Honduras Mission Trip 2013 - Highlights

I plan on blogging each day in detail from my journal but I realize folks are busy and they want the Reader's Digest version of my trip so I'm creating this "highlights" post.

First, I am so personally grateful and blessed to have been able to take time away from work and family and serve God in this manner. From 12/3-12/12, I submitted to be a humble servant of our great Lord. Time given but in return has blessed me more than I could have possibly imagined.

During these days, I connected with people in an inexplicable way even though there was such a cultural difference and language barrier. A teenage boy that I only shared worship time with and exchanged loving hugs with, told me on the 2nd night of the crusade (in perfect English), "I have Jesus in my heart because of you". Well, I sure didn't do anything but show up. God's hand was in EVERYTHING and I pray right now that He continues to guide me.

As a group of 35, we achieved over 600 Salvations in the villages, over 7000 meals delivered, 500+ toys, 1 ton of humanitarian relief delivered, 2 brand new classrooms built at the school, over 400 people treated medically and thousands of other lives were saved, healed and delivered!  

Personally, I grew closer to God and realized SO many blessings from this trip. Each and every mother I prayed with was a prayer for ME. Every time I recited the prayer of salvation with someone, God touched my heart, forgave ME again and renewed MY spirit. I shed many tears of gratitude during this trip and the only way I could convey what I felt was "I'm not worthy".

I'm so grateful for this trip and can't wait to experience this again. Currently searching for opportunities to serve closer to home. 

Here are all the pictures. My detailed blog posts will do a better job incorporating images into the stories of each day. 

https://plus.google.com/photos/106528808407315991358/albums/5959460522903006193


 

Thank You Daddy

This is a special note for my Dad, Roy Luke. First though, I must thank God for all he's done for me and continues to do. I'm in such a wonderful, peaceful time in my life. My family is experiencing the ultimate joy of just living free of health issues or worries. Thank you for the many blessings you are raining down on us Lord,

I spent the day yesterday with my Dad working on this humongous garden that is taking up most of his backyard. The layout is 16, 100 foot rows. Dad planted the first round of seed early April but a few seeds never came up so I went over to "supervise" the replanting which had to occur between 5/9 and 5/11 according to the Farmer's Almanac.

I have to confess that's it's been 4 years since I've been out to his house. We gathered there shortly after Mom passed in 2009 and I guess it's just been too hard to go back. And he comes here often so it's not like we're not seeing him.  I'm so glad I made the trip and will continue to on a more regular basis.

Dad has kept himself busy with projects like restoring antique tractors. The one we used yesterday was a '68 Farmall so about the same age as me. This is a great picture of smiling Dad getting ready to go replant the corn and black-eyed peas that never popped up from the initial planting.

We did some practicing with the tractor to ensure the seed was going to get deep enough with the attachments (I'm sure there is another farmer/tractor term for these) and that the seed was dropping.

 

So, Dad heads over on the tractor to start the rows, on the way he snags the hose and starts dragging it across the garden. Of course neither of us notice until it's too late. He pulled this big tank onto his artesian well and broke off about a dozen PVC pipes, one of which was the main 5 inch pipe to the well. It looked like this.

Well, that's a ton of water that will never stop flowing until the Fl aquifer is drained and a pretty large expense to fix. But, Dad kept his cool, took out his cell phone and called for help. He pretty much just resigned to "stuff happens" and moved on.  We went on to plant our seed and I even got to drive the tractor.

Anyways, I've gone on about the day together because it makes for an interesting story and I wanted to have it for memories but the real reason I'm writing is to thank Daddy for that day and so many others.

You see, Roy married my Mom when I was 7 years old. We didn't want him to marry her. We wanted to keep her all to ourselves, believe me. He was also a stern disciplinarian and what 3rd grader needs that in her life?

He wasn't a perfect father but he loved us and he loved Mom. He was there for us and even took a few other family members and friends in who needed a roof over their heads and food to eat. The philosophy growing up in a family with 5 kids is "what's one more?". 

Dad continues to be involved in our lives as adults. He's an awesome grandfather to my two children as well as 5 other grandkids in our family. He's dedicated to not only being a good Poppy but also compensating for the role Mom held in their lives. Mom was the one we all called when we were upset, my kids included. When we needed a shoulder to cry on or advice. Now, when my 16 year old daughter is upset, It's her Poppy she calls.  He plays it perfectly, being her shoulder, understanding her frustrations but always supporting the side of her parents, Doug and I.

I've needed that too lately. I've been missing Mom. She was the one I talked to about stuff, asked for guidance. There are just some things you want to talk to someone about who has been there, who has life experiences. My mom was always that confidant for me. Yesterday, my Dad officially assumed the role. I'm sure he was always there to do it always but I've not recognized it.  The gardening just gave me the opportunity to open up and talk to him.

So, thank you Dad, for not only the beautiful day, but the beautiful life. Thank you for being so involved with the kids and making the extra effort to stay in-tune with them. Thank you for loving mom so much and caring so well for her. Many lives were positively affected the day you met Mom in the 7-11. God was smiling down on our family that day. May He smile down on you like that each and every day and keep you peaceful, healthy and happy.

Love you much, Mindy