By Nita Wilkinson

For many Americans, mission trips conjure images of building projects or medical clinics. For Senior Pastor Justin Cluck of Bellefontaine First Family Church and his family, however, a recent trip to El Salvador centered on something much simpler; music, prayer, games and sharing the Gospel with children and families, one neighborhood at a time.

Justin, his wife Erica, and their daughters, 14-year-old Emery and 10-year-old Eden, recently joined a mission team serving with King's Castle Ministries in El Salvador.

Today, King's Castle Ministries serves in 35 nations around the world, but the ministry began humbly more than 40 years ago when missionaries Don and Terry Triplett moved to El Salvador with a vision of reaching children and families with the Gospel. Little by little, that ministry grew.

What began with two missionaries and their family has now expanded to include approximately 90 mission teams serving in El Salvador this summer alone, in addition to ministry efforts in dozens of other countries.

"Every summer, loads of teams go to El Salvador to make a difference," Justin said.

King's Castle Missions organize teams into three primary areas of ministry: construction, medical outreach and children's evangelism. The Cluck family participated in children's evangelism.

A typical day began with breakfast before heading out to conduct two school programs in the morning. After lunch, teams would lead another program or participate in street evangelism.

Justin described the approach as very different from what many Americans might expect.

"We walk the streets calling greetings into homes as we go," he said. "People come out for the music, for prayer or simply to talk."

One encounter especially impacted the team. They met a young woman who had recently experienced a miscarriage. Team members prayed with her, and both she and her mother made decisions to follow Christ that day. The young woman then introduced the team to additional neighbors who also wanted prayer and encouragement.

During their trip, the team conducted 13 children's programs, reaching at least 688 people, not including additional contacts made during street evangelism. They recorded 188 decisions for Christ, prayed for healing 181 times, and offered 362 prayers for various personal needs.

Justin said the ministry has become even more important in recent years.

"A couple of years ago, about 80,000 people, mostly men, were arrested because of cartel activity," he explained. "Now Kings Castle Missions shared that 7 percent of homes in El Salvador are part of a nuclear family."

Another aspect of King's Castle that deeply impressed Justin was its unwavering commitment to prayer. For the past 27 years, the ministry has maintained continuous prayer and fasting, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

"Twenty-seven years," Justin said. "That commitment is incredible."

Ministry leaders also shared stories of God's faithfulness in protecting the prayer fortress where intercessors gather. Even during natural disasters, the building has remained untouched.

Justin recounted one story about two young men who initially treated their assigned prayer time casually. During their watch, lightning struck the building. Though unharmed, they quickly left, but another person immediately stepped in to continue the prayer vigil. The two young men later returned and fulfilled their commitment with a renewed sense of reverence.

Justin reflected on how dramatically El Salvador has changed over the years.

"The country is radically different today than it was in the 1990s and early 2000s," he said. "The Triplets have lived through civil war, drug cartels and so much instability. Today, many of those dangers are gone or greatly reduced."

For those interested in serving on a future mission team in El Salvador, additional information is available by calling Bellefontaine First Family, 2833 U.S. Route 68, Bellefontaine, at (937) 593-4778.