First Week Recap [Photos]

It didn’t really hit me until Saturday night at church that I’m really in Honduras until August.

But now that it has hit me, I feel refreshed. Worship was incredible. There’s something about Spanish, the Spirit and a bunch of instruments that just gives me joy.

God’s really been speaking to me through Galatians this first week and Romans 14. Both certainly worth the read.

In Galatians, Paul tells how people didn’t know much about him and his ministry, just the rumor that “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” (1:23).

That verse, courtesy of Elizabeth Jester’s prompting, got me thinking about my own walk. And yours, too.

We all, before the Lord interceded in our lives, were enemies because of the sin that dwelt in us. But because of the blood of Christ and grace, we’ve been reconciled. We were once destroying the church– but now we’re preaching the faith.

God does some incredibly things when we let him in our life.

Enjoy a few more photos from the past few days [Plus a bonus concert promo video]:

Three chicas associated with the Ortez Family I worked with on my first trip to Honduras in Spring 2009. Recognize the girl on the left? She's the one in my profile picture.

Amy from Ohio State at her first Iglesia Gran Comision Choluteca (IGCC) service. Amy and the OSU crew arrived Friday.

Eduardo y Walter greet one another before the church service on Saturday. I love taking pictures of Ed. They're always pretty funny.

Rebecca from Illinois holds one of the kids she met on a previous trip. She kept commenting how big he's gotten and seemingly more healthy too. What a beautiful reminder of how God intervenes and provides.

Emily from OSU hangs out with some kiddos after the church service. Yasaira, on the far right, is one of the girls who has been heavy on my heart since my first trip. Both her parents are dead and she's infected w/ AIDS. But God is alive in her.

Danio is el superhombre. He's now got two kids, a little bebe and my favorite little girl who has a huge crush on me, Dania.

Day 1 and 2: Travel and Greetings [Photos]

It’s only Day 3, but it already feels like I’ve been in Honduras for a week or two.

Monday’s entire day of traveling left me winded and feeling like I was running a marathon.

After a day of exploring Choluteca and getting a tour of some of the areas we’ll be working, today we start focusing on our specific projects. More coming about that, but enjoy these photos in the meantime.

David (left) and Ian (right) in front of their home at Casa Hogar Vida. They (David, Ian and their mom, Luce) were the first family to move into CHV, which now has 39 houses.

One of the little girls at the CNI (malnutrition clinic) draws in a coloring book. The kids are getting a second chance at having a promising future thanks to La Iglesia Gran Comision.

Elizabeth Jester playing with a little boy in Limon at the malnutrition clinic (CNI).

Rebecca Rodgers from U of Illinois holds one of the kids at Casa Hogar Vida's orphanage. There are now 6 kids that have been adopted by CHV.

Shoes4Honduras: Goal Surpassed, 17K Shoes Collected

Days like yesterday reaffirm my belief that God desires that we try to do things we can’t do on our own accord.

Saturday, May 7 nearly 30 volunteers came to Scarbrough International in KC to help sort what would be more than 17K shoes!

It reaffirmed my belief that when we seek the Lord and His will, when we truly ask Him what HE desires us to do with our resources, He’ll provide the miracle to make everything come together.

Yesterday at Scarbrough International’s warehouse (Near KCI Airport), more than 30 volunteers came together to sort the absurd amount of shoes that had been collected over the past year for our Shoes4Honduras Campaign.