November/December update 2006

Nov/Dec Update

On November 26th, I invited the children’s class teachers (Maybelline, Karen, Roxana and Nelia) to the apartment to celebrate their dedication and a successful year. We made plans for the coming year, I made dinner and gave them manicures, we watched a movie and those for whom their parents gave permission, stayed the night.

On November 30, the 2nd annual holiday concert was held in the historic Fort of Santa Barbara in downtown Trujillo overlooking the bay. The children’s choir opened singing world-famous Christmas melodies, then the youth choir made their first presentation of two-part worship songs, and finally the young adult quartet performed several selections in four-part harmony. To close, all groups came together to sing Te amo en el amor del Senor (I love you with the love of the Lord) and Unidos (United). Several commented that it was the first time the Church of Christ had an event like that in a public setting.
*Please pray that the churches will continue to schedule events that include all of the congregations in Trujillo and promote unity among them.

The quartet also sang for the kindergarten graduation at the Christian school in Trujillo as their school year ends in November. We were also able to record a few selections that I am currently working on editing.

The following week, Carmen Garcia and I went to a store downtown in order to get an accurate reading of her weight. After a month of dieting, she weighed 410 lbs. We all believe that she has lost weight and she says that her clothes fit her more loosely; however, we all wish we knew exactly how much she weighed before starting the diet. Later this month, she has a doctor’s appointment in San Pedro Sula. Hopefully, they will be able to schedule her surgery date or at least give her specific steps to follow in order to be closer to scheduling a date.
*Please pray that Carmen’s spirits would remain up especially as she at times feels discouraged because of the slow progress. She has expressed to me that she feels that she is going to die from her condition.

The weekend of December 2nd and 3rd, I went to Oliver Mazier’s graduation at the International Bible Institute in Progreso. After some serious discussion, we mutually decided that it would be better for him to explore his options apart from coming to Trujillo. As a Miskito (a group of people that live in the eastern part of Honduras who has a unique language and culture), Oliver could better serve the people there and grow the kingdom in La Moskitia.
*I pray the best for him and his family as they transition after graduation.

On December 3, Roxana Ponce was baptized. After a youth retreat in October, she had said that she was going to make the decision but she felt like she needed to get some things straight in her life first. We had had some conversations in which she entrusted me with information about her past and her family and other things that stood in the way of her committing fully to the church. I was glad to hear when I returned from Progreso that she was able to overcome those things and give her life to Christ.
*Please pray that her faith would continue to grow and that she would always remember that her relationship with Christ is not dependent on other people.


After a rough time in their marriage, Johnny and Rosa are back together. They now have four children as of November 27th. They hadn’t given him a name, but were leaning toward Tommy. Though his birthweight was low, he is healthy and strong. Edy and Marcos are doing well. I was glad to be able to hold 13 month old Samuel, but was concerned that he lacks muscle control. Though he was not sick, his breathing was also labored.
*Please pray that the new baby continues to grow healthy and strong and that Samuel’s health would be strengthened.

The five students, Vanessa, Ermelinda, Jessica, Carolina, and Yanori, successfully finished their second month of sewing class. They received certificates for their accomplishment. They will take a break during the Christmas season, but plan to resume the class in 2007.

On December 10th, Yefrin and Maybelline had their “church wedding” in Tegucigalpa at the Baxter Institute as her family lives there and many were unable to make the 10 hour bus ride to attend the ceremony in Trujillo. Because they were not accepted to study at Baxter, their current plans are to remain in Trujillo.

On December 11th, I was supposed to return to the States to spend Christmas with my family. After looking forward to this day for the previous 6 months, I was quite disappointed when the bus from Tegus arrived in San Pedro Sula about ten minutes before my flight left. After missing my flight, I was told that I would need to bring my flight number (from my email) but that they had all of my flight information and there should be no problem changing the ticket to the next day. The next morning, I arrive with the information but am told that they are unable to honor it for a reason I need to take up with CheapTickets.com. After buying a one-way ticket that was nearly as much as the return-trip ticket that I had already purchased, I was on my way from SPS to El Salvador, to Miami, to Chicago and finally to Detroit. Thankfully, my bag arrived the next day. It decided to stay overnight in Miami. I don’t blame it. It’s cold up here. I did arrive up north in time for my mom’s birthday and the family ski trip. It’s been nice to be home. I don’t typically get homesick, but Stephanie sent me some pictures in the fall that made me want to jump into the computer screen. Six months is a long time to fly solo.

I pray that you all have a wonderful holiday season. I’ll keep you posted as to my personal plans and plans for the ministry.

Check out the latest article: The work is in the pain… www.nadineinhonduras.blogspot.com

Blessings,

Nadine

The work is in the pain...

When we think of the word missionary, we typically generate positive ideas of the person and the work he or she is doing. People who “give up everything” (material that is) because of a calling. How glorious. I never understood that a missionary could be hurt, attacked spiritually, even by the same members of the church with which she is working: that we experience pain. Deep pain. What I’ve come to understand is that the work is in the pain. Let’s say a brother or sister has done something injurious for which it would be easy to avoid that person, refuse to work or commune with that person, or simply be indifferent toward the person, but the Lord calls us to something higher, something infinitely more purposeful. He calls us to struggle with people. He calls us to not give up on people. They may even hurt us again. Is there an end to forgiveness? In a place where the concept of grace is not grasped by the average church going person, even at its most basic level, it is all the more important to consistently show it. Because of the dynamic, the grace-giver has the highest potential of being hurt but also the greatest likelihood of making an impact. Though the wounds take time to heal, they do heal. Anything that is healing, though it is time-consuming, never leads to despair.
In Spanish there is a saying that has encouraged me on various occasions: Las cosas pasan porque tienen que pasar. Hay que aprender de ellas. It translates: Things happen because they have to happen. One must learn from them. Lord, teach me the full extent of the lessons that you have allowed me to encounter, always reminding me that my ability to experience the heights of joy are directly related to the depth of the pain that I have previously walked through.