This month at Zion’s Gate has been full of trials, celebrations, normal days, and most importantly rice and beans. Our days were always moving from morning to evening. We were either teaching English, running around with Pastor Armando to soccer fields and Rehab Centers, or sleeping on public transportation. This month has flown by and it amazes me that I have been in Honduras for 42 days. Many days are not so spectacular in events, we do our normal work and chores around the property and our ministry with Pastor. I have not yet seen a radical healing or strong spiritual possessions, but that is the spectacular thing about it. That every day is a slow growth towards Jesus. Every day we take another step in a relationship with the women in the rehab center. Every day we are greeted at Zion’s Gate by “Te Quiero Mucho!” (I love you a lot) from the boys. And that is something very spectacular.
This past month, half of our squad has been at Zion’s Gate and the other half has been at a women’s ministry in the mountains called Heart of Christ, and on Monday we will be packing up our bags, hammocks, and take a 2 hour bus ride to switch locations and to Telenga. The idea of this move was very hard for me, as I finally was able to feel established here at Zion’s Gate and begin a great foundation for relationships at the Rehab Center. How do I know that the team taking our place will be devoted to the center? How do I know that they will give enough love and attention to Benjamin (the girl in the red sweater in my last post) who needs much affection? Will the women at the center feel betrayed and left like so many have in the past? All these thoughts circulated my mind and tormented me, as our squad leaders continued to tell us that we would in fact be leaving. But then something spectacular happened.
Tony, the director of Zion’s Gate, approached me one morning after teaching English at a nearby school. He wanted to talk about the Women’s Rehab Center, which I had been deeply concerned about, so my ears automatically perked. He told me that he wanted to make the center a full time ministry for Zion’s Gate, sending teams there four times a week instead of just once. He then proceeded to say that he wanted to put me 100% in charge of organizing this new ministry. And that in over 2 years he has not given anyone a responsibility like this but was very sure that he was supposed to delegate this to me. He had no idea how deep these women had been on my heart, but God did. I had not wanted to leave because I did not want the women to become lost in the hustle of missionaries passing through. But God has not lost sight of them. He has a plan for them and he has a plan for me. God is allowing me to be apart of something bigger, something long term. God does not need my help to save and love these women, but he knows how much I desire it. So out of the goodness of God, he is allowing me to guide and play a role in this plan. We serve a God who knows us and gives us the desires of our hearts. What a good God.
Tony and I sat down to plan a schedule for the center, and it consists of many art activities, movie nights (along with spending the night once a week), teaching English, taking the women to get ice cream on the town, and taking them to the park. I am excited to see where the women are when we return and I am excited to see how this ministry will grow in the future. I am humbled to be a part of God’s great plan for these beautiful women. He sees the prostitutes and the gang members on the street. He sees the small Honduran missionaries living in a small dank house praying for helpers. And He sees the 19 year old white American girl yearning for purpose in Honduras. He has a plan for them and he has not forgotten about them.
I can only marvel and rejoice.
I am merely a servant serving a spectacular King.
