Pictures!
Alejandra, Caterin, y Wendi
Futbol! Can you find me?
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Saturdays are slow for me so I thought that since I don’t have a lot of time left here I would share more with you before I return to the States! I leave in exactly one week. At this point I realize how much I am going to miss this place and all of the people I have met. God has given me all of these small opportunities to get to know the people I have worked with and the people from the church. And in each conversation I get more of God, his work and his character.
I spent yesterday morning with a one year old named Sergio. His mom took him to the hospital the day before and they sent her to the clinic because Sergio is very malnourished. He looks like a newborn. I walked around with him for almost an hour. He cried most of the time. I’m sure he was scared. Our prayer is that God will restore his health through the clinic. Otherwise it is very possible that the baby will die.
In reality most people that I have talked to have lost siblings, or one or both parents. Thursday I spent the day at the orphanage the church built. But the more time I spend here the more I realize that these people are my brothers and my sisters. Christ himself identified his family members as those who do the will of God. Here on earth we are limited, by borders, by languages, by money, etc. Heaven doesn’t know these limits. I have to remember that the people that I spend ten minutes with here will be the same people that I will spend eternity with.
Yesterday evening I drove out with some kids from the church to a small community that the church supports. It is called Casa Hogar Vida, I believe I have mentioned it before. Families with less can live there and it is also where the orphanage is. I had a conversation with a friend of mine from church. His name is Anthony. He is 17. His mom sings at church. His parents separated when he was about 5. He has an older brother and sister. He has a younger sister named Esther who is about 13. I am not sure what the name of her condition is but she is very small and she cannot talk or walk. Anthony had another sister with the same condition who died when she was younger. I am not sure how long Esther will live. Anthony said she is like a baby, needing constant care and must be fed and held, etc. I asked him if it was hard for him and his family and he said yes. I asked him what he liked to do with Esther. He said that he would turn on music and pick her up and put her arms around his neck and walk around the house singing. He said he didn’t sing very well but that he didn’t care what the neighbors thought because it made Esther happy. Most of all he said she was a gift from God. The way he gently, honestly talked about her and his family was very touching. Afterwards I thanked him for sharing and he just smiled and said, “Well, we’re friends”.
“The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17
Choluteca is very pretty. There are mountains all around the city and the sky is really big and looks really far away. It was very beautiful driving yesterday at night. We had about 16 people in a small Nissan truck first of all. I was inside, half my body hanging out the window haha. On the way there the sky was a dark blue and the mountains were black and I kept seeing sparks of light. I’m assuming they were lightning bugs. On the way back it was darker so I could see all the stars. I think of all of you often! Wishing that I could share this experience and knowing how much y’all would enjoy it.
But the time alone has provided good opportunities for growth and communion with God. The other day I wrote out some lyrics, not something I really ever do. I suppose the silence helped facilitate the writing. Anyways Ben enjoys writing songs and music so I sent the words to him and two days later he had a whole song created! We Skyped today and he played it for me. I have to brag on him a bit he did a great job.
“Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay. You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” Psalm 16:5-11 you make my lot secure.
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
I am more than halfway done with my trip and I have been trying to think of ways that y'all can pray for the rest of my time here. I have eight working days left with the children. I am very thankful for my time here. It's been a blessing.
One of the things God has continued to bring to my attention to is the beauty, simplicity, and relevance of the Gospel. I recently read a devotional written by a man who attends my church in Dallas. He says this about the Gospel: "Paul goes on to emphasize the brilliance of God's plan of salvation through Jesus Christ's death on the cross, based on the simplicity of it (1 Corinthians 1:21). If it were intellectually challenging to understand, the educated could set themselves apart. If it could be earned or purchased, the noble would be the first in line. If it were difficult to achieve, any of us could be proud of our comprehension or discovery." The Gospel is something my heart needs to encounter every day. In the Psalms, David asks the Lord to restore to him the joy of his salvation. The forgiveness of sins through Christ’s blood and life everlasting is a happy thing. And it’s ok to go back to the basics to figure out why.
It took me awhile to really understand what I was doing here and what the true needs of the children are, apart from the obvious physical needs. Most of all what I believe these children lack is consistency. They need to be consistently loved, consistently taught the Gospel, consistently disciplined, and consistently valued. Looking back on my own life I can see that my childhood was filled with care and Christian counsel, and not only from my parents. It is a little hard knowing that my time here will end soon but that the needs of the children are long term. That said I believe the center needs the most prayer. The current staff members need perseverance so that they can be steadfast in their work and also continue to be an example to the community. Hopefully God will use His Gospel to continue to teach the men and women of Limón how to show their children that they are valued individuals. I know that the poverty increases the stress of everyday life, and I can see and feel the burden that it places on these families. I have seen men and women whose response is bitterness and hopelessness, but I have also seen men and women who respond by raising their hands to heaven and praising God.
Today I was watching one of the little girls named Isis (she’s about 2) in the office of the clinic. A song was playing on the radio when the woman who is in charge of the clinic, Lillian, walked in. She smiled and said the song reminded her of her first boyfriend. From there she went on to tell me this story about how she grew up with him and how they wanted to get married. They were separated and lost touch after he joined the army. He was shot and killed about 6 years ago. She has never married. She told me that after he died she wrote down their story. She’s telling me all of this, and she is crying. She tells me that she never tells anyone about her life but for some reason she could share with me. It was very touching. It was a reminder that everyone has their own story. But she said that working with the children and being able to love them brings her joy. The Bible says that even Christ, “the source of eternal salvation”, learned from what he suffered (Hebrews 5:8-9). I once had a leader tell me that “a broken heart is practice for healing broken lives”. I am being challenged to take what is broken in my life, even my very being, and offer it to God as a tool for the expansion of His Kingdom.
All is well here. I feel fine and I have made friends. My Spanish is even improving. J God has been very faithful, as He tends to be.
One of the things God has continued to bring to my attention to is the beauty, simplicity, and relevance of the Gospel. I recently read a devotional written by a man who attends my church in Dallas. He says this about the Gospel: "Paul goes on to emphasize the brilliance of God's plan of salvation through Jesus Christ's death on the cross, based on the simplicity of it (1 Corinthians 1:21). If it were intellectually challenging to understand, the educated could set themselves apart. If it could be earned or purchased, the noble would be the first in line. If it were difficult to achieve, any of us could be proud of our comprehension or discovery." The Gospel is something my heart needs to encounter every day. In the Psalms, David asks the Lord to restore to him the joy of his salvation. The forgiveness of sins through Christ’s blood and life everlasting is a happy thing. And it’s ok to go back to the basics to figure out why.
It took me awhile to really understand what I was doing here and what the true needs of the children are, apart from the obvious physical needs. Most of all what I believe these children lack is consistency. They need to be consistently loved, consistently taught the Gospel, consistently disciplined, and consistently valued. Looking back on my own life I can see that my childhood was filled with care and Christian counsel, and not only from my parents. It is a little hard knowing that my time here will end soon but that the needs of the children are long term. That said I believe the center needs the most prayer. The current staff members need perseverance so that they can be steadfast in their work and also continue to be an example to the community. Hopefully God will use His Gospel to continue to teach the men and women of Limón how to show their children that they are valued individuals. I know that the poverty increases the stress of everyday life, and I can see and feel the burden that it places on these families. I have seen men and women whose response is bitterness and hopelessness, but I have also seen men and women who respond by raising their hands to heaven and praising God.
Today I was watching one of the little girls named Isis (she’s about 2) in the office of the clinic. A song was playing on the radio when the woman who is in charge of the clinic, Lillian, walked in. She smiled and said the song reminded her of her first boyfriend. From there she went on to tell me this story about how she grew up with him and how they wanted to get married. They were separated and lost touch after he joined the army. He was shot and killed about 6 years ago. She has never married. She told me that after he died she wrote down their story. She’s telling me all of this, and she is crying. She tells me that she never tells anyone about her life but for some reason she could share with me. It was very touching. It was a reminder that everyone has their own story. But she said that working with the children and being able to love them brings her joy. The Bible says that even Christ, “the source of eternal salvation”, learned from what he suffered (Hebrews 5:8-9). I once had a leader tell me that “a broken heart is practice for healing broken lives”. I am being challenged to take what is broken in my life, even my very being, and offer it to God as a tool for the expansion of His Kingdom.
All is well here. I feel fine and I have made friends. My Spanish is even improving. J God has been very faithful, as He tends to be.
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Alrighty, well I am already a week behind! It took awhile to get internet access and since then I have not had a lot of down time. But now that I do I will try and share the events of the week with you without writing a novel.
The pastor of the Great Commission Church here in Choluteca and his wife Iris hosted Ellen and I this past week and I will stay here for the next three. They are very kind and have a passion for the Lord. They have 3 boys, Edgar (16), David (15), and Samuel (8). The two older boys play in the band at the church. Edgar speaks a bit of English so that has been helpful for me. Ellen and I drove into Choluteca from Tegucigalpa with a group from Michigan. There were five adults and one teenage boy. We ended up working with them throughout the week. It was such a blessing to spend time with them. I came here expecting to meet Honduran Christ followers but I am so grateful to have met more believers who were just as unknown to me as the people who live here.
Throughout the week we worked in an area of Choluteca called Limon. We are in the poorest part of Honduras. In Limon there is a developmental center for the children of the area. They have a day care, computer and ESL classes, and a nutrition clinic. Ellen and I spent our mornings helping a woman named Lillian in the nutrition clinic. The clinic is specifically for young children who are malnourished. This issue is a result of the poverty present in Limon but also because the children are not valued and looked after as they should be. The clinic is working to restore their health but it also provides them with love and attention for half the day. There were about 5 kids total each day. We play outside with them, feed them breakfast, brush their teeth, play inside with them, feed them lunch, and then they go home. We encourage them to eat all of their food so that they can grow up to be really strong! There are two cooks who work very hard to provide meals for the children in the clinic and the day care. The center was developed by the church after a hurricane destroyed a lot of the land. Many of the men died so the center also works to bring help to single mothers. It is very encouraging to see the church faithfully tending to the needs of the people around them. They have expressed how the center is their opportunity to practice the love of Christ and I am sure since it has opened it has given hundreds of other Christ followers from all around the world the chance to practice that same love. And now it is giving me the chance.
In the afternoons we joined the team from Michigan. Their goal was to make 12 beds. I think we ended up making 16! The people in the community live in very small homes. Some have beds, some have hammocks, but some have nothing. Or, some have a bed but for seven people. The team worked very hard on making the beds and Ellen and I were glad to join. We cut wood and sanded and stained and then drilled them all together! It was hard work. Choluteca is very very hot, haha. By the end of the day we were all pretty gross. One afternoon we went out into the community and talked with families. We gave them Bibles if they wanted. The people are very welcoming, most invited us in and so we would pile on their bed and ask them if they knew Christ. Only a few didn't want to talk to us. At one point I had a group of kids following me around so I knelt down and asked them if they believed in Jesus, and if they prayed to Him, and how we could love Him. They were enthusiastic so it was fun. Towards the end of the week we got to distribute the beds!
On the way to the first house my friend Kirsten (who had been the year before) told me that she would most likely cry once we got into the house. I nodded but in my head I was like, nahh... The man we visited was about 40 years old, with three kids. In his house there was a hammock and a bunch of trash, that's about it. He is sick and can't really walk so he just sits in the hammock, I'm assuming for most of the day. When we brought the bed in he was so grateful. He told us that the night before he had been crying out to God to help him, but that God already had something in store for him: a new bed. He praised God and told us that his sickness was an opportunity to feel closer to the presence of God. In a matter of seconds my eyes were filled with tears.
"I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed — in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed." 1 Corinthians 15:50-52
We delivered another bed to Alma and her three daughters. She is a very sweet woman with a big smile. She greeted all of us with a big hug and kiss. Her daughters are beautiful. She and her youngest are HIV+. The father of her children left her and her family threw her out after they found out she was sick. She was homeless for awhile until the church provided her with a home through Casa Hogar Vida. They are building a community for those in need and providing housing at a very low cost so that the people can live there while also feel a sense of responsibility and ownership. When they first met Alma they were not sure if she followed Christ but since then she has grown a lot in her faith. Her strength and joy were present even as she tearfully told us her story.
We delivered two beds to another very small community. There were about 3 small houses for a mother and her two grown daughters and son and their children. Every Saturday they all walk to church together, a trip that takes about an hour. Their stories are incredible. One of the daughters is epileptic. One day she was cooking and had a seizure and fell into the fire. The left side of her body is badly burned. Her son is very sick. They believe that he has a neurological problem that keeps him from being able to open his eyes, hold his head up, or walk. He needs constant looking after. The son's youngest daughter is severely malnourished. She is about 9 months and she is very very tiny. I held her for probably 45 minutes. Their home is the size of a walk in closet, barely enough room for a bed. The father works very hard for his family. He too was so grateful and praised God for His provision. Thankfully another group came in this week and they helped build their family a new house! He worked dilligently right alongside them.
Honestly, it is a lot to take in. I think I am still processing everything. It was such a joy to see the faces of these people at the church service last night. I saw Alma when I first walked in and she gave us another big hug. The other family took up the entire back row. It's hard for me to go to bed and not think about them in their small little homes in their new beds. I was talking with Ellen and some of the people from Michigan one evening about how when we dropped the beds off none of us were thinking about how we were giving to them. The truth is that as we stood in their homes they were pouring into us. They were ministering to my heart.
Ellen left his morning so I am just kickin it by myself for the next three weeks. Fortunately I have made some friends. Hopefully we can encourage each other throughout the week in Limon. I can't say that I necessarily feel a specific purpose for why I am here but I am eager for God to reveal more. I am not sure about you but I often feel discouraged about my work in the Lord but God provided counsel near the very beginning of the week. Remember that our weaknesses can never overshadow the glory of God in our lives.
"Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." 1 Corinthians 15:58
The pastor of the Great Commission Church here in Choluteca and his wife Iris hosted Ellen and I this past week and I will stay here for the next three. They are very kind and have a passion for the Lord. They have 3 boys, Edgar (16), David (15), and Samuel (8). The two older boys play in the band at the church. Edgar speaks a bit of English so that has been helpful for me. Ellen and I drove into Choluteca from Tegucigalpa with a group from Michigan. There were five adults and one teenage boy. We ended up working with them throughout the week. It was such a blessing to spend time with them. I came here expecting to meet Honduran Christ followers but I am so grateful to have met more believers who were just as unknown to me as the people who live here.
Throughout the week we worked in an area of Choluteca called Limon. We are in the poorest part of Honduras. In Limon there is a developmental center for the children of the area. They have a day care, computer and ESL classes, and a nutrition clinic. Ellen and I spent our mornings helping a woman named Lillian in the nutrition clinic. The clinic is specifically for young children who are malnourished. This issue is a result of the poverty present in Limon but also because the children are not valued and looked after as they should be. The clinic is working to restore their health but it also provides them with love and attention for half the day. There were about 5 kids total each day. We play outside with them, feed them breakfast, brush their teeth, play inside with them, feed them lunch, and then they go home. We encourage them to eat all of their food so that they can grow up to be really strong! There are two cooks who work very hard to provide meals for the children in the clinic and the day care. The center was developed by the church after a hurricane destroyed a lot of the land. Many of the men died so the center also works to bring help to single mothers. It is very encouraging to see the church faithfully tending to the needs of the people around them. They have expressed how the center is their opportunity to practice the love of Christ and I am sure since it has opened it has given hundreds of other Christ followers from all around the world the chance to practice that same love. And now it is giving me the chance.
In the afternoons we joined the team from Michigan. Their goal was to make 12 beds. I think we ended up making 16! The people in the community live in very small homes. Some have beds, some have hammocks, but some have nothing. Or, some have a bed but for seven people. The team worked very hard on making the beds and Ellen and I were glad to join. We cut wood and sanded and stained and then drilled them all together! It was hard work. Choluteca is very very hot, haha. By the end of the day we were all pretty gross. One afternoon we went out into the community and talked with families. We gave them Bibles if they wanted. The people are very welcoming, most invited us in and so we would pile on their bed and ask them if they knew Christ. Only a few didn't want to talk to us. At one point I had a group of kids following me around so I knelt down and asked them if they believed in Jesus, and if they prayed to Him, and how we could love Him. They were enthusiastic so it was fun. Towards the end of the week we got to distribute the beds!
On the way to the first house my friend Kirsten (who had been the year before) told me that she would most likely cry once we got into the house. I nodded but in my head I was like, nahh... The man we visited was about 40 years old, with three kids. In his house there was a hammock and a bunch of trash, that's about it. He is sick and can't really walk so he just sits in the hammock, I'm assuming for most of the day. When we brought the bed in he was so grateful. He told us that the night before he had been crying out to God to help him, but that God already had something in store for him: a new bed. He praised God and told us that his sickness was an opportunity to feel closer to the presence of God. In a matter of seconds my eyes were filled with tears.
"I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed — in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed." 1 Corinthians 15:50-52
We delivered another bed to Alma and her three daughters. She is a very sweet woman with a big smile. She greeted all of us with a big hug and kiss. Her daughters are beautiful. She and her youngest are HIV+. The father of her children left her and her family threw her out after they found out she was sick. She was homeless for awhile until the church provided her with a home through Casa Hogar Vida. They are building a community for those in need and providing housing at a very low cost so that the people can live there while also feel a sense of responsibility and ownership. When they first met Alma they were not sure if she followed Christ but since then she has grown a lot in her faith. Her strength and joy were present even as she tearfully told us her story.
We delivered two beds to another very small community. There were about 3 small houses for a mother and her two grown daughters and son and their children. Every Saturday they all walk to church together, a trip that takes about an hour. Their stories are incredible. One of the daughters is epileptic. One day she was cooking and had a seizure and fell into the fire. The left side of her body is badly burned. Her son is very sick. They believe that he has a neurological problem that keeps him from being able to open his eyes, hold his head up, or walk. He needs constant looking after. The son's youngest daughter is severely malnourished. She is about 9 months and she is very very tiny. I held her for probably 45 minutes. Their home is the size of a walk in closet, barely enough room for a bed. The father works very hard for his family. He too was so grateful and praised God for His provision. Thankfully another group came in this week and they helped build their family a new house! He worked dilligently right alongside them.
Honestly, it is a lot to take in. I think I am still processing everything. It was such a joy to see the faces of these people at the church service last night. I saw Alma when I first walked in and she gave us another big hug. The other family took up the entire back row. It's hard for me to go to bed and not think about them in their small little homes in their new beds. I was talking with Ellen and some of the people from Michigan one evening about how when we dropped the beds off none of us were thinking about how we were giving to them. The truth is that as we stood in their homes they were pouring into us. They were ministering to my heart.
Ellen left his morning so I am just kickin it by myself for the next three weeks. Fortunately I have made some friends. Hopefully we can encourage each other throughout the week in Limon. I can't say that I necessarily feel a specific purpose for why I am here but I am eager for God to reveal more. I am not sure about you but I often feel discouraged about my work in the Lord but God provided counsel near the very beginning of the week. Remember that our weaknesses can never overshadow the glory of God in our lives.
"Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." 1 Corinthians 15:58
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Well, tomorrow in the wee hours of the morning Ellen and I will head off to Honduras! We will arrive in Tegucigalpa around noon. Our plan is to spend one day and night in Tegucigalpa. We will be picked up and taken to Choluteca on Saturday (its about a three hour drive). I will be there for the next month but Ellen will head back to Dallas on the 24th. We are very excited to go! We don't know a lot about Honduras so it will all just have to be a pleasant surprise. :)
I first started thinking about taking a trip like this about 10 months ago and I am really thankful for how God used the encouragement and help of a lot of people I care about to make this a reality for me. The trip will be great way to put the last three years of Spanish classes into practice but I am anxious to see the other ways that God will use the trip to grow and teach me. As far as I can tell I will spend most of my days working with children, children who have a lot of needs. The other day while I was driving with Jack in the car we were singing along to "For Your Glory" by Kate York. Hearing Jack's little voice behind me reminded me of why I wanted to do ministry with kids this summer. I believe that God gave children the abillity to know Him, and to know Him in a way that provides an identity for them that carries into adulthood. Often, I think of my faith as childlike. I believe that is the result of having faith in Christ when I was a child.
I would love to be strengthened by your prayers! I am sure after being there for awhile I will get a better idea of what we can all pray for. But I'll go ahead and list a few. :)
- You can ask God to keep Ellen and I safe while we travel and while we spend the day and night in Tegucigalpa.
- You can pray that I will be bold in using my Spanish, sometimes I'm a liiiiitle shy. ;)
- I am most concerned about the relationships that I will be forming, particularly with the children. You can pray that God would show me how to best use my gifts to relate to them and to meet their needs. I am interested in full time ministry after I graduate and this is an opportunity to learn how God may use me in that way.
Thanks a lot! Really, I am just so anxious to meet God in another part of the world, surrounded by new people. God loves people and I am always humbled thinking about how His love is enough for all of us.
"I'll rise up and be Your voice. I made my choice. This is my story. Your songs are stored inside my heart. So break me apart. It's for your glory. Let it pour out of me." For Your Glory
I first started thinking about taking a trip like this about 10 months ago and I am really thankful for how God used the encouragement and help of a lot of people I care about to make this a reality for me. The trip will be great way to put the last three years of Spanish classes into practice but I am anxious to see the other ways that God will use the trip to grow and teach me. As far as I can tell I will spend most of my days working with children, children who have a lot of needs. The other day while I was driving with Jack in the car we were singing along to "For Your Glory" by Kate York. Hearing Jack's little voice behind me reminded me of why I wanted to do ministry with kids this summer. I believe that God gave children the abillity to know Him, and to know Him in a way that provides an identity for them that carries into adulthood. Often, I think of my faith as childlike. I believe that is the result of having faith in Christ when I was a child.
I would love to be strengthened by your prayers! I am sure after being there for awhile I will get a better idea of what we can all pray for. But I'll go ahead and list a few. :)
- You can ask God to keep Ellen and I safe while we travel and while we spend the day and night in Tegucigalpa.
- You can pray that I will be bold in using my Spanish, sometimes I'm a liiiiitle shy. ;)
- I am most concerned about the relationships that I will be forming, particularly with the children. You can pray that God would show me how to best use my gifts to relate to them and to meet their needs. I am interested in full time ministry after I graduate and this is an opportunity to learn how God may use me in that way.
Thanks a lot! Really, I am just so anxious to meet God in another part of the world, surrounded by new people. God loves people and I am always humbled thinking about how His love is enough for all of us.
"I'll rise up and be Your voice. I made my choice. This is my story. Your songs are stored inside my heart. So break me apart. It's for your glory. Let it pour out of me." For Your Glory
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