This is a summary of my time in Honduras and some of my thoughts 🙂
“The kitchen/living room area…where we spent many, many hours”
Month 3: San Pedro Sula, Honduras (lived in a small village called Zolano on the outskirts of the city…it’s not even on the map!!)
Ministry: “His Hands for Honduras”
http://www.hishandssupportministries.org/honduras/children
We were blessed to work with “His Hands for Honduras,” which is a school & feeding program for 40+ children in Zolano. We performed Bible dramas nearly every day. We performed for the kids in the morning and the adults in the evening at church. We also sang songs, colored pictures, played games, and helped feed a meal to the kids. To find out more about the program and to meet the kids we worked with, click the link above the picture!!
Some of the dramas we performed include: The Prodigal Son, Zacchaeus, Nebuchadnezzar and the Blazing Furnace, Daniel in the Lion’s Den, the story of the 10 lepers, Jonah and the whale, the birth of Jesus, the Good Samaritan, Lazarus and the rich man, Jesus feeds five thousand people, the woman with constant bleeding, Jesus raising a little girl from the dead, and more…One of our very first skits was Nebuchadnezzar and the blazing furnace (in Daniel chapter 3) and it was probably my favorite one due to the large amount of laughter from the audience. This photo is from the Good Samaritan skit. 🙂
Ministry Host: Pastor Gregerio
Team Unsilenced- Rachel, Victoria, Grace, Katy, Derik, Luke- (Also had our squad leader Jacie with us for the second part of the month).
“Our first church service…we didn’t know that we were destined to be a drama team yet”
What each day of the week looked like:
[Note: This is much harder to do than previous months…no two days were exactly alike this month, probably mostly due to the language barrier…they kept us on our toes, that’s for sure!!].
Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays: Children’s Program at 9:00, free during the day, church at 7:00
Wednesdays: Off Day! 1st Wednesday: We went to a local Christian bilingual school and practiced English with the kids (and the principal of the school let us hang out in her office for a few hours to use the school’s wifi to contact our families) 2nd Wednesday: We went to Burger King and Dunkin’ Donuts to get wifi and eat some goodness (we had to put all our electronics and valuables in the Pastor’s son’s backpack…he rode a motorcycle to Burger King and met us there, while the rest of us took the public bus…we were extra cautious with our electronics all month) 3rd Wednesday: We didn’t leave the house all day, we prayed for family and friends since Thanksgiving was the next day, hung out with each other and watched some movies.
Thursdays: Off Day (sort of)- 1st Thursday: Didn’t leave the house all day…wow, this was really rough for us… 2nd Thursday: We asked if we could go to the children’s program, but there weren’t many kids there…not sure if it is usually an off-day for the kids too or not, a lot of miscommunication…also Derik, the Pastor, and I picked Jacie up on this day 3rd Thursday: THANKSGIVING!!! Went to Chili’s for lunch and had a surprise Thanksgiving meal for dinner…THE BEST DAY OF THE MONTH!!!
Fridays: Children’s Program at 9:00, free during the day, church at 7:00
Saturdays: Nothing during the day, church at 7:00 (Our second Saturday the principal of the school took us about an hour away to a Spanish fort tour, to a small (cold and dirty) beach, and to a really cool beach-front restaurant…she paid for everything. What a blessing she was). (Third Saturday we went to the city to the movie theater to watch the new Hunger Games movie…way too much fun!!! We also pigged out on Pizza Hut, Dunkin’ Donuts, and popcorn while we had the opportunity…my stomach was NOT happy with me after this)
“Watching the Honduras soccer team with the Pastor and the family at the neighbor’s house”
Challenges of the month: Going to a Spanish-speaking church all month, so we never really got “fed” unless we read the Word for ourselves– going to church every single evening– having to create dramas with 60 seconds to prepare– not being able to talk with anyone here due to the language barrier (thank you Lord for Google translate, which is still difficult to use to communicate)– taking a shower by filling up a bucket of water and dumping it on yourself– having to fill up a bucket to flush the toilet—when Derik had to go to the hospital in the middle of the night for a painful bacterial infection…we hated seeing him in pain–having to say ‘goodbye’ to the kids who we’ve bonded with all month—having 1 bathroom for 13+ people living in the house– not being able to leave the house without a Honduran escort—not being alone all month…literally…well, unless you go to the bathroom…but even then you can see people underneath the door haha—no access to foods that I crave such as Munchies, Doritos, pizza, and Sugarfree Red Bull
Awesomeness: Finally washing my hair after not washing it for more than a month– working out together as a team in the front yard area as all our Honduran family sits around and watches us do pushups and jumping jacks haha– the kids running up to us and hugging us when they see us coming from a distance–the bucket showers aren’t too bad as long as you pour the water over yourself quickly (like jumping into a pool instead of wading in)—each of us had a bed to sleep in…Victoria and I were bed-buddies and cuddled when we were scared or happy—lots of free time to practice my ukulele—Derik teaching me songs on the guitar— playing Uno for hours with the Pastor’s nephews and grandson– being able to play guitar all month…who knows when I’ll have another guitar in my hands—going to birthday parties and hitting the pinatas– having wifi at the house for the second part of the month— playing the tambourine for worship at church– laughing till I cry at the dinner table—guitar jam sessions with the Pastor—learning to make tortillas with Francisca– reading encouraging comments on my blog and all your Thanksgiving messages– riding the public bus…LOVE!!! Especially the window seat and letting my hair blow in the wind—playing my ukulele and singing a song in Spanish at church– Derik mispronouncing Spanish words hahaha like “bonga” instead of “benga”– getting to talk to my family and friends after we got more access to wifi—the couple times we walked up a really steep hill that overlooks the whole village and has a basketball court that kids use to play soccer on…the first time I went up there it was the day after being stuck in the house all day, and it was so amazing…God even put a rainbow in the sky for us 🙂
Sights/Colors: Seeing my lovely teammates 24/7 (literally)– trash everywhere– huge potholes on the roads– smiling kids– the four blue walls on the inside of our house– cinderblock walls in our room– the yellow/brown curtains in our house– the brown/gray dirt road we walked to church on– a few trees can be seen on our walk and at our house– rarely got a good view of the sky, but every time I did I was in awe of how beautiful it was– rusty gates and fences everywhere– some houses had a couple Christmas lights that we could enjoy on our walk to church– huge mountains in the distance– stray dogs searching for food and someone to play with them
Sounds to remember: People speaking Spanish– dogs barking– the family duck squawking– fireworks in the evening (maybe gunshots?? not sure, but I like to think they were fireworks)– my teammates could be heard constantly since we were always together– fans osculating– Francisca cooking for us– Pastor Gregerio saying “Listo?” which means “Ready?”– the Pastor or Derik or myself playing the guitar–laughter could usually be heard at all hours of the day
People: We really didn’t see anyone besides our host family and the kids at the program. When we went to town, we were told not to make eye-contact with people for safety reasons. This was really hard for me (to keep my head down), but I got used to it as the month went on.
Favorite Verses of the Month:
2 Corinthians 12:10 “…for when I am weak, then I am strong”
Luke 16:9 “Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends…”
Proverbs 31:25 “She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future”
Galatians 1:10 “Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant”
Ephesians 4:29 “Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them”
Ephesians 4:23&24 “Let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy”
Ephesians 5:20 “Give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”
Philippians 2:3&4 “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out for your own interests, but take an interest in others too”
Philippians 4:11-13 “Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”
My own personal Bible readings: Luke, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Song of Songs- Memorized Psalm 91, Hebrews 10:19-39, Colossians 3 (almost), also finished reading the book “Daring Greatly” by Brene Brown
“A skit involving some of the miracles Jesus performed”
Month three, Honduras…my favorite country and month so far on the race. Maybe each month is going to get better and better, or maybe Honduras is just special. I think both will prove themselves to be true.
I feel very selfish as I put the following into words…
It was a hard month. Very hard. My introverted side (well, actually my human side) needed alone-time that I never got. Using the bathroom was the only time I was “alone,” and this doesn’t include washing my hands. The sink area was outside of the actual bathroom, so even when I brushed my teeth and washed my face, I had an audience of some sort. But each day this got easier and easier. I had a couple days that I thought I was literally going insane, but the month remains my favorite so far.
I’m a girl who, when I was little, took my Christmas presents into my room, shut the door behind me, and opened them alone. I didn’t want anyone watching me open my presents. I have loved being alone my whole life. So this is nothing new…it’s just how I’ve always been.
I love being alone by nature, but that isn’t what God called me to do this month. And it’s not what He’s called me to do for the rest of my life.
You might think “But that’s the way God made you,” but I would say to that: My flesh loves being alone…the Spirit inside me is drawn to relationships- community- people- deep discussions- meeting new people- friendships. It is something I need to work on and push myself towards since I’m not like this by nature, but no one said living by the Spirit was easy…
Galatians 5:17 “The sinful nature [flesh] wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions”
This doesn’t mean that being alone is a bad thing for me. It’s actually really healthy, in the correct doses. Too much of a good thing can become a bad thing. And that’s how I view my alone time. There’s a time and place for everything.
So for this month, I’m leaving behind control.
I love the quote that says something like “you can’t control what happens to you…but you can control how you react to it.”
I wasn’t in control this month…at all. And that’s okay. I caught myself daydreaming about going on a morning jog through the village by myself, and then catching a taxi to get some coffee by myself. My thoughts would drift to being at home, driving wherever I want in my car Misti, going through the drive-thru at any restaurant I want, playing my music as loud as I want, and sitting at Krodel Park by myself for hours. But the Spirit brought me back to reality, and told me “That isn’t your current situation.” There’s no sense in wishing I could be somewhere else doing something else when there is an incredible life to be lived in the ‘here and now.’
So this winter, when you’re snowed in for a few days, don’t complain. Open up your Bible and read, memorize Colossians 3 and Psalm 91. Play board games with your family. Get outside and go sleigh-riding. Journal until your hand hurts. Let your creative side loose with a box of colored pencils. Play guitar, piano, or any other instrument you have. Write encouraging letters to whoever God lays on your heart. Walk outside and look at the sky…even if it’s cloudy, be thankful for the cloudy days…for they cause you to appreciate the sunny days. Make the most out of the day God has given you…Carpe Diem—“Seize the Day.”
Give up control to the One who is in control.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
For everything there is a season,
A time for every activity under heaven.
A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.
A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
A time to search and a time to quit searching.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
A time to love and a time to hate.
A time for war and a time for peace.
