My Return to Honduras

It was short.

Too short.

Whenever you spend a month getting to know people, three days is far too short a time to spend with them, especially if you hardly speak the language. We arrived on Friday and spent time fellowshipping and greeting the believers. The weather was fresh, cold, breezy, and cloudy, a far cry from the heat of El Salvador. On a side note, I definitely wouldn’t mind living in Honduras some day.

The church there is continuing to grow, but there’s been some minor infighting and jealousy among the believers. When I heard about this, I was saddened, because those are the things that tear up friendships and brotherhood. When Satan finds out that he cannot defeat a church with outside pressures, I believe he tries to attack and divide up the brethren, because a kingdom divided against itself will be ruined (Matt 12:25).

There was a clothing giveaway a few months ago that caused some of the brothers to get angry with each other, because they were concerned that someone got more clothes than the other. It’s a childish fight, but then again, these men and women in the church are youth in the faith.

As a result, on that night, Mike informed me that I would be teaching the believers the next day.

“Great,” I thought. “I didn’t need time to prepare anyway.” 

Preparation is truly a luxury. Especially on the missions field...

So, the next morning, I spent my time scrambling to prepare, but God was with me and somehow I managed to put together a coherent message, which is evident that the spirit of God was over it. Then, after breakfast, we had a miniature seminary where Mike and I exhorted the brothers to live in unity... and warned them of the effects of pride, materialism, and hypocrisy. I taught from Ephesians 4:22-32, where Paul exhorts the believers to put off the old ways and to put on the new self... by renewing our minds. And our minds can only be renewed if we’re in contact with our creator who sustains us.

We told them that it’s foolish to think that there will never be conflict. We’re sinners ministering with and to sinners. But what do we do when we end up in conflict? Do we reconcile and forgive, or do you hold grudges and spread gossip?

And I feel their pain, because I’m terrible at confrontations. I’ve been the one to spread gossip, and I’ve been the one to hold a grudge. Forgiveness for people we’re at odds with is NOT something we can do in our own strength. It is completely foreign to fallen man, who only forgives for selfish reasons. It’s something I’m learning... and I’ve been asking: For whose sake do we forgive? For the sinful person who wronged us? For ourselves?

Yes, those are good reasons... but that alone won’t bring change. Because the only way to forgive is to forgive as Christ forgave us. So I ask again, for whose sake do we forgive? For the Lord’s sake. In other words, don’t resolve an argument or fight where you both compromise on your beliefs. Agree in the Lord. (Phil 4:2-3). There is never compromise when something is done for the Lord and through the Lord. If you agree on human terms, will your reconciliation last? Will it strengthen your faith?

When sinners argue, sin is present on both sides of the fight. Rather than giving into the other person’s sinful point, agree with them for the Lord’s sake. Forgive them for the Lord’s sake and in gratitude to what He’s done.

After the meeting and a snack, Mike left me alone with the Honduran believers and (thank goodness) a translator. So we traveled up and across the road, and up the ridge near Hacienda Grande. We spoke briefly with several of the families, including a mother who had a very sick child that the believers were praying for. Thank God that the child was healed... and doing quite well. The mother was grateful for our prayers. We visited several others on the ridge briefly, sharing words of encouragement and exhortations from scripture, but did not get involved in an in depth conversation.

Afterwards, we rested at the top of the ridge near a Mayan ruin (yeah, Honduras is just that way), and goofed off. Marvin found a pistol shaped rock and explained to me that it must be an ancient Mayan pistol. Naturally, I felt the urge to strike a pose with said rock.

Marvin returned the favor.

I was able to speak specifically with Marvin about the dangers of pride afterwards through the translator, because as the first believer, we’re particularly concerned that he won’t fall into the trap of pride.

Let’s be clear. Pride will KILL your faith. The moment you begin thinking you are something special (beyond what God is clear on in scripture), is the moment that you lose your dependence and reliance on God. God uses the foolish and weak things of this world to shame the ‘wise’ and the ‘strong’. If we consider ourselves ‘strong’, ‘wise’, or overly important... we’re not, and we’re going to rely on ourselves rather than on God.

I’ve been trying to kill my own pride recently. So I exhorted him with something that’s helped me: Christ’s example of humility in Philippians 2. God uses the humble... he brings up the lowly, but he’ll lay the proud low.

It was a good conversation, and I pray that God will help Marvin be an example in humility for the brothers and sisters there. As you read this, pray for him!

We ended out the day with an excellent meal cooled by Laticia... and I was reminded yet again of how much I miss Honduran food. We met and discussed the church and some of the issues facing the believers. There’s still quite a bit of persecution. Many people who want to come to the church cannot for fear of being kicked out of their homes or having their water turned off by the leaders of the village. Yet someone has said that she will shortly be attending the church services despite all the threats. So we’re praying for Gumercinda Contreras (the woman)... that God will protect her and bless her decision to stand up to the persecution.

The next day, we held church services, and left after saying goodbye to the brothers and eating lunch. It was too short, and before long, we were on the road again. But there’s something else I haven’t mentioned. In January, there’s going to be a church wide wedding for the couples who are living together. In obedience to the Lord, seven of them will be getting married, including my friend Marvin.

Mike told a story that when he was speaking on marriage and obedience to the Lord, a man unexpectedly stood up in the middle of the service.

He walked over to his girlfriend of thirty years.

He dropped on one knee.

And he proposed to her.

Beautiful. That’s what I have to say about the Lord’s work there. He couldn’t even wait until the end of the teaching. He wanted to obey the Lord and show love for his wife in front of everyone. This is what the grace of God does to people who are living in sin.

The people of Honduras, especially Marvin, have invited me to come to the wedding, and I’m greatly honored. I pray that I will somehow be able to raise the finances and to find a cheap flight there, because I really want to support something so amazing.

A church provided the money for the weddings, because the people would be too poor to register for a wedding license or hold a ceremony. They’ve provided enough funds for a celebration that even the unbelieving friends and family can attend. Everyone will be invited, because we want everyone to partake in their joy, and to have a chance to see what the grace of God is doing.

So keep praying for the church there. Pray that the believers in secret will overcome their fear of losing their houses and family, and that they will openly profess Jesus’s name. Pray that the leaders of the village will have their hearts changed, and that they too will come to faith.

Pray for Hascienda Grande, Ostuman, Carsialon, Carisalito... those are the villages where our brothers in Christ live there.

Thanks for reading,

- Paul

Leaving... again

I am seriously the worst blog writer ever... this was supposed to be written in four parts... in the four weeks after my trip. And here I am on the eve of my new trip, and I’m just now writing this? Ouch.

So this is going to wrap up my Honduras trip, and be a preview of my new trip...

It’s amazing how the time I spent there seemed so long. I was only there a month, but it felt like several... even a year. Every day, we’d wake up and prepare a full breakfast, study the scriptures, and then head off to encourage a brother or share our hope in Christ with someone in the village.

Then, we’d eat a similarly long lunch and leisurely make our way to a bible study at a village down the road. And every Saturday, we made the trek up to Carisalito, a nearby village at the top of a ridge. We usually held a service there, and I usually spent some time entertaining the kids during the service... which is surprisingly difficult when you can’t speak Spanish.

Still, for the most part, games like ‘tag’ and ‘cops and robbers’ proved to be a universal language. Then there came the Saturday where it rained the entire service. So I sat there, staring at the kids... and they stared right back at me. If I didn’t start entertaining them soon, they’d start to interrupt the service. So I entertained the kids by mimicking different strange voices and doing an impression of an old man. And of course, during all the funny acting, I butchered their language, to much laughter.

Well, not that it took much more work than usual to butcher Spanish. I have a special talent for that, apparently. I studied what Spanish I could every day, and each day, discovered new frustrations as I tried to communicate more and more. Still, I made steady progress – at least in speaking in the present tense. Looking back though, I remember several of the conversations I had clearly in English, even though they happened in a mix of Spanish and impromptu sign language. Just the other day, I remembered a conversation I had about some fruit that grew there, and I could have sworn there was a translator present... but after searching my memory... I came to the strange realization that I was the only English speaker present, and that the conversation was completely in Spanish.

So as my Spanish grew, I enjoyed my time talking to the missionaries and locals more and more. And the missionaries, Antonio and Laticia became my surrogate parents for the time I was there. They took care of me and showed me what it really means to serve others and show hospitality. The food was excellent, and more plentiful than I could imagine. They even joked that my parents wouldn’t recognize me when I got back, because I put on so much weight.

Fortunately, God had other ideas. Our truck broke down in the middle of my time there, which meant that for two weeks, our only transportation was our own two feet. All that walking saved me, and I actually ended up losing some weight by the end of my time there, despite having much more food than I needed. (I have got to start a missions trip diet plan... I’m sitting on a goldmine there.)

And slowly it dawned on me that even in a country wracked with poverty, here I was well fed and taken care of, with shelter, safety, and friends. God is so good to me wherever I go. I know that the day will come when my earthly needs are not so aptly met, but God has blessed me beyond anything I can imagine... no matter wherever I go. 

With these thoughts, my concern went to those who are not so blessed. And I started to consider how I could share my blessings with those around me... which is the topic of a future letter on “Fasting for Food”.

During my short stay in Honduras, the church continued to grow. Like any church, it has its share of problems and petty squabbles, but the love that each member has is very clear. Because most of the members are very recent converts who spent most of their time drinking and getting drunk, some still fall into their old habits.

In His grace, God created this church out of nothing. A year and a half ago, there were no believers in the entire region. No brotherhood, no fellowship... only a group of desperate men and women whose only pastime was getting drunk, stealing, and causing trouble. Marvin recalled a story to me where he chopped a radio in half while it was hanging from his friend’s head.

‘Fun’ with machetes...

... while drunk.

Wow. By God’s grace, Marvin never killed anyone... although he came close several times, by his own admission.

But it’s just like God to create something out of nothing. He created the light and separated it from the darkness in Genesis 1, and he’s continued that work in Honduras, where He’s separating people from the darkness and giving them light.

“God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts...”

2 Corinthians 4:6

So be encouraged, the Lord is still creating something out of nothing...

And so, to honor the Lord’s work there, I plan on returning on Thursday... to encourage the brothers and sisters. There have been some issues between some of the brothers and sisters, so I pray that there will be peace. So with that in mind, pray for me that I will boldly share what needs to be shared, and that the brothers and sisters down there will continue fighting the good fight. 

Look for an update (no, really) halfway through the missions trip.

Until then God bless!