As I write this, the high school's band is playing and practicing because next month is Honduras's Independence Day. We've had both some really hot days and some overcast, very rainy days. It feels like autumn should be making its entrance except that it never really does that here. Either way, there is a certain nostalgia in the air as both my siblings head back into classes at college, and my parents talk about the crops their garden is producing. This year has flown by so far and felt so ordinary in some ways and so foreign and sad in others. But, Jesus is present through it all.
Missionary Community
The month of August started with a summery activity that triggered my own memories of similar childhood experiences--camp. Over the past year and a half, I've made some more friends in the missionary community here, and through those friendships, I've had more opportunities to participate in different activities. When I returned from the US, I didn't have a vehicle and was mostly stuck at home, so when a friend posted a need for help with a camp for missionary kids, I was keen on being able to be useful in a new place with some new people. I worked in the kitchen for the week where I helped alongside more seasoned parents of kids, and thankfully, everyone worked hard and shared the load. It was fun to meet new people and share stories and perspectives. I also enjoyed observing the children of missionaries who serve in varying kinds of ministries. Raúl and I have not entered the season of starting a family yet, but it was interesting to see what kinds of choices other missionary parents have made and to ponder what kinds of decisions Raúl and I might make when that time comes. While I wasn't really in the day-to-day camp activities, I could tell that this was the kind of event that was really exciting and very anticipated by the kids each year. And, that's understandable because that's how I used to feel about church camp as a kid. I've also been overjoyed about connecting with some missionary friends who have similar hearts and visions. Raúl is in the midst of learning English and learning about my culture, and it encourages me that he is willing to meet some of my new friends and develop friendships with them. Being able to participate in Bible studies and just connecting with other missionaries has been a lifeline for me. For the first several years of living in Honduras, most of my world was solely Honduran. This definitely had its benefits because I wanted to learn the language and culture well and wanted to jump in and really be available to the Honduran life. And, through that total immersion, Raúl and I ended up together which probably wouldn't have happened if I was more involved in the English-speaking missionary community. But after a while, I really needed to be able to connect with someone who didn't feel like everything I did or thought or came from was weird. And, I needed to feel understood in the kinds of struggles that only a fellow ex-pat would understand. In reaching out, I was blessed with some very sweet friends with kind and willing hearts who have invited me into their company.
The Month of Birthdays
This month is a month of many birthdays of people we love and care about. On my family side of things, my mom and my brother have birthdays, and on the Honduran side of my life, we have a few sweet friends and a couple of "our kids" who have birthdays as well.
Jorge, one of the young men I used to visit in the children's home, turns 19. He's been living in a transition home where he is surrounded by his fellow friends from the children's home who are also navigating the transition to responsibility and adulthood. He is finishing up high school and taking some vocational classes. He's also had more opportunities to get to know his biological family and spend time with them over the last year after previously having little to no contact. Jorge knows who Jesus is and loves God, and we're praying and eager to see how his life moves forward.
Toñito, a young man we've known for a few years now, will also be having a birthday later this month. He's upbeat and sincere and so considerate of others. He's been working with Raúl this year and is still evaluating his options for studying in university. He's one of the faithful members of our small group, and we're blessed to have him in our lives.
Small Group
Our small group has continued with some faithful and also some new faces. This month we're starting a unit on prophecy. Depending on what flavor of Christianity you hale from here, prophecy can be either widely accepted and sometimes thrown around in ways that I'm not sure demonstrate the greatest maturity, or as a very loving way to demonstrate who God is and the desires for good He has for people, or it's shunned and seen as something almost spooky. Because a lot of our young people come from charismatic church backgrounds, we're really talking a lot about the heart and motivation of prophecy as a means of showing God's love and not so much about being a know-it-all who tries to impress people. We're emphasizing that prophecy is about conveying what God wants to communicate and not what we think should be communicated. And, we're encouraging our young people to desire every good gift but to also recognize that like all things, this is a gift that also requires practice, a process of maturity, and mistakes with corrections. It's a topic that has caused a lot of participation, and I'm excited to see that. We're also hoping to set aside a couple of days this month for some fun days--game nights or to watch a movie, etc.--mostly because we want to foster a safe environment for fun and also the space and time to just visit and build relationships.
Vehicle Update
Our vehicle is out of the shop for the time being though we were just made aware of something else that needs fixed for the alignment. We've been so blessed and humbled by those who have contributed to the Go Fund Me page, https://www.gofundme.com/sarahraulswheelraisingfund , and in other forms toward our purchase of a new-to-us vehicle. We're still doing some saving and weighing our options to see what is feasible within our budget. We'd appreciate your continued prayers in this area both for provision but also for wisdom and discernment to make a choice that will contribute to God's Kingdom as a ministry resource and not cause further financial demands beyond what would be expected in normal maintenance.
Thanks as always for reading, supporting, and for your prayers!
Sarah
