In partnership with our ministry partners at St. Thomas United Methodist Church, Haymarket Church has been sponsoring Salvadoran Mission Projects since the early years of our church’s existence. (The partnership has lasted almost a decade). Our teams have met people in their homes while delivering food, operated a medical clinic, taught a children’s Bible school, and helped build homes and churches, working alongside people from the local community. During our last mission trip, in November 2019, we helped build a huge Christian High School. (We were not able to travel there during 2020 due to the global pandemic.
The video below gives a fuller description of this missional partnership, including more information about the building plan we are supporting there, how it was put on hold in 2020, and the Miracle School they created as a stopgap solution during the pandemic. We hope and pray that the 510 children (referenced in the video) will find protection and safety and receive Christian formation, a community of love and support, and a strong academic foundation at this school, so that they may move towards a better life there.
There are a few ways you can support this mission. You can join our UMVIM (United Methodist Volunteers in Mission) team for a week-long trip for a phenomenal personal experience. One participant said, “traveling to Ahuachapan, directly meeting and working with the people, helps to dispel cultural stereotypes on both sides”. We typically travel in November, returning before Thanksgiving. We plan to travel in 2021, pending COVID restrictions.
You can financially support the team, either through a direct donation (reach out to the Haymarket Church office for directions on how to do that), by buying the Pupusas they sell for a fundraiser, or by taking advantage of their home repair/maintenance services! As one team member describes it: “for fundraising, we do home service projects for anyone in need and ask for whatever level of contribution you can offer. Some examples are yard cleanup, painting, furniture moving, fences, drywall, minor electrical/plumbing/carpentry, house and pet sitting, and computer assistance.”
For more information – either to get involved or support this mission project – contact Tim Grembowski at703-753-7471 or timgrembowski@comcast.net