During my time in Colon, I had a lot of time to watch and
listen and think. I thought about the fact that with our ministry, sometimes we
are only exposed to the bad in this country. Just yesterday I was in Los Pinos
surrounded by dirty, naked babies everywhere, who are always sick because of
the conditions they live in and lack of food. I smelled paint thinner, and saw
people doing paint thinner (at 10am). I visited the dump to see Carlos and
Fernando’s mom because she LIVES and works there, a form of extreme poverty a
lot of the world doesn’t know exists. I see broken families everywhere, a woman
with four kids whose husband never supports her. I hear the men, with nothing
better to do, yelling disgusting things at me every time I walk by the pulperia
where they all hang out all day long. On a daily basis Los Pinos is full of
abuse, violence, and darkness. BUT, even though these things are present in
Honduras and this country has the reputation of being the murder capital of the
world, don’t count out Honduras.
This is a beautiful country, and God made this very obvious
to me in Colon. While in Colon, I met mothers (and even a couple fathers) who
do love and care for their children, and would never give them up. About every
other night, I overheard the family next door screaming prayers full of faith
for the mentally ill woman there, their faith not diminished by the fact God
hadn’t healed her yet. I met an incredible woman, SO full of the joy of the
Lord, who would love on anyone and everyone she came in contact with. I was
welcomed as family into every single house I entered, even specifically invited
to join in a birthday party for a girl I’d never met. I sat up with five or six
women laughing and joking for hours, then later they invited me back to cook with
them. I met men my own age who referred to me and every women with “usted,” the respectful word for “you”. I saw Cristopher’s aunt tear up when he left
because of the love she has for him. In
the church I attended, I heard the whole congregation pray prayers over
Honduras, with complete faith that God will lift the country out of all it’s
problems. I saw some amazing things!
I experienced so much peace and love in this week, and I just want to let everyone know that
Honduras is not defined by the bad that is here! This is a beautiful country,
with INCREDIBLY beautiful people, and God is and will be glorified here!
Five star country
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