It’s been eight days of the Race so far, but a part of me feels like it’s been months. I’m loving it, but I’m sure that will change at times as the Race goes on and the experience becomes hard.
The culture in Honduras is beautiful. The people, the food, the mountains…maybe it feels like months because it feels like home here. Could I see myself moving here for ministry in the future? I could, but at the same time I remind myself that I still have more than 10 months and 10 more countries to experience and fall in love with.
This week has been full of children, and my momma’s heart gets fuller each day. These kids don’t have much in the way of finances or good living situations, but the one thing they have that they care most about is Jesus. Most of them have been discipled by our ministry hosts David and Scarlet, through their ministry Hope at Hand.
Every day for nearly seven years they have worked with the kids in these schools. They bring them food and the Word. They have told us stories of how these kids came to know Jesus and in turn led their families to Jesus. The kids have been the most important component in reaching the people.
We get up each morning (much earlier than I was used to at home because the sunrise here is about 5:30) and make the kids breakfast. Then we pack up and truck it up the mountain. The kids are waiting for us at the fence as we drive by. With excitement we get out and are bombarded with lots of hugs and “Hola! Buenos Diaz!” I try to greet the kids with their names, but with there being 30 plus kids, and most names culturally Spanish, I am still working on them.
This week we taught the kids about loving God, loving their neighbor, and today I taught about prayer. I had the kids do a prayer activity, and asked them if God said anything to them while they prayed. One little girl said that God told her everything was going to work out for the things she needs, and that she didn’t have to worry.
There is a second school farther into the mountain that we went to today as well. The kids at this school were not as open as the other kids, and we won’t get to see these kids as often. Many seemed to be more malnourished, which saddened my heart and made me want to take them all home, but obviously that wasn’t possible. It felt good to finally meet these kids and experience the difference between the two schools.
In addition to working with the kids we help at the ministry home with chores. We have done wood working, lawn care, puppy care, cooking and cleaning, and recently starting making pinatas for the party we are going to throw the kids at the end of the month.
One lesson that our ministry host David shared with us was about doing work with God, not for God. So often many Christians think that doing good deeds is all they need to do. We leave out the ‘relationship with God’ part of the equation, and in the end the sum is wrong. It was a great reminder that while I am here to be the hands and feet of Jesus, I must do it with him, not just for him. It doesn’t matter if I am praying for healing for someone, or picking up trash on the street: I need to be doing both with God, neither just for God. I want to know him more from doing things with him and listening to his heart. My teammate Jed put it good by saying ‘life on mission, not a missions trip.’
All in all it has been a blessed week and I’m so looking forward to what’s ahead! I’m reminded daily how blessed I am to have been born in the US and, although not always having much, I had more than most of these kids have and may ever have. I have shared many photos of the kids, the Honduran landscape, and other fun things from the past week on my Facebook. I hope they put a smile on your face! If we aren’t friends, just add me.
Please continue to pray for my team and the four other teams on my squad that are placed throughout Honduras. I will post updates as often as I can. If you feel led to donate and keep me on the field, you can do so here on my blog, or send me an email about sponsoring me through a different form. My next financial goal is $13,000 and it will be due at the end of November.
Thank you again for your prayers and support!
In His Love,
Hope
