TEAM PERSONAL REFLECTIONS
SABRINA It is already day three and as I reflect on the day’s events I must admit it was a challenging day. The team has committed to fast during the entire trip from 12:00am-12:00pm. The fast has really been great in that it is challenging us to do introspection as we seek to continually increase our maturity in Christ. We started off the day going to the market to pickup rice, beans, flour and lard to put together food packages for needy families. Currently in Honduras the rain has made it difficult for fishermen to go out and perform their job to feed their families. A lot of people in El Porvenir also work in the Dole pineapple field and no work is currently available because of the rain. A lot of families are in need of food because the bread winners are not able to work and get money. God has definitely brought us here at the right to demonstrate His love and meet the needs of the people.
I am thankful to God to be a part of such an awesome team of women filled with the love of God. Once we returned from the market to get the items to give the needy families, the ladies quickly got in sync and organized an assembly line to put together the meal packages for the family. It was such a joy to work with such an amazing group of women who are focused on doing God’s will. Upon finishing the food packages we went to feed families in El Porvenir area behind the pineapple fields. The people in this area squat on the land and have no ownership of the property. In this area there were large families living in small huts and tiny concrete housing. We provided twelve families with food and asked them for prayer requests and prayed with them. We did not have enough food to provide to all the families and I realized the reality of mission work that there is more need that you are able to meet.
Later in the day we went to a feeding center at a local church. We helped feed approximately 30 kids beans, hotdogs and tortillas. We also distributed out tote bags that had crayons and coloring books to the school age children. The kids were really excited to received bags but the event almost turned into a stampede with Marshell in the middle. Praise God for his protection and making me a tall giant woman who was able to step in and block her path from the crowd. When we were leaving the feeding center I witnessed one little girl hitting another and then take her book bag. I asked our translator to tell her that her action was wrong and to not repeat it. We walked down the road and gave the little girl another book bag instead of a tote that we had passed out to the children. She got up from the road and stopped crying and walked home. As I reflect on that moment I think about how God often sees our heart and blesses us with something better than what we lost.
HAZEL
It started in solitude and ended with a boom. Our host family took us to our first visit to the city and we got a chance to see more of the housing and how good to see the people drive. We went into town for supplies to bag food for distribution. After packaging we took the food out for a time of give-aways and prayer. Our last venture was at a feeding center at a local church where we helped to feed over 50 children. We were able to bless the children with backpacks and also to realize that what we consider poverty, they count a blessing.
MARHSELL
I’ve gotten very little sleep, due to being kept up by the loud music coming from the local bars. When the bars close, then the unfamiliar and strange sounds of the night come alive. The sounds have been very unsettling and a distraction. Nevertheless, we woke up to another beautiful day. We were told that the weather has exceptionally well this week, so we give God glory for favorable weather conditions during our stay in Honduras. The team started the day with prayer, communion, and fellowship; before heading out to a feeding center, where children gather once a week to be feed the word of God and a hot meal. Again I was amazed of how disciplined and independent the small children were, as I observed kids as young as 2 years of age stand in line quietly to receive their meal. But, when the children found out that the team was handing out book bags they got a little disorderly. I felt as if I was being attacked on every side as children and parents pleaded and grabbed for the bags as I tried to pass them out. As one little girl was leaving the center her bag was taken from her by one of the older kids. To see this happen and not be able to do anything about it was heart-breaking. The most challenging part of the day was going door-to-door to witness to families and pass out small rations of food. After this visit it was necessary for the team to come together and reflect and to dialogue about our feelings before moving to the next assignment. Coming together at the end of the day to have a team debrief has helped with keeping us focused and cohesive as a team.
JEANNINE
Morning prayer was great! We started with exalting each other, reading a scripture and having communion. We made contact to all of YOU through our blog. We decided to ride into town to get supplies for food to feed the families in the neighborhood. While at the outdoor market we saw people trying to earn a living by selling fish, fruits, chips, cloths and other odds and ends selling. We returned back to the house and combined in a bag rice, red beans, flour and lard. We managed to make 50 food bags for needy families. We were told each bag held two meals for a family. Then we went to the mission field and were faced with families that were experiencing great challenges. Currently, there is a lack of jobs available, many people in the area work as fishermen or pineapple pickers. They struggle to bring food to the table for their families because no jobs are available. This was a difficult mission for me, to my dislike but honesty I became very emotional while performing this assignment. I felt the need to make the pain go away for all the families. I can’t imagine not being able to feed my sons as children. We always hope that God would bless the families and provide them with a happy life, but who are we to say they’re not happy. As we met each family, they all seemed happy as they laughed and talked with each other. One lady blessed us by asking to pray that God continue to allow us to be missionary and help meet the needs of the people. God used me to declare healing over a woman that is in a bed of affliction. I have the expectation that she will get up from that bed and be healed. One of our areas of fasting is to see signs and wonders and we believe it will come to pass. The families were thankful for the payers and food. God used the team to love, encourage, empower, and bless families through prayer.
DAY THREE VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS
PICTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE DAY
 |
| A ten month old sitting quietly as her family operates the business |
 |
| A local business at the Le Ceiba marketplace |
Common practice amongst locals washing clothings in a river
Children at the feeding center in El Porvenir
The families we handed out food and supplies to and prayed with behind the pineapple fields
 |
| Team picture with translator at the La Cieba marketplace |
