Welcome To The Jungle...

"Welcome to the Jungle"

I have been told that, by several different people, several different times in my first week here in San Salvador. If you would have asked me a week ago what that meant, I really don't think I would have had an answer, but as each day passes, I began to understand it more and more. Imagine you take a nice long flight, land and walk off the plane into a deserted jungle. No rules, just chaos. I mean literal chaos. 

I have never been to the jungle, but I imagine it is similar to  the experiences I have here. I wake up to strange animal cries, sun blasting in the windows. I get up and drive through streets without rules. Streets that have cars speeding, driving in wrong lanes, driving in lanes that don't actually exist, all while trying not to plow over the numerous amounts of locals that think it's totally acceptable to walk out in front of your car in the middle of an intersection. I have never been so tense in a vehicle before coming here. I arrive at the office and wave to the women with kind eyes as she exits her "shelter" (that's even in quotes because quite honestly, you can't even call it that...) only to come out and wash her only other article of clothing in a rusty old coffee can, filled with filthy water, only to have it dry over the sewer drain on the sidewalk. She smiles, I smile, wave and we exchange a "Buenos Dias" I go to my desk and work on an assigned task before our afternoons starts. People wait for over an hour at our gates before they can enter. They come in and shower, get a hair cut, relax and play a game, catch up with friends, all while enjoying this breeze of the ceiling fan and the comforts of care. I am busy in the kitchen making sure that lunch will be ready, standing guard over my frying pan, cooking hot dogs.We deliver the food, their spirit and soul too get nurtured, and then with smiles we say "Adios" We clean up the days chaos, prepare for the next and get ready to return home. On the drive back, we pass by some of the kids in our program at the place they will spend the night.  Under the foot of a statue in one of the roundabouts throughout town, in a bus corner or simply just laying down on the sidewalk, settling in. We smile and wave and finally arrive home. A long day of hurt,heartache and spiritual warfare. This is the front line. I stand at the front of a battle. The battle for Eternity. It's tough, it's hard. There so many lives on the line. 

Each day I must make a choice to either pack up and go home, or stay and fight. Most days are hard. I miss home, I miss my old life, and honestly it's just hard.  I don't always see results, and I may never fully see the results of this battle we are fighting, a battle Christ has already won. A spiritual battle, and emotional battle and a physical battle. Yet there are lives on the line. Do I give up and go back to my wants and desires, or do I face my fears (there are many I might add) and press on, knowing that one day, I will stand before God and hear "Him say, you were faithful, well done good servant", 

It won't be easy, but it is worth it. Every life we impact, makes it worth it. Makes this pain and suffering I feel, seem quite insignificant in comparison.

There are moments though, of complete disbelief, of this new life of mine.

 Times when I see a man walk into traffic and drag another man out of the street. (whether the man being dragged is dead or not, we can't always tell.) 

Times when I see groups of teens with spit all over their face as they stumble on broken limbs, stoned out of their minds, to the truck to receive a meal, their glue bottle clung to their chest, as they slip in and out of conciseness.

 Times when I am told that the building outside our truck door is actually the place where the drugs that are distributed not only here in town but supply the entire country, are made, stored and trafficked. Might I add that that same building is just up the street from my new office. Yeah, exactly. I am told not to worry though, we have good street credit here. 

This is my life now.     These moments fill my days.    

It's discouraging and hard to see the good we are doing sometimes. Yet I have never felt God so close. He sees it too. He hurts too. He is ready to welcome us home. He has already won this battle. Even in the bad times, God is good!

This is the Jungle.

 Is it hard? You can't even begin to imagine. Is it worth it? When I stop and think of the people who will be joining me in Eternity, because of the work going on here, yes, it is worth it. It always will be. I just have to be reminded sometimes.

Love and Prayers
Erica Byleveld

James 1:12 “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”