Friday, September 18, 2015

Honduras Looked Like...



If you're new here, my husband and I recently returned from a medical mission trip to Tegucigalpa, Honduras with 20 other people from our church. It was the greatest experience of my life so far.


While we were there, one of the missionaries was talking to Roger and I and he told us that we were blessed to be on the trip together. He said that when you get home, it's hard to explain your trip to others who have never been. He was so right! I can't ever seem to find the words to really do the trip justice when describing it to people so I usually resort to "it was great!" Nothing I could write here would ever do it justice, but I am determined to paint a picture for you so here goes. 

Honduras looked like community. Surprisingly, as a serious introvert, my favorite thing about the trip was being with 21 other people who are on fire for Jesus for an entire week. Our group was made up of the young and the old, people from all different walks of life and walks with Jesus, but in Honduras, we were all the same. We encouraged each other, prayed for each other, cried with each other and supported each other as we were stretched out of our comfort zones. We played silly games at night. We cheated. We argued. We laughed until it hurt. We celebrated an engagement and we prayed in desperation when one of our team members became seriously ill.  



The day we arrived at the mission house, I found that my bag had been left at the airport, my carry on. You know, the one that they say to put all of your important things in in case your checked bag gets lost? From church clothes, to make up to toiletries, all of the women pulled together and made sure I had everything I needed until I got it back. Their generosity ensured my first couple of days weren't a disaster. A few days into the trip, I was feeling tired and homesick. On my Bible, I found a sweet note from one of the girls I had grown close with. It was timely and encouraging and gave me the strength to get through another long day.


When I reflect on the sense of community I felt within our team, I can't help but imagine that I got a glimpse into the relationship Jesus and His disciples had among themselves. Sharing the good news and performing acts of service and love together creates a close intimate bond and I believe that is how God intended for His people to live.  


Honduras looked like joy. The most surprising thing about the Hondurans was how happy they always were. We often think of people who live in such extreme poverty and we feel sad for them. We imagine they are probably depressed and angry because of their circumstances, but after experiencing the joy the Hondurans have, I feel sad for us. So many All of us take our blessings for granted. 




Many of the people we encountered in Honduras literally live in a one room shack (with multiple other people). Clean water is like gold and many suffer from dehydration or illnesses resulting from the intake of contaminated water. People suffer through sickness without the medications they desperately need. Kids walk on the dirt streets barefoot. They have nothing, but to experience their joy, you would think they have everything.


    

The Hondurans always greet you with a big smile and a handshake that turns into a hug. When evangelizing to them or assessing their medical needs, they asked me questions about my life as well with a genuine concern. They were appreciative for the smallest things. They were joyful.


Honduras looked like worship. We began and ended each day at the brigade by singing "This is the Day that the Lord Has Made." The Hondurans sang in Spanish as we sang in English. It was beautiful and a reminder that God is the same in all languages.


 
(I wish this video was better. You can't really hear the Spanish, but here's a peek)

We worshiped Him in the morning, we worshiped Him in the evening, we worshiped Him before meals, we even worshiped Him on top of a mountain. The entire week was filled with a constant spirit of worship. Sunday we went to church in one of the very poor villages. I couldn't understand a word they were singing, but love for the Lord was thick in that one room church. It was humbling to see that despite their desolate state of living, they still find a reason to praise.


Honduras looked like love. This requires little explaining. Love is the reason that God sent His only son to save us all from our sins. To spread that love was our purpose in going to Honduras. Every time I looked around on this trip, I saw the love of Jesus being shared in a multitude of ways. 






I feel honored to have had the opportunity to serve in Honduras with some of the most incredible people and as I type this and reminisce I am a teary eyed mess. I could never fully describe to you what a mission trip like this is truly like. If you ever get the chance to go, I hope that you will. I promise that, like mine, God will break your heart open and change it forever.





A look a what we accomplished in Tegucigalpa:
  • 1,712 People received medical and/or dental care
  • 360 Children received lice treatments and learned about Jesus
  • 34 People recommitted their lives to Christ 
  • 73 People accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior for the very first time!