Yesterday was a great day at Faith. It was an honor to take in new members, recognize volunteers of year, and baptize people who wanted to make their commitments to Christ public. I felt a little rushed in doing so much and I hope that everyone felt as honored by service as I did helping to conduct it.
As we continue to pray for Erik one of the effects that his accident has had on me is that I'm realizing in a new way how valuable people are to everything that we do. Before Erik's accident I didn't realize how much time we spent together or how much Erik actually does. If you had asked me, then I could have listed everything, but now that he is out of commission for a bit, I'm realizing the value of his friendship and all that he contributes to the work of the church.
That reality has caused me to look around at other people and think about all they are doing that I might be overlooking. Just sitting and thinking about different people and what it would mean if they were laid up for a month like Erik has been has given me a new appreciation for what different people contribute to my life and the work of the church.
I am so blessed to a part of a wonderful family, and a part of a wonderful team of people doing the most important work in the world. To say that I'm thankful this Thanksgiving is an understatement.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Honduras 2011
This was my fifth opportunity to lead a group to Honduras, and I can say without a doubt it was the most productive trip. I think that many of the seeds we had sown over the previous four years began to bare fruit, and it was exciting to see.
The week began with our missing our connecting flight in Miami due to weather in DC. This had a domino effect on our schedule which literally changed almost everything, but it was exciting to see how God would take control of our schedule and bring everything about at the right time. I've tried to bring that lesson back to the states with me - knowing that God is in control even when things don't go according to plan.
Sunday morning, October 30, was our first productive day in Honduras due to the flight delays. That morning half of the team went to the school at the mission and began painting the exterior of one of the school buildings and cleaning school grounds - Hondurans know nothing of not littering. The other half of the team stayed at the hotel and prepared food and supplies for our first projects. After lunch the entire team went to the Los Pinos community to distribute food bags and share the gospel. At least 6 people prayed that day to accept the Lord, and many made commitments to attend church at Iglesia Jesucristo es El Señor (Jesus Christ is Lord Church, Pastor Carlos' church).
Following the food distribution we had a service at IJES. Before our arrival in Honduras we had sent money to Pastor Carlos to put a door and windows in at the church. He said that this caused many people to question who had provided the doors and windows and upon hearing the story they began attending the church. He told us that as a direct result of the doors and windows 23 people had been saved, and he wanted us to baptize them because we had provided for them. So, after an energetic time of worship and a brief message which I delivered and Jose translated, we baptized those 23 and 5 more for a total of 28! It was an incredible night.
After we returned home from IJES we planned for the Bible School at the Mission School which we did with the students Monday morning, October 31. We had a station for a Bible lesson (Gideon), a station for a song (Celebrate Jesus Celebrate), a station for games and face painting, and a station for a karate demonstration. Then we came together at the end for all 200+ students to sing the song together and receive candy. It went very well!
Over night Sunday into Monday 9 team members began to feel sick, and after seeing the doctor at the Mission Clinic, we decided to take Monday afternoon off to give them time to recover. Before leaving the Mission we did enjoy Luz's (Pastor Julio's wife) famous cheesy spaghetti. Maybe the sick ones didn't enjoy it as much as I did! I felt great and was hungry!
Monday night, after everyone had rested, we packed food bags for distribution to the hotel employees and other communities and we planned for the next day at Puerto Cortes prison.
Tuesday morning we went about an hour down the road to Purerto Cortes prison on the northern coast of Honduras. We shared there in music, drama, and the story of Gideon again (works best for Jose and I to pick one story and stick with it). We were received well, and I think we were a blessing to the inmates. Pastor Carlos and his wife, Naomi, packed lunch for the inmates, so they are always glad to see them coming. Often the inmates do not get to eat unless family members or the church bring them food.
We rushed back to the hotel where we had arranged to meet for a service with half of the hotel workers. Once again we shared music and drama, and Jose shared a message with them. After the message we prayed with anyone who wanted prayer. Many of those prayers were answered while we there, including one man whose feet were instantly healed. There were several stories of answered prayer and commitments to the Lord which emerged out of this service and another one we held for the employees on Wednesday.
Wednesday morning we returned to the Mission, and 1/3 of the team finished painting while 2/3 went into a neighborhood close to the mission which is known as a gang neighborhood. We were escorted by a woman from the church who leads a prayer meeting on the street every morning at 3am. She took us to houses where she knew there were needs, we gave food to them and shared the gospel with the evangecube. The last house we visited was the home of several gang members. Through this woman's relationship with them, we were able to share the gospel with them and give them food bags. It was very exciting!
Wednesday afternoon we had another great service with the hotel employees, and then we departed for the San Pedro Sula prison. This is a much larger prison (Puerto Cortes about 190) with over 2000 inmates. We shared music and drama, and Jose shared a message about God moving through worship. There was a great response.
Thursday morning we visited the Teen Boys Juvenile Detention Center and shared in music, drama, and several team members shared their stories with the boys. Only one boy responded there, but it was a good time of scattering seed. (Some sow, some water, and some reap!)
We then went immediately to the Children's Orphage. The state workers were on strike, so the only people watching over the children were volunteers from the church. We weren't able to do a lot with the children because there weren't enough workers to manage them. We visited the infant nursery which is always a difficult time. Many of the children are abandoned there because of disabilities and all of them suffer neglect just because of the lack of workers attempting to manage a lot of children. We left supplies with Pastor Luis, and played with a few children before departing.
In the afternoon we went to the Teen Girl's Orphanage. Many of these girls are there because they were abused sexually in their home. Many have children which they conceived through that abuse. Some of the girls are mentally disabled and were abandoned for that reason. We played games with them, sang and shared with them, and then gave them gifts including purses which they were very pleased to receive. We gave baby dolls to some of the girls and I'll never forget how happy it made them. They cradled them and acted like it was the greatest thing to ever happen to them. It was humbling to watch as I reflected on how my kids would have responded to those cheap dolls.
That evening we returned to IJES and distributed clothing to church families. We had a time of worship before the distribution, and following the distribution Pastor Carlos presented me with a "Key to the Church" telling me that we are welcome there any time, then he prayed over me. He is such an incredible man with a genuine faith and trust in God. I very much believe in the work that he is doing and look forward to ways that we can support him more in the future.
Friday all of our projects dried up, so we moved our free day to Friday and went to see the Mayan Ruins in Copan. I learned that "Mayan" comes from "maize," the word for corn, because the Mayan people thought that the first human beings had sprung from the corn. I think that I should have known that before. It was a really good trip.
Saturday morning began with one of the hotel employees asking Jose to pray with him to receive the Lord. He said that he knew he needed to pray in service but didn't, and Jose prayed with him. It was a really cool way to start the day. We visited the Guamalito market, then we returned to Los Pinos to distribute clothes in the community.
Every morning throughout the week we had devotions with the team before setting out. We reflected on a different verse from Psalm 23 each day with different people sharing. It was a great time that set the tone for the day, and I was proud of everyone who shared. Chuck Jessup lead us in worship at the start of each devotion, and it was a real blessing to begin each morning with corporate worship and then have those songs on my mind all day long.
As long as this summary is, there are still many details that are left out. While we were there it seemed that every time we turned around someone was telling us of an answered prayer or someone was making a commitment. The ministry times were rich and the people seemed genuinely impacted. I know this is a result of our four previous years there investing in relationships and the overflow of the attitude of this team of people. This 2011 team was a special group with an amazing attitude in the face of sickness and countless changes in the plan. I believe God rewarded that attitude.
Another current running through this trip was the continued blessing of Jose and Sara. They intrepret, but in that they serve us in so many ways. They make arrangments, order and distribute our food, plan transportation, and communicate with all the local pastors. On top of that Jose puts on the pastor hat and preaches and teaches while Sara puts on the nurse/mom hat and cares for everyone. What a genuine blessing they are to the work of the Lord.
The other consistent is Patty and her amazing ability to organize the ministry supplies. She uses the gift she has for organization and combines it with a tireless willingness to serve the Lord and the people. Just imagine organizing 2000 lbs of supplies in a living room with a constantly changing schedule so that you don't know exactly which event to plan for next. She is amazing!
Click here for pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lowe744/sets/72157628141610332/
The week began with our missing our connecting flight in Miami due to weather in DC. This had a domino effect on our schedule which literally changed almost everything, but it was exciting to see how God would take control of our schedule and bring everything about at the right time. I've tried to bring that lesson back to the states with me - knowing that God is in control even when things don't go according to plan.
Sunday morning, October 30, was our first productive day in Honduras due to the flight delays. That morning half of the team went to the school at the mission and began painting the exterior of one of the school buildings and cleaning school grounds - Hondurans know nothing of not littering. The other half of the team stayed at the hotel and prepared food and supplies for our first projects. After lunch the entire team went to the Los Pinos community to distribute food bags and share the gospel. At least 6 people prayed that day to accept the Lord, and many made commitments to attend church at Iglesia Jesucristo es El Señor (Jesus Christ is Lord Church, Pastor Carlos' church).
Following the food distribution we had a service at IJES. Before our arrival in Honduras we had sent money to Pastor Carlos to put a door and windows in at the church. He said that this caused many people to question who had provided the doors and windows and upon hearing the story they began attending the church. He told us that as a direct result of the doors and windows 23 people had been saved, and he wanted us to baptize them because we had provided for them. So, after an energetic time of worship and a brief message which I delivered and Jose translated, we baptized those 23 and 5 more for a total of 28! It was an incredible night.
After we returned home from IJES we planned for the Bible School at the Mission School which we did with the students Monday morning, October 31. We had a station for a Bible lesson (Gideon), a station for a song (Celebrate Jesus Celebrate), a station for games and face painting, and a station for a karate demonstration. Then we came together at the end for all 200+ students to sing the song together and receive candy. It went very well!
Over night Sunday into Monday 9 team members began to feel sick, and after seeing the doctor at the Mission Clinic, we decided to take Monday afternoon off to give them time to recover. Before leaving the Mission we did enjoy Luz's (Pastor Julio's wife) famous cheesy spaghetti. Maybe the sick ones didn't enjoy it as much as I did! I felt great and was hungry!
Monday night, after everyone had rested, we packed food bags for distribution to the hotel employees and other communities and we planned for the next day at Puerto Cortes prison.
Tuesday morning we went about an hour down the road to Purerto Cortes prison on the northern coast of Honduras. We shared there in music, drama, and the story of Gideon again (works best for Jose and I to pick one story and stick with it). We were received well, and I think we were a blessing to the inmates. Pastor Carlos and his wife, Naomi, packed lunch for the inmates, so they are always glad to see them coming. Often the inmates do not get to eat unless family members or the church bring them food.
We rushed back to the hotel where we had arranged to meet for a service with half of the hotel workers. Once again we shared music and drama, and Jose shared a message with them. After the message we prayed with anyone who wanted prayer. Many of those prayers were answered while we there, including one man whose feet were instantly healed. There were several stories of answered prayer and commitments to the Lord which emerged out of this service and another one we held for the employees on Wednesday.
Wednesday morning we returned to the Mission, and 1/3 of the team finished painting while 2/3 went into a neighborhood close to the mission which is known as a gang neighborhood. We were escorted by a woman from the church who leads a prayer meeting on the street every morning at 3am. She took us to houses where she knew there were needs, we gave food to them and shared the gospel with the evangecube. The last house we visited was the home of several gang members. Through this woman's relationship with them, we were able to share the gospel with them and give them food bags. It was very exciting!
Wednesday afternoon we had another great service with the hotel employees, and then we departed for the San Pedro Sula prison. This is a much larger prison (Puerto Cortes about 190) with over 2000 inmates. We shared music and drama, and Jose shared a message about God moving through worship. There was a great response.
Thursday morning we visited the Teen Boys Juvenile Detention Center and shared in music, drama, and several team members shared their stories with the boys. Only one boy responded there, but it was a good time of scattering seed. (Some sow, some water, and some reap!)
We then went immediately to the Children's Orphage. The state workers were on strike, so the only people watching over the children were volunteers from the church. We weren't able to do a lot with the children because there weren't enough workers to manage them. We visited the infant nursery which is always a difficult time. Many of the children are abandoned there because of disabilities and all of them suffer neglect just because of the lack of workers attempting to manage a lot of children. We left supplies with Pastor Luis, and played with a few children before departing.
In the afternoon we went to the Teen Girl's Orphanage. Many of these girls are there because they were abused sexually in their home. Many have children which they conceived through that abuse. Some of the girls are mentally disabled and were abandoned for that reason. We played games with them, sang and shared with them, and then gave them gifts including purses which they were very pleased to receive. We gave baby dolls to some of the girls and I'll never forget how happy it made them. They cradled them and acted like it was the greatest thing to ever happen to them. It was humbling to watch as I reflected on how my kids would have responded to those cheap dolls.
That evening we returned to IJES and distributed clothing to church families. We had a time of worship before the distribution, and following the distribution Pastor Carlos presented me with a "Key to the Church" telling me that we are welcome there any time, then he prayed over me. He is such an incredible man with a genuine faith and trust in God. I very much believe in the work that he is doing and look forward to ways that we can support him more in the future.
Friday all of our projects dried up, so we moved our free day to Friday and went to see the Mayan Ruins in Copan. I learned that "Mayan" comes from "maize," the word for corn, because the Mayan people thought that the first human beings had sprung from the corn. I think that I should have known that before. It was a really good trip.
Saturday morning began with one of the hotel employees asking Jose to pray with him to receive the Lord. He said that he knew he needed to pray in service but didn't, and Jose prayed with him. It was a really cool way to start the day. We visited the Guamalito market, then we returned to Los Pinos to distribute clothes in the community.
Every morning throughout the week we had devotions with the team before setting out. We reflected on a different verse from Psalm 23 each day with different people sharing. It was a great time that set the tone for the day, and I was proud of everyone who shared. Chuck Jessup lead us in worship at the start of each devotion, and it was a real blessing to begin each morning with corporate worship and then have those songs on my mind all day long.
As long as this summary is, there are still many details that are left out. While we were there it seemed that every time we turned around someone was telling us of an answered prayer or someone was making a commitment. The ministry times were rich and the people seemed genuinely impacted. I know this is a result of our four previous years there investing in relationships and the overflow of the attitude of this team of people. This 2011 team was a special group with an amazing attitude in the face of sickness and countless changes in the plan. I believe God rewarded that attitude.
Another current running through this trip was the continued blessing of Jose and Sara. They intrepret, but in that they serve us in so many ways. They make arrangments, order and distribute our food, plan transportation, and communicate with all the local pastors. On top of that Jose puts on the pastor hat and preaches and teaches while Sara puts on the nurse/mom hat and cares for everyone. What a genuine blessing they are to the work of the Lord.
The other consistent is Patty and her amazing ability to organize the ministry supplies. She uses the gift she has for organization and combines it with a tireless willingness to serve the Lord and the people. Just imagine organizing 2000 lbs of supplies in a living room with a constantly changing schedule so that you don't know exactly which event to plan for next. She is amazing!
Click here for pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lowe744/sets/72157628141610332/
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