Lessons Learned in Honduras: Part 1 - What We Take For Granted

I returned late last night from an amazing journey...a journey that God called me to go on...during the trip He opened my eyes to so much and taught me so many lessons...probably more than I can even remember at this very moment...but lessons that I feel led to share as I recount this journey to you.  For they are life lessons...lessons meant to lead us to live greater lives for Him...lessons meant to impact far more people. 

We are blessed...a vast majority of you reading this blog could probably say that you live a blessed life.  Do we each encounter heartaches, losses, setbacks, frustrations and disappointments - yes - but if we look at the totality of our lives, the things we choose to complain about on a daily basis are miniscule in comparison to what most of the world is facing.

"The car in front of me is going too slow!"
"My order is wrong!"
"My child got a bad grade!"
"I have a headache!"
"I want _____!"

Aren't we all guilty of complaints like these?  I know I sure am!  And that's the lesson I want to focus on today...what we take for granted.

Being in Honduras for a week allowed me to experience how a majority of the people on this planet live on a daily basis.  Some things I experienced firsthand and others I got to witness...but each taught me again and again to be thankful for the life I live and to do everything in my power to make small differences for God's kingdom...because each person I encountered, He loves just as much as He loves me!  The only real difference is that we were born in different places!  So here is just a small list of things I took for granted before my trip and I am sure that if you analyze your life, you will find you do the same:

1. Clean water - the water in Honduras, as in many Central American countries, is not safe to drink.  The Hondurean people are subject to many diseases because their water is not clean.  We could not drink the water...we couldn't even use it to brush our teeth or rinse our toothbrush...and, as Pastor Bradley said "don't sing in the shower, hum if you must!"  With the heat and humidity, I was drinking upwards of 4-5 liters of water a day...so the water bottle and water filters became my best friends!  But most people there don't have that luxury.  Just think about how often you turn on your faucet for a quick drink or brush your teeth or rinse something out...

2. Hot showers - Even staying in a hotel in a city, our showers were cool to lukewarm.  After meeting many of the people, hot showers are a rarity for most of them.  So the next time you complain that the hot water ran out before the end of your 20 minute shower, think about if you had no hot water at all!

3. Bathrooms - As you will see in the photos below, the bathrooms are not the most sanitary.  Those are the bathrooms the patients used during clinic; the same ones that the kids use there at school.  Toilet paper may or may not be available (in fact, it was such a rarity at times that we started taking the roll from our hotel room with us in our purses!)  The sewer system does not allow for toilet paper to be flushed so you had to throw your used toilet paper into a little garbage can.  And we complain about the state of public restrooms here...

4. Medicine - While in Honduras our main role was to run a clinic for local residents to access free medical, dental, and vision care.  It absolutely floored me that many people who came had normal aches and pains that we just pop a few Tylenol for!  In fact, it amazed me how many times the providers had to explain what menstrual cramps were and how Tylenol would help!  But many of them had no access to or money to afford such simple medications!  So the next time you have a headache, thank God that you can run to your medicine cabinet or to the drug store and grab a few pills.

5. Houses - Most of the people we encountered live in 12x12 foot "houses"...that's it!  A small room, most likely a dirt floor, a tin roof...that's home to them.  Yet despite such living conditions, the people I encountered were by and far happy!  So, is less more?

6. Family - We were fortunate to get to meet and interact with the children who live at the Hope Children's Home and I will post more about them in the future.  But for various reasons these children's families cannot provide for them, so they live in this home.  It is an amazingly beautiful home and the kids are thriving but they don't get to live with their families.  I am sure that one of the biggest things we all take for granted are our loved ones. 

7. God's Beauty in Nature - God's beautiful creation is everywhere we look!  How many times do we look at the sun or a flower or a rainbow and glance right past it...never stopping to see the beauty in it!  The stark reality of life in Honduras opened my eyes to this...rainbows, waterfalls, flowers, trees, mountains, valleys...Honduras is a beautiful country...breathtaking at times...and it made me realize how masterful a creator God is!

So my challenge to you is to take a few moments to reflect on your current life:
- Are there things you take for granted?
- If so, what are those things?
- What would happen if those things were suddenly gone?

Be thankful for all that God has given you and bless others the way you have been blessed!  Here are a few pics of God's beauty!

Be Fluid; Flexible Is Too Stiff

The other night I was at home sitting on my couch when I got a text....I looked down and this is what I saw:

Does she know me or what?! 

But she is so right!  My life up to this point has been pretty organized, planned, controlled.  I pride myself on this.  My friends are always telling me I need to be more spontaneous, but to be honest spontaneity scares me to the core!  The "not knowing" freaks me out!  But isn't that one of the key things God wants to teach us?  To let go...let go of the control...let go of the planning...let go of the constant need to organize...let go and let Him! 

I feel like God has slowly been teaching this to me over the past few years; and really kicking it up a notch over the past few months!  In general to prepare me for life...but more specifically to prepare me for this trip.  I have learned that in the mission field there is so much chaos and unknown. 

And boy does God know what He is doing sending me on this trip!  He is forcing me out of my comfortable life of planning and order (not that you would know that by looking at my house or office, but I digress).  He is showing me that life isn't planned and orderly...it can be messy and chaotic and that's ok.  Because as long as we keep our eyes fixed solely on Him, He will work everything out.  And He always works it out with our best interests at heart.

Yes, God is calling me to step out of my comfort zone...but He would never do that without equipping me for His task.  I was afraid...afraid of what God would call me to do while in Honduras.  But there is only one thing I need to focus on doing and if I can accomplish this, the rest will fall in to place.  So what is God calling me to do there?  I think Michelle said it best: "to show the love and light of Christ so they are receptive to the Gospel."  Who better to equip me to show love and light then the one who created love and light...the one who showed the ultimate act of love when He sent His Son to die for our sins...the one who is not only the light at the end of the tunnel, but the light that guides us through.  I must only look to Him and I don't have to worry about plans and organization and control.  Because He has proven again and again that He is the ultimate creator and craftsman and that He has everything under His perfect control.