A Different Kind of Exhaustion

As you can tell, none of my blogs are going to be short! When I finally get started writing, I can’t stop.

Monday we went to a village called San Isidro. It seemed it was going to be a visit much like the teams I have been with in the past have done. Boy, was I mistaken! When we arrived the children came running. It is always so amazing how they instinctively know we are there for them. Before we began playing with them we went into the school and visited with the adults. Jase had us introduce ourselves and he then thanked them for having us here. When he was finished Eguardo spoke. I wish you could hear him. He is a Chorti man who God has truly provided for our mission teams. He is the human “way in” to the Chorti villages. He is the vessel God uses to allow us access to these people. The people know and respect him, and he does not mince words with them. He tells the men how to be Godly husbands and fathers, and he does it in a way that is sometimes harsh, but he always gets his point across. He is a man of conviction. He is a wonderful husband and devoted father, and is very respected among the Chorti people, even though he lives in a town and not one of the villages. I cannot understand his words, but his passion for Christ and for the Chorti people is undeniable. We gathered all the children around and played games with them. They could play for hours. Some were playing with the parachute, and others were playing soccer. There was a group playing Duck, Duck, Goose while some jumped rope. Next was a Bible Story. Our teams tell the story AND act it out. Yes, this day was going much as the previous trips I have been on. Things were about to change dramatically. Marcia, Amber, Audrey, and I went to a woman’s house. Her husband is a Christian. I couldn’t really tell where she was spiritually. She and her daughters were now going to the Catholic Church. (Amber wrote all about it in her blog, so I won’t repeat it.) About the time we finished there, we divided into groups to “Prayer Walk”. In my naïve mind I thought we would wander around the village praying out loud. For some reason I thought this would all be done outdoors. (I told you it was naïve.) Each group went separate ways. When we came to a home we would ask them if we could pray. They would then invite us in. These people are so hospitable! They WANT you to come into their homes. I think about the times I’m embarrassed when friends come over and my home doesn’t look as I would like it to.

When we went into the first home the first thing I noticed was a very small child…I guessed about a year old, sitting on the dirt floor. He was filthy. He had on what was once a white t-shirt. His feet and legs were pure filth. The air was stifling hot. It was the middle of the day, the stove was going (NOT our kind of stoves…it is the heat of an open campfire, only right in the middle of the room), and the windows were partially closed. The woman asked us to pray for health for her family and for the crops. She pointed to the little boy and said he is three and has never walked. I thought he was about ONE! I was the one to pray in that home, and Arely was translating. As I began praying for that small child I became pretty emotional. To be asked by that woman to pray for her children and her family was a very humbling experience. I believe many of the infirmities that have befallen these people are “easy fixes” in the US. After many tears, when we left that home, we then went to another home. It seemed to be a better kept home. I thought to myself, “This is a much better situation than the previous home.” There was even an OLD sewing machine in one corner, and one of the girls there said she was going to try to learn to sew. Again, it was very hot. When Arely asked the girl how we could pray for them my whole image of this home changed. The girl could hardly speak she was so emotional. You see, her mother had died just a short time ago, and it was her, her father and several of her sisters living here. As I began to pray I honestly got choked on my words. I don’t know how Arely could even begin to translate through my weeping, but she did. I know we have children who lose parents and loved ones in the US, but here life is so much harder, even with both parents. Things are so much more difficult when that happens. After going to several other homes, we arrived at the last house we were to pray in. The woman did not want us to come inside, but she did want us to pray for her family. One of her sons was sick. He had gotten very sick the night before and had diarrhea and vomiting. He even had to run around the corner outside the throw up while we were there. Eguardo followed him around the corner. When they came back he told the mother he wanted her to come with us and we would take them down the mountain to the doctor. When we left the village we took the woman, her son, and a daughter down with us. While we ate lunch at the Mission house, Steve and Eguardo took them to the doctor. They got some medicine, and Eguardo took them home. If we had not been there, things could have been much different. I am amazed by how God’s timing works everything out. As I left that village I was more emotionally drained than with anything else we had done on any of my previous trips here. Audrey had told me “Prayer Walking” was an emotional roller coaster, but I did not fully understand the depth of that until that moment.

I thank God for each of you and the prayers you have uttered on our behalf. We love you, my brothers and sisters in Christ.

Trisha

Amber---July 6, 2011

I feel I have to backtrack a bit in order to show how amazing our Father is. Monday was a very emotional day. I think for most of us it tugged at our hearts like nothing we have ever experienced. Yesterday was a much different day. We went to a village called Hacienda De San Juan. We began our trip with about an hour drive up a mountain. There was a bridge washed out so we had to hike the rest of the way. I have never been so physically tired. We hiked for what we think was about two miles. The closest example I can think of is hiking up the hill by the walking park in deep ruts, with mud, and twice a steep in 99 percent humidity. When we got there we began to play with some children, then we went to their school. It was a very fun day. We laughed and played with the kids for a long time. Because we had to hike back down the hill we did not do any prayer walking. So even though it was physically draining, it was not emotionally draining. I know that God was giving us a break because he knew what was in store for us today. We went to a village called Barbasco. When we arrived the children were about to eat some watermelon. Audrey took me to see the classroom and it was incredible. They had much more materlialistically than the villages we went to previously. Audrey told me that she could tell there was a major “gringo” influence there. There were 2 girls volunteering at the school; one from England and one from New York. We all gathered in the classroom like we did at the first village. The Chorti people seemed very glad we were there. They are the nicest people… Very welcoming. Some of us were greeted with hugs and kisses from a few of the ladies. Marcia asked us to introduce ourselves then JASE asked me to tell them what we wanted to do that day. He did not ask Sean, Todd, Steve - he asked me and I promise I almost had a heart attack. Talk about putting you on the spot!! It was fine really J After I was done Jase spoke for a few minutes and then Sean, Clare, Whitney and, Todd sang Revelation song. Then some thing amazing happened. They wanted to sing “When the Role is Called Up Yonder”! I wish I had my flip camera to record how beautiful it was. We were all singing the same song, in two different languages, praising the same God. I just know that’s what heaven will be like. When we were done we played a few games and half of us went prayer walking and the other half went to another school just up the mountain. There is basically one huge village with about 75 families but because a county line runs in between the village one side is called Barbasco Copan and the other side is called Barbasco Cabannas. I was with Steve, Todd, Clare, Hayden, and Marcia. We arrived at the first house and we got to pray with Adrianna. She is expecting her 5^th baby, and is due in 3 months. She was very nice and welcoming. At our next house we met a 80ish year old lady whose name was Maria. She was a widow and she lived with her 30-year-old son. She told us that she has walked into town yesterday to get money but her name was not on the list. From what I understand it’s some kind of government assistance program. Since her name was not on the list they sent this sweet woman away to walk back up the mountain in the rain. She wanted us to pray for her health, her home, and safety for her son. She told us that she belongs to Jesus and he takes care of her. (I have to tell you this. In this culture they do not pray as we do where we all bow our heads and one person prays. They all pray out loud at the same time) So when Clare began to pray and Maria starting praying right along with her. I have no idea what she was saying but I’m telling you it was POWERFUL. I felt something there. I know we had the presence of the Lord right there with us. So we went to the next house and Maria’s Daughter-in-law lived there. She told us that her husband had died 3 months ago and she was left with 5 small kids. She told us that she was given some food to feed her kids but its almost gone and she does not know how she is going to feed her family. Her oldest son is still in elementary school and her oldest daughter who is probably 8 had to stop going to school to stay home and help out. At this point, Marcia and I have tears pouring from our eyes. I could feel that this lady, who is probably younger than I am, feels that her situation is hopeless. You might think that our visits to the homes gets better… well they don’t. At the next house, a man whose wife has been gone for 12 days trying to deliver their baby greeted us. He did not want her to have a c-section because she would not be able to lift heavy things and therefore could not work. Instead of anger I felt compassion for him. In these villages it takes every one contributing to the family to survive. As we continued we were asked to lay hands an an 18 yr old boy who has epilepsy and we also prayed for a young family who is loosing their faith in God because the circumstances here are so bad. This village has two churches in it. The Church of God and a Catholic church. Almost everyone we talked to went to the Church of God. This village had more “things” such as electricity and one house even had a cement floor. But the emotional needs were great. I hardly said a word the whole way home I left with a very heavy heart for the Chorti people. Tami kept telling me over and over that I would fall in love with these people down here I she was right - I have. There is so much work to be done here that it is overwhelming. But I know that I know God has a plan.

Needs!!

I will blog about our days this afternoon. Right now I need to give you some needs!! We have a team leaving EARLY in the morning for Honduras. If God lays it on your heart to send any of these items with them, please do so:

Laptop computer

Wireless mouse

Computer paper

Peanut Butter

Ziploc bags---sandwich, quart, gallon

Gatorade

Chocolate---this is for Audrey---any woman would understand our need for chocolate!! It is about $20.00 US dollars for a bag of Hershey's here.

We are going to a village today that none of us have ever been to. Please pray that the Holy Spirit has gone ahead of us and prepared the heart of the people.

Love you guys!

Trish

The Workers Are Few

My heart is so broken for some of the things we have seen here. These people work so hard for so little. I truly don't know anyone who would be willing to live under the conditions they do, and yet, it is a way of life for them. Yesterday as we walked up the mountain to Hacienda de San Juan I was asking Marcia, our Honduran friend, and sister in Christ, if the people realized the beauty of their surroundings. She said that some of them probably did, but not all of them. They are too busy trying to feed their families and survive. Once we got to the village (after about an hour of almost straight up climbing!), one of the older ladies came up and asked Marcia if we thought where she lived was pretty. I told Marcia to assure her we have nothing like this where we are from, and that it is muy bonito (not sure about the spelling, but it means very beautiful).

I know I keep going on and on about the climb, and how difficult the journey was yesterday, but I assure you, there is a point to this. Steve and Audrey Long have been coming to Honduras for many years. They began coming on Mission teams, but for the past several years they have volunteered to come down and work while the missionaries that were placed here went back to the states on leave. They generally spent about two months out of the year in Honduras continuing the work of Billy and Mary Collins while they took a much needed rest back home. Steve and Audrey have been a part of, and led, many medical teams, prayer walking teams, and evangelistic teams into this country. They have been very obedient to God's call for the Chorti people. But without mincing words I am just going to say, they are not as young as they used to be. Their intent was never to live down here for as long as they have. Last fall medical reasons prevented Billy and Mary from remaining in Honduras. The IMB (International Mission Board) had already determined that when Billy and Mary retired they would not be sending any more missionaries to this area. They (the IMB) believed there were not enough numbers to warrant spending the money needed to provide for missionaries here. I’m not sure how or why they play the numbers game, but I can assure you there is a great need for missionaries here. I don’t recall anywhere in the Bible where Jesus said to go and take a census to see if there were enough people to warrant entering a town. When Billy and Mary went back to the States Steve and Audrey’s church, Parkwood Baptist, decided to continue sending funds for the Chorti mission work to continue. Steve and Audrey agreed to live in the mission house, which their church is paying the lease on, and continue to minister to these people who have touched their lives, and ours, in such a way.

The work Steve and Audrey do (and Billy and Mary did for so many years) is not for the faint of heart. It is not work that has a monetary reward, nor are there many creature comforts. There is running water in their home, but you can’t put toilet paper in the toilets because the septic systems here cannot let things drain properly, and you can’t even stick your toothbrush under the water for fear of getting sick. Everything must be washed with bleach water. The electricity goes out at some point most days. When that happens it gets very hot in the Mission house. Not that it is ever cold. Most days the heat manageable (if you stay indoors), and at some points during the day there is a cool breeze blowing. But all you have to do is step out their door and you are hit with blistering heat. Most of the work done is outdoors…not only outdoors, but straight up in the mountains where the heat is stifling, and the bugs are plentiful.

We come here for about a week, and get our “feel good fix”, then return home to our air conditioned ways, our fast food meals, and our clean water and septic systems. While Steve and Audrey wave good-bye to us and begin preparations for the next team, which sometimes is catching a plane to come to Honduras as the previous team is heading home. When a team is here Steve and Audrey wake up before we do (and we wake up around 5:15 a.m.) and they go to bed after we do preparing for the next day. There is no rest time, no vacation time, and no time to themselves. People are constantly stopping by the Mission house needing medical assistance, a ride somewhere, or spiritual questions answered. They also hold Bible Studies in their home.

As we were walking yesterday, we stopped several times to rest. Audrey went as far as she could (which was quite a way), but finally had to admit she could go no further. When I got to the top of the mountain where the village was I looked back and saw Steve in his “Panama Jack” hat topping the hill alone. I must say I was moved to tears. He looked tired, and I could tell he was torn between coming on to help us, and leaving his wife behind on the log she had found to rest on. It’s not like she was on a city bench somewhere. She was in the middle of the Honduran jungle resting on a log! Don’t get me wrong. Steve and Audrey are not feeble people. They are strong and hard-working. They love the Lord and they love the Chorti people. But Audrey is in her late sixties and Steve is seventy. They did not feel called to full-time mission work, and yet, here they are. Why? Because at this point THERE IS NO ONE ELSE! Please understand, Steve and Audrey do all of this without complaint. They have not asked me to write this. I’m just giving my observations as God has laid things on my heart.

There is a great need for a younger couple, preferable who speak Spanish, to come and take over this work. I know that God has the exact people in mind to do this. Someone reading this blog right now is beginning to feel a stirring in their spirit. I know it. I sense it. I believe God is having me write this for that very reason. Someone is needed to come and continue the work that is being done here. God does not want these people to be abandoned!

In the meantime, please pray for health, safety, and REST for Steve and Audrey. Pray the teams who come here will be sensitive to the needs of the Chorti people who live in the villages in the mountains, and to the Hondurans who live in the towns. And above all, pray the name of Jesus will be proclaimed for all to hear!

We love you all and covet your prayers!

Trisha

Trisha---July 5

Let me go ahead and explain the picture, and we'll get our laughs out of the way. Then I can get to the seriousness of this blog. As you can see by this picture, we have had a lot of laughs...mainly at my expense!! Today the road to the village we were going to was too treacherous. We had already driven about an hour. We then could not go any further due to the road being washed out. We walked the next hour or so, at some points straight up. I have never been so tired in my entire life! At one point we came to a stream. Several people took their shoes off and walked through the middle of the stream. I decided I was going to be like the kids and go over the rocks. As you can see, I had a little mishap! Poor Trevor! He was wanting to help me and I wouldn't let him. He then thought it was his fault I fell. I must say...it was NOT his fault. I was going down, no matter what, but if he had helped, he would have been in as well. These kids are troopers. They all waited until they saw that I was okay before laughing. Crystal, being the wonderful photographer she is, could not miss this photo op, however. I told them I would go ahead and post this on the blog before I saw it on Facebook!

My heart is so full of things to say, but I'm going to go ahead and head back to the hotel tonight so Steve and Audrey can get some much needed rest. I am going to upload pictures, but I will post quite a bit tomorrow. Be prepared to have your heart stirred. God has really been working on me this week.

We love you and are so thankful for your prayers!

Trish

Amber-- Eye Opening

Today we went to a village called San Isidro. It was the first time I had ever been there. When we arrived, everyone in the village met in the school for what we would call a town meeting. After introductions, Jase and Steve had a chance to share our reason for being there. After that, we took all the children outside to play. We played duck, duck, goose. “pato, pato, ganzo”. They loved it. We also jumped rope, played soccer, and played with the parachute. When it was time to share a bible story with them, Audrey, Trish, Marcia and I went to visit a home across from where we were playing. I will admit I was nervous. I didn’t know what to expect. Upon arriving we were met by a very nice lady. She is the mother of four children and her husband was attending the town meeting. She spoke openly with us. So you all will understand I need to share some background info… This is one if the first villages Billy and Mary started visiting years ago. They built relationships and God was moving. Billy actually baptized this lady’s husband. They would hold Bible studies but then the Catholic Church got word of this. The villagers stopped coming to the Bible studies. Come to find out, the Catholic church came in and told them that if they continued to come to the bible studies that Billy and Mary were holding, they would abandon them and no longer burry their dead. The Catholic Church here has a very powerful stronghold on these Chorti people. We also found out that in 2007 when the last food distribution took place, we sent food to that village. The Catholic Church said that no one from the village could accept the food, so it was left in the school. So here you have people who were starving knowingly having food to eat and were afraid to. After some time they were told it did not come from us and were permitted to eat it. Basically the Catholic Church has been blackmailing these people. The crazy thing to me is that it all has to do with money. The people give the Catholic Church money to help them when they need it. For example, when someone dies, the Catholic Church will burry them for a fee. The annual income for this village is not even $300 a year. But there are tons of villages just like the one we visited today. After we visited with this lady for a long time we split up into two groups and went on a prayer walk. We went to one home after another asking it we could pray for them. You have to understand these people do not live on tree-lined streets in an organized community like most of us live in. You hike up a mountain to each house. We were met by the mother and a few of her children at the first house. We were invited in. We entered a room that was about 8ftx8ft. She had a fire going and there was no ventilation. There was no floor and there we two small children there. One of the kids was 3 years old and was so filthy. Come to find out, he cannot walk. He pulls himself around with his arms. She wanted us to pray for her family and their crops. I was in tears by the time we left. At the next house we went to we were greeted buy several young girls. After chatting for a minute we again asked what prayer concerns they had and the oldest girl told us that they lost their mother 6 months ago. We were asked to pray for their dad and also their crops. Went we left we noticed a grave marker right outside the front door. Yes… it was their mother… At this point I am thinking I can’t go on. I am so tore up inside but we continue because God never fails and gave me a second wind. When we got to the next house we again were greeted by a lady and her 8 children. This home disturbed me more that any of the others. I don’t even know how all these people fit inside and it was barely standing. I will try to post pics. She wanted us to pray for her family because they had nothing to eat. She also wanted us to pray that their crops would grow and also for the health of her little boy. He did not look good at all. His eyeball was black and right after we prayed he excused himself and vomited in front of their “front door”. He was so sick. God totally sent us their today. We brought him back into town with us so he could go to the doctor. Things like going to the Dr. are not a big deal for us at all. We get in our fancy SUVs and off we go. But for the Chorti that have to walk literally hours into town off a steep mountain and then back up afterwards. We all eventually loaded into the back of the trucks and headed back to Copan. I could go on and on but I have rambled long enough. Please continue to pray for health and safety for the team. There is much work to be done here. Also, continue to pray for the Chorti’s crops. They are in desperate need of food. We saw lots of corn planted but that does not do anything for their immediate need. Pray for a slow and steady rain so that the corn is not washed off the side of the mountain. One last thing: please pray that through Jesus the spiritual strongholds of the Catholic Church here in Copan are broken for these sweet people. This is not to say that the Catholic Church as a whole functions in this way… but the one here has a definite control over the villagers and manipulates them, and it is wrong. Please pray.

In His Service,

Amber

Food Distribution Update

I know that I am not on the trip - I am sitting at home in Seminole, Texas but I wanted to share an update on the food distribution that Audrey sent out on Saturday. Also, listed below are the names of the villages that this week's team will be in each day. Please pray for these villages and the team.

Three men (I think they are from North Carolina) are arriving in Honduras on Thursday. They will set up the warehouse and have the corn and beans ready to start distribution no later than next Monday. Almost $20,000 has been received to start the distribution. In the previous distribution (2007), over $62,000 was used and the need this time is much greater. To feed a family of 4 (and most families are much larger than that) for a month, it will take 100 pounds of corn and 20 pounds of beans.

If you feel called to assist financially with this effort, please take your donation to the church office. Our next team will take any funds that we have collected with them on Friday.

Our team that is there now will be going into villages that have not be visited for awhile and also a new Chorti village for Steve and Audrey.

Monday: San Isidroe

Tuesday: Hacienda de San Juan

Wednesday: Barbasco

Thursday: Plan de Perico

Prayer Requests:

• Each village named above
• The village leader for each village named
• good weather so they can make it into the villages
• right amount of rain for a good harvest for corn and beans that are now planted
• Pray that the Chorti will not only receive physical food to feed their bodies but that they will also receive the spiritual food that will be shared with them.

Blessings,

Tami