Reflections of Honduras

When I was praying over my new year and setting goals, little did I know that God had His own planned detour. I know that what I am doing right now is something God wants me to do, but what I wasn’t expecting was that going to Honduras was a part of that plan! However, God had His hand working in it and I was given an opportunity to go with my airfare and room and board paid for. What a blessing that was! I could never have gone otherwise at this time. As I contemplated and prayed about the trip, I felt I was to say yes. As soon as I said yes, God provided a gift from a friend that confirmed I was to go. So, I called the person that asked me, and accepted their invitation.

Now, to make things a bit more clear for you, I don’t like the heat. I swell up from the heat. It makes me grumpy to be in the heat. I don’t have a very good attitude in the heat. And on top of that, mosquitoes love me! And where I was going had ALL of these conditions. So, it would not have been my CHOICE to go. So given all that, I KNEW God had something spectacular in mind for me to be a part of.

Indeed He did. I think we in America miss out so much on what God has for us because we don’t necessarily believe that the God of the Old and New Testament is still doing the same things today that He did then. He is the same yesterday, today and forever! Right?So what is it about our faith, that lacks in this area? Do we not trust Him? Do we not take Him at His Word? Do we believe it can happen to others but not to ourselves? Do we think it’s weird to receive healing or sign and wonders? What keeps us from receiving the power that is ours for the acceptance of it? I ACCEPTED!!

I saw a wheelchair bound boy get up and walk the field; first with help around him if he needed it. They would ask him if he wanted to rest and his response was, “No keep walking!” He would walk more and they would ask him again. He would reply, “No keep walking.” HE experienced the healing power of Jesus and by the end he was walking without much assistance at all! That was just the beginning of his healing! I saw people set free from years of bondage. There was a woman who received healing from boils on her legs. Another received her sight back. It goes on and on. God worked through my hands as I prayed over a man’s back and legs and saw God bring this man’s spine into alignment so his legs were of equal length. You see, God’s power is for anyone who believes in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and has the Holy Spirit living inside of him/her.

God shook up my faith. He gave me signs and wonders the whole time I was there. I won’t ever be the same, and I don’t ever WANT to be the same. As I went the first day to teach a class for pastor’s wives, I stood before the crowd of women and looked into their eyes. Tears welled up in mine as I realized, THIS was why I had come. In the middle of all the things that are going on there, these women had come to know Jesus more. To be encouraged in their walk of faith so that they could in turn, share that love of Jesus with someone else. That’s the blessing. If I had gone and saw nothing else but this, it would have been worth it. But God in His mercy and power, showed me so much more.

I don’t complain about my house anymore because I saw how others MUST live without the choice of living different. I am now even more thankful for what I HAVE. We complain of weather when it hits, or a bad day, a bad perm (I did that), or any number of trivial things every day. I saw people who would gladly have traded any of those problems for their lack of food, a job, clothes, or not being able to care for their children. Many of the children in the orphanage are there because their parents had no way of caring for them. Yes, it opened the eyes of THIS heart!

One of the activities I did with the women was to have them trace their hand, and put their name at the top right of the sheet. Then they passed it in their row to the next person who then added her name to it, until they had the five or six names in their row with each name on a finger or the palm of the hand. I asked them to take it home and lay their hand over it and pray for everyone on their hand during the days of the conference. Each day, I had them add something about their gifts, challenges or where they think God may be taking them, to their signature on that hand. So each day, they had prayer coverage over those things. The day I left, one of the women came to me and wanted to give me her paper with her hand on it. She asked if I would pray over her hand and for her church. Now THAT’S connection! I accepted it and came home and put it in a frame above my desk. Everyday I touch that hand and pray over it. What a blessing!

There is so much that was poured INTO my heart that it is hard to share just a few. But I want to encourage you to think about your days in the light of what Jesus wants to do THROUGH you. He may not ask you to travel to Central America, but He might! When we need to learn things we might not learn where we are, then He will send you where you need to go. That applies to a different neighborhood, church, community, state, or wherever. Would you go? Would you be obedient even if you knew you would have some discomforts? I hope you will, because you will miss the blessings of a lifetime if you don’t be obedient to what He is calling you to. ASK Him! He loves to dream with you!

Did I survive the heat? I swelled up like a balloon! My feet were like clubs. But did I make it? Yes. God graciously allowed me to work through the discomfort every day, for the blessings He gave me, everyday. Will you step out into the deep with Him? I hope so. Maybe you can dip your swollen toes into the Caribbean as I did and enjoy the views that only He can give you! This is YOUR YEAR! Move forward. May God help you to that end!

Walking the journey with you…