Hey everyone! It’s crazy that it’s already been a month since my last blog! We spent this past month serving in Honduras, on a mountain, camping, with zero wifi and so that is why I haven’t been able to blog. This may possibly be the longest month I’ve ever experienced. It’s hard to believe it’s not Christmas already – I feel like I’ve been camping at the top of that mountain for 3 months! 2 times charging my phone, zero times having service, a handful of showers, and 216 bug bites later…but who’s counting lol
Anyways, the ministry we worked with this month is called “Catracho Missions.” Catracho is the word for Honduran people. The ultimate purpose of their ministry is to build up leaders in the community who will share Jesus and lead the church. They want to expand and do this in many places, but it is the very beginning of their ministry here – so we have been doing a lot of manual labor. We have been building a church, a community center, leveling out parts of the mountain, and creating a space for their ministry to flourish. It was exhausting haha.
Samantha working hard!
We spent a loooot of time with all sorts of different manual labor!
For maaany miles we carried lumber through the forest to bring back to the camp for building the church
We also built a ton of chairs! I built this one with Chanel – this was our first attempt!
Our ministry hosts a sowing school for women and a soccer camp for men and boys. In this culture, women are not allowed to read or own a Bible, so the way that we shared Jesus was tailored in a way that they would know we respect them and their culture. Our host told us it would not be received well to ever offer a woman a Bible, so they began the sowing school to share stories from the Bible instead. The women here want to know these stories so it is an awesome way to still share the gospel in a way that they wouldn’t run from or be offended by.
We got to meet the women at the school as well as share a bit of our hearts with them
The purpose behind the soccer camp for men and their young boys is to teach the men to be good leaders. Incest is normal in this culture; the boys grow up to see it as completely okay. The soccer camp is a way to teach them what the Bible says and help them to see God’s plan for their lives. We didn’t actually participate in this program but I wanted to share it with you to see a little bit of insight to the culture we worked with this month.
Along side manual labor, we did home visits, VBS, hosted a 3 day Beauty for Ashes event, and helped with cooking.
Met some local kiddos on the mountain:)
The squad led a 3-day VBS event, the kids got super into these dances and got to hear many Bible stories led by our teams!
While all the kids were in VBS, we had the opportunity to lead a Beauty for Ashes event for the mothers. During this time we got to share personal testimonies and Bible stories to encourage the women to be vulnerable with each other and learn more about their identity in Christ!
We got to help a lot in the kitchen, and we learned about many different Honduran meals!
This is what cooking in the kitchen looks like – an ingenious way to cook up in the mountains where there is no electricity
It’s safe to say this month was challenging for almost everyone. The amount of times we said “ignorance is bliss” regarding bugs invading our space, or “do you think it’ll rain today” in regards to us trying to dry clothes or air out our leaking tents in the pinnacle of Honduras’ rainy season is innumerable.
This month we learned that the World Race is not for the faint of heart. And neither is being a follower of Christ. The physical challenges of this month were a true representation of the spiritual battles we face in life. So many things were difficult this month – like I feel like I am literally coming out of a real battle as I prepare for a new month in Costa Rica. But God taught me (once again) that He is our strength when we are weak.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 — But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
Some prayer requests:
- Healing for the squad – probably close to half our squad got sick last month, so just for complete healing of all stomach bugs, parasites, and bug bites!
- Energy and refreshment as we step into a whole new ministry. Last month was a lot of manual labor and really hard work, so any prayers for the Lord restoring our spirits and bodies would be greatly appreciated
- That Catracho Missions and our ministry hosts from Honduras would be blessed with strength and joy from the Lord as they continue doing the hard but rewarding work that the Lord has called them to!
Thank you all as well for those who donated over this past month that I was without wifi! I have officially less than $2,500 to raise to be FULLY FUNDED! My next deadline is in November, and I am so excited to see how the Lord provides this upcoming month!
I’ll leave you guys with a few photos to get a glimpse into some of our adventures and daily life of this past month!
We took a day and went to Pulhapanzak Falls – one of the coolest experiences. We went behind the falls and underneath them in caves. It was extremely refreshing to go and experience something so grand that the Lord has created!
Our transportation for the month! We didn’t go down the mountain often, but the two times I did, this is what it looked like!
Some of the lovely ladies from K Squad! We were all waiting for lumber and had a little forest photoshoot
We got the opportunity to go adventure around in this tree maze that is not actually open to the public yet! Our host was so excited to share this with us!
The real nitty gritty of what our home was this month! The top picture is of our dining table. Bottom left is our bathroom and our tent homes. Bottom right is the shower! Honestly when the showers worked, they were WONDERFUL!!
How many people can we fit in one tent? lol
One of the women and her son that we met at the Beauty for Ashes event. I saw her multiple times throughout the month and she was ALWAYS radiating joy with her beautiful smile. She would make coffee for us as we helped carry concrete to her home in the mountain as well. Such a light to the community!
This was in the forest one day after we helped plant trees for a reservoir. We hiked/slipped/catapulted for at least 5 miles to get to this reservoir that will in the future be a huge help in bringing water to the nearby homes!
Fantastic mission experience!! If more young men & women were to follow in your footsteps it could change our world spiritually, and deepen their appreciation for being born in the USA and all the blessings we have. I love the biblical story telling to the women, since they can’t have Bibles, to show/tell them about our God and how he never leaves us nor forsakes us! I’m so very proud of you, Jessie, and know God is smiling down at you & your team members as you follow Him!!
Jessie! This is amazing to hear and to see what God is doing in your life! I am so happy for you and proud of you ? God has some big things in store for you!!
What a month! I know it was challenging in so many ways, but the words in your blog and the smiles in the photos tell a story of joy and overcoming and the amazing love of Jesus. Thank you for being His hands and feet—He is doing an amazing work in and through you! Love you much!
This is INCREDIBLE. The photos, the stories, the ways the Lord is continuing to grow and push you, your community, all of it. I’m so PROUD of you!!
K squad went through so much last month… physically, emotionally, spiritually! You guys are truly amazing. Thanks for the awesome reminder that “My power is made perfect in weakness.” Jessie… I pray you will continue to learn this lesson all year (although maybe with fewer bug bites!). haha