A field trip to Vaya de Angelos was the plan. At 10 am that all changed. Our contact, Tony, asked that we all meet in the worship room for a few minutes. We started by singing a worship song. When we finished our squad leader, Mike, said, ‘”One more time. This time live in the moment. Sing it like it’s the only chance you have left to worship God.” I got chills as we sang. God was preparing our hearts for what Tony was going to say and where the day was going to take us.
After hearing Tony speak we knew that God had hijacked our plans. He was now leading us to a hospital where a single mother of 3 was awaiting her diagnosis after having been bedridden for a month. The doctor had told Tony that it was most likely stomach cancer.
Only four people were allowed inside the hospital so the rest of us did what we do best. We brought joy and life to the otherwise quiet place. Picture 52 Americans sitting on the side of the road playing guitars, singing worship songs, reading the Bible and praying in front of a Honduran hospital. If nothing else, we knew that we were going to be witnessing to the people who were visiting the hospital and those who were driving past.
Three hours later and we were told that the woman we had been praying for was being released that afternoon. The look on her face when she came out of the hospital and saw all of us standing there was well worth the hours spent on the side of the road. God turned stomach cancer into a bacterial infection and reunited a mother with her three young children. I don’t think there was a single one of us who would’ve rather been somewhere else that day. We were more than happy to have God hijack our plans in order to see Him at work.
After piling on the bus, we decided that a trip to the mall for dinner, a movie or some free Internet time would be a perfect ending to the day. Arriving at the mall, my only thoughts were of food and finding a place to check the score of the USC/Clemson football game. Once again, God had different plans for me.
I sat down with my computer at a coffee shop to start returning e-mails when I met eyes with a Honduran girl who was passing my table. I smiled and immediately turned my attention back to my computer. I could still feel her eyes on me. I looked up again just as she was approaching to give me the traditional hug and a kiss on the cheek greeting. The Gamecocks were up 10-0 so I figured I could spare a few minutes. After all, my Spanish conversational skills aren’t very advanced so I figured the conversation would come to a halt after 5 minutes. As I started to say “como esta,” my eyes were led to the hearing aids in her ears. She immediately sat down, pulled a piece of paper and pen from her book bag and began writing me notes.
I had to smile at God’s perfect plan when I found out that Kasey’s mom had died and she lives with her father and sister. Just when I thought my Spanish vocabulary was maxed out, Kasey pointed at my computer and wrote “Google” on the piece of paper we had been writing on. For the next hour or so, Kasey and I typed back and forth on Google Translator. I learned that she was hoping to get a scholarship to go to a school for the deaf in the States. She told me about the tough times that she and her family are going through, and God was able to give me words to share with her. I never thought I would pray via Google Translator, but this trip has taught me that God is all about shattering expectations and providing words and resources when you need them most.
1 Thessalonians 5:24 “The One who calls you is faithful and He will do it.”
A friend shared this verse with me the other day and it has been a constant reminder of how faithful and how big God really is. God called us to the hospital and He healed the woman. God called me to have a conversation with Kasey and He provided the words and technology to make that happen. He is faithful and He will do it.
Me and Kasey at the mall
