Honduras ❤️

“Let love be your highest goal.” 1 Corinthians 14:1

When asked about my trip to Honduras, I think about the beauty. The mountain view, the waterfall, the flowers, and the butterflies. I think about the huge scary ugly lookin grasshoppers. I think about the people, and the friendly smiles. I even think about the bumpy roads, and the smell of the city I visited. I think about the coffee shop, and the wonderful panini I would get for breakfast every morning. I think about the translators, and the friendships I developed with them. I also think about the day my life was changed forever. I know that sounds a bit dramatic, but keep reading. It was just another day in my mind. I would get up, throw some clothes on, go to the restaurant to get WiFi, and prepare for the day ahead. Mainly I was waiting for the team to arrive so I could go get some coffee if I’m being all the way honest. This particular day, we started out on a new adventure.

Pan American, the orphanage

The first work day I took a sharp metal brush thing, and scraped grossness off of the gate.  My arms were going to fall off that’s all I really remember of that experience. It wasn’t until VBS started did I realize that my life would never be the same. Stay with me here. I was passing out colors and nametags exchanging smiles the whole time to the children, and as I looked up there sat a little boy over in the corner smiling so big at me. His smile lit up the room – I really did not realize how dark it was up there on that balcony until that happened. Since the exchange of the smiles, we became best of friends. Here he stood, bones, big ole belly, dirty feet, and in need of love. I did not feel very helpful until now. I knew I could give that love, and that is what I did. We played. We smiled. We laughed.  We would spin around until we could spin no more. We colored. We played peek-a-boo. We hugged. I tell you that day was the best day all because of one little kid who changed the way I looked at everything. You know what I saw? A child. I saw a child who smiled even at the worst of circumstances. I would have never known this kid suffered from malnutrition. I would have never known the struggle he faced from the smile that ran across his face. The other two days we played from the window of the place he was staying. We played peek-a-boo once again, and threw kisses at each other. His smile never left him. We exchanged our good byes, and as I walked away from the window tears formed not because I was sad, but because God allowed me to know what full joy looks like. And I left my heart there with him, and there isn’t a day that goes by that I do not pray for that child. You see, when I am asked about Honduras it is so hard to form a good answer, because I do not know how to explain what has happened in my heart. The change that has occurred in me. Being home, well it is completely different now. And I am adjusting to a new normal. Honduras was so much more than a mission trip, it was a life change. It was so much more than giving love away, it was also receiving it. When I think of Honduras, I can still see the smile that touched my life. I can still see the little girl who came up to me, sat beside me, and joined in on listening to my music. Complete silence between the two of us. Just smiles. I feel the bond that I formed with the people there. I hear the birds chirping in the window way early in the morning. I smell the fresh coffee beans. I see a child running across the soccer field dodging the ball all the way just to give me a hug. I see, and I feel lots of love.

I see Jesus.

“The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:40

This trip was to determine whether or not missions is my calling. It was answered. The mission field is where I belong, and one day I will be there.  And I will look back on this trip, and know that this was the start of something beautiful! It is one that I will never forget. How can I? My heart is walking forever away from me. (The google map could not calculate directions) So, thank you to whoever made it possible for me to go. I’ll probably never know who you are, but you contributed to something much bigger than we both know.

A God-size dream in me.