Yesterday, we experienced yet another confirmation of why we need to teach the Word in San Julian, El Salvador. I had gone to visit my friend Ana, at her home, to see her new baby grandson, along with Maddie and my friend, Susy. Her daughter, Denora, who she lives with, gave birth last Thursday, to Sebastian Alfredo, a darling cherub. During the course of the visit, Ana asked me when I was going to visit her daughter Nelsi's home, which is just outside of town. Nelsi is a single mom, raising three children, and her two- year old grand-daughter. Her oldest daughter, was sexually assaulted by her step-father, and became pregnant at ten years old. Nelsi is the sister of my dear Salvadorian daughter, Lupita; and Ana is Lupita, Nelsi and Denora’s mom. Occasionally, I go out to Milagro, the canton in which Nelsi lives, (canton: village) to visit her and her children. 
What a sweet bunch of kiddos!! They live in a corrugated metal shack with dirt floors, and chickens running in and out of the house. Well, Ana had been hoping that I would go out to visit them soon. She told us that Nelsi was very afraid, and didn't want to stay at her house. When asked why, she said, "Because she has seen a women come to her door , that doesn't have a head." (She said this very matter-of-factly.) Really? "And what did you think when she told you that she saw a woman without a head at her door?" I said. "Well," Ana said, "I told her, I never see her when I come to visit!" Hmm... Then, she told us that all kinds of weird things have supposedly been happening. However, Ana said, "Whenever I am there, nothing happens!" She also told us that Nelsi's neighbor wants to have a relationship with her, but she has turned down his advances. Supposedly, this man is a witch. Now, Nelsi believes that this man is using witchcraft against her. She and all her children are terrified and don't want to be at their house. I said, "Well, Ana, we would love to come and pray for her and her children and the house." At this point, Ana excitedly exclaimed, "That is why I wanted you to go to Nelsi's...so you can pray and put salt and water over everything!" Now, Ana is a professing, born-again Christian, that attends church six nights a week. With great control, I said, "Ana, why do you want me to put salt and water on everything?" "Oh," she said, "because salt and water are holy and will purify everything, and keep the bad spirits away.” I calmly said, “Ana, where did you learn this?” “From a lady.” “A lady? Ana, is this taught in the Bible?”, I asked. With a shy, embarrassed grin, she said, “No.” Then I said, “That is superstition, Ana.”. “Ohhh….”, she said, nodding her head up and down. “However, I would love to go pray for her and her home.” I shared with Ana that Nelsi doesn’t have to fear evil spirits when she has the Spirit of God in her. Greater is HE that is in YOU than he that is in the world. I told her, God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and love and a sound mind. “Nelsi is allowing herself to be controlled by fear, and now all her children are terrified as well.” She told me that Nelsi leaves open Bibles laying around the house, to keep away the evil spirits. As David said, “She is replacing one icon with another. “ The Bible was never meant to be used as an omen, or charm. The Word of God is living, active…it renews us, washes us, it has the power to change lives. Jesus used the Word of God to fight against Satan; the spoken Word. He didn’t take a copy of the scriptures, and lay it open for Satan to see. He believed it, He lived it, He proclaimed it!
At this point, I told Ana that we would go to Nelsi’s house on Wednesday, to pray. Ana wants to go, too. I am asking the Lord to give us wisdom.
We want to proclaim freedom to the captives…those bound by superstition and fear…Nelsi is a professing Christian, also. But, this family, along with many others we know, seem to struggle with understanding and living the Word of God. What are they being taught in the churches? Are they hearing, but not understanding? We aren’t sure. But, we know that God brought us here to teach the Word, the whole counsel of God. And that is what we intend to do, by the grace of God.
Before moving to El Salvador, the Lord gave us Isaiah 58, as part of our mandate for El Salvador, it says, in part:
“Is this not the fast which I choose, to loosen the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free, and break every yoke…”
That is just part of it, but, today, an important part. Would you fast and pray with us for this situation? We will be going to Nelsi’s this afternoon…
What a sweet bunch of kiddos!! They live in a corrugated metal shack with dirt floors, and chickens running in and out of the house. Well, Ana had been hoping that I would go out to visit them soon. She told us that Nelsi was very afraid, and didn't want to stay at her house. When asked why, she said, "Because she has seen a women come to her door , that doesn't have a head." (She said this very matter-of-factly.) Really? "And what did you think when she told you that she saw a woman without a head at her door?" I said. "Well," Ana said, "I told her, I never see her when I come to visit!" Hmm... Then, she told us that all kinds of weird things have supposedly been happening. However, Ana said, "Whenever I am there, nothing happens!" She also told us that Nelsi's neighbor wants to have a relationship with her, but she has turned down his advances. Supposedly, this man is a witch. Now, Nelsi believes that this man is using witchcraft against her. She and all her children are terrified and don't want to be at their house. I said, "Well, Ana, we would love to come and pray for her and her children and the house." At this point, Ana excitedly exclaimed, "That is why I wanted you to go to Nelsi's...so you can pray and put salt and water over everything!" Now, Ana is a professing, born-again Christian, that attends church six nights a week. With great control, I said, "Ana, why do you want me to put salt and water on everything?" "Oh," she said, "because salt and water are holy and will purify everything, and keep the bad spirits away.” I calmly said, “Ana, where did you learn this?” “From a lady.” “A lady? Ana, is this taught in the Bible?”, I asked. With a shy, embarrassed grin, she said, “No.” Then I said, “That is superstition, Ana.”. “Ohhh….”, she said, nodding her head up and down. “However, I would love to go pray for her and her home.” I shared with Ana that Nelsi doesn’t have to fear evil spirits when she has the Spirit of God in her. Greater is HE that is in YOU than he that is in the world. I told her, God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and love and a sound mind. “Nelsi is allowing herself to be controlled by fear, and now all her children are terrified as well.” She told me that Nelsi leaves open Bibles laying around the house, to keep away the evil spirits. As David said, “She is replacing one icon with another. “ The Bible was never meant to be used as an omen, or charm. The Word of God is living, active…it renews us, washes us, it has the power to change lives. Jesus used the Word of God to fight against Satan; the spoken Word. He didn’t take a copy of the scriptures, and lay it open for Satan to see. He believed it, He lived it, He proclaimed it!
At this point, I told Ana that we would go to Nelsi’s house on Wednesday, to pray. Ana wants to go, too. I am asking the Lord to give us wisdom.
We want to proclaim freedom to the captives…those bound by superstition and fear…Nelsi is a professing Christian, also. But, this family, along with many others we know, seem to struggle with understanding and living the Word of God. What are they being taught in the churches? Are they hearing, but not understanding? We aren’t sure. But, we know that God brought us here to teach the Word, the whole counsel of God. And that is what we intend to do, by the grace of God.
Before moving to El Salvador, the Lord gave us Isaiah 58, as part of our mandate for El Salvador, it says, in part:
“Is this not the fast which I choose, to loosen the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free, and break every yoke…”
That is just part of it, but, today, an important part. Would you fast and pray with us for this situation? We will be going to Nelsi’s this afternoon…
