When God Calls You Back Home...

So, the beginning of the month was not the most fun as I somehow contracted a mosquito-carrying virus called Chikungunya (yes I know, I laughed as well the first time I heard of it). Its symptoms are very similar to Dengue, meaning it was miserable. I was "lucky" enough to have it last for an entire week...extreme headache, body and joint aching all over, fever, loss of appetite, and the last two days a minor rash followed by some itching. My mom has always told me that sometimes God allows us to get sick so that we are forced to slow down and take a rest... well I definitely rested as I stayed in my bed for a week straight and did absolutely nothing. Not my idea of fun, but the Lord knows what He is doing and allowed me to be healed without any problems! I now feel like an official Salvadorian since I too got the virus amongst so many others here. Thankfully this has been the only time that I've really been sick since I first moved down here.

Thankfully I healed up in time as we received our last individual-team missionary for the year. Austin served with us for 2 weeks and is considering doing long term mission work with his family. We were able to show him all our different ministries and even spend 3 days at the Island community we work with. The island was for sure one of the highlights for me personally as we visited a few families, shared the love and hope that is in Jesus, and gifted them with Bibles. It's such a blessing when people come to serve here in ES as it opens so many more doors for us to do ministry with the local people. Receiving foreign missionaries, especially from the US has such a huge impact on the Salvadorian people...I highly encourage you to consider and pray about doing a mission trip out of the country sometime in the future. I promise you will not regret it and can guarantee you will be just as blessed as those who you can help and serve.

Our volleyball girls are getting better and more competitive in the sport with each practice. It's so rewarding as a coach to finally see the girls come full circle and "get the hang" of how volleyball is really played. However I am even more proud when I see the girls memorizing bible verses, knowing the Bible better, and remembering the values we teach and trying to put them into practice. They are only 10/11 years old, but are certainly growing into more mature girls. Thanks to a generous donation by a good family friend, we will be able to put on another all-nighter/sleepover for the girls at the end of October. They must help do a community trash clean-up and be consistent at practice in order to attend...but it's going to be a great time and I'm excited to share the pictures with you all!

Thanks for hanging in this far...I have one more big announcement that has been on my heart that I want to share with you all. After months and months of praying and seeking God's counsel I feel that the Lord is leading me to a pretty big change as I approach my 1 year mark of living/serving here in El Salvador. God has been giving me lots of peace and more clarity about the decision to move back home at the end of the year. It has been a tough thing for me as I really want to stay and serve here for longer, but I do feel that God is saying it's time to return Stateside after my year here. So, this November will be my last month serving in El Salvador as a missionary with Christ For the City. I am sad to say good-bye and leave this amazing country that I've fallen in love with even more, but once you hear God's voice calling you, you've just got to obey it. Moving back home is actually a bigger leap of faith for me than it was to move down here since I am not entirely sure what God specifically has for me as I move back. However, I know that God has good plans in store and will reveal them in His perfect timing as He always has! Words cannot even begin to describe my experience as a missionary here, and I will try to speak more on the subject as the time draws near. For now, I just ask for you prayers in God's continued peace and guidance in respect to this decision and what is the next step for me. I thank you so much for being on this journey with me and pray that together we can finish strong!

For those of you who support me financially, I kindly ask that you would continue your support at least throughout November as I finish out my time here and transition back to the States and start a new chapter there. However, just because I may not be on the mission field here in this capacity, there are still so many wonderful local missionaries and ministries that need your help. I highly highly encourage you to get in touch with me if you feel like you still would love to continue supporting a ministry or missionary with Christ For the City-El Salvador. There is a lot of need here and your support can make a huge difference, just like it has in my life!

As I always say, there is no way I could do any of this without you and am eternally grateful! I look forward to keeping you updated in the months to come and continue sharing with you the wonderful things that God is doing. You are a blessing to me and to the people of El Salvador.

Thank you and much love,

Lauren :)

Family Time in the Month of August

Friends and Family,

It's good to connect with you and share all the fun blessings that God has given during August. I hope each and every one of you have had a wonderful Summer as well.

As I mentioned in my last post, my parents were able to visit me here in El Salvador for the first time! Aaannnddd...they were able to celebrate my 25th birthday with me. It was such a blessing for me to have my parents see with their own eyes where I live, who I work with,  and what I do on a daily basis. Although it was much too short, I'm so grateful for the time God allowed them to be here with me. My parents enjoyed their visit so much that we were able to spontaneously send down my youngest brother, Thomas, the week after they left. Thomas also loves the Hispanic culture and it was his first time here in a country like El Salvador. We also had a great time and I enjoyed having him here with me. Having some of my family here was a much needed breath of fresh air after the non-stop months of June and July with the teams we received. Thank God for family and being able to enjoy their presence.

Since we didn't receive any teams the month of August, my schedule has been more relaxed and allowed me to spend that time with my family. However, volleyball has still be in full swing and we are loving it! It's been really cool to hear that the girls are more frequently asking to play other teams and making it their goal to actually have a real competition. Although our sweet little 10/11 years old are not ready for that yet, it excites me that they are growing a passion for the sport and want to be more competitive (a quality that is not often seen in girls here when it comes to sports). Most importantly Becky and I have continued to be very intentional about our faith in God and how it is the best decision they could make for their lives, through the means of our devotionals and value teachings.

The country of El Salvador itself has honestly been in pretty bad shape. It saddens me to hear of the daily killings that occur. It is all gang related but even mistakes are made and innocent people who are mistaken for someone else or family members and people associated with the gangs also suffer the consequences. I personally don't feel scared or at risk, but am taking every  precaution I can and try to be as wise as possible. The simple fact that I am American and am a missionary does put a huge safeguard around me, but I also know and can feel that the power of prayer is strongly at work around me. It truly amazes me how God has protected me everywhere I go. The places where I work at are not good places, but praise be to the Lord who covers and cares for His children who aim to walk in His ways. I do not for a minute take for granted God's Holy Spirit protecting me through the means of prayer. Thank you for praying for me, but I ask of you to be in constant prayer for this country. People need to hear of God's amazing love to be changed by it and to find hope that only He can give. Please join me in interceding for the people of El Salvador and that God may bring peace to His sons and daughters here.

On a more lighter note, I was again gifted with the opportunity to come back to Ohio for a short time to attend a good family friends wedding and go on vacation to Tennessee with my family. This time I was able to be with my entire family and be able to relax back in the States. I love El Salvador more than I can express, but it's so nice to be back home where I can really be at ease and enjoy being around my family. I wish I could have visited with many of you, but it's really tough when I'm only back home for a short period.

I will wrap up my update for now and wish all of you blessings and a great start to this fall season! Thanks for all you do and who you are. Couldn't be where I am without each and every one of you!


God bless,
Lauren :)