Skip to main content

The Oasis

Oasis: pleasant or peaceful area or period in the midst of a difficult or hectic place or situation

           I can't believe how fast time seems to go by as I had started this incredible journey 8 months ago. This journey has been amazing but yet difficult at the same time, very difficult.  It is difficult to give up everything that I called mine: my car, my dear horse Starbuck, my cozy apartment, my cuddly kitties, my family, my friends, my independence, and my job.
        Everything is new and different when living in a different country with a different culture. Imagine having to do the job you've done so well for years but now in a different language without the convenience of modern equipment? I am having to be reliant on other people as I have to ask for rides from other missionaries to even go to the grocery store which is 1.5 hour away. Learning to cook for myself has been a whole other adventure in itself.
         It's difficult and yet thrilling to leave the security of what is familiar to follow God's leading into the unknown. I have seen God work in incredible ways and have grown so much. I have also experienced great tragedy, seen things that I do not like to talk about. It has been such an amazing and yet hard time in my life but I wouldn't trade it for the world.
         Since we missionaries are not employed in Honduras but rather volunteers, we are required to leave the country for at least 72 hours a minimum of every 4 months. Most of us take the opportunity to go back to the States to visit our families.  I just took my first trip home! Boy, was I ready! I left the Hospital on October 31st to spend a couple of days with a friend in Florida before spending almost two weeks at with my family and friends in Maine. It was so refreshing! 
         Thank you to everyone who spoiled me rotten! For putting up with me squealing in delight at the entire aisle of ice cream in the grocery store (we don't have much ice cream in Honduras), for taking me out to eat a record 4 times in one day, for our long talks about what God is doing in our lives over coffee, for spending hours at Aroma Joe's helping me fix my mission cards, for letting me play with your healthy kids (I prefer not poking kids with IV's and making them cry), for campfires and pumpkin carving, for feeding me more ice cream in 2 weeks than a normal person could eat in a year, for sharing your wonderful hot showers, for the many hugs and prayers together, and for my dear horse Starbuck who gave me the ride of my life, for snuggles with kittens. Thanks to the 3 people who graciously offered to let me use your car during my time home. Getting to drive was so much fun! Shall I go on? Thank you all for your love and support! YOU are amazing and such blessings! 



Labels

Labels:
Location: Balfate, Honduras

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Jupiter, Saturn, Youranus

A happy baby boy whose anus is functioning very well hence his smile under that blanket Okay We're going to talk about poop. Let's be real... not being able to poop is terrible. We have all been there. Now imagine being born without the ability to poop. Yep...it's horrible.  Did you know that you could have been born with one of two congenital defects resulting in it being impossible for you to poop? It's true!   One condition is called Hirschsprung disease when you actually lack the muscles to expel your poop so it just stays in there and builds up over time ... well you can imagine what happens. It is not pleasant. This usually  results in a permanent colostomy and much relief.  The more common condition is that you are actually born without an anus. Just imagine that. In this case you would get a colostomy at birth. If you are blessed to live in America, you would possibly have the surgery to create a hole, have months of dilation of that new hole, an...
1 comment
Read more

The Five Letter Word

"Quiet" ... My mere utterance of this taboo word in the hospital brings scolding from who ever hears it.  The thought being that the word being spoken aloud will bring a return of the craziness. The hospital is QUIET! For several weeks now, the hospital has been in a tranquil state. Clinic has been running as usual every week day with the emergency room and labor ward being open around the clock. But it has been quiet! No traumas, critically ill patients, or babies on ventilators for weeks now.  We are so thankful that God has given us some time of tranquility to rest. To rest physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually and to recover from six really difficult months. The tranquility has brought time to slow down, to enjoy time in the Word, to make cookies, to spend time with friends in the village, to get away for the weekend, to paddle out to the reef and enjoy the beauty of God's creation. Time to stop and watch in the hospital hallway as a young amputee walked...
1 comment
Read more

Castaway

Change ... I've written a blog about it before, mostly about how I don't like it.  In the couple of years that have passed since I wrote that blog post I have come to acknowledge that sometimes change is good. But among all the changes that have taken place since that blog post, one thing has remained the same, I still don't like it.  There is actually a big change that is about to take place in my life a couple of months which is why I am bringing up the subject of change. God told me on my first missions trip in 2013 that I was going to serve here at Hospital Loma de Luz in Honduras long term. It took me a couple of years to make it happen but in 2016, I left the States on a two year commitment to the hospital. That two years has turned into five years. How has it been that long already!? During these five years, I have been seeking God's direction on how long I will be here for. In the past 6 months, God has making it clear that my time here in Honduras is coming to ...
1 comment
Read more