The Salt of the Earth

Yesterday I went to church with the family I am staying with and then to the mission for a weekly children’s program that the church conducts. The pastor had preached on Matthew 5:13-16, admonishing the congregation to be salt and light to the world. As I interacted with the children, I couldn’t help but think of how the work of the church in the mission is fulfilling that call in the community.

Although the sermon was in Spanish and a little difficult for me to follow, I was able to understand the main points as the pastor explained the functions of salt and our subsequent roles in the world. He told the congregation that salt was used to purify, to preserve, to heal, and to add flavor. The neighborhood where the children’s programs are held is in a low income area where problems like domestic violence, alcoholism, and gangs are prevalent. The church desires to train up the next generation of children in the Lord to stop the downward cycle that this community is trapped in and to offer hope where it is very scarce. They are working to purify this community from the open sin that ensnares it, to preserve lives and families that are crumbling, and to heal broken hearts of people that are searching for the love and grace that only Christ can give.

In addition to the issues that plague this impoverished neighborhood, the burden of Catholicism is widespread in all of Mexico. As I spoke with some of the little girls at the children’s program, it saddened me to see how so many subtle lies have been mixed into what they believe. They trustingly accept all that they are taught as truth, and are therefore being confused and led astray by false doctrine. They learn truth about Jesus at the mission, but when they return to their homes and schools, the Catholicism that this nation is steeped in twists their beliefs. The church is working to present an accurate picture of Christ to these children and to teach them to examine God’s Word for themselves. They are modeling what Christianity really means, and thus, like salt, they are adding the flavor of God’s glory to a dying world.

I enjoyed working with the kids so much. It was truly a privilege to be able to interact with them and be a part of molding and shaping their young minds. It is my prayer that, as these children mature, they would continue to thirst for truth, keep seeking Christ throughout their lives, and be salt and light to their world.
Emily