A Last Day Full of Grace

2 Corinthians 12:9 - "My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.  Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

I want to begin by saying that it is so hard for me to believe that tonight is our last night in Quimistan, Honduras.  We have all spent months raising funds and preparing our hearts to serve the Lord here in Honduras, and the fact that the trip is coming to a close feels very surreal.  However, this trip is not truly ending.  We may be getting on a plane to return home tomorrow, but God intends for us to carry our ten days in Honduras in our hearts so that we may reveal what He has taught us here to others.  

For our last devotion this morning, I chose to reflect on grace.  Along with 2 Corinthians 12:9, I read a quote from my study Bible on the definition of grace: "God gives us the grace - the supernatural ability or miraculous faculty to sustain, endure or maintain our call, for all He is enabling us to become in Christ." We each shared how we have seen God's grace this week in various areas, including our mission team members, Hondurans, answers to prayers and more.  Finally, we expressed how grateful we were that God has given us the opportunity to share this grace that He has taught us this week, whether it is here in Honduras for Roxanne and Sam or back in the States for Jennifer, Catharine, Emma and me.

After breakfast and devotion, we drove up to beautiful Buenos Aires to view the Quimistan Valley from the mountains.  Daniel, our friend and translator, pointed out that he could see the red roof of the Tranquilidad Foundation Children's Home from our vantage point!  While we were still enjoying the view of the valley and the mountains, Sam took a short walk into the village and got us an invitation to be served coffee by one of the local families.  Their warm hospitality was a perfect example of the grace that we had discussed in our morning devotion.  The couple (Sebastian and Adele) gave us each a cup of coffee along with a delicious chocolate covered banana.  Sebastian also showed us some of his homemade clay pottery and gave Sam and Roxanne three of his pieces.  Just before we left, Adele said a beautiful prayer thanking God for the opportunity to talk with us and for the timely blessing of Sam and Roxane's offering money for the clay pots.  God truly blessed our morning with both an opportunity to view His creation and to meet Sebastian and Adele!

In the afternoon, we went to Tranquilidad to finish off some loose ends.  Roxanne was able to hang three beautiful pictures in the front room along with helping Catharine, Emma and me finish a second coat of paint on the trim around the home.  Jennifer and Daniel were able to finish building a storage shelf for TQ that they started yesterday.

After finishing at Tranquilidad, me, Jennifer, Emma, and Catharine were able to help Gloria, Letie and Sandra make tortillas!  It was very difficult at first, but after a few tries Gloria told all four of us that our tortillas were "Perfecto!" (a significant compliment from the expert tortilla maker).  After dinner, we were able to celebrate both Cecelia and Roxanne's birthdays with a "muy rica" chocolate cake and a few gifts.  It was such a sweet opportunity to be able to celebrate two very special ladies! We, the ladies, ended our last night with an entire game of Phase 10  (I won :) )

We are all so thankful to have had a wonderful last day in Honduras filled with many good things (Psalm 103:5).  We also want to thank everyone for their prayers, financial support and donations that made it possible for us to come here to Quimistan, and would appreciate your continued prayers for safe travel home (and lots of good rest for Sam and Roxanne!)

The view from Buenos Aires.

Daniel enjoys the beautiful view of the valley of Quimistan.

Our coffee from Sebastian and Adele in Buenos Aires! 

Emma rounds out her tortilla.

 

Gloria holds up one of our perfecto tortillas! 

Our perfecto tortillas cooking! 

Roxanne and Cecelia with their beautiful birthday cake. 

Gloria with her sweet foster girls, Cecelia and Kenya.

A Sweet Day of Painting

    Six of our team members left us on Monday morning, so devotion was quiet but definitely not empty.  We read Luke 9:23-27 and talked about how we, at home and in Honduras, pick up our cross daily and follow Jesus.  We also talked about how sometimes it's so easy to bring our burdens to the Lord but hard to leave them with Him.  Most of us just come right back with our troubles, and that's not how it should be.  We need to have that trust in the Lord to leave our troubles with Him and if they come our way again, and make us worry some more, bring them right back to Him.

    Most of our activities for the day involved painting, building a bookshelf, and some more painting.  It seemed so easy to sit there and paint the trimming on TQ for about an hour that hot morning, but the sun sure did drain me quick.  So, seeking some shade, we continued to paint.  After our delicious lunch, coming back and working in the breezy shade of the afternoon felt like a dream.  It was nice to have more of a 'breezy' day of sitting and doing what needed to be done.  I think I may have even liked it more than the busier days- which for me, feeling that way definitely isn't common..  It gave such a sweet opportunity for real conversations and lots of time to reflect on how amazing these past 9 days have been- and time to realize how short these days have felt.  Time flies right by me and most times I don't even realize it until the last minute.  We have been praying for rain these last couple of days and the clouds were dark and we could hear the thunder but still we didn't get more than a drizzle.  That lovely breeze blew the storm away.

I did adore painting with this view all afternoon though.

                             

Also that wind was so strong that it knocked down

                             one of our paint cans. So we had to improvise a little bit.                                                                  

Bookshelf building with Jennifer and Daniel

Painting, painting, and some more painting. But I wouldn't have had this day any other way.  So thankful for these and sweet days that I got to spend in Honduras.

And then there were four

Matthew 5: 1-12
This morning's devotion centered on the voice of Jesus. We do not know what his physical voice sounds like, but we know his words and the meaning behind them. We have voices to share the word and should do so without hesitation. It is important to remember though that at times, our voices also need to be silent so that we can listen -- listen to others, listen to God, and pray.

Six of our team members departed for Aiken this morning. As we said goodbye, we challenged each other to use our voices in the coming days, weeks, and months to share what we have learned in Honduras. We will share what we have seen and done, we will share what others can do, and most importantly we will pray.

And then there were four. . . . only four of us remain here with Sam and Roxanne. Our meals were a bit quieter today, but still full of laughter and yes some amazing plantains as well! This morning, we visited a bilingual school in Quimistan. The first classroom we visited was a fourth grade class. The students, dressed in their uniforms, greeted us in English and were quite excited to see us. We sang some silly songs with them and then also taught them Jesus Loves Me and Jesus Loves the Little Children. What fast learners they were! We then saw a sixth grade class and were amazed that some of those students had never met a North American before. Their English was quite impressive. We were excited to learn that their career goals range from a pediatrician to a lawyer to an engineer. It was then time to return to our fourth grade friends and read the tall tale of Paul Bunyan with them. Their oral reading and comprehension was phenomenal. Clearly, their teacher is dedicated and determined to see them succeed!

We were touched that they wrote messages on the board for us.

After eating a delicious lunch, Roxanne took us to "downtown" Quimistan while she ran some errands. We went to the bank and the grocery store and at both locations we were required to lock our bags in lockers at the entrances. There is a fear of someone entering with weapons or with the intent to shoplift. Our afternoon excursion also took us past the hospital so we stopped in for a quick tour. While small by American standards, it seemed well equipped, and clean with a friendly staff.

A view from the center of town

Our day of experiencing Honduran culture ended at the only coffee shop in town. Our coffee was presented to us in clay pitchers with the cup placed atop. It was such an unusual yet practical presentation. 

Our hearts continue to be filled with God's presence and love here. Quimistan is beautiful and we are continually blessed each day we are here.

Extreme Adventures of Pulhapanzak

On Monday morning we all awoke with excitement in our bones for the adventure to come. Most of the team had not yet experienced the wonder of Pulhapanzak and the anticipation was welling up in our soul! What will this day hold???

We are on our way! With moto taxis filling the streets and people beginning their day, we entered into the world of a normal Monday morning in Honduras! Buenos dias Honduras!

The ride to Pulhapanzak is an adventure in of itself! The long winding rode is nestled between the beautiful Honduras mountains and hills with coffee plantations scattered along the hillsides; it's a wondrous view to behold. We enjoyed conversation, music, site seeing, and Mario "Andretti's" driving on the way!

We finally arrived at the Pulhapanzak waterfalls. First on our adventure tour... the zip line canopy!  We enjoyed 10 cables zip lines over the river until we arrived at the magnificent waterfall. Zip lining can be scary! But the hardest part is always the first step and for many, climbing the ladder, standing on the platform, and zipping over the river for the first time is the hardest part - even though it's only a few feet over the river.

We are all excited to take the plunge off the ledge over the 140 foot drop over the waterfall. Not one hesitated to take the leap! It took our breath away and left us all speechless wanting more. If time could have only stood still for a moment.

After zip lining over the waterfall, it was time to journey through and behind the waterfall. Words cannot describe this experience but one of team members took live footage and we hope to share that footage on this blog in a couple days. As innocent as this waterfall looks, it is truly a extreme adventure that has to be conquered with much caution. Traveling through a river of water falling 140 feet and beating against the very rocks you are standing on is exhilarating but also dangerous and blinding. We held on tightly to the cables attached to the rocks, held our heads down, breathed through our mouths as our feet guided us through the waterfall and our eyes only able to capture the water encircling us. After our grand feat, we spent the next 30 minutes jumping from the cliffs into a pool of water near the bottom of the waterfall. 

After our adventures at Pulhapanzak, there was still much to experience. We drove over to a hilltop restaurant at Lake Yojoa, one of the top 10 places to see in Honduras.  This was our view over-looking the lake while we enjoyed fresh fish and traditional cuisine of Honduras.

Pull it from the lake, slap it on the grill and stick a fork in it! The meal was wonderful and the experience is unforgettable. 

As we headed back to Quimistan, we wished could do it all over again! Our hearts and our stomachs were full! The sunset on the way home was a perfect ending to such a wonderful day. Thank you Lord for keeping us all safe and gifting us with such a great experience and day that we will carry in our hearts and minds forever, Amen!!!

Our devotion this morning was out of Joshua 4. Just as priming is an important part of painting so is God's spiritual priming in our lives. Sometimes we think we're ready to plunge right in to the mission  God has called us to but there is purpose in His priming. Everyone's season of priming and preparation is different. We experienced priming today on the zip line. The 10 small zip cables may have seemed repetitive, mundane, and maybe even a bit boring but it was in preparation for what was to come... The great leap over a 140 feet waterfall! During the time on the small cables, we learned to trust in the cable, the harness, the process, and our guide. By the time we arrived at the waterfall we no longer doubted that we would get to the other side safely. Every single person that was fearful climbing the first ladder and jumping off the very first ledge, jumped off the ledge over the giant chasm without blinking. In this same way, God knew this was exactly what Joshua needed in the dessert before entering the promised land. PRIMING!!! He needed 40 years of God building his faith and trust so that he accomplished God's mission. From the first time Joshua set eyes on the promised land, his heart was willing to walk in obedience but God knew the work that needed to be done in Joshua. Also GOD was building an army ready for battle to follow Joshua into the unknown.

A Beautifully Blessed Sabbath

    This morning after breakfast we headed out for vbs at Manantial Del Rey.  I personally love doing vbs because we get to spend so much time playing with children whether it's with a parachute, dancing, coloring, etc.. When it was over I was kind of sad because I realized that it was our last vbs, but when the kids were leaving most of them stopped and gave hugs which just filled my heart with joy.
     After vbs we ate lunch and then got ready for the dedication of Tranquilidad.  When we got to TQ we started setting flowers and food which made it seem so much more like a real home and not just a construction site anymore.  At three o'clock people started coming and everyone went outside to start.  It was such a beautiful ceremony with worship in Spanish and the speaking of God's Word.  We also had communion which was an awesome experience to see how similar and yet different our cultures are.  After the ceremony we had a reception with food and fellowship.
     When the dedication and reception were over we headed to church.  I absolutely loved going and seeing how Hondurans worship and really praise God.  Even though I couldn't understand most of what I was singing or what the pastor was talking about I was still moved by God's presence because I could feel Him there through their passionate and unashamed worship of our Lord.  It makes me realize that even though we came here to show the love of God to the people of Quimistan, that many of them are showing their love for God to me, which is really humbling. Throughout this whole day I saw Jesus in the joy and love of people's hearts whether they were strangers at the church or people I knew at the dedication.  All in all it was a beautifully blessed day.

Teamwork In Honduras

This morning, we read James 1:22-27 for our devotion. 

After breakfast, we headed to Tranquilidad to add finishing touches for the dedication on Sunday. Jake, Justin, Jennifer, Katelyn, and Catherine completed filling in the drainage field for the septic tank. Jessi, Emma, Justin, and Catherine put together a cross.

Some people scraped paint off of the floor. Some people put termite protection on the wooden shelves. Sarah Grace and I (Caitlyn) were labeling the breakers. Which took a very long time. Others worked on plumbing and electrical issues; worked on getting the curtains hung 'just right'; clearing the porch of wood remnants; and painted the front exterior. Gloria's sister, and her daughters cleaned the whole TQ house voluntarily. Even after we walked on the floor after they swept. 

After lunch, we headed to Manantial del Rey for VBS. There was about 150 kids. We had games, crafts, coloring, play-doh,  song, and dance. What stuck out to most of us was that the older siblings would help their younger siblings during each activity. Which was very helpful to us, also.

"I will not leave you, until I have done that which I have spoken to you of."

 "And behold, I am with you, and will keep you in all places wherever you go, and I will bring you again into this land; for I will not leave you, until I have done that which I have spoken to you of. "  Genesis 28:15

Everyone who has been on a mission trip knows that you are forever changed, and as this is my very first mission trip, I can honestly say they told me so! Today alone we kept very busy, with more VBS at another local kindergarten, and helping to provide bags of rice and beans within the local community.  We even helped at a local, almost like, soup kitchen.  Here, in the Tejeras neighborhood, we helped pass out plates of food to children who literally live along the side of the road with their families.  The meal we give them is most likely the ONLY meal these kids have had all day.  My heart goes out to them.  I truly realized today that I have NO IDEA what it’s like to feel hungry and “starving”, compared to the kids and families we witnessed today.  These people are live just a few miles from this compound, where we are fed 3 meals a day.  It’s truly overwhelming, and extremely heartbreaking.  We will each be called to serve in different ways at different times in our lives. While each of these tasks can feel a little daunting if we’re un-experienced, it is the “sending” role that leaves many of us particularly baffled.  

However the kids and parents smiling everywhere I look is the best reward ever!