Taxis in Tegucigalpa are always an adventure. Most are an eye sore with chipped white paint exterior, hollowed out dashboards, missing window cranks and the occasional shake and rattle when it takes off, but they get us from A to B.
Our first action when we flag one down is to jump right in, give a destination, ask how much it’ll cost, but whatever they say back doesn’t really matter because we’re oblivious to how much it should actually cost, so we’re taking it. The drivers speak only Spanish but we still try to make small talk, smiling and asking how they are, “Como estas?” and exiting with at least “Dios te Bendiga” God Bless you.
We were never expecting a day when we actually got into a taxi and had a driver who spoke fluent English! Our big adventure day plan was last minute canceled when we showed up to get on a bus that was already sold out. So we decided to treat the volunteers accompanying us to a movie at the mall. That’s when we met Gods divine appointment for us instead.
Our driver cheerfully greeted us in English as we piled four in the back, myself getting squished in the corner with my teammate Brittany on my lap. We start driving and he asks us where we’re from mentioning he’s been to quit a few states in the USA and has a house on the beach in Florida!
Brittany, sitting on my lap behind the driver, boldly asks if he is a Christian.
He responds with an even cheerier “Yes absolutely, Jesus is the only way, 100 percent!”
“That’s the best percent to be!” my other teammate Lindsey jokingly responds back.
Our Honduran company chatted away in the front and back seat in Spanish unaware of what was occurring in English.
We ask next if there is anything we can be praying for him in encouragement.
“My country,” was his immediate response, “for the guns, violence and young kids getting involved and dying.”
Brittany then asked if there was anything for him specifically we could pray.
“I am blessed,” was his response.
We had a few more minutes before we got to our destination so we asked if we could pray for him while in the car driving. After a confused response from the driver, Brittany reassured that he can keep his eyes open while driving and we’ll just pray in the back.
I open in prayer for the country of Honduras and for the stranger who within minutes of meeting quickly became our brother in Christ.
Seconds into praying the driver pulls the car over to the side of the road, half on and off the sidewalk. I wonder for a minute what is going on, but I continue to pray.
I soon hear a soft voice join in with my prayer. That’s when I realize he pulled over so he could close his own eyes and join in prayer.
I used to think Jesus just travels with you from your house to church on Sunday mornings. That would mean our God is not omnipresent. Jesus, He taxis with you wherever you go. For He says, “The Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” He doesn’t care if you’re damaged on the outside. If we had judged this taxi by its cover we would have missed out on the gem inside.
