Hogar de los Ancianos...literal translation: home of the ancients. :)

Yet another of our opportunities for ministry was to go to a "nursing home" in Puerto Barrios. It was a really nice home with a beautiful flower garden and a place outside where we could sit with the men and women and worship. We would go there and greet them and sit down with them before worship, and then after our Pastor might say a few words, then we'd close in prayer. It was certainly one of our more difficult ministries, because not only did none of them really speak English, but it was at times difficult to understand what they were saying in Spanish. But they loved our visits, and would often ask when we were coming back, so we went quite a few times, bringing attentive (if not quite understanding) ears and a joy that could only stem from God.

The first time we went to this home, we had been singing for a while when one of the men asked why we were so sad. This was a shock to us, because we had been singing some of our more "passion-filled" songs that we thought were quite meaningful. Granted, some of them were in English so it was understandable that they could mistake our emotions during that song, but the others? Well, one thing we quickly learned/realized from that experience is that is where our cultures differed. In our culture, we tend to find our most "intimate" or even "spirit-filled" worship times when we sing a slower, more building song. However in their culture, they mainly sing upbeat, fast songs that allow them to shout and dance for joy. So, it stands to reason why they thought that we were sad! We weren't clapping, shouting, or dancing! We ended up closing out our worship time with a few "children's songs" that were more upbeat (or upbeat enough to clap to). Then we proceeded to pray for each one individually. We too were blessed as one of the older women stood up, called a few of us over, and began to pray for us as well. So not only were we able to bless them, but they blessed us with an insight into their culture and with prayer.
One of the most difficult things that happened to me personally there was during prayer one day. I was getting ready to go walk over and pray for a man sitting off to the side when two of the girls from my team called me over, asking if I could pray in Spanish because the woman they wanted to pray for didn't want them to pray in English. Now, speaking in another language is difficult enough, but trying to pray in another language is even tougher. But, I was willing to give it a try and prayed God would give me the words to speak. So I warned the woman that it might take me a long time to say things because my Spanish wasn't the best. But, somehow God got me through it, not without a lot of stumbles and pauses, but it was Spanish! It was definitely a learning experience and God certainly used it to push me way out of my comfort zone, which I am grateful for.  One thing this trip has taught me is that God doesn't just call us to do the easy things, but he calls us to do the hard things as well. Yes, He calls us to play with kids and love on them, and sing/speak in front of churches (and that's not saying those things are always easy...); but he also calls us to walk into bars and trash dumps, and speak out the glory of His name to people that may or may not have heard it before, to people that don't know they have an all-powerful savior that loves them to the ends of the earth. And even though it is difficult, He is what makes it all worth it. :)

You will say in that day: “I will give thanks to you, O Lord, for though you were angry with me,your anger turned away,that you might comfort me. Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. And you will say in that day: “Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted. Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth. Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.

Isaiah 12: 1-6