My Mission Lazarus Story: Day 4

Day 4, Tuesday, June 8: Awoke about 4 a.m. but just lay there and relaxed until about 6:10 a.m. That’s something I seldom allowed myself to do at home or on vacations. It was peaceful listening to birds chirping outside the cabin. Fortunately I didn’t heard any scorpions scurrying inside the cabin. Temperatures have been great for sleeping. In spite of the daily heat and humidity, the temps on top of this mountain where the ranch is located are ideal for cabin sleeping. Last night I even needed to pull the blanket on in the morning’s wee hours. After breakfast I prepared to give away the remainder of the caps I had packed for that purpose. The remarkable thing about that was the woman who checked me out at Goodwill, a month prior to this trip, asked me what I wanted with so many caps, so I told her. I had only the yellow tag ones as they were the 50% off color that day. Marked $1.49, I was well-prepared to pay 75 cents apiece for the 26 or so I had selected. I was also buying a belt and three pairs of cotton pants that I intended to wear on the work days and then leave at Mission Lazarus to be washed and given away. That is what they suggest and are glad to do. I went with two suitcases, but for the trip home I put the smaller inside the larger and only had one checked bag. Gave away all the rest. The “God moment” came when I got home from Goodwill that day and glanced at the receipt. The lady had charged me for one cap at 75 cents. She also gave me an additional 15% off my entire bill. I got 26 caps, three pairs of pants, and a belt for $11.38.Back at the well work site, I gave out all the caps to the eager, smiling (always smiling) children and joined the evangelism team. Today Allen was our leader and he did an amazing job at the homes. We delivered the food, took photos, sang, read scripture, and prayed. We delivered 12 food sacks before lunch.We ate lunch back at the work site with kids all around. It was easy to share the Doritos and cookies with them. A spontaneous soccer game broke out with Tommy giving a great imitation of a hot goaly. The clouds were appearing stormy. Perhaps we would actually get a taste of this “rainy” season that was supposedly upon us. Afternoon rain would certainly have a cooling effect on this stifling heat.At about 1:30 p.m. we journeyed back to Choluteca to worship at the men’s prison. Our passports got us in and an arm stamp would get us out. The entire group was only allowed to take one camera. David took his video camera. The rest of us got to take some photos before entering and then when we left and went to the site of the church they were building. A short walk through the general population of the prison brought us to the worship site already in progress. The singing and enthusiasm were incredible as we were greeted warmly and given the first two rows of seats. After a few songs we were welcomed and applauded publicly. Then came the surprise – we were asked if someone from our group would like to deliver a message. After some brief misunderstanding about not just reading a scripture, Allen stepped up to the podium and, with Espartaco translating, did an amazing job of extemporaneous preaching. It made us proud and inspired the listeners. After worship we toured the general population of the prison. It was not someplace I would have wanted to be any longer. It was very strange to see where they lived and cooked. There was clothing hanging everywhere; prisoners constantly offered to sell us their “crafts” – we had been warned about this and to keep our hands off our wallets. After exiting the prison and retrieving our passports and cameras, we were allowed to enter a different gate to the church building site. It actually rained while we toured the prison. Perhaps this really is the rainy season after all.Our next stop that afternoon was at Espartaco’s home above the church building (from Sunday’s worship) in Choluteca. We had and amazing time of fellowship and cake with his family.We returned to the ranch at 8 p.m. for a steak supper, sharing time, and then in bed by 9:30 p.m. A bull frog even came to visit our cabin porch that evening. It had been a full and rewarding day in Honduras.

My Mission Lazarus Story: Day 2

Day 2, Sunday, June 6. After catching up on the previous night’s lost sleep by going to bed at 7:30 p.m. and hearing Tommy state that he was setting his alarm for 5 or 5:30 a.m., I mistakenly correlated Ron’s phone “ringing” at 4 a.m. with Tommy’s alarm for later. Without looking at my watch, I arose quietly and went to shower. Upon returning to my bed and discovering it was only 4:15 a.m., I went back to my pillow. I got up about 5 a.m., dressed, and exited the cabin to enjoy the cool breeze and sunrise.I walked up to Ron’s rock to take some photos then sat in a rocker by the fireplace and read my Power for Today devo I had brought for morning meditation. Breakfast was French toast, bacon, and fresh pineapple.We went to Choluteca for worship with the local Hispanic congregation and “Taco.” We also met the interns there that morning.

The singing was amazing! It was truly a time of praising God form the heart with passion and enthusiasm. The local song leader would lead the congregation in a contemporary praise and worship song in Spanish and then I led the English speakers in the same song. For the offering we went to the front and deposited our contribution in the plate. Allen helped preside over that and the Lord Supper. Some of our young men helped pass the communion emblems with the cup immediately following the bread. Then came the surprise. We had a 30 minute time of fellowship in which we shared Pepsi and sandwiches and talked. Then came the preaching service with Randy delivering an “inspired” message and Taco translating. Some of Randy’s wit and humor was lost on all but the Americans.We went to the coastal beach and ate lunch at a fish shack on the ocean in sight of several other Central American countries to the north and south. I enjoyed the fried coconut and even the whole fish that glared back at me through glassy eyes.Next we visited one of several Mission Lazarus medical clinics. As with everywhere we went, the children flocked to us. At this clinic an “every man for himself” soccer “game” broke out. This was a literal “warm-up” for the real game between the Hispanic Christians and the American Christians (us and the interns) on an “enclosed” field about the size of that used for indoor soccer. I believe some of our “older” players would not have survived if the match had been on a regulation-size field. Sweating was the order of the say – even among those of us who only stood and cheered.We returned to Mission Lazarus at 7:30 p.m. for supper, sharing, and a 10 p.m. bedtime. It had been a long, hot, but very gratifying day...