Fotografías

As promised, here are some pictures from my first eight weeks in Central America.

Click here for the pictures!

Community and Travels

The Missioners of Christ live and work as a community. Sometimes, it seems like this focus on our relationships with one another takes valuable time away from our ministries. Like this is a one-or-the-other issue. But it isn't. Relationships are absolutely essential. I learned that during my time in Antigua when I was separated from the community. Community life, though hard, holds us accountable to growth. It is so easy when one is alone to gradually slip back into the habit of listening to the voice of the world as opposed to that of God. But when I returned to Comayagua the fact that I was living and working with others gave me hundreds of little opportunities to serve and grow. And the community nourishes us so that we can go out to serve others faithfully.

Okay, that was my little reflection of something I have been thinking and reading about, but now for a practical update. I have finished Spanish classes (166 hours), returned to Comayagua for a couple of days, and am now in Helena, MT to be in my good friend's wedding. I am enjoying my time here, but am also excited to get back to Honduras and really get into things there. Hopefully I will be able to post some pictures soon.

God is Strength in Our Weakness

I will admit, these last couple of weeks at the language school have been really tough. I want to back in Comayagua serving, but this is where God has me right now. It is sometimes hard to enter into the lives of the people because life is complicated and so often difficult. I just want to be able to change the situations I see, but I can´t. It is a great frustation to me and a cross that I will carry during my time here: knowing how much my fellow human beings suffer and being powerless to change the structures and situations that have caused that. I guess, as Christians, we put our hope in God that He can still work in this broken world and can, as St. Paul says, use our weaknesses and make them into strengths. What I can do is humbly let the Lord guide me as I walk with the people here for a short time and pray that He will use me as an instrument of His love, even if I am unaware.

A Land of Contrasts

Once again, hello from Guatemala. There isn't much new to report. Basically, I am just going to class and trying to master Spanish. It's funny, the more I learn, the more complicated it seems.

Something that has really struck me since I arrived is seeing how Central America is such a land of contrasts. You see the best and the worst of humanity, the super rich and the destitute, hope and despair, good and evil side-by-side. In a first world country there are a lot more gray areas that we have created. I am still not sure how to reconcile some of these contrasting realities, but a friends of mine once told me to love the questions themselves. And someday, God will show me how all these pieces fit together.

Three Countries in Three Days

These last couple of days have been an absolute whirlwind. I arrived in Honduras, had only one day in Comayagua, rode the bus to Antigua and started classes the next day. I´ll start at the beginning.

The flights went well. God is good and everything worked out despite the strangely long lines at SeaTac and the tropical storm that was supposed to hit the northern coast of Honduras that morning.

Arriving was a little overwhelming. I couldn´t help thinking what have I gotten myself into? But was we drove north I began to see again the beauty of Honduras, both natural and in the people. Being welcomed back into the community was wonderful. I jumped right back into the life there.

Then I caught the bus bright and early to begin the fourteen hour bus ride to Antigua. It was long, but uneventful. It is really, really strange to see Central America through the eyes of a tour bus window. I looks very different than when you have to walk the dusty streets and enter into the lives of the people.

Now I am residing in Antigua, Guatemala with a wonderful women named Doña Hilda. She rents out several rooms to foreigners working or studying here. So far I really like Antigua. It is a tourist destination, which again is weird, but that means it is pretty safe, especially during the day. I appreciate being able to walk around by myself. I have been doing some exploring, trying to get a handle on the basic layout. Antigua is quite pretty, surrounded by mountains and two volcanoes. (Don´t worry mom, they have never threatened the city.) Antigua is an old colonial city so there are cobblestone streets with old buildings close together on either side.

I also started class. My teacher is great. I know that I need to study Spanish to be able to serve so I will offer that sacrifice to God and try to study hard.

Nearly There

This is my last day at home. I am just packing up my stuff and getting ready to leave tonight. Yes, I am a little nervous. But I feel so blest. I have been longing to return to Honduras for two years since God has placed this seed in my heart and now He has called me to (finally) return. I hope that while I am in Honduras I will be given the grace to truly serve, without thought of what I might get out of it. There is so much brokenness in Honduras and a difficult reality of life that often remains hidden from day-to-day life in a first world country. It will be difficult to return to. But there is also so much joy; I have never seen true joy and beauty like in the villages of Honduras.

Well, I guess next time I write I will be in Honduras or Guatemala for language school. I wish everyone back home the best. You will all remain in my prayers.

Gracias

The title of this post says it all. Thank you so much to everyone who helped me get to this point. Thank you for your financial support, without which I could not be going to Honduras. The generosity of everyone, including the anonymous donor, inspires me.