At the beginning of this month my parents had the opportunity to visit me in Honduras. This is the first time that my race has met up with theirs, and it was an incredible experience. My Mother is a wise woman and a beautiful writer, so I thought I would share that with you all! Here is her perspective on PVT!
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PVT – It’s not something you buy at the hardware store!
PVT stands for Parent Vision Trip. It is a tiny look in to what my daughter, a World Racer, has been experiencing for the last eight months.
Going in to this trip I really tried to not have expectations but to let the trip unfold. I wasn’t sure of what my husband and I would experience but I knew God was there; He had gone before us and He has a plan.
My husband and I have not been out of the USA except for a few trips into Canada. We received our passports last fall. We now felt we were “world travelers” and we still hadn’t left Michigan.
As the time was drawing near for us to leave for Honduras, we were gathering the things our daughter had requested we bring to her, saw our doctor (for a clean bill of health…we aren’t spring chickens anymore!), received our travel shots and filled our travel prescriptions. Our guest room had become the gathering place for everything we thought we needed to take. Airline tickets were bought, bags were packed, thanks to my husband’s God-given gift for packing, and we were ready to leave.
Now, never mind that Mike and I don’t fly much. The last time we flew together my 26 year old son was about four months old. God saw us through gates, connecting flights and customs. We felt His presence with us. There are some really nice people that work with the airlines when a person has questions. We really tried not to give all of our questions to one person. We shared questions with many.
Upon arriving in Honduras, my daughter and I knew our planes could be coming in about the same time. Our flight landed, and yes, it was at the Tegucigalpa airport. All I can say is praise God for brakes and skilled pilots! We gathered our carry-ons and stepped off the plane into the warm sunshine (remember we had just left Michigan in early May and anything above 68 degrees is considered warm). We entered the terminal and walked down the hall from our gate. There was another gate/hallway intersecting with our hallway. I suddenly started seeing people I recognized, people I have been praying for over the last eight months. These weren’t Facebook photos either! I thought, “These are our racers!” Right about then the most beautiful face popped out from the hallway! There was my girl!! Time stood still for a brief moment as we caught each other’s eye. What a sweet and joyous reunion we had right there. As I recount the time I can’t help but think that this moment was just a brief look into what it will be like when we enter heaven. The glorious beauty of our Lord, when our faith becomes sight! God does give us those joys here on earth. Just little tastes of heaven. It was wonderful to hug our daughter and the other racers that we have come to know and love through their blogs and Facebook pictures.
Our time with Becky was really wonderful. Our schedules allowed us to have about two hours each day after breakfast with just our racer. We found our “spot” on the porch of the conference center in which we were staying. I enjoyed our daily devotions and time to talk, laugh, cry (I cry a lot), share ideas and dreams, and make plans for when she returns home.
The afternoons were spent in ministry. We were split up in to three groups. We were able to do three different ministries in three days. Our first day we worked at Hope Farm. They are a wonderful couple with 12 children (four of which are biological). There was a softball clinic to help with the neighborhood children, something (food for their animals) to cut/harvest with machetes, a dirt road in need of repair, and chocolate to be made from cocoa beans. If you get a chance, Google Hope Farm. There is much to read and pray for this couple and their precious children.
The next day was ATL. I had no idea what it was but soon found out. ATL stands for “ask the Lord.” Believe me, I did a lot of asking. Our group was taken into the nearby town, Siguatepeque, (some even rode in the back of the truck) and dropped off. We (the parents) followed our racers lead. We walked a few blocks and prayed as we walked. It occurred to me at that time that I was in a city, a country, where I didn’t understand the language. How many times had our racers been through that cultural change…at least eight times! I was amazed at how they still communicated and prayed with many of the locals! We were blessed to meet a few that could actually speak English! By the end of the day I saw how God used these girls. There was a park we were sitting in and the next thing you know, these girls have a group of beautiful young school children playing duck, duck, goose and teaching them the Hokey Pokey The smiles on the children’s faces were priceless! The church bells rang and off they ran home. Our girls were tired and dirty (from laying on the ground) but they had such joy radiating from their hearts that showed on their faces.
I wasn’t able to go to the ministry on the third day. I had been sick during the night and was running a fever. Mike and Becky and a number of others went to a bi-lingual school. They played games with the children while some worked on a mural that one of the parents was heading up. They came home that evening with glad hearts and had much to say about the fun they had with the children.
Our off day was spent at a park about two hours away. My children pointed out that I conquered many of my fears on this trip. I’m not really fond of flying, especially over large bodies of water. I’m also not fond of heights. While at San Francisco De Yojoa I conquered two of my fears. We went zip lining over a waterfall! You know, zip lining was on my bucket list but I always thought it would be up north at the camp my children worked at during the summers. Never would I have dreamed it would be in Honduras going past one of the most beautiful waterfalls I have ever seen! It was awesome!! I was amazed at the beauty God has created. He even provided a rainbow as I looked down in front of the waterfall.
Again, I thought of our racers. The beauty they have seen across this world. Places my eyes will probably never see. Places that have been used to make our racers more into the image of our Savior. I know how Honduras has impacted my life in one week. What has been happening in the lives of our racers these last eight months? I do know He will use it all for their good and His glory.
Our parting with Becky was bitter sweet. I didn’t want to leave my precious girl but knew God had more for her and her squad to do there in Honduras. Also, leaving meant that her time away from us was drawing to a close sooner. In two and a half months we will see our daughter again, this time at home. My longing to see her will come true.
I would like to say our trip home was uneventful. Customs in Honduras questioned my backpack (searched it) when they saw three small bags together. Thanks to my wonderful husband I was blessed to carry our three bags of homemade brownie mix we bought from Hope Farm in my backpack. I think I have a new friend, now at the airport. The guard was a nice young man with a great smile (and sense of humor) and could speak English very well (blessings come in all shapes and sizes). After being checked…twice, we were off to the US. I’ll spare you the details of our trip home. Just know that we saw God “making our paths straight” in so many ways.
Mike and I are blessed to have participated in this PVT. We have made new friends with parents from Alberta to Colombia and everywhere in between. We’ve met brothers and sisters in Christ that will not be strangers to us in heaven. We are praying for each as God brings them to mind. I’ve recently been praying for those in Texas with the storms, flooding and tornadoes going through there this week. Praying all are safe and well.
We are also grateful to get to know the racers a little bit more. They are awesome people. Their love and care for each other is evident in how they serve each other. As one laid in a hammock sick on our day off I saw three or four quietly gather around her, lay hands on her and pray. This is God at work in their lives. I realize I will not be getting the same girl back home that we sent. She will be different, as well as all the other racers. The difference is Christ. He is doing a work in them to prepare them for bigger things in their future. Philippians 1:6, “And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
In my readings this week I came across these verses that reminds me of L Squad. Romans 15:5 & 6, “May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
