ENLACE el salvador - picture gallery - Shared Blessings in La Estancia

picture gallery > Shared Blessings in La Estancia (11)

“We all thought we would be coming to change peoples lives, but in reality it was quite the opposite, they changed our lives and gave us an experience we will never forget”-Justine Phillips. Service, prayer, faith, were some of the lessons each member of the team could learn during their first mission trip to El Salvador in La Estancia. Despite the fierce heat, every team member did their best to join the church in building a health clinic that will serve around 2000 families, and bringing transformation to an entire community. The strong relationships created during the week impacted the team as well as the community involved in the construction. As Justine said, their lives and the community will never be the same.

Sifting Sand

Zuleyma, ENLACE’s doctor for the San Miguel Region, and Judy Hamilton work hard sifting sand. The sifted sand is used when preparing the “mix” which locals call “mezcla”. This “mix” consists of sand, cement and water and is used to stick the bricks together.
God’s Healing Presence on Earth

As Christians, we are asked to be God’s hands and feet in the world, ministering to the least of these with love. The team exemplified this working hard despite the fierce heat and language barriers. Nevertheless, they built relationships with the church and community members all week. The kids will never forget Perry Hamiltons thumb trick, or playing tag virtually non-stop. The church and community members expressed that they will miss their fellow Americansand can't wait for the day they’ll see them again.
The Cool Down

Mom(Wendy Lynch) cools down son(James Lynch) during their break from work.
Comfort Anywhere.

Team members left to right: Judy Hamilton, Ken Bates, Jason Shaffer and Melissa Henry seek some shade and respite after a hard day of work. Jason and Ken demonstrate that comfort can even be found in 100°F weather and 50% humidity, while sitting on wheelbarrows. Of course, it helps to be fanned by giant banana leaves!
Creative Problem Solving

Community members like Pablo Tapia cleverly solve problems that come with the lack of adequate tools. Approaching development from an asset-based perspective is what ENLACE is all about!
Home Visits

Melissa Henry and the team provide a bag of food to one of the poorest families in the community. Families such as this are identified by the church ahead of time. Home visits from short-term teams provide a huge boost to the church’s ability to minister to their own neighbors.
The Future of La Estancia

The presence of a local clinic is one of the key ways in which a new generation is given hope and promise in rural El Salvador. Without proper health care, the quality of life drops considerably.
The Pupusa Making Master

Magin Fitzgerald mastered the art of making pupusas, a very unique but useful skill! Pupusas consist of a corn tortilla filled with a combination of beans, cheese, chicken, and vegetables, among other foods. They are fried to perfection and served with pickled cabbage and tomato sauce. One cannot visit El Salvador and leave without trying a pupusa. “The current record holder for a team-member eating the most pupusas is a Vanguard University graduate. He ate 12 pupusas and a piece of cake. Impressive!”-Jayger McGough
Special Gifts and Memories

On the final day, every team member was given a typical burlap bag with their name knitted onto the front. Each bag exemplified the creative industriousness and kindness of the Salvadorans who were served by the team. Despite their extremely limited resources, the church of La Estancia wanted to show their gratefulness.
The Epitome of Inspiration

Team members and locals gathered around the clinic to pray for continued progress, inspiration and strength as the La Estancia church and community endeavor to complete this project together. All of the team, community, and ENLACE members were touched by this special prayer session when all the locals were praying out loud at the same time. According to team member Julie Hamano, the event was “an unforgettable experience, I was truly moved by the faith these people have, one could feel the presence of God there”. Team member, Autumn Lopez, agreed. “It was powerful, a moving experience that I will never forget.”
The Essence of Friendship

Magin Fitzgerald (L) and Jose. The big smile in Magin’s face conveys a hint of her overflowing positivity and passion in serving the Lord.