Saying Goodbyes

I hate saying goodbye. This week has been rough because I really don't know if the kids will show up to the next event or not. Monday was the last ESL; Tuesday the last Kids' Club; today the last time with the street kids and the last trip to the river. Tomorrow is my last actual day of ministry, and I'm not looking forward to leaving for the final time. I would love to stay here and keep building the relationships I have. Who knows...God may have already planned for me to come back. We'll see.

Sunday, we interns will be spending the day in San Pedro, and then we'll fly out Monday around noon. We'll be in Atlanta for debriefing July 31st and August 1st (is it really August already? I'm still in May). August 2nd I'll fly home!! After two days with family and friends, my brother and I will be driving to Georgia--another adventure in itself :) So two weeks from now, I'll be in Georgia for RA training. Crazy how fast this summer has gone and how much I've done.


Prayer Requests:

-Praise for a fantastic summer--great relationships, learning a ton, serving the Lord and having fun

-Pray for my adjustment back to the US...it's going to be tough.

-Pray for safe travels in the coming weeks.

-Praise for the memories and pray that their impact will be significant and long-lasting

Manos Suaves

There are times when you need to be tough and mean in order to get the point across. For instance, “You will die if you don’t change your lifestyle” needs to be taken seriously. But a huge part of offering medical care is being a comfort and giving of time and attention. Here are a few stories from the past weeks.

One young man came to our clinic with leg wounds that had become infected. The local hospitals are on strike again, so this was the only help he would be receiving. After receiving a very painful shot and some oral antibiotics, he expressed his great gratitude for the “manos suaves” (smooth hands) that treated him gently so that he did not feel anything but the sting of the medicine.

A few children here have needed nebulizer treatments, and often they are too young to understand why this loud machine is blowing vapor into their face. Last week, one three-year old would not have any of it. His sister tried holding the mask on, and he screamed the entire time. The next round, his grandma bounced him, and I held his hand. The kind woman kept asking him where his girlfriend was, and he’d look at me with his big brown eyes and break out into a big smile—no screaming. With the little extra attention, he got the treatment he needed plus love he was craving.

This week’s clinics involved lots of patients with long lists of lab tests to be done and prescriptions to be handed out. At one point, we had several urine samples lined up and a longer line of people waiting for meds. I took care of the analysis for one kind old woman, explained where she had to go for an additional test and that she’d have to go back to the doctor with the results. A good while later, she came to my window with her prescription, so I gathered the baggies, wrote out instructions and went outside to explain everything to her. After our a few questions, I prayed for God’s blessing. She grasped my arm and sincerely thanked me not only for the medicine but for the careful attention I had shown to her. It can be easy to get focused on the lists of medicines needed or the tests that need to be run, forgetting about the people who are behind those papers and cups. That was a good reminder that a smile and a personalized question make a big difference between completing a job and serving someone.

Seeing (via ultrasound) an unborn baby is quite the experience. This is God’s creation, one of his beloved. The children I saw were not mine, but I still felt an overwhelming love for them. It’s so exciting, knowing that God has their lives planned out and is direction their formation at this moment. He is working in the hearts and lives of their parents and siblings as well, shaping the environment into which they’ll be born.

Working Pharmacy

Inserting an IV

Helping Extract Teeth

 These are just a few of the memories I have to share that have even further motivated me to whole-heartedly pursue God and lovingly serve others. This week, I'll be doing that in La Ceiba. In a few weeks, I'll be doing that on Harambe! (my hall at Covenant). God is bringing together a great group of girls for a year of loving, learning and growing. I cannot wait to get to better know and serve these girls! It'll be hard transitioning from learning on the field to learning in the classroom again (I won't be doing more NG tube or IV insertions any time soon), but I'm very excited about it and the hard work/determination it'll require. This summer has been the experience of a lifetime, and I can't wait to see what else God has in store for this year!

Busy week!

This week has been fantastically draining!! It’s draining because of the sickness and long work days, but I’ve been learning so much! This week, we’ve got a dentist, a radiologist doing ultrasounds, and three doctors offering clinics. We’ve treated well over three hundred people these last few days and are expecting a big crowd tomorrow at our last clinic. That means a busy time in pharmacy (a wonderful job but tiring after 8 hours of reading doctors’ writing, doing math, performing lab tests and translating instructions into Spanish).

In the few breaks we get, Keilah and I have been able to observe ultrasounds, teeth extractions, injections, abscess draining and more. My wonderful team leader volunteered his body in the name of science so that Keilah and I could learn (under Erin’s careful guidance) how to insert an NG tube and IVs. I still can’t believe I put a tube up someone’s nose a few hours ago!

My time here in Honduras is drawing to a close, and I’m not ready for it to end in a little over a week. Having short-term teams come and go has made me realize how hard it is to have people come and go from your life so quickly. I’m dreading saying goodbye to the people in Armenia I’ve come to love, especially the children. I have hope in the fact that I’ll see many of them after this life, but it’s still hard to part.

I’ve got tons of really cool stories about Kids’ Club, clinics, soccer games, river days, day trips, dorm life and so much more…unfortunately free time and sleep are running short so those stories won’t make it on the blog for now, sorry.
 

Prayer Requests:

-          Praise for the completed clinics and pray for clinic tomorrow (and next week's team)

-          Praise God for the life and breath He gives us and please pray for continued strength and energy

-          Praise for friendships and how God uses them to encourage and challenge us

-          Pray that parting would draw all of us closer to God

Hope of all the Ends of the Earth

This week, we didn’t have a short-term team, so we interns had the chance to experience more of Honduras. We relaxed on the beach, took a bus through the gorgeous mountains, explored Mayan ruins, and gazed at the stars. Seeing these different sights put into perspective Psalm 65: 5-8,
 

“You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds, God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas, who formed the mountains by your power, having armed yourself with strength, who stilled the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the turmoil of the nations. The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy.”

 

This week provided much needed rest and the chance to re-focus on the Creator and Savior who formed this land and people, bringing us here to share more about who He is and what He has done.

The coming weeks will be extremely full. We’ll have two teams here this week (one in Armenia and another in La Fe). Having so many people means more mouths to feed, creative transportation arrangements, and higher probability of something going wrong. BUT it also means more arms to hug the children, more mouths to spread the Gospel and more love to be shown. Missions is not about numbers or projects but about God’s glory. “Praise awaits you, our God, in Zion…You who answer prayer, to you all people will come.” (Psalm 65: 1-2) God displays Himself in the world all around us, and we have the joy of reflecting Him in our lives as well—what an honor!!

 

Prayer Requests:

·         Praise for a time of rest

·         Please pray that the coming teams will have servant’s hearts and student’s minds

·         Pray for continued energy and fresh perspective. Pray that we will not become worn down, jaded and ungrateful as we’ve been working here for a while.

·         Pray that the Hondurans will see more and more of Christ in the world around them, in us, and in themselves

The Halfway Mark

In one month, I’ll be back in the States. That realization comes with mixed emotions. I miss family and friends but am thoroughly enjoying my time here. Time really has flown—so much has happened and there’s so much more yet to come!

This week started with celebration. The English class finished its 10-week cycle, so Mike, Allen and I brought the kids who had attended 8+ weeks to a restaurant. All 23 of them showed up in their nice clothes since going to town, especially a restaurant, is quite the treat. It was a great chance to get to connect names and faces as well as learn some more details about the lives of these precious children of God.

Kids’ Club was more difficult without a team in Armenia to help out, but it was still a lot of fun teaching the kids about Jericho and God’s ability to do everything.

Wednesday, I got to go to the river with the La Fe Kids. The women taught the short-term team how they wash clothes, and the kids loved getting their hair washed and horsing around in the water.

Thursday, I spent more time in La Fe as the team helped build a cement pathway for the community and as Keilah led the English class in the afternoon. Soccer that night was fantastic like usual.

It was a busy and trying week, but God comes through with small blessings and pick-me ups. Today was one of those blessings. We celebrated Kate’s birthday with a party on the beach. Swimming in the warm water, playing with the girls and babies from Puerta de Esperanza, and hanging out with the Troxells were great follow-ups to weekly worship! This coming week, we have no short-term teams (a very needed break after four weeks of 24/7 service). The Caroline, Keilah, Jeff, Allen and I will be heading to Copan Ruinas for a couple of days and then working hard to get the dorms ready for the coming teams.

Prayer Requests:

·         Praise for a time of rest!! God knows just how much we can handle :)

·         Praise for kids and the joy they bring

·         Pray for safety (we interns are travelling across Honduras and the other missionaries have various trips and get-togethers planned)

·         Pray that our time would be refreshing and that we would use it to refocus on the One who brought us here and will give us strength for the coming teams

 

 

Our English Class heading out to celebrate

Construction's going well on a house in Armenia.

(Team from TN)

TN team helping with Kids' Club

Goofing off with Isaac.

 Construction in La Fe this past week.

 

This is what we interns do for fun after four hectic weeks with teams!

Having fun at the beach!

Yes, we do all match.

No, we did not plan it.

The Beauty of Grace

This summer has taught me a lot already:

Medically—I’m experienced in urine analysis, pregnancy tests, administering shots (in the arm and the bottom), reading doctors’ handwriting, filling prescriptions, bandaging cuts, helping flush out ears and more!! I LOVE every minute of clinic and cannot wait to do even more.

Mentally—I reinforced the fact that I NEED my quiet time to think, reflect, pray, etc…and normally I get this through running.

Physically—I’ve learned very few people love to run as much as I do. This poses a problem when you can’t go anywhere by yourself, so joining the gym with the other interns has been a good solution (and by the end of this internship I should be in the best shape of my life).

Socially—Keilah and I have become quite the team and sharing this experience with her has been fantastic! I love being around so many like-minded people.

Spiritually—God is so good and knows exactly what He’s doing. I didn’t realize how many other people applied for the internship, and the fact that I’m here shows that this is exactly where God wants me at the moment. That can be trying when your hard work goes unnoticed. Teams repeatedly ignore our instructions. It’s difficult to give up your favorite activity of the week in order to stay back with a sick team member. Using every minute of your “free time” to cook and clean wears you down a LOT. Repeating yourself and explaining over and over and over again seriously drain your energy. Mistakes are readily pointed out while accomplishments are quickly forgotten (if noticed at all). Being grateful is hard…but then I look at the cross. God demonstrates so much grace. My best attempts to do everything on a checklist (for any part of life) always fail, yet God doesn’t value me any less because of that. Christ humbled himself to a life on earth and death on the cross for our sake. He put up with torture while I’m only experiencing annoyances. By God’s grace I have come to know Him and He has led me here. By His grace, others are coming to know the joy of salvation. By His grace, our kitchen fire yesterday didn’t destroy anything (but we’ve spent the last two days cleaning every dish we have). And by His grace will we love each other and enjoy the coming weeks.

These past three weeks have been some of the most exciting and draining days of my life. I’m gaining hands-on medical experience. I feel more content than I have in quite a while and know that’s only because of God. We’ll see what the future holds, but I would love if it looked a lot like this.

Prayer Requests:

·         Praise for the numerous learning experiences and helpful conversations I’ve had

·         Praise for God’s continual watchfulness and protection

·         Pray that I will be patient and grace-filled

·         Our fifth intern Caroline arrived yesterday. I’m looking forward to getting to know her. Having her will lighten everyone’s load, but it’s different from “normal” so please pray that the adjustment would go smoothly.

·         Pray for the one-week team from North Carolina. They’ll be working in La Fe.

Glimpses of the King

         You may know someone for an instant, for a week or for a lifetime. When I had to say goodbye to this last team, I realized it is very likely I will not see them again this side of heaven but I will always remember the lessons they taught me, the fun we had, and what it means to be surrounded by a “great cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1-3).

In three days of clinics, we saw over 210 patients. The ultimate Healer chose to use us to give these people a glimpse of the wholeness that He alone can bring. There is nothing significant about this team or me…we are broken and flawed but thoroughly equipped by God to extend His glory wherever we are. This week, it took the form of seeing patients, participating in Kids’ Club, introducing Honduras to Sipma cookies, playing at the river with the children from Armenia Bonito, and talking with our guide as we explore Pico Bonito National Park.

God chose to mold and prepare us by placing people in our lives as examples. Is anyone a perfect model? Only Christ. But I do have some other pretty good examples in my life. This Father’s Day, I can’t help but miss my family and praise the Lord for showing me Christian leadership through them. The faith and support of my grandparents are a constant encouragement. Dad, I love our conversations and definitely miss being able to ask you questions when I’m away at school or in another country. I know you don’t have all the answers, but you’re always searching God’s Word for the truth and stand boldly for it. I can’t write more because I’ll be crying even harder then, but thank you and happy birthday!

 So, here’s how you can be praying for me this week:

·      Praise God for the opportunities to build relationships

o   I’ve gotten closer to Alejandro and Ericka who helped out with pharmacy this week

o   Gisel, Estela, Oneda and Morena are some of the girls I’ve gotten to know through Kids’ Club and our trip to the river

·      Pray that I will get to know and love these wonderful kids better

·      Praise God for the great cloud of witnesses I have here (the Pettengills, Clows, Troxells, Kate and Shannon) and at home

·      Prayer for homesickness

·      Pray for safety and open hearts for the new team from Tennessee

·      Pray that the Hondurans will see God as the Provider

Here are some pictures from the week:

Alejandro helping me in pharmacy

Seeing patients at the clinic

We had over 90 kids at Kids' Club this week!

One of the waterfalls in Pico Bonito National Park.

Trials and Triumphs

Let us not be surprised when we have to face difficulties.

When the wind blows hard on a tree, the roots stretch and grow the stronger,

Let it be so with us.

Let us not be weaklings, yielding to every wind that blows, but strong in spirit to resist.   

         –Amy Carmichael

           Missionaries do not live a life of luxury. Daily reminders make us think of home in the United States, distracting from our ultimate home in heaven. Additionally, Satan has his ways of slowing work for God. This week, we had four people get sick, the van break down, a transmission go out, and power outages (meaning bucket showers in the dark after an intense soccer game).

The Pettengills remind us that one of the greatest insults a Christian can receive is Satan not paying us any attention because that means that what we are accomplishing is not attacking his kingdom or promoting God’s kingdom.

We have hope because we have One who has defeated death and sin. That is why “we are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;  persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Cor 4:8-9). We treated around 70 people physically and spiritually at our clinics. We started the foundation of a house. A record of 70 children attended Kids’ Club and learned Q.12 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism which tells them nothing is hidden from God. The electrical work in the upstairs dorms is now done. Kids saw the love of God through the Americans who willingly wash lice-infested hair, move rocks, teach them some English and learn some Spanish. Mike and Erin celebrated their 20^th wedding anniversary, and John and Kathy celebrated their 15^th anniversary.

God did not promise a life of luxury, but He does promise His presence which is the greatest comfort we can ever know. Matthew 28:18-20 says “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” The power outage offered a great time to stargaze and reflect upon God’s greatness. The van breaking allowed a visiting team member to use his skills as a mechanic to bring God glory. Sickness is a reminder that we are not invincible but dependent upon our Lord. This week has taught me a lot, and I’m looking forward to the experiences God has in store for the rest of the summer!

Prayer Requests

• Praise for the God-given ability to learn
• Praise for the Lord’s faithfulness to His people
• Pray for the safety and cultural adjustments ahead of both the team leaving and the team arriving Saturday
• Pray that we might not be distracted from the truth by the larger trials or petty inconveniences
• Pray for the hearts of all involved—that God might be at work bring each of us closer to Him and unto salvation

Semper Gumby

             So I am alive and well in Honduras!! Yes, it’s hot and humid. I’ve gotten several bug bites already. I’m exhausted at the moment. BUT I am soooo excited to be here and am soaking in everything like a kid at Christmas.

Training at Ridge Haven (in North Carolina) was a blast, and our team arrived safely in this foreign land with our only hold up being the slow-moving line in customs. The first week-long team arrived a couple hours after us, so we’ve really been learning right alongside them and are doing a pretty good job of it. I'm known as one of the "good interns" since I will be working with Mike and Erin. Tomorrow is the real test when we head out to the ministry sites.

“Semper Gumby” was a phrase I was introduced to as an RA this past year and is very applicable to these coming months. It is an encouragement to always be flexible. While I’m a good student, there are a couple lessons I just don’t grasp and this is one of them. I love my plans and order, but God tends to throw them out the window. Just like Proverbs 19:21 says, “Many are the plans in a person’s heart,but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” The good but frustrating news is that apparently God’s not giving up on teaching me that lesson.

I guess this lesson really picked up in intensity last summer in Guatemala, continued as I learned more about serving as an RA, and will extend for who knows how much longer. Over the course of this year I’ve had several people talk to me about my love of control and plans. Having those different voices saying the same thing definitely makes it stand out, and now God is using another language to help reinforce the fact that this is an important lesson that I can’t just skip or brush off. One of the points that really struck a nerve during tonight’s sermon was giving God your plans and being ok with the consequences. Not having control terrifies me, but I shouldn't be afraid because "I know whom I have believed in and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I've committed unto Him against that day." God desires to give His children the good things that we desire or thing better than what we've imagined. I know that as I've grown closer to Him my dreams and the desires of my heart have changed...so I guess I have been "flexible" or at least molded without really being conscious of it.

What will I be doing this summer? Serving however God needs me that moment. Tomorrow it’ll take the form of learning how to run the pharmacy for the clinics we’ll have every week and learning what it looks like in Armenia Bonito. Will that look like a pharmacy or classroom in the US? Nope. Will I have all of the resources I “need” (by American standards)? Nope, but God will provide exactly what is needed for me to love whoever He places in my path. Am I getting the hang of this being flexible? Sorta, and I know that God’s going to keep working with and throwing more surprises my way. What the rest of my future holds…I’m not sure at the moment, but I’ll let you know as God reveals it to me!

Prayer Requests:

• Praise the Lord for the bringing us here by providing the funds, flights, prayers and so much more
• Praise that training went well--I met some incredible people, learned a lot and am very encouraged as I head into the summer
• That God would be glorified in all we do 
• That I'll learn well my responsibilities in the pharmacy
• For continued health, safety, and adjustment to each other and our new surroundings
• Please pray that the team and I would not become discouraged by the extreme poverty and hard situations we will be experiencing in the coming weeks
• Flexibility :-)

Engraved

Isaiah 49:13-16

¹³ Shout for joy, you heavens;
rejoice, you earth;
    burst into song, you mountains!
For the Lord comforts his people
and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.
¹⁴ But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me,

the Lord has forgotten me.”

¹⁵ “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast

and have no compassion on the child she has borne?

Though she may forget,

I will not forget you!

¹⁶ See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;

your walls are ever before me."

    The human mind is fascinating. Specific faces and scenes are permanently engraved in one's memory and come to mind daily. For example, there is hardly a day I don't think of a child I met in Guatemala last summer or the view from my host family's house. Other important details slip the mind, so we use other means to remind us of them. Many apps and programs help us organize notes electronically. Calendars, planners, Post-It's are commons sights in dorm rooms like mine. I often write notes on my hand to remind me of upcoming events or things to bring with me. Scripture is a wonderful reminder of what God has done. Even with reminders, we can forget. A note may fall off the desk; the ink will wash off of your hand, and the Truth is often replaced by lies such as "The Lord has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me.”

    God, however, does not forget or need reminder notes. Even so He "engraves you on the palms of His hands." This isn't ink which washes off with a little soap, but a permanent tattoo. God doesn't forget us or change His mind about who will receive His love and attention. I dearly love and miss the children I spent two months with...how much more does the Creator cherish these children? I can only offer so many hugs or words of encouragement before I am gone, but God will always be with them. While I will learn and do a lot, the main purpose of my service is connecting those I meet with God and the church that will further develop that relationship.

    Knowing I am loved and that God loves those around me just as much is both a comfort and a challenge. The security of resting in God's love has given me much more confidence to follow where he leads and step out of my comfort zone. God has given me talents that I have the tendency to hide; I have a lot more to learn about stewarding them well and not succumbing to the fear of man. God gives these talents and lavishes us with love in order to draw others to Him. I definitely don't reflect that love perfectly, but trying to do so brings much more joy and fulfillment than seeking to earn love. 

    This summer is going to be quite the experience. I am comfortable spending two months in a foreign place because I know nothing happens outside of the control of my beloved Father. More names, faces, lessons, places and events will be engraved in my memory. I have the opportunity to share the joy I have experienced with those who are unaware of the Gospel. Reminders come in all shapes and sizes, and I hope that I might serve as a reminder of God's love to those who know it but may be distracted in some way or another. Similarly, others will challenge and teach me. If you have any reminders for me, I would love to hear those as well!

I would deeply appreciate prayer for these upcoming months, so keep checking back to this blog for updates. For now here are some things you could pray for...

• Travelling mercies: May 28-29 I'll be traveling to North Carolina for pre-field training and then June 1st we'll fly to Honduras
• Pre-field training: May 29-May 31 please pray for Jeffry, Keilah, Allen and me as we get to know each other and that we would take the lessons we learn to heart
• Culture shock will undoubtedly occur, but pray that it would be minimal and not be a continued hindrance to our witness
• I'll be translating a lot--I'm well-prepared but nervous, so please pray that God would give me the right words
• Please pray that my summer will reflect Matthew 5:14-16
• ¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.