Latin American Bible School
We all left with renewed enthusiasm to build up our little meetings and strengthen our fellowship in countries where there are Spanish-speaking brethren and sisters.
Read Time: 3 minutes
By the end of 2021, travel and hygienic restrictions were being eased in Latin America, so in El Salvador plans were made for a second consecutive Bible school under the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic. We prayed that God would allow the project to go ahead and bless it to His honor and glory, and for the spiritual benefit of all who could attend.
There were eighty-three in attendance, more than we had dared hope for.
Our God was gracious and gave us this time together around His Word. Since there had been few mission visits to South America for the last couple of years, it was decided to invite some brothers and sisters from isolation in the south of the continent, who would normally not expect to get to a Bible School up in Central America.
To this end, we had with us Bro. Richard Castillo of Santiago, Chile, Bro. Sami Borja and his sister in the flesh, Sis. Dalia Borja of La Paz, Bolivia, and Bro. Lucas Genner of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
From the north, came Sis. Abi García, and our friend, William Sansores, from Campeche, Mexico.
From neighboring countries, Sis. Marcela Castellanos from Honduras, and Bro. Víctor and Sis. Marina García from Guatemala.
The main classes were given by visitors. Bro. Richard Castillo gave the four adult classes and Bro. Víctor Garcia gave the men’s class and the exhortation. Bro. Sami Borja and Bro. Lucas Genner split the classes for the young people.
The local young people hosted the visitors for a few days before and after the school. They treated them to a day at the beach, visits to scenic and archeological sites around the country, and a tour of the capital, San Salvador.
Each day ended with dinner and chats around the readings. For those from the Southern Zone, it was a particularly marvelous experience to get to meet so many new brothers and sisters and enjoy their fellowship.
For the school itself, we went up to a rustic but roomy hotel in the mountains, to meditate on the Word and enjoy each other’s company. The classes focused on Biblical characters and the lessons to be learned from their lives. Bro. Sami and Bro. Lucas prepared Bible games to play at the end of the young peoples’ classes. The games were so popular that it was difficult to get the kids out of their classroom and on to the next activity!
We held the traditional, hard-fought “Bible competition,” which everyone loves. The local CYC organized Bible games for the afternoons, followed by informal conversations or Bible Bingo (always popular due to the chocolate prizes!).
In the afternoon, when the young people usually present Bible skits, they turned the tables on the adults, dividing them into four groups and giving each one a bag of props and 20 minutes to prepare a skit on a Bible story, which was hilarious.
The last evening was topped off with a bonfire and hymn singing. Everyone stayed up chatting till late into the night.
We are living in trying times. Ecclesias are struggling to encourage and nurture their members while continuing the work of presenting God’s Word to those who are disposed to listen. In such conditions, this event was a particular blessing.
We all left with renewed enthusiasm to build up our little meetings and strengthen our fellowship, both in our own countries and in others, where there are Spanish-speaking brethren and sisters. It should be mentioned, that as far as we are aware, no COVID-19 infection occurred as a result of either the 2020 or the 2021 Bible Schools.
May our Lord Jesus return soon, bringing the peace, good health, and justice that our poor world so desperately needs.
Jim and Jean Hunter,
Los Angeles Hispanic Ecclesia, CA