Por Fin

We’ve done it, we’ve made it home:

To think that I spent the last six months in a third world country seems unreal. To look back on the time I passed there reality seems like a fantasy. Did I really meet new people, live with a new family, eat new foods, and learn new things? Yes. I did. And although right now it seems difficult to decipher my feelings I know that I have learned lessons that will change my life, have connected with three new sisters, and made memories that will last a lifetime. Thank you to everyone who has supported me financially and with prayer. I can never thank you enough! I will see you soon!

Kate

The time in STEP is now complete! It’s so crazy to think how fast the time actually went.  I’ve had a great time getting to know my three STEP sisters and mis Hermanos En Cristo de Honduras through this experience. We’ve been through good times and we’ve been through tough times, but we’ve grown closer through it all. I would much rather be in Honduras or some other country right now. I know that this time with family is needed right now in my life, so I’m going to spend time with them, find a job and volunteer my time in a Spanish speaking place in my community. During the time in Honduras, I’ve learned that I would like to be involved in long term missions overseas. Thank-You for supporting me through this time.

-Nicole.

Only 24 hours away from seeing my family: surreal. My teammates became my sisters, Honduras became my home, and Spanish speaking became a game that I was starting to understand (I always love a challenge!). Our first week back in the States has only given me a glimpse of what it’s going to look like to leave what became my life over the past six months. But you know what’s crazy? Leaving doesn’t mean leaving behind. I don’t have to leave behind my friends, I don’t have to leave behind the Spanish language, and I don’t have to leave behind this ministry lifestyle. I’ve met and grown close to many people throughout this time and I’ve learned a lot about myself, my world, and my creator. All these things have become a part of me—a part of me that I’m excited to share with my friends and family in my first home.

Brynne

We’ve finished quite an amazing adventure, said some hard goodbyes, and are preparing to part ways, but I’m a long way from home. I’ve four more days and three modes of transportation to get me back to “home.” The isolation of debrief has set me into a limbo of sorts and got me to thinking: what is home?

They say home is where the heart is, but if that’s the case, my heart is spread to the four winds, riding on wild horses and watching mountain sunrises, basking in the sun of my host brother’s smile, and dancing with the laughter of three amazing young women. It is still swimming in a volcanic lake and leaping under waterfalls. It still is caring for malnourished children and widows and orphans. For a while I was afraid I had left it behind. I was fortunate enough to come across this quote in our debrief reading, “until our hearts become knit with the people here, we will look back with longing.” It’s funny, really, because I once looked back to Texas with longing, but now the feelings are so fresh and raw from parting, that it is Honduras I miss. I haven’t yet had the opportunity to knit my life back into the lives of my friends and family. I still feel the love of Honduras and my sisters like a rope around me, pulling me back. Time. It is going to take time, something I’ve spent the last six months learning about.

Isaiah 40:31

Those that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they will raise on wings as eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint.

Kris

So, I commission you readers, family, and friends, be patient with us. Whether we’re dying to go home or dying to go back, or somewhere in between, we’re coming back with six months of experience under our belts and we’re different for it. The transition might be easy, it might be hard, but love us through it and our hearts will once more find themselves at home.

                                                                            then:

                                                             
                                                                               now:

                                                                and everything in between:

                                                         Bediciones del grupo STEP

Seeing someone elses point of view

This blog post has been in the making the whole time we've been here.
When you start something new in your life, you never really know what to expect. Your judgment may be based on your emotions and the adrenaline of a new opportunity in life.

Before I got to Honduras I was expecting to live in a mud house and have tarantulas crawl on me at night. I didn't really know what ministry would be like or what learning a new language would entail. I didn't even really think about how long 6 months can seem at some points.

The reality of my time ending here is sinking in. It was not like what I thought it was going to be like. I'm living in a city for the first time in my life. There biggest mall in Central America is close to where we are living. I've only seen one tarantula during my time here and that was when we were outside of the city. Yes the language learning has been hard, but I'm surprised at how much I've learned in that department (no, I'm not bilingual yet). 6 months has been very long at some points when we don't know what's coming next, but now that we are having to say goodbyes, it seems like just a moment has passed.

I've met many people here and they have a special place in my heart. When I think of leaving the country in 5 DAYS, it makes me sad to realize that this is the last goodbye for a while :(

Over the length of these 6 months, I've had many people try on my glasses. They got to see a different perspective than what they were used to!

 

 

 

If I had let fear and the uncertainty of a new country hold me back from coming, I never would have met all of these amazing people. My brothers and sisters in Christ (Hermanos En Cristo)
I am now realizing how thankful I am that God called me to come here.

I now have a different perspective of the world.

-Nicole

Overcoming Mountains

 We sang a song on Sunday at church called: SUBE MÁS ALTO. It's a song that I've always liked but these lyrics stood out to me this week:

YO SUBIRE A LA MONTAÑA MAS ALTA SUBIRE

NO DESCANZARE YO SUBIRE

This past week, the four of us girls went out to the mountains with our Missionary, Nathan Bert, to do door-to-door evangelism (more like house-to-house because they are so far apart).

Our first location was in a town called Las Colinas. We arrived Monday afternoon and had some lunch. Nathan needed to give our local brothers and sisters some teaching on the material that we were to be presenting. After that was finished, we set out in groups to get two houses done because it was getting pretty late in the day.

 

Our view walking to our second house

 Katlyn, Pastor Jose Luis, Mainor, Blanca

Katlyn and I walking through a corn field to get to a house

 

 

     Katlyn and I were in a group with the pastor, his wife, their one son and another girl. I think our group was a little intimidated because they had just gotten a quick run-down of what we were to do and then we were right on the field.

- I should note, I did not do any talking during this because my Spanish would not allow me to present the whole message.

     Our second day, Katlyn and I went with the pastor, 2 young men (One of which was not a believer) and the young girl from the day before. We traveled through the jungle, swamp, and mountainside on foot to get to the houses that we needed to visit. We were out for 4 hours and got to 8 houses. It was not an easy experience.

     When Katlyn and I got back, our other 2 teammates were there and so were about 50 kids that we were to have VBS for. It was time to put on a smile and try to muster enough energy to minister to these children! Our time included a couple of active games, the creation story acted out, some songs and some colouring. It was a good time.

     Those 2 nights, the four of us girls stayed with a local family. We got coffee each morning and I had the privilege to have a cup of fresh milk as well. The family was really nice and seemed to like having us there! OH, and these houses don't have electricity, so candles and flashlights are really popular!

     Wednesday we set out for another town about 1.5 hours away called Españolito Numero 2. Two men, Francisco & Sebastian, from the last town traveled with us. We arrived and had lunch, and then went up to the church to train this new group of brothers and sisters about the material.

     We formed groups with the people that actually wanted to go out to evangelize. When the groups were formed, a lady noticed that Francisco (from the other town) was sitting in the back. So they got him to come up and join in the group with the pastor.

     Kristen and I were in a group with two men and set out for our ministry. Our first house, we presented the booklet and talked. After we were finished there, we got a bunch of fruit from the trees and our one teammate, Mario, decided to store them in my purse! He's such a funny guy.  At another house, the same man leaned over and grabbed my glasses and put them on, I couldn't help but take a picture.

 

He took us to his house to meet his family. They gave me coffee, and gave Kris fresh hot milk. They had 3 of the cutest little puppies! Then they offered us a fruit that looked like a banana, we were surprised when we took a bite and it tasted like an apple! It was the best fruit I've ever tasted!

    

      Our second day, Kris and I arrived to the church to find out that Brynne and Katlyn were up all night sick, so we brought them to marios house to stay for the day.

     Since we were down 2 people, we changed up the groups for evangelizing. I was now with the pastor, Francisco and a young guy from the church. Nathan put me with the group that would be doing the least walking because I had really bad knee pain the day before (I also went into the week with 2 fresh blisters on my ankles, we were trying to fight infection, and I gained 3 more blood blisters on the bottom of my feet)

     We walked down into the mountains and visited 6 houses, one lady accepted the Lord when we were with her. As we were walking through a corn field to our last house, I knew that all the sores on my feet had broken open and I could barely walk. I was in so much pain and my three friends could tell but didn't know how to help. I had to stop and sit down a few times because the pain was unbearable, but we got there.

 

     This week was definitely the most challenging for me mentally and physically. As some of you know, I feel like I'm being called to long term missions over seas! This week gave me a glimpse into what I might be doing. There were many times during the week that I gave up, but I always had someone there to pick me up. I had my 3 STEP sisters to talk to, God to trust, and many new friends that speak another language than I do.

 

ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH GOD

 

Romans 5:3-8



³ Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴ perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

⁶ You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

I've mentioned my friend, Francisco, a few times through this post. When we met him on Monday, he was introduced to us as a "friend" which means to them that he is not a believer. He works at the store that we were training at and that we ate most of our meals at. During our meals, I noticed that he was looking at our booklets. I could tell that he was curious. On Tuesday after we got back from evangelizing, I saw him talking to one of the guys that was with us, so I started praying for Francisco.

     I was surprised too see that he was coming along to the next town with us. He sat in on training and went out evangelizing that same day. When he was in my group on Thursday, the pastor said "Our friend, Francisco, is not a believer, but he is with us right now."

     That night at church, my friend Francisco became my brother.

 He opened his heart to the Lord.

After church I went up to shake his hand and say "bienvenidos" to him, and it was just amazing to see his smile and how sincere he was.

 

     This whole time in Honduras, I always wonder why I'm here. What am I doing to help the local people? Am I just making things worse? Why do I have such a bad attitude? Am I even supposed to be here?

     No, I don't have the answers to these questions, but seeing someone I care for come to know Christ was such an amazing experience. It encourages me that I'm where I'm supposed to be.

Francisco and I

 

We can't change the mountains in our lives. There are different paths and roads along the way, some are more easier than others. No matter where we are in those mountains, God is with us.

 



-Nicole

 

 



 

 

 

 



To be Humble and Praise Him Always

"How to write a poem about he whom all try to describe with words that are his own creation. We talk about your greatness, your power, your love, but so often they are but empty words, their hollowness a reflection of hearts that have long grown stale and cold, waiting on the promises that our minds are slowly forgetting. There once was fervor and zealous joy in our hearts. That wild communion with your holiness that transcended all understanding and inspired the songs we now pay lip-service with. How then, did we separate ourselves? Why then do we separate ourselves from your holiness? Are we as the people in the time of Moses, demanding a veil, not able to stand in your presence? But Jesus rent the veil! He rent the veil! We have no more need to hide than our own selfish desires! To worship you, to praise you, is your desire, so supplant ours for your own. May our hearts once more overflow with the joy you give us. Move among us again. We’ve crowded out that still small voice of yours with living a “purposeful” life when a life without your direction is meaningless. So then, roar like a lion, bring us to our knees in true reverence and awe. Let us hear you! Rip off the blinders we have placed on our minds and our hearts. Let us learn to be open, to hear you when you call. Let us learn what it is to worship you whom created the heavens and the earth and the tiny grain of sand that is I. Because, though I am but a speck of nothingness, you have loved me and you have called me your own." (a spoken word poem)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I was edgy last week. Everything frustrated me, I wanted to be alone, I was ready to be home.
God has funny ways of humbling me.

Acts 2:28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.

Titus 3:2 They must not slander anyone and must avoid quarreling. Instead, they should be gentle and show true humility to everyone.

Alright, God, I heard you.

A weekend of prayer and study brought back the peace I had been missing and then my host family did something beautiful. They took me to God's Not Dead. That movie spoke to me in ways that I can't begin to explain, but know that it was good for me. It brought me the kind of peace about being here that I'd been missing for a long time. And it was good.

May I always be as thankful as I was in those moments. The Lord has been good to me; he keeps blessing me. He is forever faithful.
He has given me friends and family all over the world and supplied them with abounding patience. He paints the sky every night as the sun sinks behind the mountains he created, and the stars are his thinking. He created laughter. He created joy. He gave us grass to run barefoot in and dandelions to pick, and puddles to jump in. He put music in our hearts and a song on our lips. May we ever praise him.

Blessings, my friends,

Kris

Life. Families. Goodbyes

When I left my home to come to Honduras, it wasn't that difficult to say goodbye to my parents because I had been away for a year already on another missions program. I didn't realize how different this would be, to be away from them, life is different than what it was back then. I now have a handful of new family members that I didn't have to say goodbye to 3 years ago. I'm missing out on a lot of things that are happening back home.

I'm here in another country that I never would have imagined back when I left the first time. I am seeing new things, meeting new people, speaking a new language and learning to work with new people. It is quite a challenge at times, but rewarding all at the same time.

This past week I got an email from my Dad, that made me miss home a lot. The familiar of my usual day-to-day routine just seems so inviting right now. But I am here for a reason and meeting the people I am meeting for a reason. I'm living with a family that is not my biological family, but they are still my family.

Each time we leave a ministry that we've been at, I don't like saying goodbye. It is just so sad to think that I may never see them again. But like what Kristen had posted in one of the recent blogs, one of our friends said "If we don't meet again here, we'll see each other in Heaven" Such an amazing statement.

Always be thankful for those that you have in your life. They are there to help you grow and learn new things about yourself, and about life.

Hermanos En Cristo (Brethren in Christ)
We are all family in Christ!

Nikki

 

Some of our small group went out for Baleadas last Saturday

 

Nixon and I sharing Lunch

 

My host sister and I last week at a Birthday Party

 

Kristen and her host brother

 

Myself and a Sister in Christ

 

Mama Sonia

 

Papa Jim with a Brother in Christ

 

Brynne with a Brother in Christ

 

Hanging out with some sisters

 

Kristen and a Sister in Christ

 

Papa Jim and a Brother in Christ

 

Katlyn with a bunch of Siblings in Christ

Sisters in Christ

 



My "STEP" Sisters

 



 

 

My "STEP" Parents

 

 

My Dad

 

Mum and I