Lacampa 2021

 This trip has been so good so far. We have done so many things in such a short period of time and still have a full week left. 

Saturday we arrived at the Ruben house. It is a rehab house where pts can live and get the rehab they need. They just have a family member willing to stay and help care for them. They have 2 patients, Rosalina and Ruben. Ruben was the reason that this house was made. I can tell you his story later. But we got to visit and have lunch with them and see their facility. It is beautiful. And we even had a macaw fly down into the trees! The Ruben house is doing so many good things. Ruben can now feed himself and brush his hair to make a few. He couldn’t do anything after he was paralyzed and made a quadriplegic. He now has a smile and a will to live. He gave his testimony in the church where he is from. When we met Ruben there wasn’t a church there and our team came back and we built one for them. 

Sunday we had church with the locals at Torre Fuerte. We were reunited with Pastor Emilio and his wife Marta. Also got to visit with some family/friends. They are our family here. Antonio and his wife and their new little one. Olympia and her family. 

Today we went back to Mescallio (where Ruben is from and where we had one of our first medical clinics) to have children’s worship. We had 33 kids. I think the best part of today was the game. We played head, shoulders, knees and maker. We all lined up in pairs and it was kinda like Simon says but we had to touch one of those parts when called out and when marker was called you had to be the first to grab it off the floor. It was so funny to see them play. 

After this we broke up into groups and went out to peoples homes. It was good to talk with them and pray for them. 2 of the homes where the kids that came to our children’s ministry. We got to talk with their parents and pray for them. One mom asked us to pray for her physically and spiritually. She said she feels so alone and down and doesn’t know what to do. We  encouraged her and talked with her about our personal experiences. I pray God can heal her. One of the ladies from the church was with us and she will pray and follow up with her. 

Me and Jen rode in the back of the trucks today. We felt it was our turn. We should have picked a different day. The ride to Mescallia is a hour on a dirt, holey, hilly, curvy road .  I am already paying for it. With back and hip ache and I think I have found muscles I didn’t know I had!

Well I have lots more to tell but it is late. More to come soon. 

Bendiciones 

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. 

Countdown…

 It’s that time. We will be leaving in 8 hrs. On the plane in 11 hrs to Honduras tomorrow! I am so excited!!! More to come and I will try to keep you updated , but I’m not sure how the web service will be. Sometimes not so good. But just know this, God is good all the time. He will guide us in his plan for what we need to do and say. 

Continue to pray for us and for us to stay healthy. Pray for the team, the people we meet so that what we say or do will touch them and show them what God’s love is about. And that they will touch our hearts as well. 

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is here! 

bendiciones

a plan

 HA! I got you! We kinda have a plan but we don't.  In Honduras, we are told to BE FLEXIBLE! But at least we know where our team is going for our ministry and we have our children and women's ministry lessons planned! We are thinking we will reach at least 200 kids that week! Holy cow.  That's a lot of kids.

I am so excited to go back to Mescalillo!  This is where one of our first medical clinics were at, we helped build their first evangelical church and they just had their first wedding there this year! ANNNND....This is where we all met Ruben! He was the inspiration in getting the Ruben Rehabilitation House in Gracias started. And he lives there right now, doing so good. I am excited to see him once again. I have seen a lot of God's hand on this small town that is doing BIG things!

So, I need to start packing and looking at what to bring. The weather will be different there this time of year. We are used to seeing the VERY HOT weather, and in July it is rainy and cool. I need to find a rain jacket. And of course, you know I will be packing a medical bag ( a doctor bag for nurses!) a just in case, LOL. You just never know what will happen with our team...falling off ladders, cut hands, medical emergencies!

And I need to start getting my muscles built up because I may be riding in the back of the trucks on our trips! We will have 2 trucks for 17 people, this means 7 of us will have to ride in the back. 

It is an adventure:

1. trying not to fall out!

2. you can't sit....to many bumps and holes in the road causes too many bruises on your behind!

3. standing is the best option but then there is the dust from the road, and now it will be raining at times so the rain pelting us in our face!

4. we will look like bandits with our face coverings.

So I look forward to this new adventure, to learn new things, experience new things, experience God move in me and our team and seeing Him in the people we touch.

Pray for our team, for safety, health, our words and actions, and for God to move in the LaCampa area.

Our team always has a verse for each trip. This year it is 2 Corinthians 5:17

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is here!"

Bendiciones,

A

July 9, 2021...we are leaving

 We are leaving!! I can't wait. Our team is going back to LaCampa. We will not be having medical clinics or construction, but will be doing evangelism. Going on prayer walks, children's ministries and women's groups. Showing the Jesus film and having a movie night one night at the church.

This is new to me and I am excited to see what God has in store for me as well as our team. What am I expecting?? God to show up and show us what he can do!

I just need to get my butt in shape to hang out and keep up with the kids. I want to be able to play with the kids, get on their level and teach them. Yes I am (*cough, cough) 53, but I can still get it going in some kick ball!

I need to get my feelings in check in case I need to share with someone my personal statement of faith and love I have found in Jesus through my trials. I never realized how much a testimony can have an impact until I gave mine one year about my faith walk. Once I was finished giving it, I found out later that one of the ladies in our group was dealing with cancer and her faith being tested during her trial. If I had not given my testimony, she would not have heard that she will get through this difficult time, God is with her and her faith grow from this.

It take courage to talk with others and open yourself up. 

I do not know what to expect. I stopped a long time ago trying to plan and have a schedule. It always seems that it changed. That is why we are told to be flexible. It never goes as planned. But I am looking forward to see what is in store for our team. I know it will be amazing and exciting!

Mark 16:15 ESV

"And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation."

Bendiciones,

It's a GO

 Well, it's a GO!! We are returning this July to Honduras. I am so excited but nervous at the same time. They are still fighting the covid battle much worse than we are here in the states. I just hope our team can send some love and happiness when we are there during this time for them.

We will not be having any medical clinics, so we are having to redo what we normally do when we go. So we will be just spending time with them in children and women's ministries. I am excited about this. I normally do not get to work with these ministries when we are doing the clinics. We will only be there for a week, but I am sure we will have a packed agenda to reach as many as we can.

Please pray for our team as we prepare. It is only 2 month away!! Pray for our hearts as we prepare, but for us to stay well and have safe travels. 

In order for us to go, we have to get a covid test 3 days before we leave and another one 3 days before we return in Honduras. I am not looking forward to this test! Not looking forward for that stuck up my nose!

So I have to repack and go through my suitcase from last year packing. God has in mind what he wants us to do for his plan. This year isn't medical clinics. So we have to be open, be flexible, be willing to do what HE asks of us.

Acts 13:47 states: "For this is what the Lord has commanded us, I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth."  I will go and do what I need to do. Am I perfect? No, but God can use me anyway. Despite my flaws, bad habits and anything else, I am loved and I know I am forgiven. I want others to know this as well. YOU ARE FORGIVEN.

Bendiciones,

new plans!

 It has been a long time, but our team is finally making plans for a 2021 trip!! While these are just talks and pre-planning, I am so excited.  Looks like our trip may be different than the past trips for 2021 due to covid. But I am so excited that we are actually talking about a trip!

I am excited to see what God has in store for our team and for those in Honduras! Let the fundraising begin!  More to come.

Looking ahead

 So by now, our team has already made plans, bought plane tickets, have dates and schedules made ready for our trip. We have none of this right now and how it is looking, we may not be going in 2021. This is really a hard pill to swallow. I look forward to the work we do every year in Honduras.  I know the work we do benefits the people there.  I pray that we will be able to start planning a trip for the summer this year after the holidays.  

I want to shout, "I HATE YOU COVID!!!!" because this has caused so much of us to focus on the negative. But what is the positives that we can look at form all of this?

* even though we are separated by our extended families, we have gotten closer to our families in our household. I am forced to talk about other things than work. We are with each other so much! And for those households that have young kids in school. I pray for you! I could not imagine having to be a school teacher and to try to do it online with the teachers.

* We have learned to do different things, crafts, home repairs, hobbies. I have started to do my exercise at home.  Now that is a sight!

* we have learned to love ourselves. I can dress up my sweats like no one has ever seen!

* we have taken the time to get to know God. I have started a Bible study with a friend and it has helped so much in keeping in contact with God.

* it has taught us to THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX. 

So as I pray for our 2021 trip and hope that it will happen, I know God has a bigger plan and I am part of that. I will do what he asks of me. 

As in the Bible study I am in now, I am not in control and need to give this over to God. He is the God of the Universe and if he can create the Universe, then he will be able to get us through all our troubles. 

I pray you all stay safe and wear your mask. Protect yourself and others. We can get through this together!

Bendiciones,