A Mission of Hope: El Salvador Mission Work Is Life-Changing for Ariton Man

Kendall Allen took his first mission trip to El Salvador nearly 10 years ago, urged on by a friend who was already serving as a missionary there.

“I was apprehensive at first,” Allen says. “Going into a different culture and not knowing what to expect.”

But his worries eased as he started reading a book on missions he picked up at a men’s conference in Chipley.

“There was something that really stuck with me,” Allen says. “It said, ‘If the Lord wants you to do it, he’ll provide,’ and immediately the Lord started providing the way for me to go on my first mission trip.”

In 2019, Allen began organizing mission work for his church, Ariton Baptist Church. His work as the church’s mission team leader led to his nomination as 1 of the Silent Heroes of the Wiregrass, a partnership between Wiregrass Electric Cooperative and WTVY to recognize people who have given back to their communities.

Winners receive a $1,000 award. The program is funded by Operation Round Up — money generated by members who voluntarily round up their monthly bills to the nearest dollar.

“We appreciate the work Mr. Allen is doing, leading mission trips to El Salvador, organizing community events here in Ariton, and just reaching out to the community to help bring people to Christ,” says WEC Vice President of Member Services and Communication Stevie Sauls. “His servant leadership and work to help others are commendable and worthy of recognition.”

Allen plans to donate his award to his church’s general mission fund, which may go to feed the homeless, provide clothing, or cover airfare for mission trips, like the one planned to El Salvador in June 2026. It will be Allen’s ninth trip since 2016. The main focus during the visits is evangelism, but the mission trips also include medical campaigns with doctors and nurses to address the health needs of people who live in some of the rural areas around the capital of San Salvador.

“We try to attend to their spiritual needs through evangelism,” Allen says. “Through the clinics, we can get them some medicines that they may not be able to buy or won’t have access to. Also, we do clothing drives. We’ll take clothes with us and stuff that our church and community donate to help the families out there. Most of all is sharing the gospel and giving them hope and encouragement.”

The mission work in El Salvador has been life-changing, Allen says. Some of the people the group meets in rural areas don’t have electricity, let alone air conditioning.

“It made a big impact on my life,” he says.