We said our good bye's on Tuesday and left Honduras. It was very sad to say bye to everyone we made friends with, everyone we grew to trust and love. It was especially hard with our contacts and Pastor Salinas. Remember when I told you how when I first met Pastor Salinas he told me "your heart is like my heart?" Well, on our last church service, he calls me out in front of the whole church. He singled me out, and said to me, "Wade, you're going to be a Pastor." My whole team turned around and looked at me in shock. "Did he really just say that? Maybe the interpreter got it wrong," I thought. But, then he went on and told me that's what he meant when he talked to me that first day about my heart. How he sees himself in me. How I remind him of himself at a young age. And how his instincts were confirmed as the month went by. I've never been prophesied over like that before, and it scared me. He said it with such authority and confidence.
Courtney and Liz have both approached me days after, asking me what I think about what he said to me. I was hoping they would have just forgotten about it or let it go. But they didn't, they kept bringing it up, forcing me to think, reflect and pray about it.
On our very last night with the Salinas family, they had us over to their house for a sleep over. On our departure day the next morning, I pulled Pastor Salinas to the side and asked his daughter to follow as a translator. I just wanted to ask him if what he said were true or if that's what he REALLY sees in me. "I'm just looking for some clarification," I finally got out.
Pastor Salinas began to assure me of what he saw in me. I'll try and paraphrase the best I can from what I remember:
"You have the ability to rally a group of people for the Glory of God. And as long as you are doing that wherever you are or with the community you're in, then you are a Pastor. Don't be afraid of the title. Pastor is just a word. When someone first told me that I had this spiritual gift, it scared me too. And it wasn't until I started to TRULY care for others and found myself completely alone with God that I started to believe it to be true. I can only give you what the Holy Spirit put on my heart to say about you. The rest, is between you and the Father."
I gave him a hug and thanked him for changing my life this month. For changing my view of how to love a community and it's believers. Although I'm still digesting and praying about what he said to me, I'll never forget how much he poured into my life this month.
Here are the last pictures from Honduras. I'll have an update on Nicaragua coming soon. I just wanted to tell yall this story, not only for you to hear it, but for me to remember it.
This is me telling my story to the church.
Henry took us to the semi-finals game.
Tony's partner, Nathan, is a prophetic painter. Anyone guess what scene he's depicting?
This pic is for my sister who loves puppies. Tony's dog had a litter of 7 puppies (half german shepherd, half mutt).
Our night at city of the Angels.
Dan and I in the mall at the Christmas tree.
Our day in Yuscaran.
Ben, no comments please, this picture was the girls idea. I had no say in this!
Day at the pool with the boys.
