Fun with CC Spring Valley Youth

Personal Note: It was so hard to say goodbye to these guys. There are some teams that you just connect with.


Can you believe that I would post these face-shaking pictures on here?

Annie and iCarly with two failed attempts at "face-shaking"

Mike Garcia and I shaking our faces for the camera... haha

A bus full of rowdy missionaries and Ethan's most awesome picture ever!

The girl who gave her life to Christ (Pati) and two other Christian girls (Patricia and Ruth)

Little kid begging to use my camera, and the picture that he took as he held it backwards.

Little Carolina and I, and Ethan's new friend.

My brother making a crazy face, and our driver getting in on the ministry action.

A little boy getting treatment and an amateur photographer and work.

My little brother wishing peace for the middle east, and an astonished Mike Garcia.




Hey everbody!

God bless you all and keep you close to Him. We've just said goodbye to the Calvary Chapel High School El Salvador team, and I'm trying not to cry. Probably the most impacting thing for me was that my brother, Ethan, was on this team. We had a lot of fun time together. A week just passes by so fast!

The highlights of this week (and even this month!) were many. We visited the hospital that we were blocked from after months of not seeing the kids. We had worship and games. One girl, Sandra Patricia (nickname Pati) we had been praying for ever since we first met her. She has always been very quick witted and was raised very Catholic. Usually when we try to tell her about the Gospel, she just holds on to the Virgin Mary which was on a necklace that she always wore. She would always try to change the subject very thoughtfully. One time, Ramon asked her if she knew really why all the kids were in there. She replied, "Some of the kids stay, and some of them go." Very sharp.

This time, however, after talking with her about salvation, she looked up at us and said, "Jesus is the only way to Heaven." She talked about how she was baptized when she was born, but now she wanted to make her own decision to be born again. It was such an amazing time!

We also visited La Angostura, and the team decided before hand that they didn't want to do any of the skits that they had planned. Instead, they made one up completely from scratch all because they wanted it to go along with what the pastor was teaching.

I think the kids were blessed a lot by the fact that the worship in La Angostura is not accompanied by guitar or CD or anything. One girl just stands up with a list of songs and begins to sing. It's truly a precious time with the Lord. God really has given our kids a gift to praise Him through songs though, and it was evident all throughout the ministry.

The highlight that I'll finish with was the time when our team held chapel for the kids of the Christian school at the Central Church in San Salvador. Alexis and Amanda gave testimonies, and the theme of them was really about making right choices and choosing to live for God. Little did anyone know that this was exactly the same theme that was to be taught by the chapel speaker! The whole thing was a blessing.

I know that they wished that they had more time here, and I know that they will be back to bless this nation. I pray to see each and every one of there faces here again next year. Thanks so much for entrusting us with your children and allowing them to bless us. Check out the pictures that they took too!

I look forward to ministering with the adult team that will be arriving here tomorrow.

God bless!

Brennan

Pictures Compliments of Calvary Chapel Blue Island

Hey everybody!

I've missed you all so much because this past month has seemed so long! Writing to all of you is a huge highlight for me. Thanks so much for just being there!

First of all, because I've always said that it's like you are here with me, I have to include you all in a little bit of what it's like to be a full-time missionary. Today was Sunday, and Ramon and I were invited to a families' house for lunch. This family is SO dear to us because they were the people who we shared Thanksgiving with. Well, the fellowship was amazing. The food, however, was a little different; we prayed the most earnest prayer that we've ever prayed, and we ate everything that they offered. Afterward, we left contentedly and happy for the communion with them. The problem was when we were on our way home, and Ramon had to pull over into a parking lot immediately and vomit. God blessed me with a stomach of iron... there's nothing else that I can say. My job was just to sit in the car and tell Ramon things that would make him throw up more; we HAD to get all of that stuff out of his stomach. After some time doing that, I got him some Sprite and some rest.

Now for a better example of missionary life: Ramon and I were invited to a men's conference that began years ago because of some men who vowed to get clean of drugs and alchohol. Ramon shared his testimony, and there was a big bonfire in the middle of the San Martin property. The men there encouraged everybody to pick up some leaves and cast them into the fire. This was a symbol of giving those things over that were offensive to the Lord. There were lots of tears, and more than five men gave their lives to the Lord that night. Afterwards, we played soccer, and I have scratches all over my face from trying to hit the ball in the goal with my face (I wouldn't recommend it). Ramon made a goal! It was a miracle! :-)

This last team supplied all these photos, and it was so awesome to have them here! God opened doors to whole new ministries including a hospital in Suchitoto, a town filled with former guerrillas, and new ideas for future teams.

Nothing can express, however, how excited I am to see you all! I've heard that a lot of people are coming down in March, and I'm praising God. Thank you all so much for your prayer and support! I'm praying for you guys too! How awesome that the Lord allows us to be part of His plan huh?

I love you all!


Brennan Davis




Photo Captions:
Top Left: Me in a cowboy hat trying to make a little girl smile at the hospital in Suchitoto
Top Right: A lady named Elvia from Calvary Chapel Blue Island befriends some teenagers after a puppet show.
Middle Left: The beautiful streets of Suchitoto, where the people are not aloud to modernize their homes in order to maintain that "colonial" look.

Bottom Section:
Top Left: Gerald, a real cowboy from Montana, draws a crowd with a big lasso- something which he never imagined would lead to such ministry.
Top Right: For those of you who have visited La Angostura, would you have ever imagined it drawing in this many people? The kids alone count for more than half of the church!
Bottom-Top Left: Some girls in La Angostura showing off some of the gifts which the Lord gave them.
Bottom-Top Right: The waiting room in the hospital at Suchitoto, I suspect, has never been converted into an amphitheater.
Top-Bottom Left: A lady smiles after she wins a basket full of food in a raffle in San Martin thanks to a market hunt.
Top-Bottom Right: "Los Peluchines" are a big hit all over El Salvador! Each one representing a different aspect of salvation.
Bottom Left: Lake Suchitlan attracts tourists from all over the world to Suchitoto.
Bottom Right: Anthony from Blue Island teaches some local teens in San Martin how to "pull their thumbs off." One kid was laughing for a good ten minutes!