Thank you for walking this missionary journey with me. After receiving and confirming the call of God to be obedient to go to El Salvador as a full-time missionary, I began to prepare for the life long journey. I paid off debts, completed Moody Bible via correspondence and set out to learn the Spanish language. Being older I found it more difficult. I studied Spanish at a community college and spent the summer as a missionary intern which included a month of language school. Unfortunately the language school focused on learning “words” and was not much for conversation. In November after clearing out my apartment, I set out to a country where I knew a hand full of missionaries and a few El Salvadorian sisters and brothers in Christ. I was alone in the beautiful country of El Salvador. A country named after the Savior, but where so few really know Him. This is where He called, and I answered the call.

My first home was in the capital of El Salvador, the city of San Salvador. I lived in a community that I could walk to the store for food or to some close-by stores, but much of where I was doing ministry required transportation which I did not have. It necessitated me using taxi services to the areas of ministry such as medical clinics, orphanages and Bible classes in villages.

What I was not prepared for was the isolation I would experience as a single female missionary. Back in North Carolina I had my home church, my group of friends, and those whom I served in ministry with at my church. On the field I experienced my singleness in a way that I had never anticipated. I was not prepared for this. After all the disasters of the first mission house were taken care of, I settled into the “culture”, something else that I was not prepared for.

I found out, with the exception of one missionary couple that I met, that I would not be included in gatherings of couples or families. That I would go shopping alone and try to barter for a fair price for many items that did not have prices or had prices that were ridiculously high.
After serving in the ministry during the day, I would come home and complete my preparation for the next day, and then eat dinner alone. Lunches were seldom eaten alone, as “guests” would always show up at lunch time. It was in the evening that I would reflect on my day and spend time alone with God praying for those around me and drawing my strength from the Lord. He would help me through many of the “cultural corrections” I received for any cultural miss-steps made throughout the day. He was my rock and my strength supplying my emotional needs as well as feeding my soul. God was my strength and my portion. He comforted me.

Now after completing ten years and starting my 11th year in El Salvador, I can say the same is true. Although I am surrounded by many spiritual children and grandchildren that the Lord has graciously given me, He remains my strength and portion. The Lord is gracious beyond measure! Please come along side and walk this journey with me as I share with you the faithfulness and graciousness of our Lord