The quick update on life is that team FUSE is spending the month in Puerto Barrios, Guatemala with team Holy Bandits. It’s hot and muggy in this port city, and we’re back to “uncomfortable living” here in Central America. After a month of heavenly comforts in Slovakia, the third world has once again been reminding us of all that we have to be thankful for! I am always amazed at how much I sweat after doing something as simple as walking across the street. But even though my flesh has many moments of selfish complaint, I am truly thankful to be so uncomfortable. It reminds me of all that I have been given and of my utmost need for the strength of the Lord to continue to press on until the end!
Upon arriving in Puerto Barrios almost two weeks ago, we joined in helping Radio Shofar (our contact for the month) with its annual fund-raising effort. This Christian-based radio station is currently supported by local listeners, which is a rather big deal for this part of the world where people live on significantly less than we as Americans do and electricity is extremely expensive.
If you recall from my blogs in Africa, a large part of our ministry was visiting people in their homes to share about Christ, termed “door-to-door evangelism.” This type of ministry doesn’t work everywhere in the world, but because people are so open to sharing what little they have with complete strangers, it works in Africa. It also works here where people are eager to meet the foreigners living in Casa Verde (the name given by the neighborhood to the green house the fifteen of us been living in).
The strange plot twist is that instead of going door-to-door to give something to these people with so little, we asked them to give to us. To raise the needed funds to survive, Radio Shofar goes to homes all over the city, asking the people for donations. It felt so strange and almost backwards to be asking the people we’re here to minister TO for money! Keep in mind the homes we went to were not homes of the rich. However, approximately 90% of the people gave to us without thinking twice. It was amazing to see and reminded me of the story in the Bible of the woman who had nothing and yet gave it to the Lord.
As an official “World Race missionary” for nine and a half months now, I am realizing that my mindset has been completely altered. Now when I look at most people, I habitually find myself asking the Lord whether or not He has something to tell them through me. I habitually find myself asking the Lord how to love them in the moments He gives us together. Sometimes He speaks, and sometimes He doesn’t. However, my eyes search theirs for some sort of story; a story of desperation, sickness, hurt, or some other void that Jesus wants to fill. I like to think of it as gaining the eyes of Christ.
