DeLonn and Valerie Rance

LaDawn, Jorel and Shayla

Mobilizing the Church to the Mandate

and Equipping the Called

Earthquake Reconstruction:

The Beginning and the End

It all started on January 13, 2001, the earth shook for over 45 seconds with an earthquake that registered 7.9 on the Richter scale. That short event changed our focus of ministry for the next 16 months. DeLonn and I are teachers. For the first 17 years of our ministry we taught at the Bible School and Christian University. We trained and equipped missionaries from Latin America to reach the world. We only hosted three MAPS teams during those 17 years. Then, after January 13, 2001 DeLonn was asked to be co-coordinator of the Church reconstruction project. The earthquake destroyed 140 Assembly of God churches in El Salvador so DeLonn accepted the appointment. He went out to assess the damage and of the 140 churches, 92 were put on a list of churches that had property big enough for the 11X14 or 11X18.5 meter buildings. The MAPS office worked along side of us to funnel teams our way. Two Missionary Associate families,

Andy and Robin Rogers and their children Kersten and John and Bob and LeAnn Bachman and their daughter Dawnetta, came to help us put up the churches. Joe Crews and his team put up the first church, San Pedro Betania, in San Salvador, in March, 2001. Trinity, Las Vegas, put up the last church, San Rafael Cedros, Para Central. The victory service was held last Sunday, June 23, 2002. Inbetween these two Churches we have hosted 31 teams and put up 57 churches. King's Castle, led by missionary Don Triplett put up another 35 churches.

San Pedro Betania

We would like to thank all the churches in between the beginning and end for all the hard work you did and the investment you made in El Salvador. Many thanks to the following teams:

First AG, Ceder Rapids, IA - Pastor Don McGavey

The Rogers

Pasadena AG, Pasadena, MD -  Pastor Philip Foster

First AG, Garland, TX - Pastor Wayne Hanks

Faith Ag, Orlando, FL - Pastor Carl  Stephens

Word of Life, Springfield, VA - Pastor Wendel Cover

Trinity AG, Lutherville, MD - Pastor George Raduano

Bob Hughes Team

Abundant Life, Ind., IN - Pastor Peter Bosworth

Joes Crews Team 2

Calloway AG, Panama City, FL - Pastor Robert Thompson

Trinity AG, Georgetown, KY - Pastor Stanley Holder

Family Worship Center, Murfreesboro, TN - Pastor Brian Hughes

The Bachmans

Crossway Church, Valencia, PA - Pastor Patrick Sommers

Garywood AG, Hueytown, AL - Pastor Patrick Sommers

Green Valley Christian Center, Watsonville, CA - Pastor Dennis Smith

First AG, Delta, CO - Pastor Walter Ponder

Bethel AG, Red Bluff, CA - Pastor Ron Fortenberry

New Life Center, Oshkosh, WI - Pastor Peter Koeshall

First AG, Des Moines, IA - Pastor John Palmer

New Life Assembly, Kearney, NE - Pastor Robert Wine

Word of Life, Springfield, VA - Pastor Wendel Cover 2

First AG, Milton, FL - Pastor Fred Rogers

Trinity Ag, Lutherville, MD - Pastor George Raduano 2

Central Ag, Mt. Pleasant, MI - Pastor Steven Bradshaw

Mt. View, Las Vegas, NV - Pastor Robert Goree

First AG, Thomaston, GA - Leader Joe Crews

Cavalier AG, Cavalier, ND - Pastor Thomas Simmons

First AG, Albany, OR - Pastor Lewis Sheldon

Joe Crews Team 3

Trinity Life Center, Las Vegas, NV - Pastor Randy Greer

DeLonn and I are looking forward to getting back to our "normal routine". However, the events of the past year have been exciting. To see a vacant lot turn into a church in one day; to see the looks on the congregation's faces as they worship in their new church, their prayers answered; to work and rejoice with each pastor as we pushed up trusses, raised purlings, bolted down the roofs, mixed cement, laid block, made lunches, mixed Gatorade, and passed out water every 15 minutes. It was also a blessing to work alongside the Rogers and Bachmans, two families that have made a great impact on my life.

Life is full of beginnings and endings. This is just one of many in my missionary career. I am thankful for them; they have helped me grow in my walk with the Lord. We are thankful for your continued support over the past year. Each of you has been an important part of this reconstruction effort by your offerings and prayers. Thank you for being a part of the beginning and end of the church reconstruction in El Salvador.

San Rafael Cedros

Your co-laborer,

Valerie Rance

June 31, 2002

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