Mission Moments Archives MISSION EL SALVADOR: Eight Days of Spreading God’s Love In the 1960’s a Christian youth hymn began to be sung amongst many youth groups. It’s lyrics were simple but so is the gospel message which was shared with communities like those in the La Heradurra province of El Salvador some 60 to 70 miles southwest of the country’s capital, San Salvador. The lyrics, “We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord … and they will know we are Christians by our love, by our love, and they’ll know we are Christians by our love”, was the basis for the planning of a group made up primarily of members of two youth groups from Long Island, New York. The mission of the groups was four pronged. The first goal was to create a ten by twenty foot wall mural in the heart of the community of El Zapotillo. The picture was to represent the people going about their daily lives in the beauty of their homeland. It covered up an angry mural that had represented some of the political unrest in this not-so-long-ago war torn country. Under the oversight of Aprodehni, the mural was created by both youth members and adults who were part of our mission group. . As the mural was being completed local townfolk walked by and chatted with the artists and some even lent a hand in the project. From the CUTS group special acknowledgement is given to Kelly Marsh and youth leader, Linda Ferguson, for their efforts. This website also wants to acknowledge the work of Jamie Hile, the creator of Not the Same Old, Done-it-before Youth Meeting website, who was one of the young adult leaders on this mural project as well as Lynne Gregory, mother of CUTS member, Sean Gregory, who jointly drew the mural. As stated, the mission to El Salvador was a four pronged effort. A second task was the presentation of a joint dramatic show with a group of young people from El Salvador. Under the joint supervision of Lois DeLong of the organization, Godsongs, and Gil Pintin of Aprodehni, about twelve young people spent the week preparing for a special performance to be performed free of charge for the local communities.. More information about the performance can be found on an up and coming “Godsongs” website. Thanks to CUTS youth, Stephen, Anthony and Michelle, for their committed efforts to this project. The third task was truly the task that put into action the lyrics of the song, “They’ll know we are Christians by our love”. Not knowing how many children and their families would appear for morning community get-togethers, Ariel, Chantel, Kelly, Billy and Julianne (along with three adult leaders) prepared art projects, songs, dancing and the sharing of the Bible story, Noah’s Ark, with between 150 and 200 children over a three day period. Accompanying the children were many parents and, although there was a language barrier, the sharing of Christian love is a universal language. Smiles were abundant amidst the hot ninety degree days under the open sun in El Salvador. A couple of days later at a community function the young people were greeted by their newfound friends and the Chicken Dance learned a few days before was in great demand as well as a newly discovered limbo contest. The fourth task was to work with older students representing six different communities. This was a three day (two and one half hour per day ) program with the joint goal of teaching English and sharing the gospel message more directly than in the other projects. Davina Durgano, her father, Derrick and Tim Ferguson were the “teachers” of this program. The gospel story to be shared (in Spanish) was that of King Saul, his son Jonathen, David and Goliath. The message was clear – si ustedes confian en Dios y en unos a otras ustedes pueden hacer muchas cosas especiales (if you trust in God and in each other, you are able to do special things). Furthermore… su pais, El Salvador, puede convertirse en un lugar muy especial cuando su gente aprenda a escuchar y a confiar en Dios (your country, El Salvador, can become a place that is very special when your people learn to listen to and trust in God). Amidst the teaching of English, games of “trust” were played and the story was read. To teach English the game “Simon Says was used to assist the students in learning the names of body parts in English. The “Three Pens Game” (see activities section of website) and the song “Day by Day” was taught to the students, first in Spanish then in English (see box below).We even found time to read the story of Noah and relay the promise that God gave us a rainbow to remind us that his true desire is to reach out to humans to share his love … and they’ll know we are Christians by our love … by our love. In many ways it was a series of CUTS youth group meetings in El Salvador with the teaching of English, a primary goal. To describe the impact of these sessions let us share some statements from the students – first in Spanish and then with an English translation. Since we received about thirty comments, we shall publish four or five at this time and update this segment of the website at a later time. Yesica, age 14 … Que debemos de confiar en Dios que el es nuestro amigo que debemos de confiar en el y en nuestros amigos me gusto mucho los cuentos sobre todo la cansion. Me gusta leer cuentos el de Noe y otros aprendi mucho en estos tres dias. Gracias. (I learned we should trust in God because he is our friend and we should trust our friends. I liked the stories; most of all I liked the songs. I liked reading the story of Noah and others. I learned a lot in these past three days. Thank you.) Gloria, age 16 … Jo que aprendi fue que debemos tenes confianza y mucho fe en Dios como tambien en nuestros amigos y que Dios es nuestro amigo y cuando necesite ayuda debo de pedirle a Dios con mucho fe. (I learned that we should have trust and a lot of faith in God as well as in our friends and that God is our friend and when I need help, I should ask God with much faith.) Silvia, age 20 …Que aprendistes de Dios y los amigos? Lo que yo he aprendido de Dios es que debemos confiar en el aunque nolo veamos, y tener mucho fe. Y de los amigos es que tenemos que confiar en ellos y no dudar de su amistad. (What I learned from God is that we should trust in him even though we cannot see him and have a lot of faith. From the friends I learned that we need to trust them and to not doubt their friendship.) Reina, age 11 … Yo aprendi de Dios que cuando uno lo pide con el Corazon una promeza el la comple y pore eso yo creo en el mucho y de amigos aprendi que los amigos confian en nosotros y nosotros a ellos. Gracias. (I learned from God that when you ask him from your heart for a promise, he grants it and that is why I believe in him very much. And from my friends we learned to trust one another. Thank you.) Xiomara, age 17 …Yo que aprendemos de Dios, la forma en que elsu angronta a los problemas y la manera de coma los resuelba tambien su forma de ser con todas las personas. (I learned about God, the way he confronts problems and the way he resolves them and the way he is with everyone.)

"...and they'll know we are Christians by our love"

Getting There: to the El Salvador Mission ... Tim, Linda, workers and students on the way to the outdoor classroom Learn more about reaching out in El Salvedor: El Salvador Mission Trip 2009

Thirty Hour Famine: March 7-8, 2008 Year Twelve (1997 through 2008) What did our young people learn from this year’s 30 Hour Famine? Let’s share some of their thoughts … “The most important thing that I learned was all of the diseases that kids in Indonesia have. I feel we should all become more aware of the world around us” Chantel, 12 “The thing I learned throughout the past day was that there are simple things we take for granted such as having clean water to wash our feet [during the water game] that is a project for them” Rachel, 12 “I learned that it is important not to take advantage of the resources we have so easily. Instead of having to use the same water to clean ourselves and to drink from [as happens in some poor areas of Indonesia], we can take a shower then get a bottle of clean water. We should not take advantage of how easy it is for us.” Ariel, 17 “I learned how hard it is to live with a disability and having to beware of floods, earthquakes, disease, little food and unclean water. This is important because we should know how bad of lives these people [of Indonesia] have and their struggle” Julianne, 12 “I learned that we should stick together like we did in our tribe families throughout this weekend and to work together as we did in these events” Bill, 24 Above are some of several reactions of our young people to this year’s 30 Hour Famine. We have done this famine for the past 12 years with Bill having done everyone and Ariel the last six. By focusing on a different country each year, the events continue to be fresh and engaging. This year we modified the “Tribe Game” approaching the tribes as families. We asked our young people to take on the identity of one of the Indonesian youth displayed on the cards provided by World Vision and to, at the beginning, describe it but not act it out. Throughout the events we stopped and asked which young people would be most at risk when faced with a flood, earthquake, the lack of clean water and the like. A couple of our young people received identity cards that did not include a disability but that did not last too long. They were bitten during the mosquito game by mosquitoes carrying the malaria disease and it gave the picture to the entire group of how vulnerable youth in Indonesia are. Here are a few ideas we developed for this year’s famine: • We created a chart –see the figure below – to depict the journey of youth in Indonesia. The first thing our youth said when they saw this was – “it’s so complicated”. That is because life is complicated in Indonesia. Typhoons and the resultant floods and mudslides destroy homes and way lay the most determined plans for success. Earthquakes have the same result. Diseases with little medical attention, the lack of clean water and the unpredictable harvests leave many places for young people trying to get an education and to move forward to get distracted. This is why the road thins as it approaches the upper right corner of the grid. Those who learn of World Vision receive Hope, depicted in the upper right corner, and the road suddenly widens for them as they leave the assistance of World Vision. Success seems imminent but there is another hurdle that emerges. Families have many needs and the obstacles that had faced the young people also face all family members. Many children, as they grow older, have to leave school to get work to support now sick parents or younger children due to their parent’s death. This is depicted by the “Child Labor” block which sends many older children (but still children!!) back to the areas of disease, impure water and the lack of food. Only a few make it around on the path now so narrow that gets one past the child labor block and to reach his or her full potential. We, in developed nations like the U.S.A., take the opportunity to attend school for granted. • There is a second grid. See picture below entitled "Journey Charts - U.S. & Indonesia. The grid on the left depicts the journey of youth in the United States. It is much simpler and that journey is described in the activity entitled “Finding Truth “ found in the activity page of this web site. • We had two sessions during which we sang and read prayers, written by young people, responsively. One of the prayers read: “So, God, my prayer for everyone is not world peace, or a cure for cancer or AIDS or a cure for hate. My prayer is that everyone can learn to pray, to say a prayer deep from their heart and to know that you alone, God, are the only one who can begin to understand what they want." After reading this prayer we asked our young people to make this teenager’s prayer come true … our young people then took their Indonesian friend's card and wrote a prayer that focused on the thoughts of their own hearts opn the back of the card. By writing them on the cards, they remained anonymous. A few hours later, just before the famine ended and after our Food Drive, we met. We sang “Lean on Me” and “Let there be peace on Earth”, then circled around me a single lit candle. I placed the prayer cards the youth had written on the table with the candle. Youth were asked, if they wished, to pick up a card that was not their own. After an adult opened with prayer the young people lit a candle and read the prayer of one of their friends. As the candles began to lighten the room, the lights of the room were turned off. Every one of our youth participated and it was the most spiritually enriching moment of our famine. • As mentioned we did do our food drive – outdoors in the rain, to raise food for a local food bank at a church which had suffered severe fire damage recently. One community member, upon hearing of our mission, approached with a shopping card filled with groceries. She took two small bags of groceries with her and left an almost full shopping card for the drive. Below you can see pictures of the close to eight hundred items raised in the rain by determined young people. So that is our twelfth 30 Hour Famine, the 2008 version. I will close by sharing the reflections of a young man who participated in the first and second famines at the Community Presbyterian Church in 1997 and 1998. "About a month ago, I had a medical procedure when I had to fast for over a day before I could undergo the procedure. Around the same time, my father told me that he was going to write an article about the Thirty Hour Famine. Knowing this, I couldn't help but reminisce, as I fasted, about the initial two times I'd gone without food for a day. The first was the inaugural Thirty Hour Famine in 1997 and the second was it's sequel in 1998. Thinking about those two times, I initially recalled comraderie and games, like playing volleyball upstairs in the social area or having judged pillow fights in our youth room downstairs. Soon those initial memories had attachments, the first that feeling as the night wore on, of a growing, gnawing hunger, biting at my insides. Trailing after it were the ghosts of children we'd learned about, who hadn't eaten for weeks at a time, followed by the faces of my friends, sitting in rapt attention as my father read a story or put on a video about those children. Eventually, more memories flooded in, of raking leaves and collecting food, making projects and discussing deep things until all hours of the night, followed by a poignant feast at 6:00 PM the next day, every bite a reminder of what we'd done and who we'd done it for. After the recent medical procedure, when I could eat again, I had a similar feast, each bite tinged with the nostalgia of ten years ago, when I'd sacrificed and raised food, money and awareness for the greater good. I look back at those two experiences, knowing that for these two moments, I made a difference somewhere in the world." Scott, 27 Looking for more activity ideas for your famine or youth program? Click here: Activities that are both fun and that teach the gospel? "Click on the pictures below for details." Journey Charts - U.S. & Indonesia Games: Mosquito Tag Food Drive Amazing Grace & Lean on Me Games: Mosquito Tag Food Drive Finding Food Games: Water Source Food Drive Finding Food Games: Water Source Bamboo House Building Finding Food Games: Kata Kata Bamboo House Building I strongly encourage you to consider doing the 30 Hour Famine with your young people this year. If you want more ideas and reflections on the famine, click below for pictures and an account of our 2007 Thirty Hour Famine. You can also write to me at Timferguson@christianyouthgroup.org and I will be happy to answer any questions you might have.

In the future this page will discuss how this was done on the streets of the lower east side of Manhattan as well as in the Central American country of El Salvador. But, for now, I would like to share the easiest way for youth to begin their mission journey.

"Sending out" connotes going to some place to bear witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ and to his love. Nevertheless, this can be accomplished without going to the chosen field of mission. Our youth group took this step by agreeing to sponsor a child oversees. The youth will not physically go to this child's home but the money they raise will be provided to the child and her community. It is still a "sending out".

There are several organizations that enable individuals or youth groups to sponsor a child. The one we used was World Vision. For about $1.00 per month per youth our group can sponsor an oversees child. World Vision, which is based in Tacoma, Washington, can easily be contacted through the internet.

Our decision to move forward on this sponsorship goal led to a powerful event for our youth. World Vision provided a written description of four children and their communities which were in need of support. All four were described to our young people and an energized discussion of almost an hour followed as the group tried to agree upon which child to sponsor. This was impossible but the group was able to reduce the choices to two. The stalemate was broken when we focused not only on the children but also on the communities in which they lived. The end result was to pick the community, which most needed our help. In this manner we chose to support a nine year old named Lu Lu who resides in southern China .

We have exchanged notes, describing our group and activities, as well as pictures with Lu Lu, who writes back that she "understands you are a team". While never thinking of our group as a "team" in the past, I once again turn to Webster, who defines a team as a "group of people working together" for a purpose. Jesus calls us in Matthew 25:31-40 to feed the hungry, clothe those who are naked and visit the sick. In verse forty he says, "I tell you, whenever you did this for one of the least important of these brothers of mine, you did it for me". Our "team" has chosen to follow Jesus' call and Lu Lu is hardly "least important" to us. She has become our friend and is our group's mission and responsibility.

I said the group chose to support this child in part because of the community's needs. During our research into this matter we learned that there is a commodity which we, in middle class America, take for granted that is a serious problem in impoverished area's around the world. It is the opportunity to have clean water available to drink and to bathe in. The lack of safe water, we have learned, is one of the truly significant health risks around the world. There are some communities where residents, even nine year olds like Lu Lu, need to walk miles each day just to retrieve a bucket of clean water. Our funds are not only supporting Lu Lu but they are being used to establish a new water system to provide clean water and reduce waterborne diseases in her community.

One last thought. One of our youth asked how valuable their contribution was in Lu Lu's community. One dollar per month may not seem like much but multiplied by twenty youth and with youth leaders making a slightly increased contribution, we will allow us to send about $400.00 per year to Lu Lu. On our terms this does not seem to be much but in Lu Lu's community the average annual salary is $750.00. So our gift is indeed substantial.

If mission is defined as a "sending out" then sponsoring a child is a powerful and effective way of following Christ's command that we feed the hungry, clothe those who are naked and visit the sick. It is recommended that youth groups give this type activity consideration as a means of helping youth "make a difference" in the world through mission.

Thirty Hour Famine: March 2-3, 2007 Year Eleven Thirty hours without food did not seem so difficult when the young people of the Deer Park Presbyterian Church and their guests from the Smithtown Presbyterian Church met the first weekend in March. During this eleventh 30 Hour Famine we focused on the needs and concerns of the people of Uganda. Through the use of the Tribe Game, a power point presentation by Joyce Mulcahy of World Vision and by reading letters sent from Ugandan youth, who participated with us in the famine halfway around the world, we learned much about a country filled with both despair and hope. Beginning with "The Three Pens Game" (see activities page of this website) we were able to expand our definition of hunger to include not only a lack of food but a need for clean water, for love of family, for safe shelter, justice and hope. Games, the reading of letters and a "Hearts with Hands" project led to an afternoon food drive at local supermarkets then a worship service. What made the service special was that our Ugandan friends advised us of two favorite hymns in their country, "How Great Thou Art" and "Amazing Grace", which we included in our worship. We also prayed for a special rally being scheduled at Makerere University in Uganda on March 24, 2007. After the service a youth "beat a drum", once every three seconds for a minute, as we silently remembered that at each drum beat, somewhere in the world, a child had just died of hunger.

Let some of our young people share their impressions of the famine. Here are some of their thoughts: "During the famine I learned that the people of Uganda have struggled with life threatening things going on yet, despite this, they are able to survive when most people could not and would not. I feel hopeful that the Ugandan people will survive and even thrive with the help of World Vision and other helpful organizations." Evan "What I enjoyed most about doing the famine was playing the games in the Tribe Game. Even though they seemed just like activities, they helped me realize how different our lives are from those in Uganda. I learned that many people in Uganda are suffering from AIDS, that children can't go to school because they have to walk to the nearest well (which is miles away) and return with water each day. I also learned that the LRA is abducting children and teaching them to kill. I can't imagine the torture and suffering these children go through. I really want to help and make a difference. I want to give the children and families hope and tell them to just let go of the past and hope for the future. This, I know, we are doing through the Thirty Hour Famine." Daniella, 14 "During the Famine many things happened but what I enjoyed most was doing the Food Drive with my new pal and "Midnight Volleyball" star, Evan. What I found was truly meaningful was when we heard the letters from our new friends, halfway around the world, in Uganda. I look forward to writing back to Mulangwa, one of the Uganda youth who shared his testimony with us." Stephen, 18 [See "Youth Speaks Out" page of this website for Mulangwa's letter and Stephen's response.] "In the past 12 hours or so I have learned many things about Uganda. Sixty dollars can feed a whole family that consists of seven to nine people for a month. There are also small wars going on in Northern Uganda. There are a lot of things that I use daily that I would never think of not having to be able to use. For example, in Uganda kids have to walk up to ten miles for water and all I have to do is turn on a faucet. I feel very sad that there are people in the world who have to live like this. It was very meaningful to hear their stories but it was good that we did fun things like Midnight Volleyball and the Food Drive." Dennis, 13 "We all had so much fun. We also learned that the people of Uganda are starving and forced to join the LRA (Lord's Liberation Army). I have also learned that many Ugandan families have a member with AIDS. After learning all of this I can't believe the things that they go through every day and I want to help to make their lives better. I know the 30 Hour Famine is doing this." Amanda, 16 "I enjoyed everything; it was so much fun. I loved the games and the Food Drive. During the famine I learned that many people in Uganda are starving and that they (usually young children) are being captured and forced to kill others. They are thirsty, hopeless and scared. It makes me sad that they are put in this situation; I'm mad that the Lord's Resistance Army did this but I am happy that we are raising money and that World Vision is helping." Ruth, 11 "I learned a great deal in this year's 30 Hour Famine. First of all that the people of Uganda experience very horrible things. They get abducted in the middle of the night and taken from their families. They sometimes watch their families get killed and are treated terribly. I really enjoyed the locust game, which demonstrated how the Ugandan people have to replant their crops after a locust invasion. I feel the people in Uganda need a lot of help and are in a terrible situation. They have a huge amount of strength and this situation has to come to an end." Kelly, 17 "I learned that the people of Uganda live in a world of hungar, disease and death, which are all common. Children and families are wiped out from simple diseases that in this country are cured with a pill. The Ugandan people don't have the needed medicines. I feel that we should be able to help them and help bring justice to their nation; to stop the rebellion and so that families will be paid attention to and not neglected." Michael C., 13 "During the Famine I learned that the people in Uganda live a hard life. There is a war going on there and kids as young as nine years old are given a gun and taught to kill people. They are taught to hate and that World Vision is a bad organization. In addition they would have to walk over ten miles for water as a chore so many of the kids cannot go to school. What I really enjoyed doing during the famine was our Food Drive at the supermarket." Michael G., 13 The 30 Hour Famine was fun and what I enjoyed most was the midnight volleyball game. During the famine I learned that many of the children of Uganda are orphans as many people die of AIDS or are killed by the LRA. I don't think it is fair to live in fear and without parents. I feel that more should be done to help people like this. The 30 Hour Famine is a start." Harris, 14

As the youth leader, who has organized the 30 Hour Famine at our church these past eleven years, I can say that this is a most special time of our youth program. It is also a great opportunity to meet Christian youth from other youth programs. This is the fourth time that we have invited other youth groups to join our efforts and every year it is a special blessing to join together in this event. Since we have done the 30 Hour Famine every year since 1997, I asked one of our young people from the first two famines (1997 and 1998) to share some reflections about the impact of his participation over time. He writes: "About a month ago, I had a medical procedure when I had to fast for over a day before I could undergo the procedure. Around the same time, my father told me that he was going to write an article about the Thirty Hour Famine. Knowing this, I couldn't help but reminisce, as I fasted, about the initial two times I'd gone without food for a day. The first was the inaugural Thirty Hour Famine in 1997 and the second was it's sequel in 1998. Thinking about those two times, I initially recalled comraderie and games, like playing volleyball upstairs in the social area or having judged pillow fights in our youth room downstairs. Soon those initial memories had attachments, the first that feeling as the night wore on, of a growing, gnawing hunger, biting at my insides. Trailing after it were the ghosts of children we'd learned about, who hadn't eaten for weeks at a time, followed by the faces of my friends, sitting in rapt attention as my father read a story or put on a video about those children. Eventually, more memories flooded in, of raking leaves and collecting food, making projects and discussing deep things until all hours of the night, followed by a poignant feast at 6:00 PM the next day, every bite a reminder of what we'd done and who we'd done it for. After the recent medical procedure, when I could eat again, I had a similar feast, each bite tinged with the nostalgia of ten years ago, when I'd sacrificed and raised food, money and awareness for the greater good. I look back at those two experiences, knowing that for these two moments, I made a difference somewhere in the world." Scott, 26 It is noted that there are many other reflections received from youth regarding this year's famine but, due to the length of this article, they have not been published. These additional reflections will replace the ones given above in mid April for another look at the 30 Hour Famine held this year. The Thirty Hour Famine is a fun, educational and productive event, which I highly recommend all church youth groups try. For information about how your youth group can sign up, please refer to the "Links" page of this website and click on the World Vision icon.

During this year's 30 Hour Famine the young people and youth leaders of the Smithtown Presbyterian Church joined us. Their youth director, Catherine Wallace, shared the following letter with me ... Dear Tim, The small group of youth who took part in the 30hour famine were matched by around the same number of adults. Most were part of families who participated together. This was not what we set out to do but I believe that the discussions will stay alive because this was a shared experience. World vision produced great materials : the DVD and the leaders guide as well as the information packs for participants gave a lot of information in an easy style. We gathered in the parking lot at Smithtown on the evening of the overnight event. A man asked the young people what they were doing with their sleeping bags etc. They explained about the Famine and he donated $20. A lot was learned from that encounter, not least of all, the fact that by our actions we can influence others. The pattern of activities that has been refined over the years worked so well. The tribe games were great fun but their underlying educational message was not missed. I could see that as layer upon layer was added to the experience, our youth began to understand and care about others more and more - they really got "it". Their hunger at the end of the famine was not just for a good meal but it was a hunger... for justice for those who suffer ...for love for those who are neglected... for a voice for those whose stories are not heard...for better lives for those who are poor...for hope for those who need to begin again. Working together with others in youth groups and in organizations like World Vision they realize that they can make a difference. Strengthened by the knowledge of Gods love for them they will. Many thanks for welcoming us and for allowing us to share this fun and thought provoking experience. Catherine Wallace, Assistant to the Pastor First Presbyterian Church, Smithtown, New York

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