JimBob and Michelle graciously invited us to participate in a sho
rt 3 day ministry opportunity with S.O.S. Ministries under the direction of Mike Schadt in El Salvador. Since Gil & I have never been on a mission trip outside of the U.S., it was a wonderful, heart gripping experience for us.
The purpose of the trip was for S.O.S. Ministries and the Duggars to meet with some of the leaders at the Presidential house in San Salvador in an effort to assist this beautiful country in ministering to the orphans, in restoring families, and in presenting the Gospel. Mike Schadt has been working in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras for 11 years. He has helped plant churches and has helped train 75 native pastors. It was such a joy to see the thriving church in El Salvador and to meet these precious people who love the Lord. Gil was invited to preach at one of their services, which provided a new experience of 
learning to speak with an interpreter.
Our visits to houses broke our hearts as we saw the needs of these
villagers. We were struck with conviction over our need to do with less in order to help more.
Upon visiting the orphanage, we were reminded of God’s words in
James 1: 27
“Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”
