Take a glimpse

I wanted to take some time to really give you a solid picture of what God is allowing us to do in Honduras.  He has opened the door to many ministry opportunities and is continuing to bring forth many others.

As I have shared before, we travel to Los Estados Unidos (18^th Street gang village) every Monday.  We meet with the homies’ (gang members in prison) families and the guys play soccer with the kids.  We start off the afternoon in one house and have bible study with a local family.  For fun, we have been teaching them how to cook certain foods and have played some really hilarious games. 

We tied donuts to strings and raced to see who could eat them the fastest!  So funny!

Once we are finished, we walk to another house and visit with a very special family.  They are an older couple that just recently had a baby girl, along with having three other daughters and an older son.  The father has been out of work for months and has no way of providing for his family.  God, however, always provides and someone has volunteered to support this family every month.  The girls are dying to go to school but they have not had the funds, so this monthly support is helping the young girls attend school.  When we visited last week, we walked in the home to find the baby screaming and the mother all alone and struggling to keep strong.  Stress and worry flooded her face but she put on a smile for us.  We sat down with her and we shared with her that her family would be receiving support money every month.  She began to cry and relief took over sadness. 

Our last stop every Monday is Norma’s pulperia (corner store).  Norma is a precious woman with a teenage son and daughter.  She also has an older son who is in prison.  Every week, Norma prepares food for us and offers us a place to sit and relax.  She refuses to take money for the food she prepares.  Language is still a barrier for me but no words are needed when you look at her face – tired, afraid and weary.  The police raid her home on a weekly basis because they are purposely looking for a reason to cause trouble.  The police know that her oldest son is in prison for gang activity and they are hoping to accuse her younger son of the same offense.  However, he is innocent.  When we visited two weeks ago, her younger son was gone.  The police had raided her home at 4 in the morning the Thursday before and beat him.  They saw the boy wearing Nike tennis shoes (Nike is one symbol for the 18^th Street gang) and came to attack him.  Because she was fearful of what may happen, Norma sent her son away for a couple of weeks.  Her daughter lives in fear and suffers from panic attacks on a regular basis.

If you read my previous post, you heard about the family that lives in severe poverty by the river.  We saw the need and prayed that God will allow us to help this family.  Because of the financial support I receive from so many generous hearts, myself and another person were able to fully supply new clothes, shoes and other necessities for this family of almost 30.  Last Saturday, we spent our morning and afternoon bathing the children, cutting and styling everyone’s hair, painting nails, dressing them in their new clothes and taking individual/family photos of them.  There are no men that live there because they are in prison.  Due to this, they never get to see their family.  The photos that were taken will be shared and given to the men in prison, which will be one of the only connections they still have to their families.

 Every other Tuesday, Ms. Lisa and myself lead a teen girl’s bible study.  Young girls from Valle (Valley of the Angels) meet with us in a little church.  Ms. Lisa and I have scheduled topics that we feel are important for these girls.  The girls have so much energy and are thirsty for love and attention.  It can be challenging because they have a difficult time focusing and really listening to what we want to say.  However, God is allowing us to love on them and spend time with them, and sometimes that can be just what people need.

 Hard to believe that I only have four months left in Honduras.  God has already spoken to my heart about where my path may lead.  My heart has been burdened for people who need love and a voice, and God has shown me that He desires for me to continue with missions.  While my path may take me away from Honduras, I have said many times before that we are all called to be missionaries.  There are needs in all corners of the earth.  Along with having the opportunity to live in Honduras, God has opened another door for me to travel to Africa.  In July, I will spend two weeks in Kenya.  During my time in Kenya, I will be ministering to the local people, helping to finish building a school for orphaned children and loving on those on those sweet children.  I am eternally grateful that God is orchestrating opportunities for me and many others to serve Him around the world.  My prayer is that you would pray for these ministries, the people and for the needs of so many.  Pray that they would be met and pray that God will burden your heart for how you can help serve.  I know that sometimes we cannot be the one to actually go, however, God allows us to serve by giving to those who can go.  For what you have already given and for what is to come, thank you for your spiritual support and for your financial support.  Changing lives and spreading the love of Christ in Honduras and Africa would not be possible without generous hearts.  I am simply the body that God is using and you are just as much a part of this as I am.

If you would like to support this mission in Honduras or my upcoming mission to Africa, you may e-mail me or write a check to Lauren Wood (please send to Canton First Baptist Church Canton, NC 28716 and write Honduras or Africa in the memo blank). 

When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them.  Always be eager to practice hospitality.

Romans 12:13

Reflections and Resolutions

Hard to believe that Christmas and time at home have come and gone.  I had anticipated it for so long and it went by so quickly.  I was definitely in need of a refresher and time at home proved to be exactly what I was hoping for.  I don’t think I had one day to just sit and relax, but I was so happy to see family, friends and the sweet familiarity of small-town life.  It made me very excited and hopeful for the future. 

As we are now at the beginnings of a new year, it is the “norm” to reflect upon the last year and make goals for the new one.  I think this may be the first year I am deciding to not focus my energy on a diet/exercise plan, which I know won’t last more than 3 days, but to set my eyes on more internal pursuits.  Before I get to my resolutions for the New Year, I want to share just a few experiences and reflections from 2011.

• This time last year, I was counting down the weeks until my 8-day mission trip to San Ignacio, Honduras.  During this time and the weeks prior, I had been praying that God would direct my next move.  I didn’t know if I should stay in Charlotte or move home, but I could feel God preparing me for something greater.  Looking back a year later, I can’t believe that I am now living in Honduras.  Over this past year, I have been able to see how big our God really is.
• I went from having a decent paying job to a job where I depend on the hearts and donations of others.  This has been a challenge.  However, it was a lesson and an experience that I know God wanted me to have.  Financially, I could be very selfish and materialistic.  God has opened my eyes to greater needs than having the latest fashion trend and what it really means to rely on him.
• I have realized how truly blessed I am to have the friends and family I do.  They are a constant encouragement and support – my prayer warriors.  This is one perfect example of life’s greatest treasures that money cannot buy.
• Unfortunately, I have come to realize what an evil monster judgment can be.  I have experienced anger, hurt, confusion and judgment from others and in my own thoughts that have broken my spirits.  I have learned to not expect so much from other people, rather to expect from God.  He is the only one that will always meet and exceed our expectations.  He never forsakes us or lets us down.
• People are not always going to like you.  I have lived the majority of my life working to please others and gain their approval.  You and I can’t do this.  Know who you are and be proud of that.  God made you the way you are and He makes no mistakes.  Take the negativity from others and allow it to grow and strengthen you.  My mom always told me that the only person you have to answer for at the end of your life is yourself and no one else.
• You do not have to move to a foreign country to be a missionary.  At every place in this world, people are hurting.  God calls us to love and we can do that every minute of every day.  Be a missionary.
• Step out of your comfort zone.  We cannot and will not grow if we remain complacent.  I know it can be scary and uncertain but I believe that if we follow God’s call and we strive to work and love in His name, He will guide and protect our paths.  Do not do yourself an injustice by living “safe” and “comfortable.”  Christ sure didn’t choose that path.
• Lastly, be thankful.  Be thankful you woke up this morning and are blessed to live in a place where you have everything you need.  I think I am correct in saying that you have a warm home, food in your cabinets, a car to drive, money to buy the items you need, clothes to keep you warm, freedom to believe as you choose and many other comforts of life in the United States.  And even as extras, many of us have the latest technological items, expensive accessories, the opportunity to take vacations and many other luxuries.  Until I visited and then moved to a third world country, I did not realize how much I had to be thankful for.  Daily, I see severe poverty, hunger, filth and hurt that I never saw at home.  Please do not take this as discounting the hurt and struggles of many in the United States; however, I think we are all guilty of putting our blinders up and refusing to see the needs around us.  We (myself included) get so comfortable in the “easiness” of our lives and we forget to notice the hardships of others.  We see the newest trend and our now older version isn’t good enough.  We decide to donate an old coat to someone in need and then go by ourselves a brand new coat.  Why is that we didn’t buy the person in need the new coat?  There is more to be done than just donating at Thanksgiving and Christmas.  There is more to be done than volunteering twice a year.  There is more to be done than saying a prayer.  Faith without action is dead.  We see the needs and our hearts break, but do we really do everything we can to see that it is changed?

Resolutions.  Goals.  Hopes.  While all of us have probably considered a diet or new exercise routine, let’s choose an internal makeover instead.  For 2012, I choose to open my eyes and my heart.  I want to love in a more Christ-like way.  I want to be eager to sincerely forgive and see others the way Christ sees them.  I want to find the place where the needs of others are more important to me than my own needs (or should I say wants).  Above all, I choose to glorify God instead of myself.  I am the body that God has simply chosen to do the physical work, but God is the moving force inside of and behind me.  Our accomplishments our not our own; praises and glory be to God and what HE can do in this New Year!

Thanks-living

My apologies for not writing in a few weeks.  I promise that I have had very good intentions but it just happened to be that everytime I was ready to write, the power went out.  I have been watching Good Morning America and have heard about the crazy weather going on in the U.S.  Honduras has had some crazy weather, too.  It has been ridiculously windy and very cold, well, for Honduras anyway.  Today's blog is going to serve as an update.  A lot of exciting things have been going on in the last few weeks.

This was my first Thanksgiving away from my family.  I have always been a home-body and never thought that i would miss a holiday with my family.  To be honest, I was dreading it.  However, it turned out to be one of the best!  At school, I was in charge of the Thanksgiving festivities.  The students helped me decorate the cafeteria for a our Thanksgiving feast, complete with a homemade placecard for each student.  The teachers all prepared a Thanksgiving dish and we served the students a traditional holiday meal.  It was quite humorous to see some of the kid's faces when they tried some of the "American" dishes.  Guess that's what I look like when I try a lot of the local food.  When the students were finished eating, we made oreo turkeys.  They had a blast!  God bless their parents because they left school that day being hyped up on pumpkin cake, pumpkin pie, oreo turkeys, and extra helpings of all the candy leftovers.  After feasting, we led the students in Thanskgiving station games.  There was a coloring station for the little kids, pin-the-feathers-on-the-turkey, and Thanskgiving bingo.  They had a blast!  We ended the day circling up and sharing what we were thankful for.  Talk about emotional when you listen to 14 former orphans share what they are thankful for.  Many of them said they were thankful for the teachers because we had left our families to come teach them.  Tear-jerker, isn't it?  On Thanksgiving day, I spent the morning in the ktichen preparing food.  This was my first year actually cooking something for the meal.  I made crockpot macaroni and cheese, pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese filling, and russian tea.  For those of you from Haywood County, are we the only ones who know about russian tea?  I have yet to meet someone outside of Haywood County that knows what it is.  Anyway, it has been a huge hit...I think I might mass produce and sell it as a side job.  For Thanksgiving dinner, we spent the evening at the orphanage.  Thankfully, it reminded me a lot of home.  There was lots of noise, laughter, and delicious food.  I did miss my family very much but feel very lucky to have been able to spend a Thanksgiving in Honduras with my new family, friends, and sweet kiddies.

Oreo turkeys at school

Thanksgiving at the orphanage

The orphanage was already decorated for Christmas.  Each child has an ornament with their name on it.

During our next visit, the ladies wanted to cook chop suey for us.  The routine of our visit is that the guys play soccer with the kids and us girls meet with the women.  I had heard wonderful things about this chop suey and was eager to see the ladies cook.  Unlike our "typical" homes, these ladies live in homes with pieced-together rooves and walls, dirt or cement floors, and outdoor cooking and bathing rooms.  We went to the outdoor kitchen and watched these women cook over a handmade cement stove.  They would go back and forth between inserting more firewood and walkng outside to the washbasin to clean dishes.  Everything was very old-school.  The food was delicious...it contained noodles, butter, spices, vegetables, loads of salt, chicken, and hot dogs.  They love hot dogs over here!

Tomorrow we will visit this village and will teach the women how to make Christmas cookies.  Their hope is that they can learn to make cookies and sell them for money.  If it were my choice, every single person in the United States would travel to a third-world country and see how so many in this world live.  I am not saying that people in the U.S. don't have problems or struggle, but I think that if we saw the troubles that others faced on a daily basis, we would gladly choose our troubles over their's.

Hard to believe but God has already started speaking to me about what I may need to do in the future.  Crazy to think that I have only been here since August and God is already preparing me for the next step.  Please, if you have never traveled and distanced yourself from comfort and normalcy, go and don't look back.  Whether it's for a week, a month, a year, or longer, just go!  God will bless you and teach you so much more than you could ever imagine.

As I am preparing to head home for Christmas in two weeks, I will admit that I am nervous.  I have seen and been exposed to so many hurts, faces, stories, and different ways of life, and I am worried that I will have a hard time adjusting back to a society that is known to be selfish.  At the end of each day, I feel so extremely grateful for the life I have been given.  While I am thankful, I don't want to become complacent.  There is so much need and help to be given and so many stories that haven't been heard.  None of us can do it alone.  How do we motivate?  How do we start?  Is it possible to really change the world for the better?

Lauren

Birthdays, blessings, and burdens

This is the first time I am writing to all of you as a 25-year old...eek!!  How in the world did I get to be 25?  I feel like I was just 17 a week ago.  It's crazy how fast time flies the older you get.  I'll admit, I was a little worried about not being around my usual friends and family for my birthday; I thought that I wouldn't enjoy the day as much.  Well, was I ever wrong!  It turned out to be the best birthday yet!  The day began bright and early with an e-mail from my dad....they usually call me once it is officially my birthday, but e-mail was the only route this year.  My family had also sent me cards and I opened those before I even stepped out of bed.  Out of normal routine, I came downstairs before we left, grabbed my luncbox, opened it to get my breakfast, and surprisingly found a card.  I had mentioned to Dom that my mom used to write notes and put them in my lunchbox, so he wrote me a birthday note and placed it in my lunchbox.  How thoughtful!!  When I got to school, everyone greeted me with enthusiasm and hugs (students always make birthdays so much better)!  For all of you who were expecting me to meet someone over here, well...I have a boyfriend.  He is from Honduras, has the cutest smile, and is in the 4th grade....so, not actually my boyfriend, but he thinks he is.  Little Manuel brought me the most beautiful calla lilies for my birthday!  God love him, he made his mom take him out the night before so he could get them.  He was so excited to give them to me.  The day continued to get better and better....my students were being very sneaky and after lunch, Mr. Dom had to "distract" me.  Once they were ready, they blindfolded me and led me to my classroom.  When they opened the door and took away the blindfold, I was surprised with music, shouts of birthday wishes, food, and decorations.  My students had rearranged the classroom and had the coolest party waiting for me....complete with Justin Bieber singing "Happy Birthday" (not the real thing, unfortunately)!  They had brought snacks, made cookies and punch, bought pink plates because pink is my favorite, made a beautiful birthday banner, and even made hand-made treat bags for all the teachers.  I was blown-away at the effort, time, and thoughtfulness they put into everything.  We spent the rest of the afternoon having a dancing party, complete with the cha-cha slide, macarena, and cotton eye joe (just for me).  Mrs. Julie's students made me a birthday video (on my facebook), Mr. Dom's students made a huge card that the whole school signed, along with many other cards, notes, and gifts.  While gifts are great, the love they showed me was the greatest gift of all!  After school, us teachers went to the mall and then met a group of friends for sushi!  The birthday blessings didn't end there...friends paid for my dinner and had bought gifts.  On our way home, we stopped at the grocery store and while standing in line, was approached by a needy family.  The mother needed toothpaste for her little girl.  My heart broke at the sight, so I gave her the money she needed for the toothpaste.  However, my heart still hurt for her; I could do more than just give money for toothpaste.  With the financial gifts I've been blessed with, God was able to use me to bless this family with toothpaste and a few groceries.  Dom even gave them some extra money.  Now, that's how every birthday should be spent...giving to others, rather than receiving all day.  To put an end to the day, Mama Tye and Pastor Pete had made a delicious cake for me.  God has truly blessed me with the most wonderful new friends and family.  I felt so loved the entire day, not just from those in Honduras, but from so many of those at home who took time to write to me. I was not excited to turn 25, but it has definitely gotten off to a good start!  I think it may be a really good year! ;o)

My kiddos

The beautiful table and decorations

Hand-made gift bags

http://youtu.be/5nom4MuVADI

Link to my birthday surprise video


http://youtu.be/NTcMP4qoHpM
Link to my class dancing to "Cotton Eye Joe".  Thought I'd bring a little country to Honduras.

So, I have always been a big believer in that God works in mysterious ways, and this may seem like a very small way, but it was one that has meant so much to me.  I have been wanting a really good book to read for my quiet time and had heard awesome things about "Radical" by David Platt.  There really aren't any options for buying such a book here and downloading sucks up our internet.  God must have known that I wanted and needed to read this book because my Aunt Ricki bought it for me and sent it as a surprise.  I was thrilled!!  I have spent the last few days reading, and let me tell you, it's intense.  If you have not picked up this book, you need to.  I am just two chapters in and it is changing my life.  The whole revelation behind the book is how we have taken Christ and the gospel and manipulated it into what we think it should be.

I want to share a quick excerpt with you.  Just to preface, Platt is writing about a trip he was planning to take in 2004 to Sudan.  He was reading a Christian news publication and came across two headlines side by side.

On the left one headline read, "First Baptist Church Celebrates New $23 Million Building"....On the right was a much smaller aticle.  The headline for it read, "Baptist Relief Helps Sudanese Refugees"...Now, remember what was on the left: "First Baptist Church Celebrates New $23 Million Building."  On the right the article said, "Baptists have raised $5,000 to send to refugees in western Sudan."  

Five thousdand dollars.

That is not enough to get a plan into Sudan, much less one drop of water to people who need it.

I literally gasped out loud when I read this.  When did we become this way?  When did our priorities become the outward appearance of buildings, rather than the needs and salvation of people?  I will be the first to admit that I focus too much on the outward and what looks good.  Like I said, this book changes your life!  I won't spoil it for you, but we have created a God in our minds that isn't even close to the true God.  We like our nice buildings, catchy songs, and fun retreats, but what if our relationship with God meant that we had to hide in dark room terrified that we would be killed if we were found?  The book talks about this; there are people in Asia who spend 12 or more hours a day in pursuit of God and His word, while hiding in a dark room - no lights, comfortable chairs, screens, projectors, or instruments.  Would God and His word be enough for you?  Shame on me for feeling so sad and sorry for myself when i first arrived here.  Yes, I was away from what I considered "normal" or "comfortable" but I did not have to hide; I live in a beautiful house, always have food to eat, transportation, and spend my day teaching at a Christian school where we worship God freely.  What will it take for us to realize that God IS enough?  I urge you, read this book, learn from it, and step away from comfortable.  Nothing Christ did was comfortable.

Wearing away the surface

The past week or so has been crazy busy!  We were wrapping up the first quarter of school, which means lots of review and then exams.  As a group, we are all beginning to get involved in many different “extracurricular activities”, which makes for really long days.  Just to get you up to speed…

• I have started teaching the girls some basic cheerleading moves and cheers.  Our school does not have a mascot or colors, so we have been brainstorming ideas.  As of now, our favorite is the Honors Academy Crusaders and our colors being royal blue and gold.  Sounds good, doesn’t it?  I am dying to buy the girls little t-shirts, skirts/shorts, and big bows for their hair!  If you would be interested in donating to the cause, just let me know! :o)
• The four of us teachers are becoming quite the little family.  We have begun praying together at dinner, having “family talks” in the evening, and are really working as a team.  Honestly, we didn’t do this until recently.  I expressed that I didn’t feel like we were uplifting and encouraging one another in the way we should, so we all talked about it, and come to find out, we all had the same thoughts.  We also talked about how we really wanted to be more than just “teachers.”  Yes, teaching is a top priority, but what are we doing that is really ministering to the people of Honduras?  We are starting by preparing a meal once a week for our neighborhood.  We pass so many people on our road but we never stop to talk with them.  We thought providing a free meal would be a good start!  We are also going to host a Thanksgiving Food Drive at the school.  We want to get the kids involved in helping those in need, so we are starting to collect food and other items for families in need.  If you would like to help support this effort, just let me know! :o)
• My birthday is officially less than a week away…25…half way to 50…mid-twenties…UGH!  Can’t say that I’m super excited about this one. 
• I can now say that I get to go home NEXT MONTH!!  I really love my life in Honduras, but I cannot even express the excitement I feel about going home for Christmas.  There is literally nothing I have ever been more excited about!

I know I always say this but only because it’s so true…leaving home and being taken away from everything you know really surfaces so many thoughts, emotions, questions, confusions, hopes for the future, and so much more.  Over the past few weeks, I have been exposed to many things that I am not familiar with, and some things that I’m not comfortable with.  It is hard to understand how as Christians we can all have so many different opinions and beliefs about certain issues.  I have also become aware of the fact that Christians can be some of the most judgmental and close-minded people.  It is a very unfortunate truth.  I’ve come to realize that I have spent most of my life just skimming the surface of Christianity; the very “basic” story of growing up in church, going to Sunday School, youth group, church events, “reading” the Bible, praying, and being a “good” Christian.  While all of these are wonderful and help strengthen our fellowship with God and others, being a Christian is so much deeper and I feel that I am just beginning to grasp the full concept.  What I have realized about my faith as a Christian since I’ve been in Honduras:

• When you feel all alone and like you have 1,000 pounds weighing you down, God truly is the only One who can give you rest.  So many times I have gone to other people for answers that would make me feel better in that moment, but lasting peace only comes from Christ.
• The Bible is so much more than an index of feel-good quotes whenever we just need something to make us feel better.
• When we seek joy and God’s desires for us, not our desires, we are able to focus less on ourselves and more on others. 
• We are made from God’s image and He is made from ours.  I heard this in a message and it really hit me hard.  Do people see me or do they God in me?  My prayer is that I am just the vessel that God uses, while He is the one manning the vessel.
• Being stripped of everything “normal,” comfortable, and reassuring is the hardest, most difficult experience, but is also the most rewarding, strengthening, and revealing experience.  Sometimes God has to distance us from every distraction so that He may reveal buried feelings and expose desires, aspirations, and truths that we would have otherwise never known.

 I sometimes wonder who I will be at the end of this journey.  I can already see and feel myself changing.  I also think about the challenges I may face when I move back home.  Life in a third-world country is so indescribably different from life in the United States.  God is really speaking to me about the next step in my life and I pray that while I’m in Honduras, I seek every opportunity and take advantage of my time here.  As the days pass by, I pray that I am able to break the surface and truly be a vessel of Christ from the inside out, not the other way around. 

Lauren