Hola mis amigos and amigas. It has been a while since I have posted anything. Updates:
My baby Zoie, the Chihuahua, turned 1 year old on November 20th. She is the best and most loving spoiled little crapper ever. She is something else. I work part-time now at the place I got her from and love every minute of that. Work at the PD is the same. Waiting to hear who will be promoted to the lead dispatch (supervisor) position. Yes I applied, so please keep your fingers crossed.
Working through relationship issues as well. For the better though.
My whole perspective on life has changed since going to Honduras the first week of November with Morning Star's medical team. It was truly a blessing to have experienced it. I highly recommend, if you ever get the chance to take a week off work and serve with the church in another country, do not hesitate to do so. Because you know that hesitation is? Demons toying with your mind. Trust me on this one; I know so well the "toying" that takes place. One minute I was going and the next minute I was staying. No matter which way I was being tugged (to go or not to go), I was being tugged in the direction of going. I almost did not make the dead line for shots nor have time for my passport. I kept telling myself, if I was meant to go, then things will work out. Well, to my surprise, my passport arrived within a week of sending the application off. Hmmm, was He saying something out loud or what? At that point, it was willed that I go. The tugging and pulling away was tough for me though. Just ask Jennifer. She was willing to camp out on my front door step to make sure I got to the airport the morning we were to leave out. She didn't have to though. I was there bright eyed and bushytailed at 4:15 a.m. I was the first one there as a matter of fact (at least I think I was?).
Right before we started to descend and were above the clouds, I pointed out to Jennifer that it looked as though there was a handprint in the clouds. Like someone put their hand right through the top of the clouds. Little did I know how much that handprint would be put into play during the trip? She used that as her theme even before we departed St. Louis. She described all we were doing and how the Hondurans “touched” us as being “handprints”. God’s handprints were ALL over that week. Hmmm, there is your do do do doo’s Jules.
WOW what a week it was. What a team we were. Everyone meshed so well. Our personalities were just right. The love, tears, hugs, laughter, etc that were shared by all, will never leave my heart. It is amazing how 11 strangers from different areas of the states can come together and feel as though we knew each other so well before hand. The kindness and compassion each and everyone shared with each other, let alone the people of Honduras, just amazed me. As one of the persons on the trip said when he was asked to describe how he was feeling, "freakin' sweet".
We arrived without any expectations and left with heart felt gratification. These people did not see us as being rich gringos (white people), but people of God coming to help them. But they could not comprehend how much they helped us so much more spiritually and emotionally. My eyes were opened wide in many different ways. The little things we take for granted here in the states. The bottled water we drink even though we have safe water from the tap. St. Louis has the best tasting water in the country. Nope, we chose to drink from plastic bottled water or get water purification units to aide in the safeness of the water. Not to mention the waste from that plastic bottle. We noticed that when we were done with our water bottles, the locals would take the bottles home and the uses they would find for them would amaze you. Ok, so water, running water at that. The majority of the country uses wells or streams near by. That is, if it rains enough so that the streams and rivers are not dry. Tooth paste and tooth brushes. While the team was there, we had to use water from jugs and hope that we did not forget not to rinse our toothbrushes in the sink. Nor rinse with that water as well. It is the little things we do not even think to think of that is what amazed me. Children in the vacation bible school and the small crafts we did; their amazement with the stick glue and crayons. How we couldn’t give the children, which were around the church during lunch times, our left-over’s, for there may be 20 more children the next day. We visited a home that had three generations that lived there. Two, two roomed stucco type homes with bare ground as the floor. They are bean farmers. (They grow the beans, and then harvest them by hanging them on a line tied between two trees to dry. Once the beans were dry, they would lay them on the concreted area and take bushels into a brick room that resembles a garage and place a board near the opened wall and start beating the bushels with dried sugar cane stalks. This separated the beans from the pods. Once the beans were separated, they were dried in the sun. It was amazing to watch) Anyhow, we were welcomed to tour their house and see how they live and we were the ones that walked away from the home with gifts of thanks. Can you imagine that? They shared their way of living with us; in our culture, when you go to someone’s home as a guest, you bring a gift of thanks. Here are people that thrive day to day and were so generous as to give us an abundance of fruit to take with. Oh my, I could go on and on. But I won’t. Just have to experience it yourself.
Words cannot express how different life has been since then. I was always compassionate, but maybe more so now than ever. And I see people in a different sense; more so the inside as to oppose the outside. The little things do no bother me as much as they used to. (My grandfather used to say that if you live by these two rules, you will live a long and happy live. Rule #1- Don’t sweat the small stuff. Rule #2- All stuff is small stuff). I am trying to live on Honduran time (see Jennifer’s blog for the definition of Honduran time), which may get me fired from my current job, but you know what, the more reason to move to be with the people there....Yes, that is the biggest obstacle I am facing. I know the Lord has been calling me, for some time now, to serve as a missionary, but I am struggling with if I am to stay in the states or move to where He wants me the most. I have been offered a place to stay with an American family there that is originally from Texas. David is a pastor in Danli and his wife, Cindy, helps with setting up the medical missions. Our trip was her first ever solo hosting mission trip. She is phenomenal. After day two during that week, I was in tears saddened for I had to leave in five more days and return to my life in the states when I wanted to stay there so much. Cindy put her arm around me and said, “Tammy, I have an extra room at my house. Come on down whenever you like or heck, we could even be roommates.” She is going to be surprised one day when she hears a knock and an HOLA at the door and there I am with several pieces of luggage. HAHA I wish. I told Cindy the last day we had spent together, that her first solo medical mission trip has changed 11 peoples lives. She has the best job in the world. Literally. Not only changing the missionaries lives, but the lives of the people the missionaries touch.
I can honestly say I saw God and His handprints all over that first week of November 2008. And I cannot wait until I return to the land which is filled with His presence.
This Thanksgiving had a different meaning than those in the past.
My baby Zoie, the Chihuahua, turned 1 year old on November 20th. She is the best and most loving spoiled little crapper ever. She is something else. I work part-time now at the place I got her from and love every minute of that. Work at the PD is the same. Waiting to hear who will be promoted to the lead dispatch (supervisor) position. Yes I applied, so please keep your fingers crossed.
Working through relationship issues as well. For the better though.
My whole perspective on life has changed since going to Honduras the first week of November with Morning Star's medical team. It was truly a blessing to have experienced it. I highly recommend, if you ever get the chance to take a week off work and serve with the church in another country, do not hesitate to do so. Because you know that hesitation is? Demons toying with your mind. Trust me on this one; I know so well the "toying" that takes place. One minute I was going and the next minute I was staying. No matter which way I was being tugged (to go or not to go), I was being tugged in the direction of going. I almost did not make the dead line for shots nor have time for my passport. I kept telling myself, if I was meant to go, then things will work out. Well, to my surprise, my passport arrived within a week of sending the application off. Hmmm, was He saying something out loud or what? At that point, it was willed that I go. The tugging and pulling away was tough for me though. Just ask Jennifer. She was willing to camp out on my front door step to make sure I got to the airport the morning we were to leave out. She didn't have to though. I was there bright eyed and bushytailed at 4:15 a.m. I was the first one there as a matter of fact (at least I think I was?).
Right before we started to descend and were above the clouds, I pointed out to Jennifer that it looked as though there was a handprint in the clouds. Like someone put their hand right through the top of the clouds. Little did I know how much that handprint would be put into play during the trip? She used that as her theme even before we departed St. Louis. She described all we were doing and how the Hondurans “touched” us as being “handprints”. God’s handprints were ALL over that week. Hmmm, there is your do do do doo’s Jules.
WOW what a week it was. What a team we were. Everyone meshed so well. Our personalities were just right. The love, tears, hugs, laughter, etc that were shared by all, will never leave my heart. It is amazing how 11 strangers from different areas of the states can come together and feel as though we knew each other so well before hand. The kindness and compassion each and everyone shared with each other, let alone the people of Honduras, just amazed me. As one of the persons on the trip said when he was asked to describe how he was feeling, "freakin' sweet".
We arrived without any expectations and left with heart felt gratification. These people did not see us as being rich gringos (white people), but people of God coming to help them. But they could not comprehend how much they helped us so much more spiritually and emotionally. My eyes were opened wide in many different ways. The little things we take for granted here in the states. The bottled water we drink even though we have safe water from the tap. St. Louis has the best tasting water in the country. Nope, we chose to drink from plastic bottled water or get water purification units to aide in the safeness of the water. Not to mention the waste from that plastic bottle. We noticed that when we were done with our water bottles, the locals would take the bottles home and the uses they would find for them would amaze you. Ok, so water, running water at that. The majority of the country uses wells or streams near by. That is, if it rains enough so that the streams and rivers are not dry. Tooth paste and tooth brushes. While the team was there, we had to use water from jugs and hope that we did not forget not to rinse our toothbrushes in the sink. Nor rinse with that water as well. It is the little things we do not even think to think of that is what amazed me. Children in the vacation bible school and the small crafts we did; their amazement with the stick glue and crayons. How we couldn’t give the children, which were around the church during lunch times, our left-over’s, for there may be 20 more children the next day. We visited a home that had three generations that lived there. Two, two roomed stucco type homes with bare ground as the floor. They are bean farmers. (They grow the beans, and then harvest them by hanging them on a line tied between two trees to dry. Once the beans were dry, they would lay them on the concreted area and take bushels into a brick room that resembles a garage and place a board near the opened wall and start beating the bushels with dried sugar cane stalks. This separated the beans from the pods. Once the beans were separated, they were dried in the sun. It was amazing to watch) Anyhow, we were welcomed to tour their house and see how they live and we were the ones that walked away from the home with gifts of thanks. Can you imagine that? They shared their way of living with us; in our culture, when you go to someone’s home as a guest, you bring a gift of thanks. Here are people that thrive day to day and were so generous as to give us an abundance of fruit to take with. Oh my, I could go on and on. But I won’t. Just have to experience it yourself.
Words cannot express how different life has been since then. I was always compassionate, but maybe more so now than ever. And I see people in a different sense; more so the inside as to oppose the outside. The little things do no bother me as much as they used to. (My grandfather used to say that if you live by these two rules, you will live a long and happy live. Rule #1- Don’t sweat the small stuff. Rule #2- All stuff is small stuff). I am trying to live on Honduran time (see Jennifer’s blog for the definition of Honduran time), which may get me fired from my current job, but you know what, the more reason to move to be with the people there....Yes, that is the biggest obstacle I am facing. I know the Lord has been calling me, for some time now, to serve as a missionary, but I am struggling with if I am to stay in the states or move to where He wants me the most. I have been offered a place to stay with an American family there that is originally from Texas. David is a pastor in Danli and his wife, Cindy, helps with setting up the medical missions. Our trip was her first ever solo hosting mission trip. She is phenomenal. After day two during that week, I was in tears saddened for I had to leave in five more days and return to my life in the states when I wanted to stay there so much. Cindy put her arm around me and said, “Tammy, I have an extra room at my house. Come on down whenever you like or heck, we could even be roommates.” She is going to be surprised one day when she hears a knock and an HOLA at the door and there I am with several pieces of luggage. HAHA I wish. I told Cindy the last day we had spent together, that her first solo medical mission trip has changed 11 peoples lives. She has the best job in the world. Literally. Not only changing the missionaries lives, but the lives of the people the missionaries touch.
I can honestly say I saw God and His handprints all over that first week of November 2008. And I cannot wait until I return to the land which is filled with His presence.
This Thanksgiving had a different meaning than those in the past.
