We, me, my two amazing Honduran friends, our host and Miss Audrey, all sat around the long table. We'd just finished dinner, which was typical Honduran goodness, pupusas and nachos, topped off with a scoop of ice cream. With full stomaches we did what any typical group of girls would do, started chatting, well actually Miss Audrey started talking and we started listening. She started with one story, which led to questions, which led to more stories and we started to get a picture of her testimony, life before God and present with God.
She's a grandma, strolling her way to fifty this year, but "a four year old at heart", you could tell this to be true the way she chatted on and on and bounced from subject to subject. Her words captivated me, she took you with her by her words, you were a fly on the wall as she told of her jail experience and how God has changed her life. By looking at this woman, you never would have thought she has the story that she does. She experienced so many things, plenty of which she didn't share with us because of the sensativity of the information for our young ears and hearts, which only drew us in all the more. We all sat with our eyes wide open, mouths on the table, we didn't know what to think. I've heard peoples testimonies before, I've heard crazy stuff before, but I've never head anything like what this woman was sharing. It was just amazing to see what God did for her, even when she wasn't serving him.
God isn't a formula we can figure out. He doesn't fit into a box, because this woman's story goes against what I thought God only does and only doesn't do. But God does what he wants, when he wants, because he's in control.
It was my privaledge to have Miss Audrey stay in the same house with me. (She makes amazing Cinnamon Coffee by the way). The other morning as she was sharing how some people had prayed over her hands because one arm was longer than the other, and she had me hold out my hands as well, only to discover that I also had this issue (something I'd never seen or thought of) and so she proceeded to pray over them. I looked at my hands and the shorter one had become significanly longer than the other one, but then I looked again and they were even.
God does whatever he wants whenever he wants to, He's God.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Baleadas
I couldn't think of anything very interesting to write so I descided to write about the most amazing food that you can ever eat in the whole world (ok, maybe only in Honduras but still amazing). It's called a baleada (Ba- lee- ada), (balas in Spanish meaning bullets). There was a story that I heard about how it got it's name: there was a woman who use to sell them on the street and one day there was a shooting near that place, so people started to say that they should go eat where the shooting took place, “I’m going to the baleada (literally: shot woman).
Ok so a baleada... the closest thing that I can compare it to for my Western friends is a bean burrito (but they are still worlds apart). It's so much more! You start with a tortilla, get those store bought ones out of your head, and don't even think about Taco Bell. This tortilla was made five minutes ago by a woman who put the flour together and smacked it around with her hands within an inch of it's life. It's sort of like fresh bread kind of good. Then come the beans (almost any Latin American staple). They are smooth as wáter (really Brown wáter). You add cream. (It's a specail kind of cream with a name that I can't spell). It's like sour cream. Then some cheese that is crumbly. You have all of this wonderfulness together (of course there is so much more that you can add to this goodness... eggs, chicken...ect). You take your first warm bite...it melts in your mouth... and slides down your throat.... you can't help but smile and close your eyes, savoring the goodness.
You're in love. You've fallen in love with Honduras.
Ok so a baleada... the closest thing that I can compare it to for my Western friends is a bean burrito (but they are still worlds apart). It's so much more! You start with a tortilla, get those store bought ones out of your head, and don't even think about Taco Bell. This tortilla was made five minutes ago by a woman who put the flour together and smacked it around with her hands within an inch of it's life. It's sort of like fresh bread kind of good. Then come the beans (almost any Latin American staple). They are smooth as wáter (really Brown wáter). You add cream. (It's a specail kind of cream with a name that I can't spell). It's like sour cream. Then some cheese that is crumbly. You have all of this wonderfulness together (of course there is so much more that you can add to this goodness... eggs, chicken...ect). You take your first warm bite...it melts in your mouth... and slides down your throat.... you can't help but smile and close your eyes, savoring the goodness.
You're in love. You've fallen in love with Honduras.
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Travel...Travel...Travel
This past week was Semana de Santa (or Holy Week aka Easter Week aka Spring Break). I was given the privilege to travel with Aderemos, which is the worship team here at MUNA. They have a vision to travel to each of the 18 states in Honduras at set up worship alters in the capital of each state. So the days were set up with worship workshops and then at night we would go to the local park and set up all our equipment, pull out the guitars and invite the people to come and worship God with us. As you may know I have no musical ability at all, but I was excited to go as a guest and see more of Honduras. I think that even though I didn´t know how to worship, I learned a lot about worship and a lot about who God is and that worship isn´t about me, but about him.
We also got the chance to go on a zip line that was HUGE! and yes I passed up the chance because my nerves got the better of me. A little regret, but only a little. It was also very cold because we were in mountains, and 60 degrees may not seem too cold but I think I have adapted to the normal 90 degree weather that I was freezing!
Overall it was a wonderful experience with a lot of great memories and building greater relationships. It´s amazing how much you can communicate even when two people don´t speak the same language. (My Spanish is improving at the rate of a turtle, by the way.)
We also got the chance to go on a zip line that was HUGE! and yes I passed up the chance because my nerves got the better of me. A little regret, but only a little. It was also very cold because we were in mountains, and 60 degrees may not seem too cold but I think I have adapted to the normal 90 degree weather that I was freezing!
Overall it was a wonderful experience with a lot of great memories and building greater relationships. It´s amazing how much you can communicate even when two people don´t speak the same language. (My Spanish is improving at the rate of a turtle, by the way.)
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Bless Your Socks Off
When I first arrived in Honduras, I was touched by the way the people welcomed me into their homes and lives. I felt very blessed by all the people and especially the school that I am volunteering at; they have always gone above and beyond what I would consider hospitality. They should just put up a sign: ¨Welcome to Sunshine, we will bless your socks off!¨ This morning I was blessed with two gifts from people here at school, and this all happened before 10 am! Then I was given a special prevailedge to speak to some youth and share my testimony and encourage them in the Lord. It was awesome to see them worship the Lord and recieve as well as give. THEN as if my day wasn´t perfect enough we went to church in the park and saw people get saved and danced in circles until I thought I would fall over and was covered in dust! Best way to woship God! These people love God and there is no stopping them from worshiping Him..... ....... And God has allowed me to come and experience this... it´s like a little kid who built a project and he´s so excited to show his friends, he says ¨look! look! look what I´ve made!¨
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