AfterAfter a 16 hour bus ride, we arrived at the capital of Honduras at a ‘camp’ site where we are staying for the month. We are working with an organization called Don’t Miss the Opportunity. This organization feels called to the teenagers and kids of this area that are stuck in darkness (Alcohol, drugs-especially paint thinner which is most common, violence, gangs, and absent families). They go to the worst of the worst neighborhoods that everyone says is impossible to save or transform and just build relationships with the kids and love on them as God loves them. They even bring in kids to their family and raise them as their own kids when no one else would ‘want’ them.
After a 16 hour bus ride, we arrived at the capital of Honduras at a ‘camp’ site where we are staying for the month. We are working with an organization called Don’t Miss the Opportunity. This organization feels called to the teenagers and kids of this area that are stuck in darkness (Alcohol, drugs-especially paint thinner which is most common, violence, gangs, and absent families). They go to the worst of the worst neighborhoods that everyone says is impossible to save or transform and just build relationships with the kids and love on them as God loves them. They even bring in kids to their family and raise them as their own kids when no one else would ‘want’ them.
After a 16 hour bus ride, we arrived at the capital of Honduras at a ‘camp’ site where we are staying for the month. We are working with an organization called Don’t Miss the Opportunity. This organization feels called to the teenagers and kids of this area that are stuck in darkness (Alcohol, drugs-especially paint thinner which is most common, violence, gangs, and absent families). They go to the worst of the worst neighborhoods that everyone says is impossible to save or transform and just build relationships with the kids and love on them as God loves them. They even bring in kids to their family and raise them as their own kids when no one else would ‘want’ them.
On top of them going to the places that people said could not be changed and changing kids lives they also bought an old bar (Cotton Club) to renovate into a Christian ministry site that we are currently staying at and what is so ironic about this too, is the fact that the Cotton Club use to be the wildest and craziest bar in the city and again was told that it could not be transformed or have its imaged changed into anything then a bar. Yet, just last night 65 people were worshiping our awesome Lord in the old bar. Talk about being able to change the supposedly unchangeable.
Due to this being a relatively new purchase of the organization we have limited accessibilities, such as running water all the time, dormitories, internet, one bathroom for 52 people (Oh yeah, our whole squad is together….lot of people in one place). Even though we are limited, we have also been super blessed to have a place to stay and such awesome passionate family to work with.
My team this month so far has been working with a local church to establish Sunday school which has never been done before, give and establish English lessons to the community which has never been done, and just minister to the community by setting up Futbol (soccer) games, walking to neighborhoods and praying for people while telling them about the local church. This again has never been done before; we are the first North Americans to set foot in this neighborhood and minister to this community.
A couple days ago, we were able to come into contact with a mother named Kati who had been in a bus accident a year and a half ago where she lost mobility in her legs and partially her back. She had been riding a bus when it was crossing a bridge and the bridge had collapsed 25 feet down. Even with such a horrific and unfortunate event, Kati had such a faith for the Lord that I haven’t seen before. About 25 of us had packed into her bedroom and began praying for her and just worshiping the Lord for about 2 hours. Kati had a smile on her face the entire time and tried to even stand up 3 different times having faith the Lord would give her strength to do so. That room had been transformed from a room of deprivation, pain, and lost hope to a place of redemption, hope, and relief. Although, some would say a miracle didn’t happen, I would say that a miracle of transformed hope and happiness happened that morning. We are going to continue to go and pray for her and continue to give her hope and strength in God because that is the only authentic place you find it.
All in all, this month so far has been a stretching and mind-opening one. When God says go to the least of these, we really are going to the least of these that no one else will seek out or love on. This has been a challenging but learning experience so far and I am just continually reminded by the organizations motto, “Don’t Miss the Opportunity”. Don’t live in the past, fret about the future, just live in the present and BE!
Isaiah 40: 26-31
a 16 hour bus ride, we arrived at the capital of Honduras at a ‘camp’ site where we are staying for the month. We are working with an organization called Don’t Miss the Opportunity. This organization feels called to the teenagers and kids of this area that are stuck in darkness (Alcohol, drugs-especially paint thinner which is most common, violence, gangs, and absent families). They go to the worst of the worst neighborhoods that everyone says is impossible to save or transform and just build relationships with the kids and love on them as God loves them. They even bring in kids to their family and raise them as their own kids when no one else would ‘want’ them.
On top of them going to the places that people said could not be changed and changing kids lives they also bought an old bar (Cotton Club) to renovate into a Christian ministry site that we are currently staying at and what is so ironic about this too, is the fact that the Cotton Club use to be the wildest and craziest bar in the city and again was told that it could not be transformed or have its imaged changed into anything then a bar. Yet, just last night 65 people were worshiping our awesome Lord in the old bar. Talk about being able to change the supposedly unchangeable.
Due to this being a relatively new purchase of the organization we have limited accessibilities, such as running water all the time, dormitories, internet, one bathroom for 52 people (Oh yeah, our whole squad is together….lot of people in one place). Even though we are limited, we have also been super blessed to have a place to stay and such awesome passionate family to work with.
My team this month so far has been working with a local church to establish Sunday school which has never been done before, give and establish English lessons to the community which has never been done, and just minister to the community by setting up Futbol (soccer) games, walking to neighborhoods and praying for people while telling them about the local church. This again has never been done before; we are the first North Americans to set foot in this neighborhood and minister to this community.
A couple days ago, we were able to come into contact with a mother named Kati who had been in a bus accident a year and a half ago where she lost mobility in her legs and partially her back. She had been riding a bus when it was crossing a bridge and the bridge had collapsed 25 feet down. Even with such a horrific and unfortunate event, Kati had such a faith for the Lord that I haven’t seen before. About 25 of us had packed into her bedroom and began praying for her and just worshiping the Lord for about 2 hours. Kati had a smile on her face the entire time and tried to even stand up 3 different times having faith the Lord would give her strength to do so. That room had been transformed from a room of deprivation, pain, and lost hope to a place of redemption, hope, and relief. Although, some would say a miracle didn’t happen, I would say that a miracle of transformed hope and happiness happened that morning. We are going to continue to go and pray for her and continue to give her hope and strength in God because that is the only authentic place you find it.
All in all, this month so far has been a stretching and mind-opening one. When God says go to the least of these, we really are going to the least of these that no one else will seek out or love on. This has been a challenging but learning experience so far and I am just continually reminded by the organizations motto, “Don’t Miss the Opportunity”. Don’t live in the past, fret about the future, just live in the present and BE!
Isaiah 40: 26-31
