Put together a little highlight video of our Mission Trip so that our church could get a grasp on what we experienced. But how do you compress 100's of pictures, 2 hours of video, and a life changing week for 14 of our church family members and the 2 Honduran families we helped? You can't.
Enjoy!***oh don't quit watching at the end...there's a second ending.
Honduras Mission 2009 from steven moore on Vimeo.
I'm not a huge Creflo Dollar fan...BUT I watched a little interview of him on The Hour and he made this statement. Really something to think about.
"If you were to close your church down and the community doesn't miss you, then you were not having an impact on your community."
He didn't say if your church members don't miss you...but THE COMMUNITY.
We miss the point and purpose of a church so often. It is NOT there to keep "the saved" safe and satisfied, but to change and challenge a community. I want to be a part of a church that doesn't lock itself into a mode of protection, entertainment, and satisfaction, completely forgetting that there is a world outside the double doors.
If you go to church, what would happen if your church one day just shut the doors. Would the impact go beyond those that sit in it's seats, or would the ripple of impact end just inside the entrance doors?
I want to
I felt God stretching me to go and take others "to the ends of the earth" early last summer, but didn't know where it would be. After much time in prayer and research, Junquillo Honduras would our end, and I began planning in November of last year. The trip seemed months away, then suddenly days away, and in a blink we were on our bus to the our home for the week as we served and shared Christ.
6 days later we drove back to the airport, it still seemed like a dream.
"We really did it. It's all happened so fast. God you are amazing."
The week was stretching, tiring, frustrating, heartbreaking, exhausting, exciting, adventurous, breathtaking, exhilarating, inspirational, and many other indescribable words.
You look and think the community is heavily stricken with poverty, but at a closer look, they are wealthier than most Americans will ever know. We served two families and improved their homes with concrete floors, walls, and a new tin roof. We played and shared Christ with the local kids during a VBS. And you ask yourself, Who's ministering to who?
During our evening debriefing Josh, the Experience Mission staff, made a statement.
He said, "We tend to judge people based on their circumstances."
How true is that? At first glance the Hondurans are poor by OUR standards, but after some time you realize that they appreciate what they have more than we do. While we are looking for the NEXT BIG THING, they are still enjoying the MAIN THINGS - time and each other.
Josh also reminded us that no matter our economic status - how rich or how poor someone may be, we all have one thing in common.
The Lord created us both ~ Proverbs 22:2
(more pictures and video to come)
HONDURAS UPDATES
Wednesday
Plane landed in Honduras at 11:20 am. No rain during landing...thank goodness.
It took a while at customs b/c they checked us all for diseases and viruses...especially Swine Flu. We were all clear.
We rode a bus and had a small hike/walk to finally reach our destination...a ranch in Junquillo.
The ranch was all built by hand by trees from neighboring yards.
They took us to a restaurant when we arrived...good thing b/c we were really hungry.
Our living arrangements are nice...outhouse building for restroom usage....water hoses/sprinkler ran from a lake to be able to take showers. Girls actually have warm water...the ranch owner rigged that up for us. We get to take showers at night.
Thursday
The day started early. For breakfast we had eggs, potatoes, refried beans, and tortillas. It was very good. Today we took an old roof off of a 93 year old man's house and put a new tin roof on.
We started a VBS in the afternoon. The kids go to school here until 12:00. They started coming to VBS after school and kept showing up until after 4:00. They had told us to plan for 20-40 children...we had over 60. God is awesome!
It was a hard-working day, but worth it in every way.
Dinner was good...chicken, tortillas, refried beans, and potatoes. Beans will be a part of every meal I believe.
Friday-Sunday
We aren't able to begin building the well because we are the only group here. It takes many to make that happen. We have laid concrete flooring in homes where there were dirt floors. We put a concrete floor and concrete walls in a home where there is a family of 7. There house consists of one room and a kitchen. There entire home is smaller than our prayer room at church. After we finished, the mother decided she was going to get a new stove built since she had a "new home." We have done VBS everyday...there have been way more children than expected. The kids love playing games (they have none). They love making crafts....construction paper is amazing to them. They love anything you give them to play with b/c they do not have toys of their own.
Monday
We are finished with our projects so we were able to go into town. We just spent time walking around, seeing the people, and relaxing. We had a cook out tonight for all the families that we worked with this week. When I started packing, I had a huge surprise waiting for me in my bed...a palm-sized tarantula (no joke). They told us that the one in my bed was a small one...they get much larger. I am wishing I would have checked my bedding more carefully all week.
Tuesday
As of 4:30 the team was stuck in the airport in Honduras due to the fog/cloudiness. They may have to spend the night there 2nite and leave in the morning. Will continue to update if I can.
It's defiantly alright for sure. This is the3rd album added to my mewithoutYou collection. They are a very eclectic band to say the very least. On their last tour they rocked a harpist on stage. For the final song of the show pulled out some kazoos and a couple of children instruments for probably one of the most energetic songs ever performed. Their lyrics are colorful, thought provoking, and even riddled.
The band's first two albums were fairly dark, full of doubt, and questions. Brother Sister, their second album, seemed a bit lighter and brighter. And the final song on that album, In a sweater poorly knit, I believe could have been on the new release. It was almost a prelude of what was to come maybe.
Their newest CD, It's all crazy!It's all false!It's all a dream! It's all right!, is full of colorful stories of animals, insects, vegetables, and a king. A lot of the songs carry a tempo and rhythm reminiscent of old Sunday school favorites, but with a bit more edge. Are they fables, parables, dreams? Whatever they are, they are ALRIGHT! I could so totally see this becoming a musical of some sort. I'd be on the front row. I'll definitely be at their next show in TN if I'm free.
Lyrics from a couple of the songs.
Every Thought a Thought of You.
Every song in praise of you. Our darkest nights are days to you. The trees raise branches high like arms in church to grateful sky. Every song a praise to You. No one here believes in You. Everyone else is bound to leave but You. When they swear their love is real, they mean I like the way You make me feel. No one here believes in You
King Beetle on a coconut estate (quote of a beetle talking to his children)
"We've all called me your dad - but your true dad's not me. I laid next to your mom and your forms were conceived. Your Father's the life in all that you see. He fills up the ponds as He empties the clouds. He holds without hands and He speaks without sounds."
A stick, a carrot and string.
With horses hay beneath his head, or Lord was born in a manger bed. That all whose wells run dry could drink of his supply. To keep him warm the sheep drew near, so great full for His coming here. He's come with news of grace, He's come to take my place.
The donkey whispered in His ear, child in 30 some odd years, you'll ride someone who looks like me into town triumphantly. The cardinal sang with a joyful song, He'll make right what man made wrong. Bringing low the hills, that the valleys might be filled.
Here's a video of Aaron, the lead singer, on purpose, belief, and forgiveness.
Without a doubt one of the greatest videos on Youtube I've seen lately. What a great way to learn basketball and get in shape. Might even work for a dance move...
During praise and worship in our service last night. We had a time of prayer for our students who were just tired and weak. Tired of school, tired of family problems, tired of relationship problems, tired of trying to be perfect, tired of trying be someone else, tired of being tired. We prayed that God would strengthen them.
As I was praying with a couple our students, God dropped a couple of verses into my prayers. They were so powerful and convicting that I spent some time and shared them with everyone.
1) Ecclesiastes 4:12
In verses 9 through the first part of 12 Solomon talks about the importance of close relationships. People to call on in the worst times and celebrate with in the best times. Then to end it all, solomon switches it up and starts talking about a robe made of 3 chords. He says this rope is not easily broken.
The three chords are this
1 - You
2 - The person you are in relationship with (friend, family, spouse, dating, etc)
3 - Christ
It makes sense. A piece of rope with only two chords is weaker and more easily broken than a rope with three chords. There is an extra strength in the the three chord rope. So it's the same with our relationships. If Christ, being the third cord, is missing, the relationship will be weak. We will be weak as a result of it. The reason so many marriages end in failure is because they are missing the third cord. They try to do it alone, just the two of them. They grow tired and break. Their hearts break, their marriage breaks, and they break the lives and hearts of their children.
Keep Christ at the center and keep yourself and the relationship stronger.
2)Luke 22:41-43
Jesus is in the garden praying. Looking for strength to go through what He is about to go through. Every part of his flesh is scared and tired of waiting for it. He's praying, so much in fact that His sweat is like blood. But his disciples are sleeping. No one to strengthen and encourage Him. Read for yourself.
I slept like 2 hours all night long if that long. The right side of my face sincerely felt deformed from all the pressure. I spent the night and morning putting pressure on my right eyeball. I went to the doctor today to finally give in and get a shot, I couldn't take it any more. I went in for one shot, came out with three. I had forgotten to get the follow up rounds of my Hep. A shot and my Typhoid shot for our Honduras Trip. So one in each arm, and one in the hip. I move like the tin man right now. Wait there's more....
BEFORE Elementary School my right eardrum ruptured. IN Elementary School I had tubes in my ears TWICE to remove fluid from behind my eardrums, during this time I had to be super careful and wear earplugs when getting around water because I had a tube creating holes in my eardrums. Water in the head probably isn't good. I find out TODAY, that I have permanent on one side of my right eardrum and severe scarring on the other side of it. I knew I had some scarring, but a hole.
The Doc asked if i wore ear plugs b/c of my hole.
"Um yea sure...sometimes", I said this kind of automatic, but NO!
"Waite I have a hole? Is that why I don't hear as well out of my right ear?"
"Yes", he says.
"So what are the chances that it will grow back together?"
"ZERO" as he holds up a goose egg with his fist. "You need to make sure you have earplugs anytime you are in water, no matter how clean you think it is. You are probably okay in the shower just don't lean in."
Wow! How long have I had this? I've been in the Buffalo River, TN River, Pacific Ocean, countless pools and hot tubs (some clean and others, not so much) over the last 15-20yrs. And Now I'm told I still need to be wearing earplugs. Well at least I can still hear out of it now.
Now I have no sense of smell AND a hole in my ear drum. Life is Humorous at times.
I could always get one of these. Jen does always complain about the music and TV being too loud at times. Thanks Nick for the suggestion.
