El Salvador is a tiny country in Central America (about twice the size of Cape Breton). The country's landscapes are filled with corn and sugar cane fields, rolling hills, volcanoes, picturesque towns and a busy city life. The country's highways have practically no shoulders, pick-up trucks are over-filled with people; hot water is pretty much an urban legend... In short, it really is a great country! However, on a more serious note, the country's past is filled with tragedies (earthquakes, hurricanes, civil war, human rights abuses, economic hardship, gang violence).

That being said, the country is also filled with examples of overcoming these hardships. Especially when it comes to natural disasters, it is evident how communities come together and rebuild their country time and again. The reason I am sharing this with you so that you can pray for the country and the people of El Salvador. Pray that we can share God's love wherever we go and with whoever we meet. As much as I am going to El Salvador to carry out my research, one thing is clear: it is God who is sending me there and it is God who will provide ample opportunities for my family and I to share his love wherever we go. We will definitely face challenges as we adjust to our new context - language, food, work-life balance, customs, consumption habits, etc. However, I am convinced that this experience will prove invaluable in the lessons that we learn as a family, in bringing God's Kingdom to earth.

-JGM