El Salvador- Unexpected Visitors

Part way through our trip to El Salvador, six people from our hometown church came and joined a team from Florida as we did evangelical outreaches.  We didn't know that Chuck and Mike would be joining us.  It was so good to see familiar faces.  We knew we'd be joined by a team from Valley, but I was pleasantly surprised to see these two in particular.

Chuck, Eliana, and me in El Salvador

             Kyle and Chuck serving together in Jamaica, 2002

Chuck was one of the "adults" on the mission trip that Kyle and I went on the summer after our freshman year of college.  I use the term "adult" in quotes because we were all over 18, or at least I'm pretty sure we were, but Mr. Chuck was from the wise and mature mentoring part of our team.  Our team of somewhere around 15 went down to Jamaica to hold Vacation Bible School in several small churches.  Our team split up into smaller teams, and each mini team of 4 or 5 lead VBS at a church.  Chuck was our team's driver.  Kyle and I had been dating for over a year at that point.  Chuck talked to us a lot about life, missions, dating, and marriage.  He has encouraged us and prayed for us for many years.

Now you can tell the Mike is a grandpa because he was willing to try to eat and hold Eliana at the same time.  He was pretty good about not letting her steal his food, and that takes the talent of a loving grandpa.  Mike has a handful of grand kids that he loves dearly.  He was thrilled to see Eliana and loved spending time with her while we were in El Salvador.  Mike and Kyle served in Mexico together doing VBS in Mexico when Kyle was in high school.  I thought it was pretty neat that we'd be able to serve with those we have served with before.

Mike went with us door to door sharing the gospel.  

He has a heart for children to know Christ.