The Start of Something New

So it’s finally here. The time has come and I’ve safely arrived in the beautiful country of Honduras. I couldn’t be more excited! Goodbyes were hard and I know I’m going to miss my family and friends but I’m absolutely certain that what God is going to do in and through me this year will be well worth it! If I had only two words to sum up what I think the rest of this trip will bring, they would be growth and change. I expect to be stretched, I expect to be uncomfortable but most of all I expect to go deeper with God than I ever have before. James 4: 8 says, “Come near to God and He will come near to you,” so I guess you could say that’s my game plan.

My team and I were able to start ministry on Monday. Well it technically started the moment we arrived in Tegucigalpa but Monday was our official start date. We’re working in a place called Los Pinos (The Pines), which is literally the most poverty stricken place I’ve ever seen. I’ve witnessed poverty before, but never to this extent. The people there have nothing. No iPhones, no computers, nothing. But what they do have is joy. At first I had a hard time wrapping my mind around it. Why are these people so joyful? What is it they have to be happy about? Then it hit me; material positions really don’t make you happy. I’ve heard the expression ten thousand times before but now I get it. It’s not just some mindless cliché your parents use when they don’t feel like buying you every new gadget to hit the market, it really is true. If it weren’t, there wouldn’t be as many rich celebrities who have taken their own lives. The people of Los Pinos have sight, they have ears to hear the tranquil sounds of nature, they have family and they have friends. I mean, apart from God, what else do we need. For so many years I’ve been wrapped up in things that don’t matter. I’ve clung to things that won’t follow me into my Father’s Kingdom. So far I’ve only spent a few days in Los Pinos and it has already caused me to revaluate the things in my life that I thought were important and necessary. I don’t need my iPhone, a fancy car or a big house. The only thing I need is God, period.

Before I sign off I’d like to talk to you about a woman named Nina. Nina is an elderly woman who lives deep in the heart of Los Pinos. Our contact took us to meet her on Tuesday and my heart was broken from the moment I first saw her. She sat alone on her bed, dressed in black with her head down and tears in her eyes. Her house was almost completely dark and very depressing. The visit was quite normal. We talked to her, told her that she was loved and then finished off by praying over her. I’ll admit that I left her house quite discouraged. I expected there to be a complete shift in Nina while we prayed for her. I expected her to explode with joy and be filled with the Holy Spirit while were there with her but that didn’t happen.  Unfortunately, sometimes I lack patience and trust. I failed to remember that God does things on his timing, not mine. I wanted things done according to my agenda, but God had a different plan. Although I didn’t see it, a seed was planted that night. The next day we were to return to Nina’s house and I was a bit nervous. I felt awkward going back when I had prayed things in faith and I didn’t see them come to life. When we got there however, I was very surprised. Nina wasn’t sitting on the edge of her bed anymore and there were no tears in her eyes. She was filled with much more joy and energy than the day before! Praise God! Although that would be a good end to the story, it isn’t finished. Yesterday we visited Nina for a third time and she was even happier! This time she was walking around outside and wearing a colourful shirt. She greeted us with a smile and was very excited to see us. The excitement was mutual. We painted her nails, hung out and prayed for her again before leaving. Every time we’ve gone to visit her, she’s been filled with more and more of God’s joy, peace and hope. God is so good!
               
Please pray that God would continue to change and soften our hearts as well as the hearts of those we’re building relationships with; pray that God would use our hands to bring healing, restoration and hope to a broken people; and please pray that God would continue to invade the people of Honduras with His love.
 
On His schedule,

Kevin