Challenges and Victories in El Salvador

by ChangeMaker Rigoberto Jimenez Cruz

I want to thank the Baptist Missionary Association in a very special way, for the privilege that I am given to be able to share with each of you the challenges and victories that we have had during this time that plagues the entire world.

In 2 Kings 6:14-17 we find wonderful words from Elisha to his servant, a young man: “Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about. And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha (emphasis added).”

In our country of El Salvador, it has been over five months (at the time this was written), since we met in the church building. The day I announced to all our chruch’s servant leaders that we did not know when we would return to the building, I will not forget the words of a ten-year-old boy who said to me: “Pastor Rigoberto, what are we going to do now?” And as I was talking to this boy, God brought to my mind this wonderful story of Elisha and his young servant. 

I explained to the child what we would do, that we would not fear and that we would pray, and that little boy returned home comforted and rejoicing. So I meditated upon God’s Word as I prayed and in the days that followed, other local pastors would ask me the same question, “What are we going to do?” That question would be asked by people so many more times that I lost track. 

Many people in our area are hopeless, and a tremendous panic has gotten a hold of many of them. Others – unfortunately, because they do not have a clear vision – do not know what to do, and yet others feel that God has abandoned them and are overtaken by the enormity of their enemy (the pandemic) and cannot see God because of it or through it. 

Personally, seeing all this, I began to reflect a lot on our mission and vision and what we do as a local BMA church. I took time not to ask God what to do, but to thank him for the vision that he has placed in my heart. Because we are a cell church, I was able to meet with our cell group leaders and after discussing some precautions suggested by the government, we continued with our meetings in the cell groups in the houses throughout the city. 

We were able to do that for a month until the government said that there could no longer be meetings of groups larger than ten. What did we do? We went from cell group meetings in specific homes in key areas of the city with multiple families to having Bible study groups in every home being led by individual families, which we call “family cell groups” That is what we are doing to this day.

Then other questions arose, such as, “Pastor, how are you going to preach to us?” One of the leaders suggested that it would be very good if I preached through Facebook Live. Of course as pastors, we love to preach, but we want to see people’s faces and we want to hear an “amen”. So I started reflecting on that, and God showed me that we had a vast amount of media tools as options to carry out His work. I began polling pastors, leaders and church members to see who had Facebook, and who had WhatsApp, and then I began to preach every Sunday through Facebook Live. Our Children’s Club instructors began to prepare their lessons every Sunday to share them on the different digital platforms, so that all our children could participate in a virtual way. 

For those without Facebook, the message is recorded, and the children’s teaching is sent by WhatsApp. I also want to take time to thank Lifeword and their support. Thanks to them, we have in our country several community radio stations that are preaching the gospel and a recording studio for recording, editing and broadcasting the gospel of Jesus Christ. Thanks to Lifeword.org, today more than ever, more people are hearing the gospel in our country and beyond. And thanks to the reach of mass media, we have received wonderful testimonies such as Cecilia Hernández, who after listening to a message on one of the radio stations called us to make a profession of faith, accepting Jesus as her savior. 

Brothers, the situation we are experiencing in our country has been very difficult and continues to be very difficult and challenging. Like in other countries, our political parties are at odds rather than banding together to aid the population at large. They have not joined efforts in any form or fashion to find legitimate ways to unify the country and the consequences of their lack of collaboration is evident in the great problems facing the entire population. Thank God that as churches of the Baptist Missionary Association, we have been able to bring help to hundreds of families, material help and also spiritual help since we have brought them the message of salvation.

For me, the most difficult challenge has been not assembling together and having to be doing the virtual services, where there is only one member of the praise band and myself. It is not inspiring for me to be talking into a camera phone, but in obedience to my Lord I do.

The victories are many. Despite all the restrictions that we have, the Word of God continues to be preached, more people have been saved, many others have reconciled with the Lord rededicating their lives, and others are awaiting a window of opportunity to follow the Lord in baptismal waters.

It may be that even today many are wondering, “What do we do?” or “How are we going to make do?” I invite you to read 2 Kings 6: 17 “And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.” 

Elisha’s servant was no longer afraid when he saw God’s mighty heavenly army. This has to lead us to understand and believe in faith that God is doing more for his people than we can imagine, more than we can realize through sight. Let’s not forget that as we face these difficulties that seem impossible to overcome, like this pandemic and others to come, that spiritual resources are there even when we cannot see them. Let us fight to see through the eyes of faith and allow God to show us his mighty hand working on our behalf. 

Horsemen and chariots were the most sophisticated and powerful military instruments the Syrians had. But God’s invisible army literally had more destructive power than those horses and chariots. The spiritual army had chariots of fire around Elisha ready to defend him. If you don’t see God working in your life, there is probably a problem with your spiritual vision and not with the power of God. 

Take courage, church, that Jehovah is with us as a mighty giant. May our wonderful God continue bless your lives and using you for his honor and glory.

Brother Rigoberto Jimenez Cruz