Newsletter: 2001

Posted: May 05, 2017

Author: Greig Detering | Created: December 01, 2001 at 10:00 PM

Winter 2001

Happy Holidays in the name of our savior Jesus the Christ.

You can think of this as my first Christmas card.

I included some pictures of the orange festival parade which is the big local celebration held in Opico.

It is hard to believe I have been working in El Salvador for almost a year now.

My first trip was on December 1, 2000 at which time I had no idea why the Lord had led me here. Later when the Lord spoke to me saying ‘I have called you here to unify my bodyR#8217; it seemed like a monumental task. But, slowly, by the power of God, I am seeing it happen.

Thanks to your prayers and financial support, I have seen some great changes occuring here.

There is a core of churches that I have been working with that have been progressively working more closely together. There has been a great increase in the number of all night prayer meetings where Christians from different denominations pray, share, and worship together.

It has been great to see how the Lord has used the callings of each local church to support other congregations with different callings.

The Asambleas de Dios is an active church that has people walking the streets or driving to local communities to spread the gospel.

The Profetico Ciudad de Zion works to provide help to the poorest of the poor around Opico.

The Ministerio Laico del Evangelio de JesuCristo has a strong heart for educating the young people of the area.

The Principe de Paz is commited to organizing events to unite the body of Christ here.

It is written, For in fact the body is not one member but many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be? But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." 1 Cor 12:14-21 (NKJV).

I believe the churches are getting the revelation that just because they do things different from other congregations, doesn’t mean that the other group is wrong, but rather that God has made them a different part of the body. And they need each other! This is truly a work of the Holy Spirit.

My dear friend since the 1st grade, Rod Graham, came down to spend a couple days in Opico, where he got a taste of life here.

He met and prayed with different pastors and families here. He then helped me drive the van all the way back to the United States.

The temporary permit on the van was expiring, so I had to return it to the US. Fortunately, I have other transportation options in El Salvador now.

My trip with Rod was a great time of edification. We had some problems, but it would have been much worse if the Lord’s hand would not have been all over us.

Rod is shown here suffering for Jesus at a beach in Puerto Vallarta where we decided to stop and catch up on some sleep.

In addition to the core churches where the Lord has led me, He has also led me to work with families from several other churches. This includes catholics, baptists, pentacostals and people from other denominations that are not found in the US, but who have faith in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

In addition to the cash you have sent, I have received a van, cheap airline tickets, clothes, a guitar, video materials and other items to help in this work.

Your dollar goes a long way here where small things make a huge impact. I saw $40 completely change one family’s life.

I wish you could all see what your prayers and materials have done to help here. It truly has changed lives and the Kingdom of God has been enlarged.

Thanks again for your prayers and other support. This is only happening because of your help.

– Greig

Fall 2001

The horrific news of the terrorist attacks in the US has even stunned the people of El Salvador.

Ironically, the new World Trade Center in San Salvador, shown at left, was just completed the week the main office was destroyed in New York.

All celebrations for their Independence Day, the biggest holiday of the year, were cancelled here to show solidarity with the US.

It seems everyone here has friends or family in the US, and over half their gross national product comes from funds sent in from those people. A large percentage of the remainder of their income is from US factories located here.

The dollar just became their primary currency and they know the problems in the US will have great impact on the El Salvadoran economy. That is why they say, ‘when the US sneezes, El Salvador gets the flu.’

El Salvador is still recovering from the earthquakes and is now experiencing the first drought in history that has required the government to send food to many regions.

This drought is also affecting the coffee harvest which is at historically low prices. Coffee plants, as seen below, have abnormally small beans this year. With these problems here and in the US, the time of great harvest for the Kingdom of God has truly come.

It has been six months now since the Lord sent me to live in El Salvador. Other than the 3 quick trips back to the States, the majority of the time I have been in San Juan Opico.

The Lord has led me to work closely with 4 different congregations here.

It has become obvious why the Lord led me to work with these congregations. They are the least legalistic, and most interested in expanding the Kingdom of God rather than their own fellowship or denomination.

I have learned first hand why Jesus is against a spirit of legalism and control. It keeps the body of Christ divided.

As these congregations unite in prayer and labors, other churches in the area will be convicted.

I am seeing changes in the strong Christian community here.

Although I am the only missionary in town, the Lord is using other means also to unite His people.

There are strong spiritual forces against the unity message. Please continue to pray to break the spirit of legalism and control here, and for that matter, around the world.

Although I did just deliver my first message to a congregation in spanish, I am certainly not articulate.

Powerful miracles from the Lord have gone a long way in helping people receive me and the message He sent with me. I have truly seen how fruitless it is to try to make anything happen in my own strength.

Only by The Spirit of the Lord am I seeing results from my labors.

My sister Becky visited for a few days last month. She experienced the universal sink (pila), found in every household here for washing hands, cloths and dishes.

We also visited some of the local Myan pyramids where the Indians sacrificed humans.

I recently found out the word ‘Opico’ means ‘place where they rip out hearts’.

When you study the history you see why there is a spiritual darkness that has gripped the area.

Through prayer and unity, spiritual strongholds are being broken here and the body of Christ is growing rapidly.

I have continued to get Bibles to those who cannot afford them.

Because of your financial support, we have been able to help one church start a school. Another has a bus with a rebuilt motor to carry evangelistic teams to nearby communities. The pastor and his family to the left will not lose their church building. All the churches have phones now (The Lord has not let my engineering training go to waste).

Also we’ve helped some families out of bad situations who are now able to spend more time working for the Lord.

There is still such an overwhelming need here.

Funds are needed to get running water and a bathroom put in the Christian school. They are now using the main church building as the classroom but would like to get a more permanent building in which to train the students. Other congregations need things like chairs and fans.

Thanks again for your prayers and other support. This is only happening because of your help.

– Greig

Summer 2001

Ed and I returned to El Salvador in March.

The van just barely made it. Between a flat tire, leaking air shocks and a bad thermostat we were thankful to be there.

After 3,000 miles, we limped into San Salvador and the van died as we pulled into the hotel. Even with all these problems it was worth the drive because we now have many of the personal items we needed such as video equipment, children’s bibles, bibles from Guatemala and our own vehicle when needed.

We were happy to meet Ken and Wendy Wheeler in Guatemala who were used to start what is now one of the largest orphanages in Guatemala.

It’s great to have neighbors in a nearby country to share some of the wisdom that they have gained over the years.

The Pan American Highway from San Salvador to Opico (as seen in the picture) was damaged quite severely to the point that traffic is only allowed to travel in one direction for part of the day then the other direction for the other part of the day.

It is now obvious why we were led to get a place in Opico to stay rather than stay in San Salvador. After the earthquake, it was totally impractical to stay in the capital and minister in Opico.

Opico sits on top of a giant rock.

When earthquakes happen, it is one of the few places that do not experience much damage. Which is why it is one of the only places in El Salvador that still has an old church that is standing.

Hundreds of churches throughout El Salvador were destroyed during the earthquakes.

People quickly discovered the geological stability of Opico and started moving in from all parts of the country.

The government has even set up a giant relief village with temporary housing that churches in the US are sending funds to help build near Opico.

Housing is tight but the Lord led us to a new, secure place to rent. It is small but capable of sleeping 4 (just in case the Lord leads you to fly down at some time in the future).

This has been a rapid learning experience for me.

Ed and I preached in 4 major congregations of the 12 churches in central Opico.

We told them about the visions and confirmations the Lord gave me in directing me to this area of the world. I delivered the message of unity, that God gave me, in English and Ed translated into Spanish. Then we showed the hour long ‘Transformations’ video. This video shows places around the world where the churches have come together and the incredible community and environmental transformations that occurred.

Neither my word nor my preaching were with persuasive words of human learning, but with demonstration of The Spirit and of power (1 Corinthians 2:4). It certainly was not our eloquent preaching that touched them.

I have delivered hundreds of bibles to several churches for people who can’t afford them. It is a joy to see the happiness and tears on the faces of the people when they are given their first Bible.

We thank those of you who have supported us financially and allowed us to be the messengers and deliverers of the printed Word. They are well aware that their thanks should be to God for putting together a team of supporters working and praying with us.

They had been praying for God to send someone to help and encourage them and they had some quite amazing prophetic words and visions about help coming from the US prior to our arrival.

The Lord is leading me to help finance a school at one church that is anxious to open the doors to all churches. Other churches will be open to send their kids there and help get the parents from the various congregations to unify. Of course, this is all dependant on getting the funds.

The boys in the picture to the right are standing in the lot where they want to put the school. Unfortunately, one thing that is not cheap is land. It will cost about $20,000 to put together a school. Most of that is to purchase the land.

I would also like to help repair and enlarge the building of one church

Another church, whose members just amaze me with their evangelistic fervor, need a new motor in their large van in order to transport evangelistic teams to unreached people. The influx of hurting people around the Opico area from all parts of the country has made it prime ground for new kingdom territory.

There are many fervent Christians ready to go in and take the land. They just need our help.

Ed was a great help getting started down here, but duties called him back to the US. So I am now solo in Salvador.

My Spanish is rapidly improving but I won’t be preaching for a while.

I spend much time talking and becoming friends with the pastors and members of various churches in Opico. The Lord is truly putting the pieces together to bring the walls down between the churches, but there is much work to do.

Please pray for God’s direction, protection and provision. There are still people who practice black magic here and see me as the enemy. Satanic attacks are more blatant here than in the US. But where sin abounds, grace does much more abound (Romans 5:20).

Thanks again for your prayers and other support. This is only happening because you are praying.

– Greig

Spring 2001

"I have called you here to unify my body". This is the word The Lord gave me summarizing the purpose of the mission to which He has called me.

In September 2000, I had a vivid vision. I saw Central America with a small highlighted country on the Pacific side.

I went to my globe and found that the country in my vision was El Salvador.

Everywhere I went the subject of this country came up.

When I looked at a map of El Salvador, it was as if the little town of San Juan Opico was highlighted.

I prayed for and God gave me amazing confirmations that He was calling me to leave my engineering job of 15 years and go to this place.

He directed me to ask another brother in The Lord to go with me on my first trip. Thank God, Ed Araiza was happy to help.

The Lord gave me 2 other visions before our trip. A town on top of a big hill with mountains in the background, and the top of a very white church building that had domes like a mosque.

We packed our backpacks, flew to El Salvador on Dec. 1, 2000, and asked The Lord to guide us strongly and quickly reveal the purpose for this calling.

The next day, we went to San Juan Opico, a little town on top of a giant hill with mountains in the distance.

As we came into town, I saw the top of a very white building. We followed in that direction until we came to the town central where we found a very unique bright white charismatic Catholic Church that looked like a mosque.

It was the church and town in my vision. If nothing else spectacular happened the rest of the trip, I didn’t care. I was so thankful that God confirmed to me that we were exactly where He wanted us.

By the third day in El Salvador, I still did not know why God had sent us there and I was getting a little frustrated. That evening, on a bus back from Opico, I heard The Lord speak so strongly to me that it almost seemed like an audible voice. "I have called you here to unify my body".

Our experiences of the first 2 days now made sense. In our travels, we had found that the many churches in the area were unaware and not interested in each other. Proving once again that it is easier for God to put life back into a dead body, than to take pride out of a live one.

We spent the remaining time following the Spirit of God’s leading to various churches.

We had some wonderful experiences meeting people that The Lord just seemed to put in our path. Ed, who’s Spanish is much better than mine, was a tremendous blessing. We talked to several pastors and elders. Many people there attend worship services 4 or 5 days a week but cannot afford a Bible. One of my objectives is to get the Word into their hands.

Many amazing things happened while we were there. I have a whole new revelation of the protection and provision of God after this trip.

After returning to the U.S. on Dec. 12, The Lord has given me direction for my next trip to El Salvador. He also gave Ed a heart for these people and has cleared the way for him to go with me again.

The day I was attending my sister Diane’s wedding in Dallas, Texas, a devastating earthquake struck El Salvador hitting many areas we visited. As I write this letter, I just learned that another major earthquake has struck the other side of El Salvador, on February 13. With these disastrous events, it is even more obvious why God has led us to this area for such a time as this.

We are headed back to a devastated area. I know we will be returning to fertile ground where His message will grow. These people were already in poverty and these quakes will set them back further economically. God will turn this curse into a blessing!

Ed and I will drive from Phoenix in his van with Bibles, school supplies and other necessities on March 3 and plan to be down there about 2 months this next trip.

We will also be helping them financially, as God leads, for school building, human needs, and ministry tools according to the provisions He gives us through partner donations.

The congregations will be told how God led us to them followed by the message He wants us to deliver. Unity. The only prayer in the gospels Jesus prayed that has not been fully answered is for the unity of His body.

As unity occurs, The Church will walk in power, and many others will be brought into the kingdom of God. I am confident that The Lord will confirm to the people that He indeed sent us to them.

The Lord gave me another blessing by leading me to Stan and Cherryl Runnels who have been a great help guiding me in this new direction. Stan is the president of New Life League International (NLLI), a non-denominational Christian missions organization based in Phoenix, Arizona that does everything from planting churches to operating orphanages around the world. NLLI has put the printed Word of God into the hands of millions of people in many languages. Since 1954 they have been helping to spread the good news and make disciples of all nations.

Your prayers are imperative for the success of this mission. Please pray for God’s direction, protection and provision.

– Greig