11/28/2009: The Sower
“And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.” Mark 4:26-29.
As the sower left to sow and to spread the seed, so the brothers in El Salvador are sowing the beautiful seed from the gospel like Jesus the Great Sower. The Lord is soon to come. We must work while the day lasts, for the night is coming in which no man can work. With this thought in their hearts, the missionary-minded people in El Salvador are carrying out the gospel in different areas.
In the central area of the country, our brothers are visiting different towns, distributing tabloids like: the Final Crisis, Behold He Cometh, Health for the Nations, and books like: Steps to Christ, the Desire of the Ages and the Great Controversy. The children, who are full of energy, are helping to spread the seed. “The youngest child that loves and fears God is greater in His sight than the most talented and learned man who neglects the great salvation. The youth who consecrate their hearts and lives to God have, in so doing, placed themselves in connection with the Fountain of all wisdom and excellence.” Adventist Home, 279.
The Almond Tree School
God is blessing the work of these sowers. Nearby to this central area there is a village called “The Almond Tree.” In this village, there is a primary school teacher named Eugenia who shares with her students and with their parents the precious seed of the gospel.
This dedicated teacher not only shares the regular education with the children, but also gives them truth for eternal life. Every morning, she walks more than an hour to get to the school and work with them. This is not an easy task, but she does it with much love. Many of these kids live in poor houses and their parents cannot even afford to give them a decent meal. Many of these children used to attend their classes with empty stomachs. Eugenia was so touched by this situation that, she started a lunch program. This program is being sponsored by the Church in the Wilderness of Eatonville, Washington. She not only helps these children with food, but also spends some time teaching them about Jesus as their Savior and His glorious coming to this earth. Brothers and sisters, this teacher is reaching families with the gospel, by the love that she shows toward the children and their needs. She also is teaching the kids’ parents how to read and write in Spanish, because many of them do not know how. Eugenia’s goal is that these parents may someday read and understand the Bible for themselves. Praise the Lord for that! Eugenia says, “I know in my heart that God has a special plan for me. I feel happy for what I am doing right now, because God not only helps my people, but is helping me as well.”
Recently she had a very poor mother bring her a little baby girl. The mother could not support the child and was going to abandon her on the street if Eugenia did not take her. Eugenia did take the little girl and began praying for God’s guidance. She called some brethren in the United States and asked for assistance. Many readily agreed to support the little girl.
Right now one hundred and fifty children are being fed under this program: one hundred children in the Almond Tree village, forty in the west area and ten in the central, but our goal is to reach more children with the same necessities. There are three hundred and twenty more homes to reach with the Three Angels’ Message. Right now she is having Bible studies with ten mothers, and she said that more will join very soon.
Dear brothers and sisters, the needs are huge—spiritual as well as material. We have been called by the Good Sower, Jesus Christ, to plant the good seed and to prepare the souls for the harvest. The time is now. It is amazing how the Lord prepares people ahead of time to receive the truth. Many of our brothers in El Salvador are working earnestly to reach others with the precious truth of the gospel knowing that the Second Coming of Jesus is at hand. Pray for these projects, for the kids and theirs parents, as Jesus said, “Freely ye have received, freely give.” Matthew 10:8.
Remote Island Villages
Brother Arsenio Asencio a Bible worker in El Salvador along with other missionary brothers are doing an impressive work of evangelizing different towns, including distant islands that no Adventist presence has ever touched before.
In Puertas Cha-Chas Village, a small town east of the capital of El Salvador, our brothers have just finished the construction of a new children’s Sabbath School room close to the main sanctuary of the church. This project has been finished, thanks to God and the support of Mission Projects International and Steps to Life ministry.
Now the children will have their own room to receive their Sabbath School lessons and to prepare them for the ministry of God. These children are doing an excellent job handing out tabloids and books. They are preparing to be mighty missionaries in their village. The purpose of this room is not just for the kids, but also for a sewing and cutting shop to teach people to work—making their own clothes and earning income for their families. This gives another opportunity to share the gospel with the villagers.
The brethren are continuing to march forward, reaching and covering more territories in El Salvador. Recently, they have been working in Isla el Ranchon, an island located twenty miles east from the Pacific Coast. Every Sabbath, Brothers Israel Ramos, Efrain Carrillo and others from the central area travel in boats to this island. Thanks to this effort, they now have six Bible studies with six different families.
Brother Israel tells us, “One of the inhabitants of the island told me, ‘I don’t know why I let you into my house, because I don’t like evangelists, but you are different from others; you know what are you doing. Now that you’ve won my trust, could you tell me who is the beast of Revelation and what’s the meaning of 666?’” Our brothers, with a blessed spirit, started to study with this man and give him answers from the Bible.
The plan is to reach more islands nearby that really need to be approached with the Word of God. To reach this goal, they need a bus to transport our brothers to distant villages where they distribute the tabloids. They also need some very good audio equipment to proclaim, with a loud voice, that Jesus is coming soon in cities and villages as well.
Dear brothers and sisters, please consider how you can support the work in El Salvador with your prayers and offering and let us follow the steps of the Great Sower, Jesus Christ, who left His kingdom to come to sew the seed.
By Jorge and Sylvia Gonzalez.