So yesterday...well yesterday started out with a devotional down on the rock and ended up with a baptism of one of the team members ( a little gal maybe 13 or so named Holly who had come face to face with Jesus and decided she was ready to make a commitment to Him for life). From beginning to end it was filled with seeing Jesus everywhere. You know I've spent a whole lot more of my life not seeking His face than I have seeking it, but I'm learning when you look He is everywhere.
Karen and I went with a team of about 30-35 people out to the property at Santa Ana. We're
feeling a pretty strong heart tie to that place. They were beginning on the church and doing a VBS/Bible study out there. While we were out there we moved LOTS AND LOTS of cinder blocks. (That seems to be a recurring theme) down to the duplexes and over to the church site. Seriously like probably 200 or more... we formed a human chain assembly line for the blocks and passed them from one to another. Then we moved 100 lb bags of concrete inside the clinic where we are storing supplies for now. They would load them onto our back off the side of the truck and we'd walk them down the hill to the clinic. We wheelbarrowed loads of sand and gravel up and down the sidewalk multiple times. It was a physical labor, bufftruck day. Every muscle in my 
body got worked yesterday, I know cause I can feel them all today when I'm lying still. :) Karen and I looked at each other from our bunk this morning and said ouch at exactly the same time. That about sums that up! It was awesome to come home dirty and worn out for Jesus though. Lots was accomplished today, another sidewalk was put in by the end of the day, blocks were moved and laid, concrete was mixed and poured and that was only the physical parts of the property. While all of this was going on they were also conducting VBS for the children outside, and Bible studies for the adults inside the clinic. I stole away for a while to sit in on the adult Bible study and pray for these people from the area who had come because they wanted to know more about God. It was precious. They would listen intently and then ask questions and they desperately wanted to know what they needed to do to have this relationship with God. Several 
people after the group study was over asked for individual time to study with someone and by the end of the day 3 people had put on Christ through baptism. We all got to witness them go into the water with Jesus in this open well out behind the clinic. Once again it felt like you so got to walk in places Jesus would have walked. Not in baptistries within a church building but in muddy water in an open well. It was just neat. 
We met two mothers there today at the property who had babies who had been sick with a very high fever for more than 8 days and were pleading with us to help their children. I don't know of another time when my heart is hit more than when I watch the pleading heart of a mother for her child here. They don't have money to be able to access good medical care and even if they could they would never be able to afford the medication needed. Being born in a country where you are able to do both is a tremendous privilege that we take so much for granted and I am struck by that every time I see these momma's tears. We have a doctor with us on this trip and he sat with them and was going to take some antibiotics that he brought with him back to them today. Just like Jesus to meet physical needs to be able to talk about spiritual things. I bet those mother's
will be able to hear and feel more clearly when the burden of their children dying is removed from their shoulders. Please pray for these children, we saw 2 today but there are a thousand other cases just like them all over this country.Mark took Connie to the airport for the first part of the day and "had a hard time putting her on that plane" in his words. It was so good to have her here and I so enjoyed getting to know her heart better. She is special stuff and I'm thankful that she got to see this place and feel what we've all felt at least in part.
On the bus ride home from Santa Ana, I saw a beautiful representation of what it means to give your heart away and it touched me to tears. I sat a few rows behind this lady named Kay. She's probably 50 ish and is just a delight to be around. Bubbly and fun and joyful and lo
ves God and people a whole bunch. (Reminds me a WHOLE lot of someone else I know that fits that description to a T) Some of you may have read about Dennis and Marta the brick layer that TORCH hired to make all the block for the property at Santa Ana. Marta his wife, watched her mother be killed by her father and has been "orphaned" ever since. They rode our bus back today to be dropped off to catch another bus home and she and Kay sat together the whole way and Kay attempted to talk with her and ask questions about her family and such. I was just mesmerized by the whole thing because it was such a tender encounter by two people who couldn't communicate well with language, but overwhelmingly communicated with love. Marta brought Kay flowe
rs while we were out on the property that she had picked from somewhere and told her she was her mother. The whole bus ride home they hugged and cried. At one point they both looked up when someone had asked them a question tears pouring down both their cheeks. Kay's been coming for the past several years and this is a relationship formed by giving your heart away to someone who desperately needs it. It was beyond words touching. I learned so much just watching.We came back to the mission house and had dinner and then went to devo where we heard one of the most touching testimonies I've ever been honored to listen to. This man not even a year ago had been in a coma due to an explosion in his shop in the backyard where a friend of his had been making chrystal meth. He had walked into the building and something lit and exploded and threw him across the building into the other wall. He was on fire and went into shock when he saw his face in a mirror and ended up in a coma for 3 months. During that time he flat lined 3 times and was brought back miraculously against all odds. He had gotten involved in drugs and alcohol, lost his wife and kids, life had just gotten messy and he'd not really known God up until that point. He said he remembered saying to God in the hospital one night, God I know I've spent everyday of my life up until now living for myself, I promise me if you get me out of here, I'll spend everyday of the rest of my life living for you. That's exactly what he's doing. It was beyond inspiring and most eyes were wet. His name is Ray and he still desperately needs our prayers as trials are coming up soon because of the circumstances surrounding all of this. The awesome thing is he's going through this with God now and that's amazing grace.
One other note...I see Jesus in people's stories so much. I am so touched by them and how God writes and loves us through them. The gal who is bunking across from me in our room is here with her new husband and is genuine as can be. I liked her from the moment I met her. She's joyful and kind and fun. Last night or the night before we were having a conversation where she shared that her 24 year old sister was killed 3 weeks ago as she was hit by a drunk driver. She was playing cards at her parents house and was on her way home and was killed and left behind a 2 year old son named Jacob and a husband. I couldn't utter a single word, I just sat there and welled up with tears. She said I keep forgetting and wanting to call her. I was so shocked because her life is not one lived in sorrow, she's working hard serving people here and loving life and loving people and you would have no idea the pain she's carrying. I am seeing Jesus so much in her and I guess I'm sharing this because it has been one of the most touching things here but also to ask you to pray for her family. I can NOT imagine and they need the prayers of as many people as will to surround them right now at heart.
This was super long I know, and maybe wasn't all upbeat and woo hoo this is super duper good times in Honduras. This was real though and this is life where we all live it regardless of which country our bodies are in. It's not the day to day happenings that make a day great...cause sometimes the day to day happenings come wrapped up in pain and difficult moments...what makes every day great regardless of what happens is that we belong to Jesus and no matter what may happen on this earth, someday I'm gonna have His hands on my cheeks and get to kiss His feet and that's plenty to make this day GREAT!!! That's what allows us to continue to serve in the middle of horrendous sights of pain. It's what allows my new friend Ashley to be here and be Jesus while her heart hurts as she misses her sister so bad. It's what allows my new friend Kay to wrap a young girl up in her arms and weep with her. It's what allows all of us to live for Him in the middle of this life regardless of what comes.
Thank you Lord for giving us what we need, whether it's what we want or not. You know best and we trust you!
It's another great day in Honduras!!
2 comments:
hey Jen i miss you alo! Love on a lot of lil kidoo's for me please! Tell Holly that that is the best thing she can do and even if i dont know her i can still said that that is awesome. I hope you feel better and i LOVE Ypu amd miss you and i just fell like im goin to die becasue i wait to go to Honduras but i have to wait. well i love you and miss you tell the Hines Family i said hello
love,
Delaney
i just have to say i lovce you and miss you
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