I didn't really do an end of the month blog after Guatemala, so I'd like to do one for Honduras while it's still fresh and we haven't started ministry for the month here in Nicaragua.
Our hosts of Puerta de Sión (Zion's Gate), Tony & Nidia have been beyond amazing.
2 important things I leave Honduras with, thanks to Tony:
1: Who's on your plate today?
2: Don't miss the opportunity!
Sometimes we bite off more than we can chew. Other times we ask for seconds when we haven't taken care of what's on the plate already.
Luke 16:10-11
"One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?
I feel like earlier in the month of Honduras, I was asking for more on my plate, when I hadn't looked at what was already on it. Honestly, I didn't feel like I was being faithful with the little, but asking for more.
Tony shared about figuring out who is on his plate – focusing on the people God has given him to take care of for the day. While Tony has a heart for Honduras, he focuses on the relationships with the people God has put him in relationship with. It's not about trying to play superhero and save the masses, because Jesus himself cared about the one. Jesus would leave the 99 for the one lost sheep.
I learned that if God puts just one person on my plate for the day, then I'm going to make the most of that one relationship before I ask for more people. I learned the importance of being a good steward, not just in the material sense with possessions and money, but with relationships as well.
On the last full day in Honduras we went back into Sector F of Los Pinos where we were the day before. When we went into Sector F the previous day, Tony was surprised to see a certain kid there.
His name is Kenny.
Kenny was the first kid off the streets that Tony & Nidia took into their home. They took him in within their first year of marriage too. Kenny had been learning English twice as fast as other kids and had a passion for learning after not believing that he could actually do it. Some time passed by and Kenny ends up back on the streets of Sector F.
We saw Kenny on Sunday when our groups walked into Sector F after church. Our plan was not to have a plan. Just to show up, and be present. We didn't know who would be there, other than us. So we walked into the community and sat in front of the abandoned school. A few years ago the government had pulled funding to the school, so now it sits there, just some concrete walls and the frame of a roof.
Kids and teenagers popped up from all over and before we knew it, there was somewhere between one and two dozen around us, hanging out. Some wanted to play, others just sat with us.
I sat with Tony and Kenny and a few others and observed Tony's interaction with Kenny. He asked Kenny how he was doing and how is family was. He asked if Kenny remembered the time he spent with Tony and how well he was doing with learning English. Kenny remembered it all and had a look of tranquil nostalgia on his face. Tony asked how Kenny felt about re-visiting Puerta de Sión and giving it another go.
I love how Tony wasn't at all controlling of the conversation or trying to persuade him with anything. He left Kenny with the decision and time to think about it. I threw in my two cents and told Kenny how great of an opportunity he has to make something more of his life than just wandering the streets or sleeping on the floor of an abandoned school. So Tony told Kenny that we would be back the next day at 2:30 just to see him again, if he wanted to.
After we left Los Pinos, Tony was so excited that he saw Kenny again and told us that if the purpose of the entire day was to see Kenny for a few minutes, then we took care of who God had put on the plate for the day. Mission accomplished. This blew me away because Tony is right. It completely rattled my head about often am trying to gauge success in so many different ways that I don't have to.
Just focus on who God has already given on my plate in any given day and not what I think I should have on my plate. Be faithful in little- God will give more in His own timing. If I can't be faithful in the little, why in the world would God trust me to be faithful with more.
We went back the next day, unsure if Kenny would be there or not. Within a minute of coming out of the car, Kenny emerged from the abandoned school.
Kenny wanted to be there and had been waiting for us. This time only four of us came with Tony as he spoke with Kenny for a few minutes. Kenny was one by one going through a list of boys that Tony knew from Sector F; some of which were currently living with him and Nidia. Some stories are current success stories being written, others started off well and regressed, some didn't work out or sadly ended. Kenny remembered the story of a kid named Jimmy who went back to Los Pinos in Sector F and got stoned to death not far from where we were standing. I saw it in Kenny's eyes that was somber and yet hopeful for change. He was invited to go to a Thursday morning small group with Pastor Nicholas in Los Pinos that Tony's boys attend. Kenny seemed willing to go, and Tony said he'd be willing to bring him.
[Pastor Nicholas and his wife Sara are to my right]
We had to get back to the property but closed by asking Kenny if we could pray for him. Kenny said yes. We did not miss the opportunity. It was such a great way to end our last full day in Honduras. We got to see the continuation of Kenny's story. It wasn't over just because he had left once to go back to Los Pinos. Greater things have yet to come, I can't wait to hear updates from Tony.
There are so many other stories from Honduras, all of which are being written by the Author of Life. I'm so blessed to have had the opportunity to take a sneak peek into the ministry opportunities and happenings in Tony's life.
God has given us all opportunities with somethings and someones on our plates.
Don't miss it.
“Today is a gift- that's why we call it the present.”
