Honduras
So I can't remember if I mentioned this, but I went to Honduras last week! If you are familiar with the Ignite conference, we went for something very similar. It was a conference for all of the Great Commission Latin America (GCLA) churches in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. The 30 or so of us, including families as well as youth from the church, started the trip off at 5:30am by loading up into a small bus and headed for the boarder. There are some things about the US I miss and other things here that make me realize how ridiculous our culture is sometimes. Example: In Honduras they use different currency and you get about 21 to the dollar. Now you're probably thinking that we would have to go to a currency exchange and get a receipt and all the formalities, but no, conveniently there are men hanging out outside the immigration office with HUGE wads of cash offering currency exchange. It seems sketchy, and yet I appreciated it. Simple, strait forward.
After being held up for three hours at the boarder due to some complications with one of the minor's paperwork, we crossed over into the mountains. Now I am someone who can sleep almost anywhere, but with the switchbacks it was almost impossible. However I think it was the grace of God because the mountains were breath taking. They are so green and rolling as if they will go on forever.
Even with the delay at the boarder we still managed to arrive at the conference in time for the first talk on Wednesday night. The theme of the conference was "Grace." As one of my friends said to me after the conference, and maybe you're thinking the same thing, "how simple." It was anything but. I am constantly reminded of how little of grace we know and how big God truly is. It was amazing throughout the whole conference to be surrounded by brothers and sisters in Christ that I may very well never meet again. It's such an awesome reminder that God is working in each person's life and that his love and grace stretch across languages, boarders and cultures to unite us all as one body.
We were blessed to have a whole house to ourselves and so most of the people who went to the conference from La Libertad were all together. It was a giant slumber party! Even though I love my sleep, it was a huge blessing to have the opportunity to stay with the girls and get to know them on a more personal level that just isn't possible at youth group. I also got to see my other friends in a different light just simply by sharing so much time and space with them. I feel even more part of the church now and feel as though I have achieved a different level of closeness with my friends.
The rest of the conference was comprised of talks by different pastors in the GCLA movement, trying new foods, playing outside, and sleeping in the grass. I was personally challenged by one talk that challenged us to consider if there are people in our lives that don't deserve anything from us but that we can love anyway. The only thing I have earned in this life is death. I deserve nothing more. 2000 years ago Jesus chose to turn toward Jerusalem and walk strait into the city where he would meet his death for a bunch of people who hated him. We deserve nothing from Jesus and yet he chose to walk that road for each of us. I have a choice each and every time I interact with someone to extend that same grace, or undeserved favor, or to act in my sin and cause more hurt. This is incredibly hard, and I know that I will never be able to always walk in grace. That's why I NEED Jesus. But I do know that since the day I accepted Christ as my savior I have his Spirit living in me and that in my weakness his strength will manifest itself just as Paul wrote to the Corinthians.
Upon returning to La Libertad, with no holdup at the boarder, I felt as though I could sleep for three days strait. I haven't been feeling great sense we got back so Saturday night after unpacking a few things I was in bed by 7:30 and asleep before 8:30. Sunday morning, Easter, I woke very early, like 4am early, to the sound of fireworks and a band outside. Weird right? Then I remembered that it was Easter, and God took the opportunity to teach me something. I was so impressed by the dedication of the people to sacrifice their sleep and time to praise God for what he did. Easter is the best day of the year! JESUS IS RISEN! What better news is there? My prayer is that you were able to bask in the glory that we have a savior that beat death.
Standing in awe of my weakness,
Sigourney
After being held up for three hours at the boarder due to some complications with one of the minor's paperwork, we crossed over into the mountains. Now I am someone who can sleep almost anywhere, but with the switchbacks it was almost impossible. However I think it was the grace of God because the mountains were breath taking. They are so green and rolling as if they will go on forever.
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| Youth at the conference. |
Even with the delay at the boarder we still managed to arrive at the conference in time for the first talk on Wednesday night. The theme of the conference was "Grace." As one of my friends said to me after the conference, and maybe you're thinking the same thing, "how simple." It was anything but. I am constantly reminded of how little of grace we know and how big God truly is. It was amazing throughout the whole conference to be surrounded by brothers and sisters in Christ that I may very well never meet again. It's such an awesome reminder that God is working in each person's life and that his love and grace stretch across languages, boarders and cultures to unite us all as one body.
We were blessed to have a whole house to ourselves and so most of the people who went to the conference from La Libertad were all together. It was a giant slumber party! Even though I love my sleep, it was a huge blessing to have the opportunity to stay with the girls and get to know them on a more personal level that just isn't possible at youth group. I also got to see my other friends in a different light just simply by sharing so much time and space with them. I feel even more part of the church now and feel as though I have achieved a different level of closeness with my friends.
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| One of the women I had the privilege to get to know better. |
The rest of the conference was comprised of talks by different pastors in the GCLA movement, trying new foods, playing outside, and sleeping in the grass. I was personally challenged by one talk that challenged us to consider if there are people in our lives that don't deserve anything from us but that we can love anyway. The only thing I have earned in this life is death. I deserve nothing more. 2000 years ago Jesus chose to turn toward Jerusalem and walk strait into the city where he would meet his death for a bunch of people who hated him. We deserve nothing from Jesus and yet he chose to walk that road for each of us. I have a choice each and every time I interact with someone to extend that same grace, or undeserved favor, or to act in my sin and cause more hurt. This is incredibly hard, and I know that I will never be able to always walk in grace. That's why I NEED Jesus. But I do know that since the day I accepted Christ as my savior I have his Spirit living in me and that in my weakness his strength will manifest itself just as Paul wrote to the Corinthians.
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| Last stop before crossing back in to El Salvador. It as cold! |
Standing in awe of my weakness,
Sigourney
Praying for your recovery, Sig!! How cool to be reminded of how BIG God is! That He reaches all these different communities and nations when we allow ourselves to be His hands and feet.. super proud of and encouraged by you.
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