El Salvador

Global Blessings Co-op partners with Iglesia Bautista Internacional Siloé to help support the following affiliates:

Liceo Bautista Siloé

Siloé Missionaries

Iglesia Bautista La Argentina

Clínica Dental Hope

Cristo Para La Ciudad Internacional, El Salvador

High School & University Sponsorship Program

Iglesia Bautista Internacional Siloé

In 2010, Riverbend entered into a relationship with the small Siloé church of Soyapango in the heart of one of the most economically distressed and gang-dominated neighborhoods of El Salvador. Like Riverbend, the leadership of the Siloé church believes that education and community service following Christ’s example are key elements of building a better future. Under the leadership of Pastor Alexis Coto, the mission statement of the Siloé church is “to involve each member and ministry in serving the community.” Riverbend financially supports and personally engages in the ministries and missions of the growing Siloé church and its people as we together foster generational impacts through education and demonstrating the love of Christ in the surrounding community and well beyond.

Affiliate: Liceo Bautista Siloé

Liceo Bautista Siloé shares the campus of the Siloé Church in Colonia Santa Lucia, San Salvador, El Salvador. It provides accredited kindergarten through ninth grade education with Christian enrichment to approximately 150 students under the leadership of Principal Juan Nunez and an amazing teaching staff. Classroom education is supplemented by healthy foods, an excellent library, a computer lab, and afternoon workshops in sports, art, cooking, English, and more.

Our Response

  • Capital improvements including library, computer lab, teacher’s lounge, additional classrooms and bathrooms, business-grade campus internet, classroom televisions, playground, aquaponics systems and more.

  • General financial support for the school, its outstanding staff and enthusiastic students.

  • Direct engagement with students and staff when we have visiting teams. Depending on the gifting of team members, engagement activities have included medical and dental clinics, nutrition guidance, science demonstrations, sports, discussing the toughest biblical questions and honoring the teachers.

What We Love About Liceo Bautista Siloé

We love the smiling faces of the young students and respect the professionalism and caring commitment of the teaching staff. In the course of Riverbend’s lengthy relationship with Siloé, we have had the opportunity to see how young students with whom we engaged years ago have grown to become university graduates, employed professionals, entrepreneurs, Christian youth leaders, and teachers paying it forward to the next generation. Check out this cool video of a Salvadoran television news report on the Siloé Science Fair.

Affiliate: Siloé Missionaries

Iglesia Bautista Internacional Siloé currently engages three Salvadoran missionaries in daily service on the church/school campus, throughout the surrounding community, and at Iglesia Bautista La Argentina near the Pacific coast. These missionaries are:

  • Ruth Lopez de Orellana who grew up in La Linea, played professional softball, raised two children, and leads the missionary team

  • Magdaleno Escalante who left a military career protecting the Salvadoran president to follow Jesus and now serves as pastor of Iglesia Bautista La Argentina.

  • Erick Claros who has grown up in the Siloé church serving as its charismatic worship leader.

Missionary activities include sharing of essential foods and encouragement to those in need throughout the community, delivery of hot lunches to 10 senior citizens three days a week, after-school sports ministries, and educational enrichment including English and music.

Our Response

  • Financial support for the missionaries and the programs they envision and implement.

  • Visiting teams engage in community service programs under the leadership of the Salvadoran missionaries.

What We Love About Siloé Missionaries

We love the ability of the missionaries to humbly and respectfully share Christ’s love in everything they do. They embody the energy and enthusiasm of the Holy Spirit as they bring food to the hungry, encouragement to the aged and infirm, and wisdom to the youth. It is a privilege to serve with them.

Affiliate: Iglesia Bautista La Argentina

Iglesia Bautista La Argentina was created several years ago as a mission of the Siloé church. It is located in Canton La Argentina, an agricultural community near the rural village of Jicalapa just a few miles up into the hills from the Pacific Coast. Under the leadership of Pastor Magdaleno Escalante (also a member of the Siloé missionary team), La Argentina church shares Christ’s love through Sunday worship, distribution of food to those in need, food supplements for young students, after-school education programs including English and homework assistance, and periodic dental clinics. Members of the Siloé church and visiting teams from Riverbend often serve at the La Argentina church.

Our Response

  • Support for capital improvements including sanctuary, classroom, and parsonage construction.

  • Campus improvements to facilitate dental clinics, site drainage, and food storage.

  • Cooperation with the Siloé church and its membership to purchase the land for the La Argentina church and serve regularly in the La Argentina community.

What We Love About Iglesia Bautista La Argentina

We love the joy, sustenance, and hope that La Argentina church brings to its membership and surrounding community. Life is hard here where any measure of financial stability and food security is dependent on the timely rainfall and hand labor necessary to produce, corn, watermelon, and other crops. Yet the smiles of the children joining in after-school programs and construction projects or just hanging around the church are simply beautiful. See for yourself in this awesome video.

Affiliate: Clinica Dental Hope

Clínica Dental Hope is the professional practice of Salvadoran dentist Lea Hernandez de Escobar of the Siloé church. Based on the desperate need for regular dental care in Canton La Argentina and the generosity of Riverbend (especially the Jolet Family) to support basic equipment, supplies, and instrument cleaning costs, Lea committed to conduct monthly dental clinics (including cleaning, filling, and extractions) at the La Argentina church at no cost. These clinics have been extremely successful in relieving immediate and severe pain and promoting dental hygiene and long-term health benefits for children.

Our Response

  • Purchase of sturdy portable dental patient chair and electric generator for dental instruments.

  • On-going support for dental supplies and instrument sanitation.

  • Team participation in the construction project converting a segment of the classroom area at Iglesia Bautista La Argentina into a space suitable for a dental clinic.

What We Love About Clinica Dental Hope

We love the smiling faces of children holding signs recognizing a checkup with “cero caries” (i.e., zero cavities) and the personal commitment of Dr. Hernandez de Escobar to the dental health of both children and adults in the isolated La Argentina community. Check out this video

Affiliate: Cristo Para La Ciudad Internacional (CPCI), El Salvador

Cristo Para La Ciudad International (CPCI) maintains a medical/dental clinic in Soyapango, El Salvador from which they serve those in need in the surrounding community, the students of the Siloé school, and rural villages including Canton La Argentina, Cinquera, and La Isla Calzada. Under the direction of Dr. Israel Morataya of CPCI and Dr. Kelly Jolet of Riverbend, teams including doctors, nurses, dentists, and many others have participated in medical/dental campaigns providing care and medicines to thousands of patients.

Our Response

  • Sending medical/dental professionals and others with interest in providing care and medications to those in need in El Salvador. Riverbend teams are assembled annually. If you are interested in participating, contact Dr. Kelly Jolet (512-585-1812) or Sam Vaugh (512-921-4938).

  • In late 2022, a doctor and dentist from Riverbend visited a Siloé student suffering from a rapidly growing cancerous tumor in her mouth and jaw. An expert surgical team from the United States was assembled and traveled to El Salvador in early 2023 to perform the necessary operations and share their techniques with Salvadoran medical professionals. Melany is recovering, gaining strength, and hopes to return to Siloé.

What We Love About Cristo Para La Ciudad International

We love the opportunity to work side by side with Salvadoran medical and dental professionals in providing compassionate, loving care to the economically disadvantaged and geographically isolated in El Salvador.

Affiliate: High School & University Sponsorship Program

Riverbend and Siloé support a sponsorship program for promising Salvadoran high school and university students, many of whom completed their K-9 education at Liceo Bautista Siloé. Sponsorship provides the opportunity for a student to attend an accredited Christian high school and/or attend a university offering their chosen field of study. A priority is given to Christian Universities.

The program is coordinated by Genelle Edwards of Riverbend and Salvadoran coordinator Yanira Cortez de Martinez (a respected former teacher at the Siloé school). Genelle works to identify student candidates; identify sponsors; facilitate communication between the student and the sponsor; monitor academic progress; plan and support Christian/personal development events; and, establish community service programs to help the community and encourage the students to serve God while sharing the blessing they have received.

If you are interested in sponsoring a High School or University student, please contact Genelle Edwards.

Our Response

  • Approximately 114 students have been given the opportunity to attain a high school diploma.

  • There are 34 students actively studying to attain a high school diploma or university degree.

  • The High School Sponsorship program has a graduation rate in excess of 85 percent.

  • 9 university students have attained their degrees and have competitive jobs, giving back to God, their communities and country. 2 additional students will graduate in 2024.

What We Love About High School & University Sponsorship Program

We love to celebrate the achievements of sponsored students who have made the most of the opportunities afforded by this program. A high school diploma gives a student the flexibility to work immediately because their family needs additional income knowing that a future decision to begin studying for a profession is available without additional delay. Also, the diploma is required for some entry level jobs. Sponsored university students complete their studies debt free. They receive encouragement and counsel regarding course work, internships and job applications. Sponsored university graduates are now working in international logistics, process automation technology, human resources, bakery management, medical equipment supply, data management, and education. Two students are investing in their neighborhood, remodeling homes to rent or live in. One is teaching at the Siloé school bringing the supported education programs full circle.