June was a very full month, so much so that we could have sent out at least four newsletters, one for each week of the month. However, one will have to suffice so we will jump right in.
Kanakuk International Leadership Training
We started this month by attending Kanakuk International Leadership Training at Kanakuk Kamp in Lampe, Missouri. This was an absolutely incredible experience. We were joined by missionaries from 24 different countries learning more about camp and sports ministry. We got to experience lots of fun things such as wake surfing, sailing, and archery along with learning so many invaluable things about how Kanakuk does ministry. But without a doubt, our favorite part was being able to share with missionaries from all over the world, learn from them, and be reminded that we are not alone in this work. It’s incredible how we all live in such different cultures yet seem to face many of the same struggles. KILT conference felt like a once-in-a-lifetime experience that we will never forget and we are chomping at the bit to get back to El Salvador and implement so much of what we learned.
Red Bud VBS
We were also blessed this month to travel to Illinois and share with Red Bud Bible Church. We had the privilege of helping with their VBS and sharing with the kids what it is like to be a missionary. We loved seeing the kids’ reactions as we shared some of the ways that El Salvador is so different from their lives here in the US, such as hand washing clothes, walking to school, water scarcity, and living in the presence of lots of volcanoes. They were thrilled to learn that we use some of their favorite sports and activities to share the love of Jesus with kids in El Salvador. They were full of questions for us and we hope that our time with them was as impactful for them as it was for us.
Summers at the Beach
In the midst of all this, we were also neck deep in Bridge of Faith’s summer program, Summers at the Beach. SATB is a four-week-long day camp for kids in the community of Rockaway Beach. Roughly 60 kids attended each day to receive free breakfast and lunch, Bible lessons, and activities in the mornings followed by Summer school taught by local teachers in the afternoons. JoHana had the unique privilege of teaching the BridgeKids Kingdom Economics class this year. Bridge of Faith developed their own curriculum for this financial literacy class this year and we can not accurately express how much we love it. Along with lessons on topics such as work, saving, and giving, the kids also had work days where they served in a specific area on campus and then were “paid” for their work and were able to go to the Bridge of Faith store to purchase “need” items along with fun things like toys and games. The kids also had a Sabbath day each week, where they learned about and practiced the crucial time we all need to rest, enjoy life, and worship our creator. We have no doubt that this program is making an eternal impact not only in the kids’ lives but in the future of the community. We are dreaming of the day when we can take these same principles to El Salvador and implement them at Puente de Fe El Salvador.
What’s Next?
We are only two weeks away from returning to El Salvador and we are excited to see what this trip will bring. We will be welcoming multiple teams and we also hope to expand our sports Saturdays into sports clinics. Our biggest hope for this trip is to finally open our Life Development Center in Citalá. We want to provide a safe space for individualized tutoring and workshops, along with board games and small group devotions with the kids. This is greatly needed in the community but for it to be functional, we first need to purchase basic items such as tables and chairs, a TV, and a security system. If you would like to help us meet our phase one goal of $1,000 you can donate by clicking “Invest in El Salvador”. We have so far raised 15% of that goal.
God is doing many big things in our lives and communities, and we feel so blessed to be part of it. We are amazed at how God has grown and worked in us this year, and we know there is much more to come. Please keep the ministry in your prayers, as so much growth is happening we know that growing pains will be inevitable. Thank you for your constant support and love, we would not be who we are without you.
-With Love,
The Rosales McGuire Family
Prayer Needs:
Pray that we can soon open the Life Development Center
