After having worked with 50+ mission teams, I am often skeptical of the value of working with short-term mission groups. At the end of the day, I know that team members go home transformed, stretched, and energized. But often, on this end, there is a lot of mess-control that has to be done after teams leave. There are relationships that have to be repaired, jealousy over gifting and offerings that needs to be resolved, and sometimes it makes me wonder if it’s all worth it. I don’t know if I’ve gotten better at this team thing, or if the two teams that just visited were a plain old God-send.

Team #1 came from ABC churches in Dayton and Springfield Ohio. This may have been my favorite group ever! (no offense to the rest of you who have worked with me in the past) Team Ohio was led by Ken Whitt. When Ken and I first spoke about what the team would like to accomplish, we discussed a mix of urban and rural ministry immersion experiences, home-stays, visits with 4 partners in mission, and a hike. I think we might have mentioned some tourism too. It was a pretty long list of things to see and do in just 6 short days.

The amazing thing is, we did all of this and more during their stay. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that half the team could pull off some pretty decent Spanish, and they used it effectively to connect and engage in each of the projects and conversations. In addition to growing relationships, the team helped serve lunch to the homeless, taught English, accompanied women in their bakery training, and helped with painting and caulking at the Baptist retirement home. In a million small ways they offered a hand of solidarity and hope to many mission partners here in El Salvador. When it comes to building relationships, this team got it!

Team #2 visited from a CBF church in Richmond, Virginia. Another team that gets this relationship thing! Nelson Taylor has led a number of groups to El Salvador and what I admire most about Nelson is that I have never seen him anxious to get at “the task” (although he is a hard worker if there is work to be done).  He understands the importance of just being, of sharing a cup of coffee, or the value of those small seemingly insignificant conversations that happen while you wait. I can imagine how hard it must be at times to have spent over $1000 to come here, only to discover that you don’t actually get that much done while you’re here.

When I used to prepare short-term mission teams we talked about the importance of “being” not “doing”. The reality is it’s pretty hard for us “gringos” to get to the point where we really are more about relationships than tasks. In El Salvador, when we ask churches and communities if it is worth the effort to care for and receive teams, the answer is always the same. “The fact that you made the effort to just be here with us offers us hope and reminds us that we’re not alone, even if you never build a wall or paint a gate.”

Thank you teams Ohio and Virginia, for taking the time to “just be” with us in El Salvador.
Kim