Adventures of the Experience: International (Part 1 Honduras)

The past 11 days while I was overseas have been some of the most incredible days of the summer.  I got to work with two awesome teams, one in Honduras and another in the Dominican Republic. It was a crazy adventure with a lot of different plane, bus, and taxi rides but also included many life long memories where I watched God show up in the teams in really amazing ways.  This Blog is first of two blogs covering my time overseas “Part 1 Honduras ” and next will be “Part 2 The Dominican Republic.”

HONDURAS

Across the Seas 6/2-6/7 

My Honduras adventure started before I landed in the country and actually began in the Denver Airport as I was waiting to board the plane. As I was waiting for me plane to Texas then to Honduras i was reading my Bible and i happen to look over and there was this lady and it looked like she was reading a bible too and she was! as I was boarding the plane we had about a 30 second  conversation and found out she was headed to Honduras as well but this was her fourth trip. Once we landed in Huston around 1;30 we reconnected and then had close to a 2 hour conversation. Her name is Jami she has been to Honduras three times before for about a week each she is now over there for a little over a month and then she plans to, after graduating in a year, to move to Honduras for at least two years to live at a girls home in San Pedro Sula. We both shared stories of  different trips overseas we have been on, I shared about my time at KBM the past three years, and we also shared about our lives where we have come from and where God is taking us it was an awesome time that was life giving and a big encouragement to the both of us. We both then tried to get some sleep since it was about 3:30-4 am. somehow I manged to get a little shut eye, but I was soon awakened by what was a empty airport but now was a very busy and full airport within a hour. before we boarded we prayed over each other as we headed off for the same country but on different missions. I’m excited to see where God takes Jami where and whatever it is it’s going to be world changing.

When I landed my heart was very excited and i couldn’t wait to meet up the team. I had left about 7 hours after the Honduras team but was suppose to get there about 10 minutes before them but when I was headed down the escalator there was team Honduras to great me they had got there about 10 minutes before me! We got through customs pretty quickly. The airport lost power for a second that and the humidity really made reality sit in that i was once again overseas and i couldn’t be happier we were soon greeted by Marcia, who was on my experience team two years ago and hadn’t seen her since. I would have never imaged i would get to see this incredible women in her home country but God is good!

We all pilled in the van and made our way up through the mountain about 4 hours away to Copan where the team would be staying for about a little over a week. As we made our way there the team gazed out the windows in amazement at the beauty of the country side. We made a stop at a small gas station where some of us grabbed some cokes, for those that have been overseas and know what im talking about, Coke and over pop is so much better then it is in America.we finally made it to Copan and to Hotel MarJenny

  

when we got to the hotel we explored around it was a nice hotel but very different from in america we made our way to the upper roof area where there was about 5 hammocks, it soon became our favorite place and every time we were at the hotel we where up in the hammocks.  As we got settled and enjoying the hammocks Devin pulled his Guitar out and we entered into a sweet time of worship. The team then had a meeting discussing what the their time there looked like or what it might look like. Overseas plans always change! While the meeting was going on you could see a storm roll over the mountains and head for us. Honduras is in its rainy season so this was, like clock work, a daily occasion. As the storm rolled in we all stopped what we were doing and watched it! It was a refreshing moment not only physically but spiritually as well and was a perfect beginning to the time in Honduras! That evening we headed into the town to eat dinner at Marcia’s favorite restaurant. we ended up eating there about 4 times in the amount of time i was there. It was really good food but it might be the cause of why i got sick for the last two days in Honduras. That night Loren Hayes, one of the leader, did his “hot seat” where you share you God stories.  It is in three to four stages. First you share your story, then people can ask questions, and those that listened to the story then speak encouragement and truth into the persons life, and then you finish by circling up and praying for them.  It is a awesome way to grow as a team and let God get the glory from your story. It is super powerful. try it sometime!

    

The next day we started off with  a traditional Honduran breakfast and then spent some time for personal devotional and then headed back to the same restaurant for lunch and afterwords we went back to hotel and started getting ready to go on a hike to go see the Mayan Ruins but we got word that a bad storm was coming and wouldn’t be safe so we had to cancel those plans, which was slightly disappointing, but what more disappointing was that the storm never came… so we just took the afternoon to go down into the town center to a open square area where the team did a team building activity called “The Abyss!” If you know anything about this activity its frustrating and takes a bit of time to accomplish! one group of people took over 8 hours to complete! This team spent two hours up til dinner trying to figure it out but never did. I’m not sure if they have gone back to trying it but to my knowledge they haven’t completed it yet. About 30-40 minutes into the activity that storm, that was suppose to come around lunch time, came through and the team continued on soaking wet. While we watched the team try to figure it out the leaders met a couple that where missionaries in Copan. We got to hear their story and hear their heart for this area.  After drying off and getting dinner we gathered back in the hotel in our favorite spot and Jamey shared his “Hot Seat” about this time is when i started feeling sick with stomach pain and a head ache.

 

                  

The next morning I work up worse and skipped breakfast. The team was going to a village that day and I didn’t want to miss out because I was leaving the next day. Luckily by the time we were ready to leave i was feeling somewhat better so i joined in. I probably would have gone anyways just because of who i am and that im the photography and I “needed” to be there to take pictures.  We all pilled into the back of the truck and headed out. we went back through the mountains and then off the main road onto a dirty/rock/mud road to some remote mountain villages. Where Marcia and couple do a lot of work at. As soon as we arrived we were met by two little boys who soon ran back down the hill and about a minute later about 10 kids show up. most of them are really shy and wont come up to you but just starred and then ran off. As we entered the village we saw that there where a lot of kids in a classroom. We made our way into the school which consisted of one room with one teacher but 4-5 different grades. The next 30-40 minutes consisted of some introductions of who we are and where we were from and slowly the kids warmed up to us and the team did a few skits and songs and then the kids asked us questions and taught us a game. some of the team had a hard time engaging because they didn’t know Spanish and the kids didn’t know English for the exception of a few of the team that knew at least enough to have conversation but as time went on and as they went to another school house, which was a lot smaller, they began to look past he language barrier and started engaging more with the students with games, songs, chasing/being chased by the kids, and wrestling with them. Several of the Experience students began picking up some Spanish quickly and started interacting by speaking to some of the kids and adults which was cool to watch. The team came alive and loved well. i personally felt like crap and wanted to sleep but watching the team interact gave me life and i was able to capture some of these photos below. After spending time with these kids we headed out around lunch time and made our way down to a another village where there were some adult or elders of the village were who Marcia works with. They are going through a lot with little water supply, death and injuries, and spiritual darkness. The team and got to pray over the village and the people there. At this time my stomach stopped hurting but i then had some of the worst heartburn i’ve ever. It felt like someone was stabbing me in the chest with a knife. Andrea saw that i was not feeling good and turned from the group and prayed over me. pretty soon the heartburn decrease and i was feeling a little better. While I was sitting there a massive turkey decided to come right up to me and almost charge me. Id like to say i stood my ground… but it might  have it startled me and i might have jumped up and away pretty quickly, and a old lady might have come to my rescue and scared it off with a stick… but dint worry when it came back i stood my ground and even lightly kicked it away with my foot!

                                          We made our way back to the hotel where i slept for a good bit in one of the hammocks till dinner which was brought to us that night. After that Heather shared here God Story. It was the first time she had every shared this. It was awesome to see her open up and let us into her life on a deeper level. It brought a lot of freedom for her and helped us know how to love her better. In the morning we got mangos and that just made the whole day better! At this time I was feeling somewhat better but know I had bowel problems and had diarrhea and actually still not 100% recovered from that still! in the morning we headed off for another village. But because of all the rains we couldn’t make it all the way to the  village so we climbed this hill to a open area that the kids play soccer and did just that play soccer. For a while it was just the team and we played some soccer. Parts of the ground was muddy and wet and a lot of us took some hard falls into the ground or on the edge of the field where drop-offs and holes and I fell down one once chasing the ball. soon the kids showed up again they where very shy and timid and it was hard to get them to interact with us. slowly by kicking the ball to them we got them to play along and eventually got them taking turns shooting on goal and then finally we got a game going on. It was so hot that day and i got a major sun burn but i didn’t care at all I could have stayed there all day and played with the kids it was so much fun playing soccer and watching the kids and students fall into the mud. as the photographer I played while holding my camera and taking pictures all at the same time! such a blast! Sadly we had to rap things up, b/c of me. I was headed out pretty soon to head to the DR, but before we left there we handed out little booklets and candy to the kids and also gathered them all up with the parents that were there and prayed over them all Once I got back to the hotel i had to quickly pack to head for the bus station and had not time for a shower so i traveled coated in mud. As I prepared to leave the team came around me and prayed over me and sent me off with their blessings. It was hard to leave but i was excited to work with the DR team.

                                

I made my way to the bus station where i said my goodbyes to Marcia and got on the charter bus which took me back down the mountains 4 hours to San Pedro Sula where i spent the night in a  Hotel by myself. While at the hotel I tried to head out into the city to maybe buy something with my lempiras and get some food but the security guard tried to explain to me in Spanish that it was to dangerous to go out after dusk so I had to stay in the boundaries of the hotel, which lucky it was a very nice hotel almost like one in america. Since i could go out to get food i ordered Pizza Hut and spent the night at the pool swimming and eating pizza.

In the morning the taxi driver that brought me from bus stop station to hotel picket me up and took me to the airport. I found a gift shop inside and got to spend some of my lemiras. wow my time in Honduras was over before i realized it. Even though i was sick for most of it and only spent a few day there i really saw God work in the students lives as they interacted with the kids and themselves. God is doing some big things in there lives and can’t wait to hear all about it! Next stop Panama for a connecting flight and then its off to the Dominican Republic!!!

-Relentless Warrior