Alright! So, a couple weeks ago I asked you guys to give me some questions you had for me about my time in Honduras… and you most definitely followed through with that request! So, long story short: I’m finally here to answer those questions!
Let’s go!
Q: Is one month enough time at a place to do all God wants you to do?
A: Hmm… I would say both yes and no. In all honesty, I naturally have a hard time understanding short term missionary work (which is funny because God has called me to work with short term missions organizations for 2 years – one in Chicago and one now on the World Race). The practical part of me doesn’t think a huge, lasting impact can be made in a day… or even in 3 or 4 weeks. I strongly believe in long term impact when it comes to missions. In moving to one place and staying there for a long time. On being a consistent helping hand that will be there for a specific group of people no matter what. However, I am learning over and over again that God is bigger than time and that my views on short term missions are not really accurate. I’m learning how small of a box I continually put God in. I’m learning that He is much, MUCH bigger than that box. He can use any and every situation. He can change a person’s life in a day if He wants to… shoot… He can change someone’s life in a second if He wants to. Maybe all it might take from us is a smile in the right direction, a helping hand at the right moment, an encouraging word at the perfect time. God can use anything for His glory. He can work in anyone’s heart in any way through any amount of time. He is way bigger than our human concept of time and efficiency. Who are we to sit around and say how and when He can work? We need only to be open to doing what He has called us to do at the present moment; He’ll take care of the rest as He wants to – in His own perfect timing, whatever that might look like (even if it’s only a month).
Q: What have you been eating?
A: Tortillas, rice, beans, tortillas, cheese, chips, tortillas, chicken, peanut butter sandwiches, tortillas, eggs, plantains, tortillas… sometimes the occasional banana or green mango… and did I mention tortillas?
Q: What has been your biggest challenge this month and how did you overcome it?
A: I actually had two. The first had to do with the previous question – the food. The diet change to my lifestyle was pretty difficult. For those of you who don’t know, I had been eating mostly pescitarian before I left the States. Lots of fruits, veggies, nuts, fish, and sometimes grains. It was awesome. Coming to a country where the diet is pretty much the opposite of that was hard after a couple weeks. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE the food we’ve been eating in Central America. Even though I don’t think it’s the healthiest, I think it’s absolutely delicious and don’t mind eating it at all (especially corn tortillas, I have really fallen in love with those this month). However, after a couple weeks I began to feel the food I was eating affect my body and my mind in negative ways. It was really challenging at times to deal with that (and still can be). In order to try and overcome this challenge, I quickly decided that I didn’t mind going out and spending my own money so that I could have healthier foods in my diet. I quickly fell in love with snacking on apples, bananas, carrots, and granola – always making sure I had a stash of them hanging out in my tent. At the same time, I tried to remind myself to be respectful of the culture in regards to this issue and of the people who were providing this food for me to eat. They went way out of their way to provide food for us, so I need to be thankful for what I have been blessed with in return. Some people are not as fortunate as we have been in regards to food this past month. I think that’s something that will always be important to remember.
The second challenge had to do with space – or lack of space for that matter. Since all 43 members of my squad were together in the same place this past month (on a mere 2ish acres of land), it was really hard to find time and space to be alone with God and with my thoughts. So, over the past month I have learned that it’s totally okay to create space for myself. To wake up early and hang out in my tent alone. Or to sit in a corner, pop my headphones in, and read a book. To vocalize to people that I need to be introverted for a while and won’t really talk much because of that. To stand up for myself in regards to that time and space. & Through this process, I’ve also learned that people are really understanding and respectful of that – because they too have their own moments with needing to be alone. This challenge has been a fun, rewarding one. From it I’ve learned that when I take care of myself and make sure to spend some solid time alone with God an myself every day, I am then able to be more present and considerate of the people I’m with when I am around them.
In all honesty though, in the grand scheme of things, neither of these things matter when it comes down to my ultimate purpose for being here. These are things I can easily brush off and work through – I’m trying to learn to not let them get in the way of the work I’ve been set out to do as I try to overcome them.
Q: Who was your favorite person you met and why?
A: I would definitely have to say that Jorge was my favorite person that I met in Honduras. Why? Read the blog I wrote about him. J He has a lot of character traits that I so desire to have – he just captivated me in so many ways.
Q: Have you seen anyone playing the pan pipes yet?
A: Hahaha, no, sorry Jon Mast! I will take a video and send it to you if I ever do see such a glorious thing though!
Q: What did you learn about Jesus’ character?
A: Hmm… That’s a good question. I would have to say the thing that I learned/was reminded of the most about His character is how persistent He is – how He never gives up on us. I saw that a lot through the example our contact displayed in his relationship with the kids he took off the streets and brought into his home. No matter how many mistakes these kids made inside of his home, Tony never gave up on them. He continually accepted them into his home with a healthy balance of love and discipline, no matter what. He trusted that God was the one working on their hearts, and that he need only do for them what Christ has done for us in loving, accepting, and forgiving us over and over again. It was a pretty sweet thing to see Christ’s example acted out in every day life.
Q: How has your team inspired you this month?
A: My team has really inspired me in the realm of feedback. We’ve been learning a lot about open communication in relationships and what that should look like, and I think my teammates do a pretty good job of it. They’ve really inspired me to look past the surface level of an individual in order to try and see their heart – what’s really going on in that tricky place. They daily inspire me to bring things up that concern me (whether it’s personal or not) and talk it through. It’s been pretty awesome to see the good that results from being honest and talking things through.
Q: What country are you off to next? What are you most excited about for that country?
A: El Salvador! & Honestly, I’m most excited about the fact that my team is going to be alone, apart from the rest of the squad, for the whole month. We really need that time alone to get to know each other and bond as a family – and I’m stoked to see how God can use us through the unity we develop over this time.
Q: What are you going to miss most about Honduras?
A: Honestly, on the flip side of the previous question, I am going to miss the rest of the squad this month. Though it could get overwhelming at points in time being with 43 people all the time in Honduras, I did really enjoy it. Each person on my squad is truly amazing and brings unique qualities to the table – I’m going to miss being able to interact with them every day. BUT, that does make the times we are together that much sweeter – so I can look forward to those times as I dwell in the joy of being alone with just my teammates. J
Q: What is your biggest fear? How can we pray that God will meet you in this fear and reveal a whole new side of Himself to you?
A: I really like this question… Honestly, my biggest fear is that I might walk away from this year overseas unchanged. I fear the thought of going back home to America and living a mediocre life. I fear the possibility of being the same person I am today when December comes around (I mean, I obviously still want to be me… but a matured version of me). I fear missing out on what God has in store for me next.
So, if you were to pray for anything for me in regards to that, I would ask that you pray for my heart and my mind to be open to whatever God has in store for me. That I will hear His voice while overseas over the next 9 ½ months. That I would continue to grow and learn as He wants me to, that I will change more into the woman He wants me to be, and that I would continue to feel His direction in regards to what I should do after this Race (yes, I’ve started to feel a pull in a certain direction). Thanks!
Alright, that's it for now.
Peace!
