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| Gene Ginn and his daughter Sara. |
As a reflection of our mission experience in Honduras visiting the village of El Mico we are reminded of Gods power to bond us all as one in the spirit. The mission teams were successful in completing our work projects to improve the lives and health of the villagers, such as, concrete floors, latrines, room additions along with two new projects. The new projects were a Pila, which is a water basin and shower along with a new eco clay stove which uses minimal wood to create a very hot cooking surface. Every year the improvements are visible to the visiting group, due to the work HOI is doing in the Agalta Valley with Gods help along with a few crazy missionaries.
As we drove to the ranch the group had a lot of questions. Especially the "newbies" What will we do? Will I be able to do that type of work? Without revealing everything they would be doing I gave them just enough information to stay safe. I feel it is up to God to reveal what they should be doing and why they are in Honduras on a mission trip with 27 others.
The team began the week with a "we are going to get this done attitude" and with God on their side they were physically strong and full of God's grace. The projects were many during the week and all of them were completed and with a group this large the projects were finished in record time. Martha our Honduran group leader came to me on the last day and said, " I don't know what your group is going to do tomorrow, you are almost finished." I said, "it must be time for a fiesta."
During the evening devotional it was repeatedly revealed to me that God was at work. Bringing stories back from the village of relationships were rekindled and new ones being made. The daily VBS was enjoyed by the children acting out the bible stories they were learning. One of the most memorable days was when I had finished working at one house and to get to the next project Sara, Jen, Brad and I had to walk by the school yard and all the children were outside on a very breezy day and the pinwheels they had made in VBS were spinning so fast they were about to take flight. The laughter of the children was truly infectious. God is Good and again I am reminded why were are here in Honduras letting our light shine.
Sara's Thoughts:
Hola Mis Amigos y Mi Familia! So now that I have been surrounded in a complete Spanish environment, I am pleased to inform you that the remainder of this letter will be in Spanish. Is that okay? No? Okay, English it is!
Many of you know that my parents have been going on this trip for seven years and the fact that I finally would be able to go was very overwhelming. Things like packing for a week and constantly contemplating "Do I need this? Do I need that?" followed by flying into the Tegucigalpa airport. A local called the airport TNT because it is one of the most dangerous airports in the world due to the fact that it is surrounded by glorious mountains of extreme height and houses that made me feel like I was invading their privacy because of how close in proximity they are to the runway. However, I do believe that on this trip, I have learned one very important thing. You don't need anything but the grace of God and His will.
You may ask why I say that. For those four days that we were in the rural village of El Mico, I saw more love, compassion, strength and hope than I could ever comprehend between a village of 45 families. I was awestruck in wonder when I saw how much they had spiritually versus how much materialistic things they didn't have. They always had a smile on there face and PMA (Positive Mental Attitude). Thanks to Brad Byers for that catchy slogan. They were a community of people who were connected by several things, the most prominent being their grace in God. These people had an unfailing love, just like God.
One of my most memorable experiences was the second day I was in the clinic. There was a woman who had brought in her daughter. Mirian, our lovely translator and nurse, looks at all of us and tells us "This child is anxious and nervous but we have nothing to fix that with." Quickly Marcia, also a nurse, brought a piece of paper with a prayer on it for good health. So we sat and prayed for her worries and her health. It amazed me that we were led to do that at the exactly right time for her.
I was truly blessed that someone my age, could experience something as life changing as this trip. I've heard the stories and seen all the pictures. However, I was blessed when God gave me the chance to see with my own eyes what I had seen in pictures, and now having my own stories to share with the world. I also came walk away with 27 new friends who I have become true brothers and sisters in Christ with, and let me tell you, my cup is overflowing from what I have experienced thanks for your prayers and support for making this possible form me and my Dad. I am proud to have represented St. Andrews in Honduras.
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