friends...

Oh, and here is a cute shot of the ladies weekend in antigua! (Jenny & Cindy came up for a fun weekend and to help me take the bus successfully without a total freak out! They spoil me! The rest happened to also becoming for a quick Christmas shopping trip.) I am in the front row with Priscilla, (Michelle's sister) and the back row starts with Jenny on the left, then Cindy, Dara and finally Michelle.

Aren't we cuuuute?

Antigua is Pretty

Here are some shots of pretty Antigua.

More art

For your viewing pleasure!

art in el salvador

I know that a lot of you think that I have moved to a land of volcanoes and snakes to live in a mud hut, but the reality is that San Salvador is an urban center for El Salvador and there are many moments of light and culture. You just have to look for them a bit!

Thankfully my dear friend Jenny is an amazing artist and has already been introducing to some aspects of the art world in El Sal. She is hoping to join a collective of local artists called the FabriK and I got to tag along to an amazing art show about two weeks ago. Below are a few of the pieces that I particularly loved and a shot of Jenny, Jonathan and myself in front of Jenny's piece.

To see more of Jenny's artwork, visit: http://www.daveandjenny.org/ Much of her work is for sale and would make a beautiful Christmas gift, as well as support missionaries in El Salvador. So, you can buy a piece of art that is gorgegous and help make the world a better a place. If anyone is interested, contact me or Jenny and I can probably bring artwork home with me when I return on Dec. 13th!

my date for thanksgiving

OK, I have commited to telling the good, the blessed AND the ugly. Well, the ugly truth is that on Thursday I was so homesick that I couldn't bear going out and eating a Thanksgiving meal by myself. Turkey is great and all, but Thanksgiving is about having friends and family near and sharing in a day of thanks. Well, with no one here, I was kind of a sorry sack. And by the time I got around to dinner, I just didn't have any heart left and found myself standing by McDonalds. And so I sat in the McDonald's garden in Antigua (which is actually quite beautiful) across from this wicked clown man statue and ate fries. Trust me, I missed every single one of you on Thursday!

Gratitude – Thanksgiving 2007

For about a year now, I have been compelled to write about gratitude. There is so much to be thankful for! I see signs of God’s grace and abundance all around me and I really do want to just shout out all of the reasons that I have to be thankful for everyone to hear!

But every time I sit down to write, I am at a loss because the list gets so long so quickly. And this truth quiets me because the reality is that there is no trumpet loud enough, there are no words eloquent enough to truly describe the deep well of gratitude within my spirit. There is actually no response that I could ever give that would be appropriate.

And I realize that all I can say is thank you. It isn’t enough. It does not articulate my gratitude in the slightest. The words do not play the song that I feel deep inside as a response to so much richness. (I know that sounds a little bit sound of music-ish for me, but it’s true…) The words can’t show you how I walk the streets of El Salvador and now Guatemala, continually buzzing with thankfulness for you—each one of you. I could send thank you cards every week and that still wouldn’t do it.

And so I sit in silence and simply say a pray of thanks:
I am thankful for
each one of you that has enriched and blessed my life in so many ways.
I am
thankful for a family that always supports me in whatever crazy ideas I
pursue.
I am thankful for new friends that bring laughter and joy into my new
life.
I’m thankful for old friends that know me like a book and love me so
much anyway.
I am thankful for God’s work in El Salvador and for including me
in it.
I’m thankful for the people of El Salvador because they share beauty
with me in ways that lighten my path.
I’m thankful for friends and family
that so generously continue to partner in this work in words, prayers and
financially.
I’m thankful for River West—my heart’s home.
I’m thankful for
ENLACE—where my journey gets interesting!
I’m thankful for good music and
people that can play guitar in my life.
I am thankful for good Spanish
teachers!
I’m thankful for the internet, hand made chocolates and cute
shoes.
And I’m thankful for planes into El Salvador because they will bring
some of you to me in the months to come.

And this thanksgiving, I have to say that everything on this list is all a
direct result of God’s hand on my life. And as we turn the corner towards
Christmas, let me encourage you to take a moment to be thankful for the most
precious and powerful gift ever. For me, all blessings flow from that
night in December.

Psalm 34:1-4
I will bless the LORD at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul will make its boast in the
LORD; The humble will hear it and rejoice. Magnify the LORD with me, and let us
exalt His name together.

And in Spanish: Bendeciré a SEÑOR siempre; Su alabanza estará continuamente en mi boca. Mi alma hará su alarde en el SEÑOR; La voluntad humilde lo oye y rejoice. Magnifique a SEÑOR con mí, y exalt su nombre junto.

Love you all & miss you all terribly today.
PS: Shelle & Liser – Be sure to make some mashed potatoes in my honor! Aunt Sue- I am using my emergency $20 for Thanksgiving dinner tonight in Antigua! I might even have enough left over for a pedicure!

oh and two more!

Ooo, these are so good. Here is our tiny team with Pastor Miguel. I love these guys so much that I even let them take a photo of me from below. (Yep, the dreaded double chin angle!)

And on the last night in Las Delicias some of the kiddos that we had been hanging with all week wrote our names in the cement. I get pretty emotional just looking at this shot. Of course, that is a bit overwhelmed by giggles when I think about how the kids came up with spelling Shane's name "Chet." Oh yea, that nickname will stick!

But truly, what a gift to be known and so remembered by our friends in Las Delicias. It makes me want to go out and haul some tiera right now!

how to build a muro

It's sounds easy, but just wait! Here are the steps in case you want to build your very own tire retaining wall!

1. Get tires - a lot
2. Get dirt - a whole lot
3. Clear the ground & make it level.
4. Lay down tires & start cramming dirt in with your handy pala.
5. Repeat these steps over and over
6. Build a small cement volcano and shovel until your arms want to fall off.
7. Load said cement into any available bucket, barrel or bowl.
8. Make a lovely cement floor at the top of your muro and toss cement into all available holes in the wall.
9. Let dry.
10. Start over on some other part of the hill that is washing away with the rains.

All I have to say is that Pete, Mike & Shane are all amazing in my eyes. They worked like animals all week and absolutely gave all of their hearts. Good stuff.

Ana Maria's House

Since I will be traveling around so much, I am not planning on moving into my new place until January. So I have been staying at a few different spots. Below are a few pics of Ana Maria's home where I have spent the majority of time thus far. For $70 a week, I get a room, a cold shower and breakfast and dinner. And Ana Maria is a mother to all and has graciously cared for me, helped correct my Spanish, done laundry, etc, etc. If you ever come to El Salvador for a while, I highly recommend trying to stay with Ana Maria! This week, I will try to get a photo of Ana Maria to post on her as well.

The 80’s Live On

A while back, my friend Wendy declared that she did not know any other person that had so embraced the return of the 1980’s—her tone implied that this was a problem of some kind. And I quickly admitted that I kind of like the 80’s and I will proudly wear my checkerboard vans for many years to come!

Well, about two weeks ago, I was sitting on the front porch of my home stay earnestly discussing the merits of Michael Jackson, Journey & the Police—in Spanish! I even got into an argument about where Madonna was born (Bay City, Michigan if you didn’t know!) And afterwards, I realized that El Salvador and I have one major thing in common—an appreciation for the decade that brought the world jelly shoes, Cyndi Lauper and Boy George. Of course, in an effort for international relations, I had to actually admit almost all of the 80’s bands that I still love, but my new friend Shane was the only witness and has promised to take my embarrassing music preferences to the grave.

And it was pretty amazing being able to grunt out some sense of meaning in my horrible Spanish. It was a first glimpse of what all of these classes and hours might bring. Thanks for your continued prayers, as I continue to study and will attempt to speak beyond MTV in the coming months.

The New House

Here is the new house! It is tiny, but right in my budget, in a safe & nice plazuela and will be perfect. This home is an answer to many of the prayers that YOU prayed for ME. So thank you!!!

I plan to move in January after all of my travels for Spanish training & my return home at Christmas.

And there will always be a guest room available for any visitors! So book your tickets now. ;)

Pastor & Leader Retreat

Here are a few photos from the retreat. To see more, with me actually in them, go see the ENLACE slideshow

THE SHORT VERSION:
I arrived in El Salvador last Tuesday morning and by Wednesday morning I had a bag packed and was on my way to ENLACE’s annual Pastor’s & Leaders retreat. It was sooo cool. Thanks to those of you that kept us in your prayers.

LOOKING FOR SPACE:
I had no clue what to expect, but primarily was looking forward to a personal time of prayer and Bible study—after all of the chaos of preparations to leave, I was craving more time with God. And I figured it couldn’t hurt to meet some more of the ENLACE staff, as well as some of the key Pastors and leaders from some of the local partner churches.

& FINDING IT:
We stayed at a rustic retreat center for 3 days and spent time in prayer and Bible study. Ron is a dynamic preacher with a unique gifting for taking complex ideas and breaking them down into understandable chunks. I was greatly challenged and encouraged by the messages that he shared over the 3 days. And prayer with a bunch of Central American church leaders is a passionate and emotional experience. And was so touched when the church leaders prayed for the ENLACE staff on the last day and I was included in the blessing. We also spent wonderful times at meals together and playing games. (Yes, within days of being in-country Ron & Dave were able to get me in a sack race and an egg toss. Miracles will never cease…) So there was a perfect balance of time in meditation and times just kicking it with new friends and co-workers.

& FINDING MORE:
And after so many retreats in my life, you would think I would know that there is always an impact when you join others and set aside time to hear God’s voice. Well, thanks to Dave, Pete & Ron, many of the sessions were translated for me—so I knew a lot more about what was being discussed then I planned.

And what a great start to my time here! I was able to see ENLACE’s primary focus on Biblically based training played out throughout the weekend, but was also able to hear from Pastors about what God is doing in and through THEM. And those were really the golden moments—hearing how empowered local churches were reflecting Christ’s sacrificial love and transforming their communities with that love. And I was also struck by what deep faith and hope these leaders shared by joining together to dream and expect great things together for their congregations. They were not dwelling on their limitations, but were looking forward with trust & confidence in God’s blessing.

WE GET TO BE A PART OF THAT BLESSING:
And in a week, a small team from River West will come here and we will paint the exterior of a water tank and probably do a small-scale work project at the Buen Samaritano (Good Samaritan) church. I am so excited to be able to actually be the hands and feet that help answer one of the prayers of one my new friends from the retreat.

As always, please keep this great work in prayer!

In His Grace,
-Tina
PS: I have posted some photos at my blog in case you want to see some faces from the event & we have also posted a slideshow and video at the ENLACE website. Check ‘em out!

My Shortest Email Ever

Well, I have suffered my first trial in missions—no internet access for 5 days. Pray for me friends… J
Below is an email that I tried to send on Tuesday when I got here.
In His Grace,
-Tina
__________________________________________________________________________________
Hello Friends!
I’m here safe & sound! Dave, Jenny & Jonathan are already making me feel right home.

Note that I have a new email address: tanderson@enlaceonline.org. My River West email will close in another week or so. SO, change it in your address book now, so my emails down get stuck in junkmail!

God is good.

Taking a ride on an aeroplane

Hello Wonderful Friends-

The Answered Prayers Just Don’t Stop!
Down to this very moment, I have felt so incredibly blessed. This journey began merely 6 months ago and I have been consistently and overwhelmingly blessed over and over. Thank you for being such a huge part of that blessing through your prayers, donations, hugs and encouraging words. It has made all the difference! And as I prepare to leave this afternoon, I have the feeling that I am truly ready for this. Mind you, I know this will be the hardest thing I have ever done and yet, I know that with all of your support and with God’s great strength and love, there is really nothing that He can’t do through me. It’s a pretty amazing feeling! I promise to keep you posted on what is happening the whole way!

Prayer Hour
In particular, one of my favorite things to do in recent months has been meeting with friends and praying for El Salvador each month. It has been a joy and an honor to sit together with people with two simple desires—to thank God for His work in our lives and to seek His will for our lives & the people of El Salvador. We have prayed for Nuevo Renacer, ENLACE, and even each other. And I am reminded why we do this—it is so encouraging…and healing…and empowering. Truly there is a real and beautiful power in gathering together to pray. Thanks for all of you that have shared in those times with me. It has been the power behind everything that is happening right now. And I wanted to share some of the effects of your prayers:

Budget Raised! – In God’s great and awesome providence and through your sacrificial giving, I have raised my goal amount for my annual budget through one-time gifts and monthly commitments. AND I am most of the way towards the funds I will need to purchase a safe and reliable truck. This simply blows me away and every little bit has added up to meet my financial needs! Now I can head to El Salvador with a great deal of peace that I can take the level of Spanish classes that I will need, I can buy myself a bed when I get there and enjoy food, electricity and clean water. I can even afford a trip home at Christmas! God is good and you have all been pieces of His providence in my life. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!
Prayer Team is still going – One of my consistent prayers has been that the monthly prayer times that I have started that focus on El Salvador would continue. Well, at our last gathering Sheri Harkavy offered to help keep the ball rolling. I cannot even begin to express what a great peace and joy it brings to think about my River West family gathering together to pray for El Salvador and encourage one another. It actually brings a few tears to my eyes. You know that saying, “Out of sight, out of mind”?—Well, I think that is every missionaries fear and it blesses me so richly to know that friends will continue to gather to pray for El Salvador, ENLACE and for me personally. Awesome!
Spanish – Well, my Spanish is still terrible. I eavesdrop on every Spanish conversation that I pass and I understand virtually nothing and certainly could not respond if asked. And yet, oddly, I am at peace about it. (That might change when I hit the ground tomorrow morning…hehe) I guess my feeling is that I put in what effort I could and I think that will help. As soon as the River West team leaves in November, I am heading to Guatemala for intense immersion classes and I figure that will help really solidify things. And otherwise, I will just HAVE to speak. I will probably sound like a 3rd grader, but so be it!! God has provided in every single way thus far and I know that this prayer will be answered in a mighty way.
Transition – It’s hard to leave a place you love and yet, ALL of your support has helped me continue following this journey. I leave with complete confidence that this is the right direction and that some pretty cool things will be the result both in my life and in all of your lives. Isn’t it cool how one step of faith can impact us all? Not that my step is so great—everything has been provided for me, at this point it isn’t really faith, as much as just common sense—but as I see you all have faith in what God is doing through me, as I see you step up to give, pray, donate suitcases and other supplies, offer to come visit, etc. it strikes me that a current has been set in motion and God is reaching around the world through this small action and yet, it touches of you and then you continue it forward with your support and next it will impact some stranger in El Salvador. It really seems like a very tangible way of sharing the many blessings in my life and your lives, but it also seems to be moving people to greater knowledge of God’s love for them—and isn’t that really what it is ALL about—sharing God’s love with one another. It is so good to be a part of this and I am so psyched to continue bringing you along side me.
So Much Luggage – Thanks everyone for all of the luggage! I was able to pack quite a few bags for the teams coming in November to check as their second bags and deliver to me. So I won’t have to pay a dime for shipping any of my possessions to El Salvador. Sooo Awesome!
Everyone meet Ginger – She is an answer to prayer! Ginger will be moving into my room shortly! She is a great girl that is nice, loves the Lord and works with orphans in Africa. I could not have hand-picked a better replacement for my sweet home and my sweet roomies! Yes!
Car still for sale – Well, I got 4 calls to buy the car yesterday! Yahoo. But then a friend backed into the car and dented the hood some. So, I took it off Craig’s List and am hoping to speak with insurance folks today. Thankfully both Darcy & my parents have offered to help show the car & sell it once we can get the dented hood fixed. ;) It’s so awesome to have folks willing to help take care of that detail while I am gone. So keep praying for a quick turn-around for the fix and that this won’t impact the sell of the car beyond a brief delay.

And I could go on and on with so many more answered prayers, but I actually need to finish packing. ;)
My next email should be from San Salvador!

I sure love you all!

Down to the Wire

Down to the Wire
Well, I am down to 11 days remaining. Wow! I am super stoked to get down to El Salvador, start settling into life and begin really learning Spanish! Thanks for all of your prayers, support, etc. thus far.

The Nitty Gritty
Many of you have asked about my preparations—some out of interest about what one has to do to “enter the mission field” and some because you wander if there is any tangible way that you can help. Well, there are a few final details that I would love to share with you guys for your prayer and potentially your help.

I need your old luggage – I am not shipping any furniture or possessions down because shipping is cost prohibitive (and I don’t really own anything of real value—it’s just all cute looking.) So, my plan is to get as much of my life into my luggage as necessary. Initially I will fly down with two huge duffle bags! And then I hope to convince a few folks coming down on the November trip to also bring some additional luggage. Rather then buy luggage, which I will likely only use once, I was hoping that a person or two has some old duffles or luggage that I can use. At this point I am looking only for large and extra large pieces (as close to, but no larger then the limit of 62 total inches length+width+height.) If you have something, let me know and I will arrange a way to get in the next few days.
Looking for a good roomie – Leaving on a grand adventure is awesome, but is also means leaving behind dearly loved friends. Most of you know my long-time roomie Darcy Carroll and she is looking for a woman to replace me in our lovely little house. Darcy has been so supportive and encouraging, even though my departure has shaken up her world some. I am praying for a really great woman to fit into the house with Darcy and Jennifer Dale—who just moved in a month or so ago. The bedroom is small, but rent is great at $350 and the downstairs part of the house is fully furnished, including a dishwasher, washer/dryer, etc. There is a great yard that many of you have enjoyed for numerous BBQs. It’s a really lovely home in the Burlingame neighborhood of Portland which is about 10 minutes from the church and 10 to downtown. I5 access is super easy. Anyway, please join me in prayer for someone asap and let Darcy know darcycarroll@hotmail.com If you can think of anyone looking for a great place to live.
Looking for a Car? – I bought my Toyota Corolla LE about 2 years ago and have loved every minute of it! Truly, this I my first car that just runs reliably and well. And to be honest, I have tried multiple schemes to NOT sell my car, so it can be waiting for me. But in the end, that is kind of silly—a car is a car—and I really need a car in El Salvador. Every cent I can get towards a car, means the safer, more reliable whatever I get will be—and that’s most important! And it is pretty likely that I will be using a car to transport teams, even River West teams—in the future, so the nicer the better for everyone. Which means, I need to just sell my car. It is a 4 door 5 speed manual with 123K mileage (but it’s a Toyota, so it will probably run for another 100K). The tires are new and I just had the belts changed and some other tune-up work. It has a good stereo CD player, AC, Auto windows and doors, and cruise control. AND a cool spoiler thing on the back. I’m asking $4600. If you are interested or know anyone interested, let me know.

Thanks again for all of your amazing support. I have a lot more to say about that, but for now just wanted to get this info out in case any of you know anyone that can help me out!

In His Grace,
-Tina

Roby Duke Benefit Follow Up

Hi Everyone-

I just wanted to post a quick follow up and say Thank you to River West and Roby Duke for an amazing evening a couple of weeks ago. The concert was amazing. Truly, you should check out Roby's music if you haven't already. He can play a guitar so well it will make you hurt and he can swing so sweetly that you will want to cry and somehow he combines those things to create the most lovely music.

It was also awesome to share an evening with so many wonderful friends. Even my parents and brothers were able to make it for the evening. I truly felt like the princess at the ball and it was such a wonderful gift. So thank you, thank you, thank you.

And also thanks to everyone that donated to help me purchase a car in El Salvador. In the end, I believe we raised around $3500 and once I sell my car, I think we should have enough to purchase me something reliable and hard core for all of those crazy dirt roads in El Sal. The real question is, who is going to teach me to drive like a Salvadoran?

God is so good and you continue to be answers to my prayers!

BENEFIT CONCERT with Roby Duke!

Well, this continues to be an exciting journey of God providing more then I can think to ask. I still have a little more funding to raise before I meet my annual living expenses budget, but I am very, very close. (Quite a few people have told me that they have checks yet to mail and I am pretty sure that will meet the goal, but they aren’t in yet, so I am still waiting to count the final figures...) My goal has been to get that amount raised and then start thinking about the additional items that would benefit my ministry, but were not absolutely necessary--things like a car. But now that I am almost completely funded, I have been turning my prayers and attention to these additional needs. And almost as soon as my prayers began, an amazing opportunity just fell into my lap.

Roby Duke has been one of my favorite musicians since High School. He is an amazing guitarist, songwriter and singer. In recent years, he has played at River West a few times and each time I have been awed and encouraged by his music, his story and his sense of humor. Well, he happens to be coming through Portland in two weeks and has agreed to do a benefit concert to help me raise funds to purchase a safe and reliable car in El Salvador. So, not only do I get to hear one of my favorite musicians play, but there will also be an opportunity for me to also share about the work of ENLACE and why I am packing my bags & partnering with this amazing ministry full-time. And, as if that wasn’t enough, River West is going to help put on the whole event, so I don’t even have to stress the details. So cool!

So come on out!
Tickets go on sale this Sunday at River West, if you don’t attend the church but are interested in coming, let me know and I can make arrangements to get you tickets. To hear some of Roby’s music, check out his latest album at: http://cdbaby.com/cd/robyduke2

And if you can’t make it, start praying!
Here are things I can use prayer for this week:

• Spanish – Nope, still not fluent, but I do know how to say that “I like music.” Me gusta escuchar música. ;)


• Fundraising continues – Please pray that the concert is a success musically & financially, but also that I am able to really share concisely and effectively the amazing things God is doing through ENLACE. I would not be willing to make this extreme life change if not for my passionate belief that ENLACE is going to change the entire landscape of El Salvador through their amazing model.
  
• Margin - Last week I asked you to pray for margin and I really felt the answer to that prayer. I had just enough time to get things done, hang out with friends, rest and just enjoy my time. Thanks for praying and please keep it up!

I continue to be blown away by all of you and your support, love and encouragement! You are a blessing from God in my life!

Weakness can be a good thing

I think one of my biggest challenges in life is my protection mode. I really hate being hurt—and I know you hate being hurt to, but I REALLY hate it. A lot. Since I was pretty young I have armored myself with all kinds of protective techniques and manners. All with the aim of keeping myself away from the weepy, the broken and the ouchy. I am the strong one. The go-to person. The girl you call to get a job done. Self-sufficiency could be on my resume. And I’ve been pretty good at it—until now.

Now I am actively and volitionally placing myself on a new journey that is basically one big messy road of vulnerability. There is really no way around it. I’m leaving my job—financial stability; my community—family & friends; my language—don’t get me started…But most significantly I think I am giving up my delusion of some supreme strength of my own. First, I can’t even get to El Salvador without your financial support. And emotionally, I wouldn’t make it through a week without the prayers, emails and phone calls of dear friends reminding me why I am stoked to begin this adventure. There is no way I will be able to make a meaningful impact on anything in El Salvador without God-like strength, God-like patience and a God-like trust in the big plan beyond my vision. And that is not something that I can supply, purchase or do a tutorial on—Godlikeness. In his journal about his time in Latin America, Henri Nouwen writes:

One of the most rewarding aspects of living in a strange land is the experience
of being loved not for what we can do, but for who we are. When we become
aware that our stuttering, failing, vulnerable selves are loved even when we
hardly progress, we can let go of compulsion to prove ourselves and be free to
live with others in a fellowship of the weak. Gracias, p.17

“Fellowship of the weak”—doesn’t that sound awful. It sounds lonely…and hard…and well, weak. But here is the thing—Jesus, as He walked this earth hung out with the weak—the poor, the sick, the broken. And when He was making His dream team of apostles, he basically told them to give up everything and just trust and follow Him—sounds pretty weak. (Try explaining that to your family…”Yea, I quit today to wander & learn from a guy with a really long beard and a special twinkle in His eyes…) And the more I think about it, the more I have to recognize that the Savior ultimately chose the most extreme form of weakness to save me—death on a cross.

In Luke 14:11 it says, “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” So maybe all of my running from weakness is a bit counterintuitive as a Christ-follower. And having been to El Salvador, I know that there is a lot more to weakness than my made-for TV conception of it. I have witnessed strength in weakness firsthand—people with no reason for hope, who hope anyway. Mother’s dreaming of college for kids when they didn’t get past the 5th grade. Poor people collecting enough in the Sunday offering to help some only slightly poorer person. Friendship offered even after so many relationships have failed them. The first line of the beatitudes says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” And while I don’t believe that I will ever be able to experience absolute solidarity in poverty, I hope to really learn what that means. Don’t get me wrong, every atom in my body still cries out for stability and strength—but God is leading me somewhere else—a place of vulnerability—a place of trust—and His great love compels me to follow. And because of that love—this new road is wonderful. Scary and hard and potentially ouchy yes, but truly wonderful.

Whew. That was a lot to say. I promise to try to make these missives shorter—sometimes I just get excited and want to share SO much!!

OK, here is how to pray for me this week:

• Spanish – Nope, not fluent yet. ;)
  
• Fundraising continues – I remain in awe that every week I get closer to my goal!
  
• Margin – There are a lot of things to do. Details, plans, things to learn, decisions to make, friends to see, tears to shed, movies to watch, dance moves to bust, etc. And then there is life—prayer, reading my Bible, exercising, eating, etc. All of that jumble of activity does not leave a whole lot of space for enjoying moments, soaking in Portland and loving the ones I love. Please pray that I learn how to cultivate the margin of living. I’ve never been good at margin and it seems like now is the time to learn.

From "Oh no" to "Oh my!"

As promised, here is the first in a planned weekly email about my adventure to El Salvador!

I woke up a few weeks ago and rolled over. My first thought was, “I’m moving to El Salvador in 2 months! —Oh my…what have I done!” And then I lay there a few minutes and the let my thoughts sink in and my next thought was —“Wait a minute, I’m moving to El Salvador in 2 months! That is awesome!”

Yea, that is pretty much my life these days—a constant state of being purely overwhelmed and sooo purely stoked. It is such a weird place, but I am trying roll to with it and trust God more and more when the “oh no” thoughts come and embrace the joy feelings when I think about actually getting down there and being a part of such an amazing work. So, even though there are moments, I still feel like I won the lottery. Like I am the luckiest girl alive to have a life that allows me to just go and serve and see what lies ahead. Lately I keep envisioning that boat that Pastor Guy mentioned so many messages ago and I keep thinking what a thrill it is to step out of the boat and follow God wherever He leads me. Sure the process is not without sacrifices or fears, but the adventure is so exciting!

But to keep the record straight, if you thought that by becoming a missionary, you can avoid all second-guessing or feel a perpetual state of purpose or mission, well I am here to say thus far that it doesn’t exactly work that way. Yep, I still feel doubts and fears amidst all of this change. And yet, I still know deep down that this is what God wants for me and there is a great peace and sense of expectation in that. And there is the encouragement I receive from you when you say you are praying for me or donate to ENLACE—that is when you are the hand of God in my life. Pretty cool, huh? And then I also remember that I love El Salvador and I love the work there and I still am awed a bit that I get to be part of something that very specifically brings hope to the lives of the poor—through relationships, through increased skills, through clean water, through fed bellies. Really cool.

Nonetheless, the tension is still there. That tension between what sacrifice requires us to give up and the desire to really live the life we are each called to. It looks different for all of us, but I really believe we all should be living somewhere between the “oh no” and the “oh yes!” It doesn’t really matter whether it is on the mission field or right next door, it’s all about where you’re called and what you are asked to give. And my encouragement is cliché but it’s what I’ve got today—just do it. Just give yourself to the adventure. It’s what makes us alive in our walk with Christ and available to each other as we help & support & enjoy the adventure together!

How to pray for me this week:

• Fundraising continues – It is going very well and I am so blessed by everyone that has given and I look forward to meeting 100% of my budget.
  
• Spanish – The saga continues. I’m still finding it hard to devote time to Spanish and still feeling like I am not doing what I need to be prepared. I feel like I am not doing enough, but I also feel like I don’t have any more bandwidth right now. Please pray that I continue to make this a real priority, find time to practice speaking while being realistic about what I have to give and having patience with myself.
  
• Emotional Energy – I leave in two months. And I am finding that my normally pretty even-keel Tinaness is more of a roller coaster of emotions these days. (For example, I was just crying on my bed one afternoon recently. No real good reason, I just had to cry. It makes no sense, but it is my reality today.) It seems that this is probably pretty normal—to experience pretty intense emotion amidst such a big life change, so I am trying to have patience with myself, yet again, but nonetheless the emotions can be pretty tiring. So please pray that I am able to have a right perspective of what is going on and that God give me the emotional strength and energy for these next few months. And if you see me and I look a little droopy, a little hug goes a long way sometimes.

PS: Saturday, August 25th some of us will be gathering to pray for El Salvador, Nuevo Renaçer, Agros & ENLACE at 10am at the River West Community Center. Please join us!

FOUR LITTLE LETTERS

HOPE
It’s such a small little word for such a significant thing. It seems like there should be a few more syllables and perhaps an accent placed somewhere. The word is overused to the point of being totally useless & trite and sometimes seems far from each of our experiences. Our world is broken, we see it every day. The needs are vast and the solutions seem few. This is the world we live in and as a global community it seems that our hope source has dwindled to a tiny stream. In fact, hope is so lost in the shuffle of our modern experience, that when we come face to face with it—it stops us in our tracks. Why do you think so many people watch Extreme Makeover Home Edition? It’s all about deserving people being given a dose of physical hope. Why do I love the movie Hoosiers and watch it at least once every year? It’s about a group of Indiana farm boys that together work to realize their hope of beating those big city ball players. And why is the story of Narnia a classic? It’s all about the hope of Aslan. His life-saving sacrifice followed by his triumphant return.

HOW ENLACE DOES HOPE
And over the last few years, the hope in El Salvador has not only stopped me, but has me packing my bags! In these communities, there is dignity present. There is joy. And mostly there is hope. When a mother is able to provide clean & healthy water to her child, a hope is born that she would have never known previously. When a father is able to provide a library where his kids can study and do better in school, again a new hope is created. And when a church partners with their community & listens & acts out of love & selflessly serves, another kind of hope is begun! Dave McGee, Enlace’s Communications Director, sent me this in an email and I love the nuts and bolts description of some of the hope growing via the work of ENLACE. He said:

For the church, a need can frequently be turned into an opportunity by
maximizing what is available, not focusing on what is missing. The church is a
continuous reservoir of resources (from Ron’s
blog). ENLACE has worked primarily with churches of less than 100 members
located in impoverished, rural areas of El Salvador. Many of the church leaders
believed they did not have the financial or human resources to become effective
agents of change in their community. As soon as they looked at their church more
closely and began to partner with their community, they discovered a wealth of
skills and resources within their congregations. Churches already had, or could
develop quickly, great fundraising skills and could pool resources together
effectively. They also had a deep commitment to stewardship and compassion which
made them an endless reservoir of resources to transform their communities.

ENLACE is all about helping illuminate the opportunity lying just below the surface. Henri Nouwen explained this concept beautifully in his journal about ministry in Central America called Gracias. He said:

The true skill of ministry is to help fearful and often oppressed men and women
become aware of their own gifts, by receiving them in gratitude. In that
sense, ministry becomes the skill of active dependency: willing to be dependent
on what others have to give but often do not realize they have.

It’s a beautiful blend of empowerment and practical training. And after 14 years, it’s working! In a war-scared country like El Salvador, this is the hope for communities in generations to come. I know that sounds awfully esoteric and lofty—and I guess it is—but it’s true. And that amazes me! That I truly believe that ENLACE, through God’s power, can and will bring restoration to an entire country one person and project at a time. Ooo, I have goose bumps I am so excited!

WHY I FEEL LIKE I WON THE LOTTERY
God is working—God is restoring—and I get to be a part of it! Earlier I said that hope seems to be dwindling in our world, but in my life I have found a hope that has changed my perspective, changed my heart and is changing my address. While I know there is a lot of hard work before me, all of the sacrifices seem like cake in comparison to what God has done and is doing. And I know some of you are non-believers or atheists or agnostics or blissfully ambivalent, but I firmly believe that Christ is the ultimate source of all hope. And He is leading me to El Salvador. Crazy, but true. And crazier still, I cannot wait to go and see His face shining through the villagers! I can’t wait to see Him create miracles—to restore people—to show the wealth that is within the hearts of the villagers there. Yes, I will be part of an organization that is working on “eliminating poverty in sustainable ways”, but so much more than that, I am going to become a laborer of hope. I am going to El Salvador because I have felt the hand of God in my life and He is guiding me to go and share life there. I believe that I will be able to bring some gifts to that place and I believe that El Salvador will richly gift me back. And I believe that you should come along with me!

I have been approved by both ENLACE’s El Salvador & US leadership and I have signed my affiliation agreement. This means a few things. First that I definitely get to go. And while I had a good feeling that all was going to work out, I am absolutely exuberant now that I have signed the form, have a legal title (the contract calls me “the project operator”—how cool is that?!) and can begin the next step: fundraising.

WHY I AM EXCITED TO ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT

This will give you a good glance into my reality of late. God has communicated and proven over and over that He will provide for me, and against my logic, my anxiety, my normal self—I am simply trusting Him. And although this process is still only a few months old, a few of you have already contacted me and said that you would like to partner with me and help support this adventure. And where I would normally have fear, instead I have a great sense of expectation that I am about to see miracles. And you are a part of that miracle. Whether it be through prayer, email, checks or hugs—God has been providing for me already! I truly feel blessed and am overwhelmed with gratitude for all of you. Specific areas that I could use prayer are:

• Continued Support – I cannot do this alone. And I am so excited to have friends and family join with me via prayer, finances or future care packages. The support already has been amazing!
  
• Spanish – I’m doing what I can to learn as much Spanish as I can, but it’s hard to focus sometimes.
  
• River West Transition – I love River West with all of my heart and leaving is so hard. And every time Guy preaches or we do worship or one of you tells me about the miracles in your life, it is sooo good that it makes leaving all that much harder. Please pray that I continue to move forward with hope and excitement at the next step God has for me and that the letting go will happen without too many crying fits. ;)
  
• People, Time & Preparation – Clearly there is a lot to do. And there are only so many hours in a day, but my priority has been spending time with you guys. The boxes will get packed, the details taken care of somehow, but I will never replace the time I have remaining with all of you at this time in my life. I know that, but “Tina-the-planner” can get a bit stressed when there are still loose ends everywhere. Please pray for right priorities, perspective and grace with my remaining months.
  
• ENLACE – There is a lot of exciting stuff happening at ENLACE and my daily prayer is for this organization that I believe is doing such powerful work. I pray that God is preparing me for the work there and I pray that God is preparing them for me.

HOW DOES THE MATH WORK OUT?

So, how do the finances work? Well, I worked with ENLACE to develop a budget based on their many years living in El Salvador and my final budget was approved by them. As far as annual living expenses go, I hope to raise about $30,000. This includes all the “must-haves” like rent, utilities, food, health insurance, and some start up expenses like Spanish, moving costs, residency, etc. I will be focusing on raising this amount in the next few months. And once I have raised my living expenses, there are other expenses, like a car, a computer, etc. that I will be trying to raise funds for, but first things first! And although I do not leave until the Fall, I am trying to start raising these monies now to help cover moving costs that I will have before I leave, pay deposits for my new place, buy my plane ticket there, etc. So, if you feel led to give, following are the ways that you can donate.

I know that you have heard it before, but any and all amounts are so valued and such a significant blessing. Thank you for praying & considering joining me in this beautiful work. And thanks again for all of your support to date and your patience with me as I continually babble on about El Salvador & ENLACE.

If you have any questions or would like to hear me speak more about the many things that ENLACE does, please feel free to email me at tina@riverwest.org or call me at 503.753.3519.
___________________________________________________________________
YES! I want to partner with Tina Anderson & ENLACE in their work in El Salvador. How do I do it? All pledges need to go to the ENLACE offices in the US. So please mail anything directly to them at:

ENLACE-US5405 Alton Pkwy Suite 5A Number 458 Irvine, CA 92604
Or fax them in California at : 949.387.4030
Always be sure to include a note that says “Tina Anderson mission.”

They are a few options for giving based on what works best for you:

• Set up automatic deduction from your checking account. Simply mail a check to the address above for your first donation and a note with the following info:
  
  

  Yes, I would like to enroll in ENLACE’s Automatic Giving Plan. I give my
  bank permission to transfer from my account each month and pay to ENLACE the
  amount of __________ on a monthly basis.
  

  
  Funds will be taken out on the 1st of every month. You will receive a year end giving report to use for your taxes.
  
• Or send a one time check made to ENLACE to the ENLACE’s US office with a note: Tina Anderson’s support.You will receive a receipt & a return envelope that will say ENLACE/Tina Anderson Mission and the US office address. You will also receive a year end giving report to use for your taxes.
  
  
• Or you can supply your Debit/Credit Card information. Send ENLACE the following info:
  
  

  Visa or MastercardCredit card number:
  Name on card:
  Expiration
  date:
  Billing address for credit card:
  One time or monthly recurring
  gift?
  Amount:

(Sorry, we no longer take American Express or Discover). For those giving by credit card on a revolving basis we do not receipt monthly. You will get a year end giving report as will all you donors.

Thanks again for helping us develop hope in El Salvador.

I ♥ El Salvador

So, I’m moving there!

No, you are not seeing things. Yes, I said I am moving there.

All of you know how passionate I have been about River West’s ministry in El Salvador over the last 3 years. After our recent trip, I stayed in San Salvador to meet with folks from an organization called Enlace (www.enlaceonline.org) that does development work through support of local church bodies. I was moved by their work (a 1.2 million dollar water project, roads & bridges being built, cook stoves being upgraded for better health, libraries, a daycare center for the most malnourished kids in the community, etc.), impressed by their commitment to Christ and filled with joy by the faces of the communities being served.

So many smiles! And something happened inside me.

After being a joyful part of God’s plan in the lives of El Salvador’s poor over the last few years, I had to finally admit that my heart has a home in El Salvador. Strange, but so true. Further discussions led to the reality that Enlace could use me—specifically me and my skill set—to increase their impact. Many meals, hours in the car and heart to hearts later, I realized that I had found more than a potential job, but a welcoming community of believers. And to my own surprise, I realized that God had been preparing me for this moment & in a complete state of peace and great expectation, I am prayfully pursuing a missions position in their communications department for the fall.

Of course many details remain (Spanish, fund-raising, applications, summer BBQs, transitioning, etc.) but I am totally confident that this is the right step for me and that God will continue to provide for me. I will keep everyone updated as more details get hammered out.

I look forward to sharing updates and stories from my adventure and appreciate your continued prayer & support of God’s vision for me & for El Salvador.

Our God is good, so very good.
In His ♥, Tina

Why?

Simply put, God is calling me and has been opening the doors to make this happen.

And beyond that, I will get to spend every day working to help a community like this one, El Tinteral, build similar libraries, so kids can have a place to focus and do homework.

And the kids are so darn cute. I will get to snuggle buggle all the time with some kid or another...

Who?

Check out the website to learn more about Enlace, but in a nutshell, here is a brief description of what they do:

ENLACE (pronounced en-lah-say, it is the Spanish word for “link”) commits to a
10 year relationship with a local church in el Salvador . We equip the church
leaders to become effective agents of change as they understand who they are as
a body, listen to their community, and respond to opportunities for developing
sustainable solutions for poverty.

You can also see a photo of lil' ol' me and read some of my thoughts on their blog.

I stole photos from websites so you can see a few people I will be working with. The black & white photo are Pete & Dara DeSoto. Check out some amazing stories of God's providence in the lives of the DeSotos at their DeSoto family website. You can also check out David & Jenny's website. The color shot shows the wonderful McGee and Bueno families. Ron Bueno was co-founder and is the Executive Director. His wife is Michelle. Dave is Communications Director and will be bossing me around some day soon. Jenny is a painter and kindred spirit. All of their kids are adorable! Although we hung out for only 1 weekend, I feel incredibly blessed to join such an amazing group of missionaries and the even more amazing national staff at Enlace.

What?

So, what will I be doing? Well, first things first. I will start by taking intensive immersive Spanish for a a few months. Then I will focus on moving in and adjusting to the pace of El Salvador. Once Enlace thinks I am ready, I will be a Communications Assistant working with David to develop & produce all kinds of communications. I will also assist with special events & teams. And I will continue using photography, writing and design to support God's work in El Salvador, just like I have been doing for the past 2 years with our Agros village! I also intend to join the River West teams at Nuevo Renacer twice a year and continue to support that ministry. It will be awesome to get to see friends from River West twice a year and hopefully be able to help with some Spanish translation eventually. (Pray, please pray for my Spanish...)

Where?

The Enlace offices are in San Salvador, El Salvador's capital and biggest city, and that is where I will primarily live and work. But Enlace currently partners with 10 churches and that means that there will be at least 10 communities throughout El Salvador that I will be travelling to.

We are still discussing whether I should live with a family, live on my own, etc.

So What?

In the past two years, I have been so blessed to see God's hand in El Salvador. And so many of you have been a part of this work through your support & encouragement. Little did you know that this was just preparation!!

As I continue down this road, there is a lot for me to learn, there are details to be determined and there will be needs. Right now I do not have a clear view of all of my needs, but I imagine I will soon and will keep you all posted. In the meantime, your prayers for the following would be amazing.

• Planning - This is new to me and I want to plan well, while trusting God in all things


• Transition - I love River West with all my heart and long for a smooth transition from the staff. Leaving RW will be the hardets thing I have ever done, so encouragement will be imperative


• Finances - I will be a missionary and this means that I will need to raise all of my funding. Pray that people see this as an opportunity to be a part fo God's work in El Salvador and that I am able to meet all of my budget needs.


• The Heart of Jesus - But primarily, I pray that thanks to Jesus Christ my heart will maintain a love, an excitement, a joy for the path ahead.

Once again, thanks and I will keep you posted!

-Tina