Groggy from the 5 A.M. morning call, I board the plane with a full stomach of my last American meal: Chicken Biscuit and Dr. Pepper. I fall asleep quickly after the plane takes off from the Atlanta soil and the next thing I hear is an uproar of excitement arising from every squad member on the plane. I glance to the window, but my eyes are fixed, unable to pull my sight away from this land we will call home for the next 3 months. We hover just above the glorious Honduran mountains drenched in greenery and elevated to the clouds. The land is scattered with small mountainside homes and valley huts. Much countryside rules the scenery until we reach a grand metropolis; this must be Tegucigalpa, the capital and our new home. I am overcome by awe, so much that I do not even realize we are landing. The seatbelt sign bings off, chatter arises, and we make our way down the stairs and to customs.
The chaos of the city contrasts the landscape; the energy is invigorating and exciting. We load our luggage of 60 people onto a truck and pile into a large school bus that the local ministry, Zion’s Gate, has provided. We pull into the grounds with many colorful houses, built for girls and boys who have come from the streets and projects. Many are from a city called Los Pinos which is engulfed in crime and poverty. Tony, the founder of Zion’s Gate has created a home and a family for these boys and girls and taught them the love of Jesus through his father role.
We pitch our tents on the grounds and hang our hammocks in the grand hall, a transformed strip club, now into a place of worship and community. We are given a lecture on the country and transition into the culture and are told that we won’t begin scheduled ministry until Monday, when Tony returns from the states. I have now found that this rest and time to soak in Honduras has been very beneficial to slowly adjust to our new home. We are greeted by our first meal of beans and rice, one of many to come. It is our job to manage the grounds. This includes picking up trash, cooking, cleaning, and interacting with the kids (who’s ages range from 2- 19). For the next few days, we begin to build our community. Already, God has given me a sweet love for my squad and specifically for my team of 5 other girls. We play cards, take walks, dance to drums, laugh together, worship together, and pray together.
For 9 months, I have the privilege to live with these people. For 9 months, we get to have no responsibilities, but to God’s constant call. For 9 months, I will eat beans and rice. And for 9 months, I get to encounter God in ways I have never experienced before. He is already teaching me so much, but that is a different blog 😉 Adios for now!
P.S. I am having a very difficult time uploading pictures with the wifi we have. I will try to get some up as soon as I can. Pray for connection!
