Re-Focus

Hello! This is my first blogging experience. I wanted to share a story with you that really helped me to re-focus on the "why" we are going to Honduras. About a week ago a couple from our church gave a report regarding their short term missions trip to Honduras in January. This couple have been going down there on medical brigades for nine years now. Our friend Ron is a doctor and he told a story that was very powerful. The way their brigades work is that you have to present a "stamped" card in order to see the Dr. The way you get your card stamped is that you have to attend a service. They have several services throughout the day where you can hear the gospel message. They see so many people that it can take hours to stand in line just to hear the message and then hours again to see the doctor.

The card that they present the doctor also has their list of ailments. Ron said that it is usually a lengthy list because they see so few doctors, they want to get all of their needs and possible future needs taken care of. Ron told a story about a man who had stood in line for about 3 and a half hours to hear the gospel and get his card stamped, then he stood in line another 4 hours to see him. The only thing this man had on his card was "eyes". Ron asked him several questions to make sure there weren't any other needs that this man had. All he kept saying was "eyes". Then Ron asked a few questions to find out what was wrong with is eyes. The man said (through an interpreter) that all he wanted was a pair of glasses so he could read his Bible. The optical part of the brigade was closed but they were able locate 3 pairs of glasses and one of them was a perfect match.

Isn't that amazing? What would we stand in line almost 8 hours for? Would we do it just so we could read the Bible? I was humbled, embarrassed and motivated. To be honest I had recently been having a pity party and this snapped me right out. Not just this story but their whole presentation was just what I needed to hear. I had gotten caught up in the logistics of getting to Honduras and this helped me focus on the "why". There are so many needs there and it is a privledge that we have been called to help.

Thank you Ron and Debbie!

---Dana

Waiting on God

God is using this time of raising support and getting ready to move to Honduras to teach me about patience. I certainly know that God's timing is perfect, it's just sometimes I want to change the clock. If it were up to me we would be in Honduras now, or at the very least in the final stages of leaving. I am at the point now that alot of my day is spent thinking about Honduras, the people and what we will be doing there. I check the local papers out on the web for news, check the weather, look through the WGO site rereading the newsletters, and looking at blogs that are about Honduras and Tegucigalpa. But, God is telling me to be patient. We are still at around 45% of our goal, Jordan's foot is not healing as quickly as the doctors would like and they are even talking about surgery, and we still have many, many things to get ready before we leave.

So what is God trying to tell me? I admit I'm not sure right now, maybe that's why He is waiting. Perhaps He is telling me that while He is definitely placing a compassion in my heart for the people of Honduras, that the "alot of my day" should be spent with Him. He has great news, it's sunny when He is around, He has a great newsletter called the Bible, and He has the best prayer blog in the universe.

Thank you Lord for your lesson on patience and we are thankful that You tolerate our rushing to get things done before You deem it worthy. We trust that Your timing is wonderful and perfect.

--Alan