The 'Soul' Reason Is Our Sole Reason!

     It seems that, no matter how organized I am, how well I try to plan my time, or even if I get a little ahead of schedule on something, there is always something else that is calling for my attention - something that I should have done yesterday!  

     Of course, there are some things that can’t wait, like Bible study and lesson planning, as well as developing object lessons, illustrations and competitions to accompany those lessons.  Then there is teaching the Sunday School classes, the Youth meetings, church attendance and visitation. These things are essentials and cannot be neglected nor put off. If you are active in your church where you live, you understand the time commitment it takes.  However, when you multiply that by four (because that’s how many of our works in which I am involved either teaching or responsible for preparing lessons), it takes a big chunk of your time!  

     Neither can meal preparation, a clean house and clean clothes be postponed.  Even though I have a girl that usually comes 2-3 times a week to dust and mop the tile floors throughout the house, I do everything else. The floors alone take about 3 hours, and we’re talking about someone doing them who is much younger and stronger than I!   Washing clothes also takes an extended amount of time.  I thank the Lord that I am one of the blessed missionary wives that has a washing machine, but time must be taken to hang them on a clothes line, retrieve them when they are dry, fold them and put  them away.  (I would imagine that probably 95% of those of you reading this don’t even have a clothes line anymore!).  

     Food preparation is another time consuming chore.  You wouldn’t necessarily think so, but let me share this current observation from someone who recently visited.  

     This past January, we had a couple of young adults come and spend a month with us.  Rachel and Caleb Hamman (brother and sister) come from a family with 11 children.  We met their family last year while presenting our ministry at their church in Wasilla, Alaska, where their father was the pastor.  We knew that we were to eat lunch with them after church.  I had been thinking to myself that, as a pastor’s wife, what a chore it would be to know that when church was over I had to go home and feed 15 people!  Having said that, you cannot imagine my shock when, at the conclusion of their service, their father invited the entire church to their home for lunch!  Now, grant it, it was not a large church, but I would say there were about 30 or more people there!  However, his dear wife and the older girls didn’t seem the least bit concerned.  Apparently, this was a regular Sunday occurrence. 

     Later, Rachel, who likes to cook and, apparently, is usually in the kitchen helping out, informed me that it really wasn’t that big a deal.  So, knowing all of this, you can imagine my surprise when, after a couple of weeks with us, she commented to me about the amount of work and time we had to spend in the kitchen to get a meal out for just four people!   I guess that, after nearly 16 years here, I really didn’t give much thought anymore to the time consuming things that must be done before eating the food.

     We are always telling people who come to visit us on the mission field that they must be flexible!  Always expect the unexpected!  Things very rarely happen in the timely manner that you would commonly expect, and interruptions to your planned and organized day are the norm; perhaps suddenly you are without electricity for several hours, you have unexpected visitors, you have to go look for a cow that got out of the fence, someone needs a ride to the doctor, etc, etc.

     That’s when I have to pull out my “To Do” list and start prioritizing.  Usually, the first thing that gets moved to the bottom of the list is correspondence, meaning my email and keeping this site up.  

     In the last four months there have been SO MANY THINGS that I wanted to write about, but when I finally had time to sit down and DO it, I was so tired I couldn’t even think straight.  However … today is the day!  I am reclining on the couch and recuperating from the “creeping crud” that I’ve had for nearly a week.  My body is weak, but my mind is ... well … it’s about as strong as it’s ever gonna be. (Take that for what it’s worth!)  So, I will try to catch you up on a few things.  

So, Hang on!  Here we go!  I’m gonna try to play “Catch Up”!

     Our original plan last year had been to be back in Honduras by Christmas, but God gave us an unexpected surprise and blessing.  We got to spend Christmas with both our children and all our grandchildren!  (It had been seven years since our last Christmas together!) Although the change in schedule jammed some things together and left us huffing and puffing to get things done, it was such a sweet and blessed time that, I would do it again in a heartbeat!  So, instead of arriving in Honduras the first week of December, as originally planned, we arrived a month later. 

Me with all our grandchildren!
Esther, Hannah, Brayden, Dakota
Josiah, Abigail and MaKayla

     We had just spent nearly six months traveling in the States visiting churches in Alaska and Florida.  However, our arrival back home in January did not give us much respite from our hurried schedule because we were immediately in another whirlwind of activity. As a result of our schedule change, we had very little time to get ready for our coming visitors. (Check out my June 11, 2012, article Home Invasion! to see what we always face in our home after spending time in the States.)  However, God was gracious, my neighbor was helpful and our guests were forgiving.  So, six days after arriving in Honduras, we made the trip to back to the airport in San Pedro Sula to pick up Rachel and Caleb, as well as a pastor and his wife from Canada.

     We had met Pastor White and his wife, Monica, a few years back through my very dear friend, Bev.  We were privileged to be there when Bev joined their church, Grace Baptist, in Surrey, Canada.  We felt an immediate connection with this dear man of God and his precious wife.  They were to be with us for four days before going on to the capitol city to be with fellow missionary Jason Tate, and then they would go to El Salvador to visit one other missionary that their church supports.  During their time here, I felt our friendship deepen, and who could ever have guessed that they could be such a tremendous blessing in such a short period.  

     Rachel and Caleb would be staying with us through the month.  What fun we had with these young adults!  And again, what a blessing they were. 

     While here, Rachel was a tremendous help to me on several projects.  The main one was some mission bulletin boards for our main church. I had been wanting to do this for some time.  With her help, that task was finally accomplished! 

    In their month here, they had such an impact on our young people that, here it is, four months later, and we are still seeing the effects of their visit!  Just let me explain.

     Both Rachel and Caleb are accomplished musicians and singers. Mike told them that he had a guitar here that Rachel could use, and asked them to be ready to play and sing during their time in Honduras.  Before coming though, their sweet church also bought a key board as a gift to our ministry.  But it just so happens that the piano is Caleb’s area of expertise, and he was able to make full use of their generous gift while he was here.

     Therefore, that first service after their arrival, we had live music and Mike and I joined all our guests singing a special!  There was a little twist though.  Instead of Rachel playing guitar and Caleb playing keyboard, Pastor White played the keyboard!  (Some people can do just about anything!)  

Some of our teens admiring the new keyboard.

     Our teens were duly impressed by their playing and the instruments, and they had to gather around after church was over.  Everyone especially wanted to touch and see the keyboard.  It’s not that they had not seen one before, they were just excited that there would be one around permanently!  Different ones asked us to find out if Caleb and Rachel would be willing to give guitar and piano lessons while they were here. Both were more than willing to give of their time and talents to our excited young people, although I was a bit dubious as to how much they could really learn in just one month.

   

Victor and Salvador take guitar lessons
from Rachel

 Consequently, for several evenings a week during the month January, Mike and I were busy interpreting music classes, usually one of us in the dining room with Caleb and the keyboard students, while the other was busy in the living room with Rachel and the guitar students.  The four of us were pleasantly surprised by their eagerness, their commitment and, with several, their natural God-given ability.  For Rachel and Caleb’s last Sunday here, our young people did an instrumental special in church.  I must tell you, they did surprisingly well, too.

Obdulio with Caleb at the keyboard.

     It was a difficult time for all of us when Rachel and Caleb’s time with us was over.  Several young people came by the house just to express their gratitude and sorrow at their leaving.  They all said that they would miss them and never forget them. Rachel, especially, encouraged them to keep on working and use their talent for God.  They promised her that they would.

     True to their word, they have continued to practice and work, improving and building upon those things that Rachel and Caleb so patiently and lovingly started with them.  This past Sunday, they did a beautiful job on a special!  Although I was not there to hear them (for I was at home ill) Mike took the camera and made a video for me.  It brought tears to my eyes!                                               What a tribute to, not only the Lord, but to two young people who were willing to spend their money and a month of their lives to make a difference here in Honduras!

- Leonidas -
A real man of God!

     On a very sad note, just a short time after the Hammans left, a precious friend and coworker of ours went home to be with the Lord.  Leonidas and his wife, Silveria, have been the most faithful of all our families, and Leo has been one of the hardest workers and strongest witnesses we have ever had.  Although poor and uneducated, for Leonidas and his sweet wife never learned to read nor write, he was one of the wisest men I have ever known - wise because he loved the Lord with all his heart and did his best to serve God with all that he had and all that he was. He was a bold and outspoken witness, and an encouragement to those struggling in the faith. Often, without embarrassment nor hesitation, and with tears running down his face, he stood up and gave testimony of God’s bountiful blessings and goodness to him and his family.   All who have been here to visit remember Leonidas, for this poor, uneducated man had a testimony that touched hearts and made a difference in the lives of all with whom he came in contact.  This simple man had a testimony that crossed all borders and language barriers.  I cannot tell you how deeply his absence is felt nor how much he is missed.  He had no fear of dying, just a fear of leaving his children without his loving, godly guidance.  How I praise Jesus for the blessed hope that we have in Him.  I ask that you, please, keep in your prayers his dear wife, Silveria, and their children Miguel, Hector, Raul, Cesar, Lillian and Carla.  

Raul, Hector, Miguel, Leonidas, Silveria,
Carla and Lillian

All the children have accepted Christ, Lillian and Carla doing so within the last month.  They know their daddy is in Heaven today walking on streets of gold. Furthermore, they have no doubt that, because they, too, have accepted Christ as their Savior, they will see him again in glory!  What a precious comfort it is to know Jesus Christ!

   As you can see, since our return from the States, there have been many positive things, as well as several negative and discouraging things.  After over 40 years in the ministry, we have certainly learned that, when God is at work, Satan and his cohorts, too, are working!

     I will close this article with this one praise item: 

Since the last of January, we have had 27 souls that have accepted Jesus as their Savior and been born into His family!  

This, my dear friend, is the sole reason we live and work in Honduras.  What’s more, 

it is the ‘soul’ reason for which we live …

… period!  

What a mighty God we serve!!