For three weeks, we’ve been go, go, go. Finally, we got a chance to rest at the beginning of this week. I was able to work through the content I’ve captured so far, spend some time with my son, and reflect on life in Honduras.

There’s also been some heartache this week, as we served the community while facing our own heaviness. It turns out life doesn’t stop being life while you’re away from home. There’s joy in working for the Lord, but weeping does tarry through the night.

Answering the Wrong Questions

This week’s team finished a house build for a local mother. From the onset of meeting her, I noticed she seemed overwhelmed and closed off. I felt the Holy Spirit pull me toward her, so I grabbed a translator to ask her some basic questions about her life.

She was a mother of two children, including a blind infant. She said her husband was “looking for work but never finds it” and she rarely saw him. She’s Catholic, but hadn’t been to church due to her circumstances requiring constant attention. Her church had refused to send her help, materially or spiritually. As we spoke, I began to understand what was troubling her: she was in the middle of experiencing extreme church hurt many of us have struggled through, and it was hardening her heart towards Jesus.

Remembering Byron’s ministry, I asked her if she would be interested in joining a local bible study. She said yes! Joy! …but that was soon deflated as two of our local missionaries opted to try to re-baptise her instead of help her. You see… most of the missionaries here aren’t Catholic, so rather than listen to her questions and answer them, all they could hear was “She isn’t Christian yet, let’s check that box first and then we can get into the Bible.” Another trap many of us missionaries and evangelists struggle through!

Sometimes, well-intentioned missionaries can miss the mark (aka “sin”), especially when we get stuck trying to solve the wrong problem. When you define the problem the wrong way, it narrows the solutions you’re available to give. This woman had already been following Christ since she was young. She wasn’t in need of conversion. She wasn’t even in need of a house. She needed her community to bear with her so the body of Christ could share her hurt and encourage her.

After we recognized our mistake, we were able to set up some house calls for her. A doctor from Clinica Esperanza will do a health check on her and her family, and someone from Byron’s leaders will get her connected with a Bible Study.

Asking the Right Questions

After the house build, we returned to a school in a remote village (previously visited by a different team). This time, we were doing the full village clinic, since the last team only had time for a children’s clinic. We were able to provide lifesaving medication to locals free of charge. We also saw some familiar faces who were willing to be vulnerable with us in asking for prayer.

The ministry’s consistency left behind a positive impression, which drew in more people seeking bible studies. However, Byron needed a local building to host bible studies for these seekers. So, he asked the principal of the school if they would be willing to open their doors for people to study the Bible.

At first, it may seem unconventional to run bible studies at a village school, but not only is the location accessible to everyone looking for a study, it’s also not tied to a specific denomination, which we saw can distract from the Gospel. If they agree to host these Bible studies, Byron will have a building where he can invite anyone from any denomination to be discipled through studying God’s Word. While we haven’t received an answer as of this writing, these more secular projects – providing healthcare and shelter – open up doors for us to ask the right questions.

Missions during tragedy

In the midst of working for Christ, our team has been hit hard by tragedy this week.

Byron and his family lost a very close friend due to a sudden illness. Christian was a very lovely man. I first met him in 2023 on my first trip with Byron’s ministry (while I was pregnant with David). During my trip, I had several chances to talk to Christian. He helped put me at ease when the trip got tough for me. He truly was a Godly man, and he will be dearly missed. Byron’s family took some time to process their grief, but they still showed up to the village clinics to keep advancing the mission of the Church.

Two days after losing Christian, my own family received bad news about my dad’s cancer progression. His cancer first returned 8 months ago, before I had fully committed to go on this trip. It wasn’t an easy thing to say “Yes” to leaving the U.S. when my dad’s health was so up in the air, not knowing if I’ll get another chance to see him face-to-face. But the opportunity seemed right and the Lord blessed it, so I said “Yes”, with Matthew 8:21-22 in mind.

 Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”

Matthew 8:21-22 (ESV)

The bible often comes alive when you live out your faith, and this passage has become very real to me this week. I can’t wait until after I bury my father to commit my life to the Lord. I can’t cancel my commitments just because tragedy rains on believers and non-believers alike. I have to recommit to Him every day and in every circumstance.

It’s not easy being so far away. And while I’m grateful for technology that allows me to video call my dad, it’s not the same as being in the room with him. I miss my dad and I hope to see him in person again before he gets too sick, but the Lord has called me here to be His hands and feet and to support my friends as they work and grieve here in Honduras.

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 Byron and his family
• Prayers for my dad
• Prayers for the mother with the blind infant
• Prayers for the local community to be open to a bible study in their school.