When Pastor Matt's parents got up in front of our smallish, Southeastern Wisconsin church one Sunday to talk about a potential mission trip to Honduras, I wasn't jumping out of my seat with my hand waiving in the air, shouting "I'll go, I'll go!" like I did eight years ago when I had the life-changing opportunity to go to England to partner with a church in Frodsham to encourage and to minister to their community.  I was so "head-over-heels" excited for that mission experience - I mean, I WAS REALLY into it!!!  Thinking about this mission trip to Honduras didn't make me feel that way when I first heard about it.  That made me think that I wasn't really meant to go, but I do know that I am eight years older than I was when I went on that first mission trip, I have two more children than I did then and I have experienced things since then, that I realize, have changed me. 

So, ... deep breath ... let's think about this. 

On February 18, 2012, my husband and I attended the first informational meeting to find out more about the type of mission trip this really is.   The country of Honduras is in Central America, is smaller in size than Wisconsin, and yet has a higher population.The second largest country in Central America, Honduras is bordered by Guatemala and El Salvador to the west, Nicaragua to the south, and is characterized by humid, tropical weather, moderate temperatures, and long periods of drought caused partly by deforestation. Hondurasfaces severe poverty and food insecurity in rural areas, where 53 percent of the population lives. On average, only one-third of Honduran children attend school past the primary level, resulting in decreased availability of qualified labor, productivity, and income generation. Child labor is also an issue, as an estimated 384,000 children and adolescents between the ages of five and 18 are employed.  Honduras is among the poorest nations of the world. It is a nation of neglected and abandoned children and adults in dire need of help. Many families are locked into a devastating cycle of disease, unemployment and illiteracy. Every year, more than 50,000 Hondurans have their medical and dental needs met by medical and non-medical volunteers who make up the Medical-Evangelism brigades of World Gospel Outreach. It's called a "Medical-Evangelism" mission; the team, or brigade, consists of 10-12 medical professionals (doctors, nurses, medical assistants, technicians, etc ...) and the rest are "not medically-professional", like me, who will work together to provide for the medical, dental, vision and pharmaceutical needs of thousands of Hondurans who would not otherwise have the means to receive such care.  Lives are changed and communities are transformed as WGO Brigades partner with more than 80 local Honduran churches to serve those in need, bringing medical care to some who have never had it. World Gospel Outreach is helping defeat poverty in Honduras while bringing the hope of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
 (information on Honduras provided by World Gospel Outreach and World Vision International)

Truthfully, I can think of several reasons NOT to go to Honduras … It’s not going to be anything like the mission trip to England on which Brian and I served nearly eight years ago.  There’s going to be a language barrier.  Can I really be away from my two young daughters for eight nights?  What if I can’t deal with the intense need of the Honduran people?  Am I too crippled by fear that I won’t be an effective witness? … Just recently, as I was looking in the Bible for passages of Scripture to form into prayers, with the thought of Honduras looming in the back of my mind, I barely whispered to God, “LORD, would you just make it clear to me whether or not You want me to go on this mission?” and it was at that very moment that I turned to the following verse that I was going to write down for the prayer for my husband:

…stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. ~ 1 Corinthians 15:58

How about that?  Well, I instantly claimed that verse for myself and memorized it!  Despite all my fears, I know that my efforts will not be in vain and I am excited to see how the LORD will use me on this mission trip! 

So, join us ... follow along as we (my husband, my son and I and a whold brigade-full of other people) prepare to go to Honduras to serve the people and to share our heart for Jesus.  Your prayers are greatly appreciated!