I look through the bars and mosquito net at the two peaks and wavy massive undulations in the middle. In the morning the sun rises between the large mountain on the left and the tree with the crest that looks like the crown of thorns. My bed sways gently as I turn to get a better look. I am in Honduras. I sleep in a hammock at night, on the porch of the ranch home called Casarita. At night the stars light the clear sky like distant fireflies. This is my life! Talanga, Honduras.
We have early mornings, long ministry days and late nights. We have little, to non-existent wi-fi or internet access. Most showers are cold, we wash clothes by hand and “personal space” or “quiet time” are terms long forgotten. There are 50 of us here. This is my life! Talanga, Honduras.
The beautiful simplicity of life among livestock and nature is sometimes overwhelming. In a good way.
“I will call upon Your name, keep my eyes above the rain. When oceans rise, my soul will rest in Your embrace. I am Yours and You are mine”, are the words to the song my squad mates sing in the living room as I type this blog. The song describes perfectly the complete dependence on God this life calls us to. I am learning the virtue of self-forgetfulness, the pain of self-denial and the beauty of being part of a mission larger than myself.
We are working with a ministry called “Heart of Christ“. The ministry is a refuge for special needs children, single teenage mothers and their children. Heart of Christ focuses on teenage mothers who became pregnant as a result of rape or incest. On some days we work with the severely handicapped girls, Erica and Ivania. The heart of Christ shines through the eyes of these beautiful girls. They can’t talk, sit up, feed themselves or do anything on their own. But they can smile and they can giggle and the sounds of their joy when they are amused emanate through the entire sala. On other days I minister to the three rambunctious toddlers Alejandro, Diego and Moses or the 3 temperamental one year olds, Caterine, Jenesis and Christopher. On other days I cook and clean with Maria and practice dance moves with the teenage moms Malagros and Michelle.
Life in Honduras is lived moment by moment. At one moment I may be hauling a wheelbarrow of sand to a pit to be mixed with cement as we build the wall around the compound to keep out stray cows and other animals that destroy the plants they use for food. In the next moment I may be praying for a teammate who is sick and throwing up or has gone to the hospital. In yet another moment I may be carrying one or two of the toddlers on my back as I waddle on all fours and they yell “Caballo!” which means “Horsey!”, with squeals of laughter. There are moments when my heart wells up with joy when I hear of the lady in the village with arthritis who was healed when my team prayed for her. And in another moment last week I gave my testimony on a radio program, hosted by our contact Gracie Murphree, to a quarter of a million listeners in Northern Honduras. There are moments when my eyes well up with tears when I hear of the possible abuse of one of the girls with cerebral palsy by her nanny, leaving her unconscious for 2 hours and almost dead were it not for the grace of God, the prayers of the saints and someone finding her and getting her to the hospital in the nick of time. Moment by moment.
“He was moved by compassion” is a phrase used to describe Jesus frequently in the gospels. In seems as though our Lord was always being interrupted on His way to Jerusalem or to the other side of the ocean or to Mary and Martha’s house. His life moved from one story of feeding five thousand to another of taking time to talk to a Samaritan woman at a well. In yet another moment he is walking on water or feeding four thousand. He lived His life moment by moment.
In Brennan Manning’s book, “Ruthless Trust”, which I have been reading, he says that Jesus had His full attention in the present moment. The two words “he noticed” or “he watched”, in the story about the poor widow and the two small coins in Luke 21, offer profound insight into the person of Jesus, highlighting his full attention to the present moment, his watchfulness, consciousness, sensitivity, perception and unbridled appreciation for the present.
In the present; this is how I seek to live my life during this race and after. The only time we truly have is the present. The past is behind us, only to be redeemed by God’s providence as He works all things together for our good. The future is in His care, no worries necessary. The present is His gift to us in which He calls us to live abundantly, recognizing the gift of His grace and the opportunity we have to enjoy each breath, each smile and each opportunity to notice another. Moment by moment.
PS. I had amazing photos to include with this blog but the internet has been uncooperative. I may update when I have a more reliable connection. Stay tuned!
