I will also post this on my Facebook wall to raise awareness of what is taking place in the country where I sponsor Jennifer.
Shanan says:
I’ve been to El Salvador recently and fell in love with this country and its people. I am so glad that compassion is there to help. These are some of the hardest working happy people I have ever met. They deserve our love and prayers.
Sarah says:
Wow. What an honest and vulnerable post that really gets to the heart of the matter. They say “a picture’s worth a thousand words”…you’ve posted several images, worth a million each. Thanks, Shaun.
Win says:
I was in El Salvador at Santa Maria Ostuma just two weeks ago with a Compassion Sponsor tour. We spent two days in this town. I spent time with the people in this video, carried water with Isabel, played with the children, ate with them. They didn’t have much when we were there….and now they have even less.
I have been waiting for news from El Salvador after hearing about the flooding and I continue to pray for these precious people.
Aaron Armstrong says:
“The Church happens.”
Amen. Great post, Shaun. Really needed to read this today.
Angie Baker says:
Great update on how things are going in El Salvador Shaun. Israel sounds like a beautiful strong man of God which is great for the people of El Salvador to have. I also have a Sponsor child in El Salvador so I appreciated being able to get on the ground knowledge of how things are going
Jenny says:
Just wanted to let you know that you have inspired me. This whole blogging trip has inspired me beyond words and I am searching my heart for what it all means. In the meantime, I just made a donation, because of the incredible work you all are doing down there, in HIS name. It is glorious and amazing and so inspiring (I know, I said that already). Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that what you are doing is making a HUGE difference for so many!
Kaye says:
Thanks for sharing a ‘from the heart’ message. Your entire team has inspired me to help these beautiful people. The pure joy they show in spite of their circumstances amazes me beyond words. Thanks also for sharing the message conveyed by their Pastor.
Praying for all of you to have a safe trip home. May you be richly blessed for blessing so many others.
Blessings, prayers and peace of mind,
Kaye
Revelation 21:5
Michelle Cohenour says:
Thank you Shaun for caring for the people of Santa Maria and being the hands and feet of Jesus there today. From the words that you shared, it is evident that God’s hope, mercy and grace were with his people there today sustaining them. Thanks for posting the link on how we can all show God’s love through providing funds to meet their physical needs at this time.
Joy says:
Like Win I was at this project just 2 weeks ago. It was good to see the Pastor and his wife radiant in the knowledge that God and Compassion cares.
They say that a Compassion trip changes your life – yes it did but not so much as seeing these people I met and the utter destruction of their land and homes. My prayer life will never be the same either.
Thank you Shaun for sending this.
Joy
Stretch Mark Mama says:
Makes me wonder (yet again) what it means to be a relevant church (sorry for the buzz word) in the USA. You are right — gov’t organizations, businesses, and non-profits do much of this social / relief work here in the states.
I spend far too much time thinking about these kinds of things, and have very few answers. ‘Bout the only thing I’ve come up with is that in the USA ‘the church’ is not so useful as an institution (talking in generalities, here) — but individual Christians are. One person befriending another person and meeting specific needs.
I say this as someone who lives in a region where 90% (probably more) of the people are highly skeptical and distrusting of ‘the church.’ (Including me. *smile*)
Regardless, it’s refreshing to see that there are parts of the world that do still respond to and trust the work of the church. Great pics.
Bernadette Kulik says:
In regards to the word “project” being replaced by “church”, I’d like to point out that when my husband I travelled through Africa to visit our sponsored children – we noticed that many hands went into the development of our children. These included the schools, health clinics, individual community volunteers (some not Christian) who cooked and prepared meals, training, etc. The word “project” covers all the various individuals and organizations involved in “releasing children from poverty”. I myself am very glad that Compassion uses the word “project”.