This didn’t get posted on my prior site, and here I’ll limit myself to just some very basic information and impressions. The meetings with the Christian Reformed churches about the Word and Deed Project were somewhat rocky. The leaders decided to put things on hold for re-evaluation, but thankfully the “hold” was lifted shortly and the ministries are ongoing, although for various reasons somewhat scaled back.
Very interesting was a full morning meeting with some 15 persons who responded to an open invitation called “Reformados Presentes.” This was intended to be an opportunity for making or renewing acquaintances, conversation, and exploration of future hopes and expectations for a “reformed presence” in El Salvador. (Unfortunately, an agreed upon meeting a month later did not happen; this is part of the reason for my trip planned now for October – it seems that they respond better to an invitation from me than among themselves. It would take a lot of explanation – some of it is tucked into the other web pages – to understand the lack of fellowship and trust among the various leaders. Please pray that in an Oct. 16 meeting some of this fear and mistrust be allayed and overcome.)
A weekend side trip to visit the Nehemiah Center in Managua, Nicaragua was very informative. Nine international and six national “NGOs” (non-profits) share an impressive compound building. They all have in common a desire to serve a broad spectrum of evangelical and pentecostal churches in the country, each contributing its specialty. Missionary Joel Huyser was my host.