With lack of sleep and delusion setting in I walked out of customs. Tegucigalpa Honduras was at my fingertips and the World Race was finally underway. With many days and nights spent dreaming about this day it is surreal that here I sit finally chasing after what my God had in store for me. For most all other squads they were setting out in separate teams, but for O squad we were blessed with the reality of getting to spend the first month together as a family. These people have been my brothers and sisters since training camp and words cannot describe the growth that has taken place over the past 20 days.
Our main contact’s name is Tony and he is the leader of a ministry called Zion’s Gate. This powerful ministry works with the troubled youth of Tegucigalpa. Statistics show that 85% of all birth certificates in Honduras do not have fathers present on them. It is an alarming and understanding realization to why this country, and more importantly the youth of this country have no authority figure to show them how to live life. All of these kids ranging from ages 2-18 have lived in the slums for a majority part of their life. The streets that they called home are not the streets we are use to. These are not the streets that a normal “gringo” (white person) would feel comfortable walking down at any part of the day. With the stench of paint thinner filling the air, it is a life filled with getting high, stealing food, and getting higher after that. The problem we have come to learn is that paint thinner is a permanently damaging drug and kills brains cells upon ever inhalation. These kids are not just playing with drug that can harm them for a short period of time; these kids are playing Russian roulette daily with the life they have come to know means nothing. If drugs have not stopped them so far we can add in that Honduras is the Murder capital of the world (don’t freak out Mom). With the daily reminders of sin in the world it has become a common picture to see trauma portrayed in the streets of Honduras. These kids are playing with fire when I wish so badly I could give back what innocence was robbed way too early. In the dark ally though stands a man of God, a man of hope. A man that is not perfect yet by any means but by the grace of God takes these dirty angles in to instill what a Christ centered lifestyle looks like. It is a constant learning process built around the truth of open communication. Zion’s Gate is a place open to anyone who wants that freedom from the streets. It is a community that has no gates built to keep in the ones that want to leave. For me, it was hard to wrap my mind around a place that was so open to the come and go approach. Coming from a loving family I had authority that had to show me tough love from time to time to understand aspects of life. These souls have never seen that. They have never seen a man treat a woman with respect, a man support a family, a man do the everyday task like cooking and cleaning. When you walk into Zion’s Gates you do not see the stories they tell you of where they have come from, but by the power of God they have shown me the truth of what grace really looks like. Right now this ministry houses 11 boys, 6 girls, and has them all in private education in surrounding schools. Even though this has not been the only place of ministry we have served over the past few weeks I have fallen in love with the people God has put into my life.
