[written starting 10.11.12]
Greetings from Honduuuras!
Some L Squad teams are in Honduras this month, while others are in El Salvador. Some teams are paired or grouped with other teams for ministry, but not Team Tumbler! We were placed alone here, and it has been great for us! From day 1, the Lord showed me it’s no mistake or coincidence that we are where we are. I found out at 4am of travel day (last Friday while loading buses in Antigua) that Team Tumbler would be going to the village of La Colorada, near a city named El Progreso. I knew immediately that we’d be just a few minutes from El Castaño, the neighboring village in which I lived and taught English three years ago! Of all the places we could have gone in both El Salvador and Honduras, God put me back right here, right next to a place I used to call home. And I do indeed feel like I’m back home now!
We’re living and doing ministry at a children’s home called ‘Hogar Miqueas’ (Micah Home, based on Micah 6:8. “… what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God.”) It’s currently being run by a missionary couple, Melody and Jacob, who have a great story of God calling them to Honduras. The Lord has blessed this place with many nannies (called ‘tías’ here) and other workers or volunteers (tutors, electrician, construction workers). There are almost 40 children, ranging from 1 to 11, and most of them were abandoned, abused, malnourished, and either orphaned or parented by people who couldn’t responsibly raise them. Many of them came as groups of siblings. So in all, it’s one biiig family! We were told not to pity them or see them as orphans, because they now all have almost 40 siblings and are being raised by Melody and Jacob (whom they call Mom and Dad). They actually have it better than a lot of the kids in the area who do have biological parents and families. What they have here is great, though of course a constant work in progress. The founder of Micah’s House, Pastor John, started this home with the vision of raising up a generation of spiritually grounded leaders in Honduras. So it’s pretty cool that we get to be a part of raising this generation of future leaders!
So with the assumption that these kids will be/are leaders, there’s definitely a lot of discipline happening everyday. They get time-outs and privileges taken away, etc. There are so many different and strong personalities amongst the children, but I’m praying that today’s quarrelers become tomorrow’s peacemakers, and that these kids truly see each other as brothers and sisters. I want to pray more for these kids, and not just silent prayers. We want to see big things happen. We want to see a supernatural joy and willingness, for spiritual leaders to be raised up within this huge family, for them to not only step into their physical inheritance here at Micah’s House, but also to know their spiritual inheritance. It fills me with joy that they’re in such a safe place in this home, that they have so many resources and opportunities that lie ahead. And I hope that physical provision and resources extend to spiritual support. It’s hard to see how they might grow spiritually at this age, but I bet Micah’s House can become a spiritual powerhouse as they get older.
Considering how well-staffed they are, my team found it easy to ask ourselves: are we even needed here? But what I want to realize more each day is that we don’t serve because people need us, but because the love of God should compel us to do things that convey such an overflow of His Spirit. Clearly, the Lord has purposefully placed us here, so I know our time here is an important part of this journey. If our tasks don’t seem very tangible, I hope we can at least engage in intercession, set good examples, and teach them valuable lessons.
Lord, give us even more faith to trust that though we may not see the fruits of our fervent prayers, You never cease to be at work. Give me patience, and remind me daily that it’s not about me, but about being Jesus to these kids, these parents, and these nannies. I want to be Your faithful and tireless servant.
