The minute we crossed the border, I had a good feeling about Honduras. Something deep in my soul was laughing, ready to experience what God had planned. For hours and hours, we drove by rolling green hills, rivers and trees. There was so much land untouched by human influence; it was like I was looking at the earth freshly painted by the hand of God.
Due to a series of unfortunate events, our eleven-hour bus ride from Guatemala City to debrief just outside of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, ended up taking around twenty hours. By the time our bus pulled up, it was dark, and everyone was at his or her limit patience-wise. The whole day, I felt like I was in a peace-haze. I was overwhelmed with excitement for the next month and completely ready for the bumps along the way. When I stepped off the bus and saw the other half of my squad waiting for us, my lethargy evaporated. That is what this month is about. Fighting for my entire squad as well as my Joy Bombs. Fighting for the people of Honduras to reach the next level with Jesus.
For the first few days of debrief, I made it a priority to look the staff serving us in the eyes and genuinely thank them for their service. One afternoon I was sitting outside the main building, and one of the girls who worked there waved me inside. I was intrigued, confused and mildly concerned.
It turns out, she and two other kitchen staff just wanted to talk about the United States. How many states are there? Where were we from? What were we doing? I sighed in relief and was dumbfounded by their interest in a group of silly gringos. It’s easy to forget that we stick out like a sore thumb everywhere we go. When the conversation shifted to faith, I was cracking up internally at God’s plans. Vanessa, the girl who waved me inside, wanted to know if anyone in our group has a gift for praying. I told her we all pray, and they all asked if we could pray over them.
I don’t think they expected me to go get the others right that second, nor to return with about twenty-five of my squad mates, but when I did they lit up with excitement. Afterwards, Vanessa spoke to me about her desire to be baptized. Because she works, she is not able to attend church regularly, and her church refuses to baptize her. I knew in that moment why she was there, why I was there and why A-Squad was there. Vanessa was going to be baptized, and we were going to do it.
The next day she was off work, and so she returned. Jacob, Vanessa, and I hopped in the pool and she was brought into her newest phase of life with Jesus with a big group of whities cheering her on.
Afterwards Jacob said something to me that has stuck in my heart and my head. He said, “you know you just fulfilled Matthew 28:16-20.”Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” To be a part of that, to be used for that, is the most humbling experience.
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God makes no mistakes. He wastes no opportunities. He sees the willingness in our hearts and utilizes it. He takes no chances with his babies. In the kingdom of God, every hair on every head is accounted for.
If this is what Honduras has to offer, if this is what living in the arms of the Lord looks like, there’s no place I’d rather be.
