August 8, 2024 By Jenn Darnell
What a trip! I think most of our team members can agree that many of us are still processing our most recent trip that took place in July. It was incredible! Many of us go on these mission trips to change lives but what ends up happening is that OUR lives are changed. Below you will get a snapshot of the events that unfolded each day by our team blogger, Carrie Gaxiola. If you want to be part of the amazing work that God is doing in Honduras, please consider joining us on one of our next adventures. Jesus is still in the miracle business (Can I get an Amen?), and we can’t wait to see the way God continues to move in HIS beautiful country!
Day 1Oh, my goodness! You know when you can just feel something really good is about to happen? Or is already happening? Mm-hmm… yep, that’s what I feel in my soul for our July 2024 ministry trip. After most of us being up either most of the night or since 1-2 a.m., it has been an incredible trip so far! Flights were without incident, Cheryl was almost detained at customs and because of our connection with the Mayor of San Pedro Sula last trip, that got squashed. No items confiscated (yay!), we reunited with Pastor Jose Maria and Julio, loaded all of our luggage and headed to the hotel. Our rooms weren’t ready, so we headed to lunch as tradition goes to Power Chicken, came back, got checked in, did our traditional grocery store outing and came back to unpack, rest by the pool and enjoy getting to know one another. Oh, and we may have even had a Spiderman siting! (See photos) 😊
The word that keeps coming to me is incredible! We serve an incredible God, who creates incredible people, all with a story to tell. It’s been incredible to watch people that really don’t know each other bond so quickly. I may be a little teary-eyed because I’ve been awake for almost 20 hours but I’m sensing it’s more than that… I’m sensing that God is going to do a powerful work this week in us as individuals, as a team and in all we come in contact with. We didn’t come to bring ourselves. We came to bring the love of Jesus in all we do. We saw the beauty of the world through an airplane window, the unique beauty of the country of Honduras and the beauty of friendships being formed. What an incredible God we serve! I have a feeling our hearts will be changed as we serve Jesus. And that’s pretty incredible! ❤️
Day 2I sometimes wonder how God could be so very good to me. I am so blessed to be able to travel to this beautiful country, meet new people, give love to people I’ve never met but feel like I’ve known all my life, serve with people I’ve known for years and serve with those I’ve only known a short time AND right at the center of all of that, I get to share the love of the most wonderful, powerful, forgiving and loving God and Savior, Jesus Christ. I’m sure my teammates would agree that today was an incredible day (there’s that word again!) Two of our teammates, Jim & Mindy Bradford, got caught in the cyber debacle that shut down airlines, but we prayed them through till finally landing in Honduras! Praise God for the miracle!
We stopped at the Extra Store to purchase toys for the children and, well, allow for a little juggling, jumprope and hula-hooping for some big people, too! 😊
Miss Lisa Bicket led the children in Choloma in lessons about Jesus, Daniella (the precious grandma raising her 4 grandchildren) has had much progress on her rebuilt home. God was so good that He provided above and beyond with not only her home being rebuilt, but beds, furniture and kitchen appliances as well. We played with the kids, had lunch together and then enjoyed a powerful time of worship and the Word with Pastor Jose Maria and our church family in Choloma. The unity in the team is a beautiful thing and the focus on God first with our morning devotions and serving others has fostered that as well. Urban and I poured our hearts out to minister and share God’s Word and our testimony of God’s grace at the church and we ended the day with a powerful altar call. It’s all just a miracle of God’s grace. In our country, we choose to focus on what we want to focus on and that’s not always so great. But when we’re here, that gets set aside, even if just for the week to surround ourselves in hearing God’s voice, simply obeying and serving. And that is an incredible thing! I cannot wait to see what tomorrow brings!
Day 3
Three days have gone too fast and yet it feels like 3 weeks. One thing I can say without a doubt is we pack it in when we are here!
Today, was our first RTM men’s event, and God did such a deep work that the head of the pastoral association was so thankful and excited for what God is going to do as a result, and the future is full of promise and hope for our involvement with men’s ministry in Honduras. We are so thankful for the seed God planted in our hearts quite some time ago and today we got to see the beginnings of the fruit of God’s work and the labors He has accomplished through us. It certainly came with a price of intense spiritual warfare for many of our team members, but our Father is not deterred. We just needed to trust and obey. Down to the minutes of starting, when the ladies on the team were interceding in prayer we got the call that the power went out at the host church and the air conditioning was not working. (It was in the high 90’s and extremely humid). Within minutes the power came back on and then the AC did its work! God will not be deterred!
We started the day with an awesome devotion by Daniels Chaoscc (Daniel Carroll), a time of worship (a couple of the hotel staff stopped what they were doing, wide-eyed, to hear the sound of the Spirit). We then headed to our Honduran home church to bag up 7500 pounds of beans, rice, sugar and other staples. Most of the men went back to the village to lay concrete at the feeding kitchen in Choloma and other team members stayed to bag up food to hand out to the men that attended the event. Ministry happened not only for the men, but all day long amongst team members, hotel employees and those helping pour concrete. What’s the word for the week? Incredible! It didn’t change today. Lives are being transformed before our eyes including ours on the team. Miracles are happening! The women of our team stayed at another church and prayed in one accord for every aspect of the men’s event. Today was a sight to behold as we interceded (along with other friends and churches in the states)! And the young people on this trip… they are the future of the gospel continuing to be spread. Our junior member, Riley, is a concrete mixing, prayer warrior, big servant-heart for Jesus… and she’s only 12 years old! The adults are learning from this little powerhouse! Ronny Y Keren Cruz-Burdick and their children joined us today to help translate and work alongside. Their 3 children were amazing servants and worked really hard! And yet they’re all still childlike enough to build sandcastles and make crafts together. RDuron JC, DRosales and their children worked alongside us as well with joy!
It’s a lot packed into one day and I don’t think I can fully describe how much God does here in a few short hours. Lives changed, hearts knit together in love and unity, healing, two communities from different nations brought together for one purpose, to share the love of Jesus and make the world a better place. Well, as my pastor, Shane Bishop, says when he ends an evening post, “Goodnight world, we’ll try it again tomorrow.” And I’ll add, but today has been pretty incredible!
Day 4
As I sit here by myself in our hotel room, I was given a choice earlier today. Go to church to worship with Pastor Wilmer and our team this evening or stay behind and rest. It was a tough decision, but I chose the latter. I am not feeling great (no big deal, traveling can take its toll) and I decided it would be ok to rest. I definitely know my limits. Having shared that, I’m so thankful I serve a God that knows absolutely no limits. Not with His love, not with His strength, purpose, resources, plans, grace and forgiveness, no limits to anything through Jesus! That’s a really hopeful and encouraging thought for me! When my body says enough, His work in our lives and the lives of people we serve will get accomplished! No limits!
Today we visited our friends in the community of Belen and the Jeremiah 29:11 Mission House. First, we went to the lower market to buy our supplies, but because we had no room in the buses, some of our guys had to load hundreds of pounds of food on the roof of the bus! No limits!
We headed down the highway and one of our buses got stopped and checked at a police checkpoint (I may or may not say it was our fearless leader, Cheryl’s bus…). We prayed that bus through and arrived at our destination to bag up the food, play with the children, show the community to our new team members and purchase chickens that needed to be replaced by the terrible heatwave they had a couple months ago. Anyone brave enough to pick up a chicken and get it in the coop got to name said chicken . After stopping to see the kids at Jeremiah 29:11, the team hurried back with 20 minutes to get ready, get back on the bus and head to church. Really? Yep, no limits!
The children in Belen helped us bag food, the team played with the kids and worked. The young people on our trip are such an inspiration because if you don’t spark a fire in the youth, a ministry will fade. Not so here! We are sensing God is doing a new thing in our younger generation and we need to believe with them that God will give them possibilities in serving Him that know no limits! The same for the children and youth of Honduras… we share the Gospel and love of Jesus because He has a plan that is beyond our understanding for all! It’s a sight to behold!
Is God calling you to something and you think you are limited? If you can’t physically go, are you able to give to support the work God does? If you can go, what is stopping you? We have 25 people on this trip that will tell you they have seen God blow away all the limits! Let me know and one of us will have a conversation with you! Are you feeling limited in any area of your life? Do you know my Jesus? I’ll tell you what… His love and plan for each of you knows no limits!
Day 5
It was a day filled with lots of emotion on both ends of the spectrum. Joy and sorrow. Suffering and happiness. Abundance and need. And in the midst of it all is our God who knows it all and knows how to be present in it all.
We visited the public hospital early in the day and once again experienced the height of human suffering. As I shared last trip, we in America complain a lot about our healthcare system but until I came and prayed for people at this hospital, I didn’t realize how good I had it. There are no photos to express the suffering and pain, but prayerfully, we were allowed to bring a little light and hope into what in some cases were pretty dismal. Our emotions were raw and yet we found ourselves sad that the time allotted to us went way too quickly. We were able to give anointed prayer shawls, crosses, prayers and hugs to impart some sense of hope and the love of Jesus that transcends any human suffering. This time of ministry always sobers us and, for me, exposes the selfishness and expectations I have or what I think I should have. As raw as it is, I treasure this time when we go to the hospital because not only does it remind me of my frailty as a human being, it reminds me that as a Christ follower, I carry the hope of Christ in me, and I can give it away without measure.
After leaving the hospital and getting some lunch, we traveled back to Choloma to dedicate our sweet older saint, Daniella’s, rebuilt home. We celebrated with her over the gifts God was pouring out to her. Because of a generous donor, a home that was in need of more repairs than possible was rebuilt with new materials, a new roof, foundation and safety. The donation also allowed for us to buy furniture, a stove, new household items and food supplies. We took Daniela to the stores so she could choose her new items, and many joyful tears were shed. A woman faithful to God and faithful to her family received a reward from a faithful God!
Back to the hotel for some rest time before a big day of ministry tomorrow.
Our devotion today from Jenny Olson was about brokenness. We are a broken people and without Jesus, we are without that help and hope to become whole. Our God takes messes and makes them miracles. I’m one of those messes and being alive and serving the people in Honduras is a miracle. Some of the dear people in the hospital were in physical conditions that could be viewed as messes, but prayer, love and human kindness can take that and make it a miracle. Houses in need of repair can be one step away from falling down but with expertise and a little care they can become a place filled with the miracle of love. I choose to go to sleep tonight knowing positive and negative emotions can co-exist, but the mainstay for all of them is the steady, constant love and faithfulness of Jesus!
Day 6
Today was a new adventure for Right Turn Ministries, NFP! We were invited to a place called Kids Ark International Honduras. It’s a huge complex in the mountain region of Honduras. It was a very long and bumpy drive and, in some spots, a little precarious. Our bus drivers were amazing, and we can’t thank them enough for working for us tirelessly. In the process of the drive, we got to see some beautiful countryside! Cheryl met a man named Randy (don’t remember his last name) on the plane during our February trip. They became fast friends and discovered that they have much in common as American missionaries and their love for the people of Honduras. He invited us to his facility to be treated to brick oven pizza, roasted chicken over an open fire, and other local food that he and his staff hand prepared. Randy’s complex is used to host retreats, day camps for kids, and many other ministry ventures, all pointing people to Jesus. He invited our team, our sponsor students and the children from Belen, Choloma and the Mission House. One hundred and fifty children were served lunch and treated to games that they rotated through. It was delightful! After that they were given the gospel with music, fun and lots of love from the camp staff and visiting team from Dallas. We were treated with such grand hospitality! We toured the facility, played with the children, a few of us rock climbed on the “Tower of Babel” and had such an incredible time. Randy is one of the humblest men of God I have ever met doing things that are beyond my comprehension. He has tapped into the power of an unlimited God and is doing great things for His kingdom! When we ended the day, he took us to view a property he is purchasing to provide a rescue house for girls trapped in sex trafficking. The details of what they are rescued from, and the years process it takes for a beautiful treasure of God to be fully free is beyond my comprehension. It’s a real and present darkness and only an evil that a great and mighty God can crush. We are praying diligently for God’s direction as we see how God would have us help with Randy’s ministry. This is why we do what we do with children; pour Jesus into them so they know their value and worth. Preach the good news to men and women so they have a fighting chance. It is worth every moment, every dollar we spend to come, every little sacrifice made. God’s children truly are not for sale because in His eyes they are priceless.
Day 7
Today was a day of rest and rejuvenation. God tells us throughout scripture to rest. To rest our bodies, rest our minds, rest in Him. Most of us, if we were honest with ourselves, don’t really know how to rest. We have found on our ministry trips that a day of rest truly does restore our souls.
At this point in the week, we are physically tired from early mornings and late nights. Some of our team have never been on a ministry trip, so just the unknown can be tiring. We are bruised and sore from hard work days, long bus rides on not so great roads. We have wrestled with the poverty we have never experienced (and most likely won’t) that we see in some of the villages we serve. We have wrestled with our own insecurities and fears, problems that await us back home, feeling overwhelmed at the amount of need and suffering in the world and only being one person or one ministry team. We weep over the condition of humans without Jesus and what they can do to one another, and we weep over the condition of our own hearts as believers in Jesus because we strive to be like Him and always fall short because we so easily fall into relying on our own strength. We carry burdens only He can bear and ache for seeing if we are making a difference in the world.
So why go and do all of this? What’s the point to drive us to exhaustion? The point is because Jesus said so. He said, “go into all the world and make disciples.” He said, “take care of the least of these”. He said, “love one another because I have loved you”. He also said, “come to me all you who are weary and heavy-laden and you will find rest for your souls.” I’m pretty sure there was water with an ocean breeze and warm, healing sun involved in resting, (I mean, come on, Jesus fell asleep on a boat on the sea after a lot of hard work… ) fellowship with teammates, good food, laughter, a banana boat ride and snorkeling, basking in God’s creation and breathing in the love and pleasure of God. You see, when we do this, whatever way the Father leads us to do this, not only do we find rest for our souls, but we are also restored and ready to do His bidding all over again. And that, my friends, is what this incredible life is all about!
Day 8 Part 1
Today, we wrapped up this incredible week of ministry with a powerful testimony and devotion by Betty Deckard and then our traditional trip excursion to the market called Guamalito where we can support the local shop owners by purchasing their wares.
After our shopping time, we headed to the park in downtown San Pedro Sula to hand out free hugs, Bibles and prayers. This is one of the highlights for many of us as we see the willingness to take God’s Word when offered and have a perfect stranger that doesn’t speak the language pray with an individual. Some will tell their story, some will weep and some will politely take a Bible and be on their way. It is such an honor to be a part of this seed planting venture. The Word of God is powerful and prayer is a connection that transcends language barriers. We just don’t know how that seed will continue to grow, but God does and that’s what counts!
We got a tour of the Municipal Building with the Chief of Police and mayor’s assistant and that was a delight to hear the history of the city, then view the whole city from the rooftop vantage point. We are so honored to be treated with such hospitality and kindness and will continue to pray for this beautiful city.
We headed back to the hotel to start packing and celebrated the week with our end of trip team dinner.
It’s been an incredible week bonding with new friends, seeing Jesus do His work and creating bonds with our Honduran family. God is so good to allow us to come!
One more blog tomorrow to tie the bow on this beautiful package of the July 2024 trip.
Until then, we covet your prayers for a safe flight home, no issues getting home and all to go well with the airlines. Some of our teammates left Wednesday and today and made it back home safely, thank God! God has been so good all week and we don’t doubt He’ll show up in an incredible way as we leave as well!
Day 8 Part 2
The week has come to an end but thanks be to God, the work of God has not come to an end.
My pastor prayed for our team at the altar the Sunday before we left for our trip, and his prayer rang true for many of us. “Lord, let them do work for you in Honduras but greater, do a work in each of their hearts. Let them be changed.” That prayer came to pass in a most profound way. Our hearts were changed for what breaks God’s heart. Our hearts were changed to be more compassionate and grateful. Our hearts were changed to view our own challenges in our lives through the lens of the Bible, being obedient to God’s call and trusting Him to change us.
Hearts were knit as a team and where some of us didn’t really know each other, we left as family. Even our bus drivers called us family. Our translators are not just people who work sacrificially to help us with logistics, the language barrier and knowing the lay of the land so to speak. They are our family. When they hurt, we hurt, and when we laugh, they laugh with us. We have been with Julio and his wife Cessia since the beginning of RTM and since they were pregnant with their daughter. Now that same little girl is in first grade and calling us Tias and Tíos (aunts and uncles).
It’s an incredible labor of love to take these trips. But I, for one, think it’s worth every minute. Nothing can compare. We are seeing lives changed and captives set free, including those on the team. These photos capture only a fraction of the joy that God allowed us to experience. I included a few photos of some of our Honduran friends. There’s so many more but this represents why we love our family that God has given us. We would love to have you join us for this life-changing experience! Thank you for following our daily stories, for your prayers and support. If you would like to learn more about our ministry, please like our Facebook page and message us at Right Turn Ministries, NFP.
That’s a wrap, folks! Until the next “family” adventure… God bless and keep you!
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