A whirlwind of a week

We started this week by driving in Tegucigalpa for the first time (it was as scary as they said it was). I took about five wrong turns, but eventually got us to our new church home – an interdenominational English-speaking church! After service, we had some time for fellowship, before heading to the local mall. David found a very cute soft play area that he thoroughly enjoyed. Then we attempted to drive home, but I drove nearly 45 minutes in the wrong direction! Oy vey! We ended up making it home safely, don’t worry.

And that was just the weekend!

Getting started on missions

On Monday, we met our first team of missionaries, arriving to start their week-long mission trip. Honestly, being around this short-term team revitalised me. Since arriving in Honduras, life has felt chaotic, like I was just trying to survive each day. We’ve had to rebuild a new normal from the ground up.

This week , I got my first chance to connect with the missions side of our trip. Up to that point, it felt like we had moved our whole family to a developing country for no real reason, but after spending some time in prayer and talking with those who were here for only a week, I felt renewed in my place here. They were so sweet and welcoming.

What’s the mission, anyway?

The missionaries for this week came through a ministry called Torch Missions. Together with R1T1 – another local ministry – these missionary teams support the goals of the InterAmerican Restoration Corporation by:

1. providing relief to impoverished and developing communities
2. discipling local nationals, as self-sustaining entrepreneurs and as disciples of Christ

What a mouthful! Needless to say, the network of missions-minded servants in Honduras is complicated. To put it simply: we built houses with local students who were learning how to run construction teams in their area. Meanwhile, we also developed relationships with children in the neighbourhoods we worked in.

But what happens after the Americans leave? There’s a lot of answers to that question – like I said, the network is complicated – however, I want to share with you one particular story.

“It’s not me, it’s all God. I’m merely just a vessel.”

I met a Hispanic American translator while helping the team this week. Every year, he dedicates his summer to intentionally sharing the Gospel alongside the teams who come through Honduras. When a team leaves, he continues to follow up with those who show an interest in the Gospel. At the time I met him, he had recently baptised one of these individuals – marking his 11th baptism for this year. As I went to congratulate him, he told me “It’s not me, it’s all God. I’m merely just a vessel.”

There’s much more happening between these ministries after a team leaves, but I felt this story put the Lord’s discipleship on display. Though the American teams are only here for a week, they open up opportunities for those who are here week-after-week, year-after-year, to continue growing relationships and making disciples

Cheerful giving is tough

Seeing the attitudes of these missionaries convicted me in some heavy ways. I’m reminded of some of my favourite memory verses: Matthew 6:1 and 2 Corinthians 9:6-7.

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.”

Matthew 6:1 (ESV)

“Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

2 Corinthians 9:7 (ESV)

These two verses have really been bouncing around in my head for a few days now. While both Jesus and Paul were talking about monetary giving, I think this can also translate into giving of your time.

Right now, in this season, I am meant to be giving a lot of my time for the mission of Jesus. This summer is all about blessing the ministries here, blessing the long-term and short-term missionaries, and blessing those in Honduras. While rest and Sabbath are essential to the Christian walk, Sabbath doesn’t mean ignoring God moments in favour of scrolling Instagram or watching YouTube.

We are in a season of constant giving. I’ll speak for myself now: I need to continually check my attitude and see what’s going on under the surface. Am I being a cheerful giver of my time? Or am I merely performing as a missionary so others think I’m being holy? As I examine my heart, I constantly ask Christ for forgiveness and strength when it’s hard.

Because it is hard. Being a mom is hard, being a wife is hard, being a missionary is hard. But the LORD didn’t call us to an easy life; He called us to the good, God-filled life. So in this season of hard, we would love prayers

Prayer requests and current needs

I have a lot to pray for this week. Please keep us in your prayers as we continue to adjust.

• Prayers for our strength and spiritual wellbeing
• Prayers for physical healing (I have some neck pain)
• Prayers for our nanny (to protect her privacy, I won’t go into any details)
• Prayers for the mission teams
• Prayers for open doors to discipleship
• Prayers for Honduras