What I Learned From the Church in El Salvador

A Theologians Reflections on the Global Church

As I walked off the bus, I was hit with a wave of heat. It was hot—like really hot. You could not escape the heat, and your best attempts to cool down just made you increasingly hotter. I was instantly in a mood. The day before, I had traveled from Charlotte to El Salvador. I was exhausted, and honestly, I was second-guessing this trip with Compassion International. I was excited to learn more about their work in El Salvador, but my schedule, writing projects, work, and family life all had me thinking that the timing for this trip just wasn't the best. Then the heat hit me and pushed me right into a bad mood.

Then something interesting happened as I was walking off the bus. I could hear the sound of singing. I saw children enduring the very same heat I had just experienced, shouting with joy and celebrating our team's arrival. We walked into the church as the service was already underway, and I instantly realized I was here to learn.

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