We’re starting our wind down this week as we get closer to our last day in Honduras. In the coming weeks, I’ll post a follow up on all the stories we’ve seen here, but for today, I want to share something small.

When we first arrived in Honduras, we knew we would need a nanny for David so Jesse could continue working and I could do ministry. We met our nanny a couple of weeks in and it’s been a delight to see David warm up to her and learn some Spanish from her. Through the weeks, despite hardships that arise, she’s been joyfully caring for David and teaching him a little about Honduran life. This week, she started a new full time job – with benefits! She’s starting her cancer treatments soon, so we’re happy she’s found a supportive job, but David misses her a lot. I’m so proud of her and so grateful to God for giving me this past 6 weeks with her.

Hope for a congregation

As is usual in Honduras, we’ve been seeing God move this week. I got a chance to talk with one of the local pastors who’s known Byron for the past few years. A while back, Byron shared the DBS bible study method with the pastor, showing how it can help with discipleship and spreading the Gospel. The pastor ran with the idea, but the church decided to try doing it their own way – adding in complexity, making it harder to learn. This year, the pastor wanted more help creating sustainable bible studies in his congregation, so Byron taught a DBS class and shared this bible study method with the whole congregation.

By the time I spoke with the pastor, he told me he doesn’t think his congregation is ready for discipleship even though they’re hungry for the Word. He told me that today they’re emboldened, but spiritual warfare is coming. He fears the Word may be falling on “rocky soil” and not able to take root when the storms come.

As I listened to his fears about the future of his congregation, I could empathise. We’ve been sowing seeds in Honduras for weeks now, seeing how some seeds are rejected, some seeds are accepted for the day and then gone the next, and some seeds have already taken root in people’s lives. We work incredibly hard to give people the Gospel, and in a couple of weeks we have to leave it to the Lord. I hope Byron’s lesson sticks with this congregation in a new way and continues to embolden them in their faith.

Discipling leaders. Discipling Honduras.

With missions – and discipleship in general – we have to cast a wide net and figure out who’s going to be in or out later. You can’t just say “Who’s ready?” and pick the few who raise their hand, you have to serve as many as you can, invite everyone who will accept it, and let the Word do the sorting for you.

“The kingdom of heaven is like a net that… gathered fish of every kind. When it was full, men… sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous.”

Matthew 13:47-49 (ESV)

Byron had yet another opportunity to cast a wide net at a conference with many pastors and mission leaders. The event centered around how to turn congregants into disciple-makers, allowing several hours (including a lunch break) for Byron to show how to engage congregants in bible study, how to make sure they’re healthy and sustainable, and why methods like inviting friends to church aren’t sufficient for discipleship. Byron stuck around and continued answering questions after the event concluded. The lessons seemed to be received well and engaging for everyone.

Seeing so many pastors engaged in discipleship gives me hope for when we leave. We’re not just leaving people with homes, painted walls, and medicine but no hope for the future or eternity. We’re leaving behind disciples who are hungry for the Lord and able to share in community together.

I’ll have more follow up to share soon on the impact the missionaries have had over the Summer.

Prayer requests and current needs

Please keep us in your prayers as we continue to serve the Lord here in Honduras.

• Our nanny.
• Pastors and leaders who were trained.
• Our family as we are about to head home.