Hello all,
I’m so sorry for my lack of contact in the last month. We have been in areas with very limited internet access so in order to not overwhelm you with an extensive update on every nation, I will focus on the ministries in Guatemala and Honduras for today. The ministries in both countries were completely different and brought about different challenges for me personally as well as the team.
Guatemala:
Stepping into Guatemala, we had no idea what to really expect in terms of culture and the language barrier. Although the Pastor there did not speak English, through God’s Grace, we were able to communicate in some way or another. My favorite time of ministry took place in a little village on the outskirts of Guatemala City called Santa Lucia. Each time we drove from the bustling, loud streets of Guatemala city into the dirt roads filled with barefoot children and women carrying baskets on their heads, I was amazed at how dramatically the level of poverty changed. Most of the children, although they are only a 20 minute drive from the city, have never left their village. Yet despite their lack of basic necessities, their faces are filled with joy and laughter. Our mission there was to cook and serve food to 50+ children ranging from 1-10 years old who otherwise, wouldn’t have a hot meal. As we pulled up to the woman’s house where it was taking place, we heard the welcoming calls of children yelling, “gringos!” Meaning, “the white people!” While the girls helped cook, the men were assisting the pastor in building the future school house, clinic, soup kitchen, and church for the children. There is nothing like experiencing God’s heart and being a part of the provision for His children. The Guatemalan people are welcoming, warm, and almost generous to a fault. Communicating may have been difficult, but there was a mutual bond through Christ’s love that was undeniable. It was a blessing to stand along side the believers there and encourage them in their pioneering work.
Honduras:
I never expected in my life to be doing ministry somewhere as beautiful and Roatan Island off the coast of Honduras. Its hard to feel like you’re doing mission work when you are living in what appears to be paradise. We quickly saw the broken down side of this so called “paradise” through our various ministries. Drug and alcohol abuse consume the island and hopelessness fills the eyes of the people. There is a huge conflict between the latin and black community that make up the locals on the island. In one of the communities, we were able to build a house for a single mother named Esmerelda and minister to the people in the surrounding houses. Esmerelda’s story is one of a broken childhood in which her mother would leave her and her sisters locked in a room with nothing but a bag of sugar and a jug of water while she disappeared for weeks. However, when she tells her story, she does not focus on the hard times she had growing up, but on God’s saving grace and how thankful she is for saving her and her son. She has dedicated her life to His ministry by translating for the church and putting her hands to any work that is needed. It was such an encouragement to see her evangelical heart and willingness to serve. Building her a home was the least we could do for her and her son. Our time there was filled with beautiful adventures and incredible ministry opportunities. In summation, through God’s grace, we helped build two houses, evangelized the streets, ran four church services, prayed over a new church, and even saw four people come to faith! God is so good!
It is incredible how much God can do in just two weeks in a nation. We serve a great God. If there’s one thing I gleaned about God’s character from Guatemala and Honduras, it is his abundant compassion for His children. When they cry out to Him, He is faithful to answer.
As we press in to our last leg of the trip, we ask for prayer. Pray for the people we have left in countries behind us that God may continue to work in their lives and that they may draw ever nearer to Him. Pray for the people here in Costa Rica, that they may experience God through us and come to a deeper understanding of His greatness. Pray for those ahead of us that their hearts may be softened so they may receive our message of God’s Grace. If there is any impression we wish to leave these countries with, it is that of a team covered in prayer and led by the Holy Spirit.
Prayer Requests for the Team:
-Continued unity
-Boldness to proclaim God’s message
-A continued leading of the Holy Spirit
-Finances: we are still in need of money to enter into Panama and for our promotional trip back in the states when we return. If you would like to donate, you may do so via pay-pal at www.sendministries.com or you may send checks to Send Ministries at 885 Vista Way Vista, Ca 92084.
Thank you so much for your continued support! I am excited to see you again soon. May God bless you even more abundantly!
In Him,
Alaina Henderson
