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So, I have a story, again...

We were providing shoes for people without any...to be brought up to speed read the previous post. I was going along, tryig to offer a smile to everyone who entered, washing their feet, trying to not let them feel awkward, making as much conversation in my broken Spanish as possible. I would ask each of them if they know Jesus loves them. Many of them would answer with a firm yes...then many of them would answer yes, but not as firmly. So I would make sure I told them, "Cristo te ama MUCHO!" And look them in the eye and smile...

One man in particular grabbed my heart that day...I was going from one person to the next, my back was hurting from being bent over and I was trying to hurry while still getting their shoes on them and telling them Jesus loves them. This guy made me slow down...to REALLY make a connection and let him know his worth. Not the worth I place on him but the worth Christ places on him. He came in and sat in the seat in front of me and I literally had to stop, step back, and take a breath, get my mindset right (meaning I prayed) and then go back...now while I did this I was scoping out the shoes I would place on his feet and got a pair of socks...I didn't want him to feel bad or know that I was a little bit shocked by his appearance.

As I walked back to his chair I smiled and God enabled me to have a conversation. We talked about Jesus, church and his job. He does not have much work. Being a one armed man in Honduras where the jobs are mostly physical labor, makes working difficult. He walked for what I am guessing must have taken him at least 1-2 hours to get the shoes I placed on his feet. While washing his feet I took my time. We only had wipes and he is the first person that I literally thought, I wish I had pedicure supplies...I wanted so much to communicate my care and GOD'S care to him. Below are the pictures...below the pictures, the story continues...




So, the day of shoes came to an end and we were tired...afterward we drove for about 2 hours back to the mission where we were staying...my mind staying focused on this man many times throughout the evening.

The following morning we traveled to a hospital in Tegucigalpa that is for those with low income. We visited the orthopedic children's section and the children's oncology section. In the first room we visited there was a little boy. He was 5 years old and had his hand amputated. The thing about him was that he had such a light in his eyes and HUGE smile on his face! I gave him a dinosaur and Charlie, a fellow traveler, gave him a little boxcar to play with. The circumstances in which he lost his hand weren't important to me at the time because all I could think about was the man from the day prior. I pray for this little boy daily now. That God could provide a way in life for him to be able to make it. The road will be hard and knowing what I learned from the first man, I know that this little boy most certainly has his work cut out for him. Join me in praying for him as the Lord leads you...maybe it is a one sentence prayer right now and maybe God will place him on your heart more often. Whatever the situation, I know God will work in His life and His glory will come from it!



Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. "Make level paths for your feet,'" so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

Hebrews 12:12-14

Miracle in Honduras

I had so many amazing, blog worthy moments during my trip to Honduras last week...there are two or three moments that stand out though...the first being our trip into a village to deliver shoes to people who either don't have any, or their shoes were to small or worn out.

We had 300 pairs of shoes. The church that we visited to distribute the shoes had a list of about that many to deliver the shoes to....There were many more than that waiting for shoes...Though this picture is not the best in quality, it sort of shows the number of people outside the church waiting for shoes.


We began by sorting shoes into piles based on the sizes. We then brought children in, several at a time, washed their feet, and sized them, then placing a brand new pair of shoes on their feet. This, for many is the only pair of brand new pair of shoes they have ever had! It was humbling, amazing, fun, indescribable to be involved in this! The shoes were all donated by SAMARITAN'S PURSE as well!


After finishing handing out the children's shoes, we had some PB & Js then invited the adults in. God amazed me in how we all were just strengthened and enabled to do His will with the people He sent to us that day. Many of the men had been working, they don't wear socks, and their feet just didn't smell good. Not only that, but so many of them had very scrunched up toes and different things wrong with their feet as a result of wearing whatever shoes they could find throughout their life instead of shoes that fit. It felt fabulous to be able to wash their feet, pt a pair of socks on them, and then a pair of shoes that FIT! So many of them told us they were too big, but every time, they were just the right size, they just didn't know it...so we made them take them! HA!

Now...the amazing part that absolutely floored me...we arrived with 300 pairs of shoes...

MORE than 300 left with shoes on their feet and we had leftovers...

GOD IS SO AMAZING! I am NOT worthy, yet He allowed me to be a part of something I consider so special!

I will tell you more about a special man I met during this day in another blog, for now please Praise God with me...

" Fear the LORD your God and serve him. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in his name. He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes."

Deutoronomy 10:20-21

BACK!

I am back from Honduras! It was a phenomenal trip for me...more to come soon, however...I am exhausted and have to work in the morn...till my first of several posts to come on Honduras...here are a few pics of the beautiful country!

Honduras

Well, I didn't know I would be going a few weeks ago, but alas, I am leaving for Honduras this coming Saturday morning. I would love for you to join me in praying for the trip!

I do not know the details of what we will be doing on the trip except to say that I will be open to God's moving and following Him each step of the way. If you have ever been on a mission trip you will know that sometimes it is difficult and takes you out of your comfort zone so please pray for the following:

Pray that I am open to God's leading daily and that I don't hold back out of any kind of fear!

Pray that the group I am traveling with and I all get along and can work together toward the same goal.

Pray for the people I will meet there and on my way there, that they will have open hearts and minds to what we have to offer but that I also am open to what I will be taught while there.

Finally, pray for safety for all individuals traveling!

Thank you all so very mucho!

God bless! Dios te bendiga!

Psalm 33

God is God. He is LORD.

God is beyond our comprehension.

If we fully understood God we would not be the fallen people that we are. In fact, knowing what we DO know, we shouldn't be the fallen people that we are. But we are imperfect and in need of the redemption He offers.

Today I have been thinking about the attack on our nation that took place on the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and the plane that went down in Pennsylvania.

Many lives were lost and the bigger tragedy is, we still don't place God on the throne even after we see how the absence of God in the lives of others effects them.

We have heavily relied on the power of our nation, at least the power we THINK we have. Don't get me wrong. I highly support our troops, but in comparison to God, we are not close. I think that is something we fail to realize.

"For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength." 1 Corinthians 1:25

God IS in control and has been since the beginning, of those who rise to power and those who fall. He has a purpose and it will be accomplished.

We still doubt and try to be in control...we want control over our lives, our nation, and the world as a whole.

Chew on this passage from Psalm...

Let all the earth fear the LORD;
let all the people of the world revere him.
For he spoke, and it came to be;
he commanded, and it stood firm.
The LORD foils the plans of the nations;
he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.
But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever,
the purposes of his heart through all generations.
Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he chose for his inheritance.
From heaven the LORD looks down
and sees all mankind;
from his dwelling place he watches
all who live on earth-
he who forms the hearts of all,
who considers everything they do.
No king is saved by the size of his army;
no warrior escapes by his great strength.
A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;
despite all its great strength it cannot save.
But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him,
on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
to deliver them from death
and keep them alive in famine.
We wait in hope for the LORD;
he is our help and our shield.
In him our hearts rejoice,
for we trust in his holy name.
May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD,
even as we put our hope in you.

Psalm 33:8-22

A quick sec...

I am kind of in a rush to get to my new zumba class but I wanted to praise God...

He is worthy and that is all that matters! It has been a rough day and I am loving the sunshine and the temps outside...

I am thankful that tomorrow I close at my Starbucks so that I can get some work done on my letters!

And I am thankful that in a world of uncertainty God is God...Always and forever...

God bless your day!

Unknown Territory!

For those of you wondering, and even if you're not wondering...things here are good! I am adjusting and beginning to build some friendships and get to know people better. I am stepping out and figuring out where I want to serve, of course it will be amongst the kiddos...

I think I will be working with some older kids...which doesn't come naturally to me, but I want to step into unknown territory for me. I am used to babysitting and just naturally gravitate toward the youngsters but I want to gain experience and I feel that it is needed and that God has placed some things and specific kids on my heart! I want to help with small groups as well as hosting some teenage girls in my apartment once a week or so to hang out, build friendships, play games, and study God's word!

Any suggestions on Bible studies for teenage girls? YIKES! Like I said, UNKNOWN TERRITORY!

The plans for Romania are currently on hold as I am working on raising funds to help complete the building of the house there. I will help with that because without there being children in the house, there is little work for me to do! Once the house is built I will begin working toward moving to Romania. I am trying my best to follow God's plan and not rush things...so pray that I would be at peace in His timing at all times!

ALSO...please pray for me as I prepare to travel to Honduras for a mission trip. It is unknown territory as well! Even though I have been there before I don't know anybody that I am travelling with! I am super excited to see how God will be working within this group though! I know He has a plan and a purpose for my involvement and I plan on just being available for whatever comes my way. The details of what we are doing on this trip are vague and I prefer to keep it that way so that I just keep an open mind and spirit and allow God to move how He wants to!

OHHH I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT IT!!!!

Also, I randomly met a man today at Starbucks who is a retiring minister of a Methodist church in this area...We had a great conversation about differences in beliefs and plans he has made and how he and his wife plan to be a part of ministry after retirement and we talked about my plans to eventually move to Romania...His first name is Lester...I just praise God for the contact and want you to whisper a prayer for him and his wife and whatver lies ahead if you don't mind.

I praise God for the opportunities ahead and I am praying for family and friends that are still pressing on at home and in their respective locations!

I LOVE YOU ALL!

Oh...I'll leave you with this picture that I took during the Fall Kickoff for the kiddos this weekend at church...I adore it and the precious gal in it! She belongs to some new friends of mine!