How a Church in El Salvador Transformed a Community

Timothy Leadership Training Program asks participants to complete an Action Plan with each manual they study. Below is a testimony of one such action plan and the resulting Kingdom Impact in San Martin, El Salvador in partnership with Asociación Semillas De Nueva Creación (Seeds of New Creation).

Below is our partner’s words:

I met Pastor Salvador Claros when he taught the manual of the Timoteo Program in 2015 at the ELIM Church of Soyapango, in El Salvador. I remember that the Pastor created as a plan of action for the Christian Stewardship manual, to clean a vacant lot in the Tierra Blanca community, in the municipality of San Martin where he carried out his pastoral work. 

The park in the “Tierra Blanca” community in the municipality of San Martin is 24 kilometers from San Salvador, in a suburban area. Since it is on the outskirts of the community, there is gang activity, lack of employment, poor water, electricity and sewage, the streets are made of dirt, most of the houses are unsteady, and its inhabitants are engaged in informal trade and stationary jobs.

The land had become a community garbage dump, and God gave him the vision of transforming it into a space for the community. He wanted to create a space for community members to meet, young people to play, and adults to gather with their neighbors at the end of a work day, while their children enjoyed themselves.

The pastor shared the vision with his church leaders and neighbors, and as Seeds of New Creation we supported him from the beginning. The land was cleared out, they transformed unused car and bus tires into play structures for the children, they brought in tables and chairs, and the space was decorated.

The beginning was difficult because the neighbors were used to leaving garbage there, and did not respect the team’s work. The leaders remember how they made fun of them when they saw them cleaning the place.

Young people were the liveliest at work. Community members painted buildings, and gave a message of hope. They installed playground toys for children. The day came to inaugurate the park with a religious service.

Currently,the public space in Tierra Blanca serves as a gathering area for recreation for children, youth, and adults. The leaders continue to use the public space for the neighborhood. Sports and collaborative activities are carried out with the aim of rebuilding the social fabric of the community, as well as evangelistic activities for children and young people.

There are meetings for the youth, promoting good treatment of others and healthy recreation.The local economy has been revitalized.There are gatherings of community leaders and neighbors visiting together.

We hope to continue accompanying the leaders in the development of actions that strengthen the social fabric of the community, giving hope and opportunities to the youth and children of the Tierra Blanca community, encouraging their dreams and strengthening their faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

To God be the glory!

Nehemiah 2:18b “Then they said, “Let us arise and build.” So they put their hands to the good work.”