These past two weeks, my team has been teaching again at the bi-lingual school. Mr. Timy, who helps run the school, came to pick us up in the school van each morning at 7:15. We would pick up several kids and then drive up the bumpy road to the school at the top of the mountain. While I didn't always enjoy waking up early to hang out with rowdy eleven, twelve, and thirteen year olds, I will actually miss those kids. Sometimes it was frustrating. Trying to teach them about DNA when they can barely speak English seemed almost impossible. While they may not have understood a lot of the concepts we were teaching, they did learn a lot of English.
This time next week, we will begin the long and exhausting journey to get to Thailand. I have been thinking about how our time here is winding down. It seems like we are sort of cruising through this last week in Honduras and that things are on a downhill slope until we get to Thailand. God, though, has reminded me that there is no slowing down and no end to what He is doing here and everywhere else. Rather than decreasing, the presence of God in the lives of the boys here and in Los Pinos increases every day. It has been awesome to watch these kids grow so much in just two and a half months. I didn't expect to become as close with them as we have, and it will be really hard to leave. It is reassuring to know that God will always be here, though, and He is continuing His work long after we are gone.
I have enjoyed just living life at Zion's Gate, and because of the length of our stay, we have been able to see a lot of long-term changes, unlike your normal, short-term mission trip. We have been a part of Marcos choosing to come off the streets and live here. We have been a part bringing baby Marisol here. We have been a part of these kids' stories, and that will never change. God is revealing himself to each of them in His timing, and I can't wait to see the exponential growth of Zion's Gate in the next few years. God has some awesome plans for this place, and He is giving Tony, Nidia, and Cassie the vision to carry His work out.
We had a bonfire last night, and this morning I read this…
"Then the Lord will create over the whole site of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud by day, and smoke and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory there will be a canopy. There will be a booth for shade by day from the heat, and for a refuge and a shelter from the storm and rain." (Isaiah 4:5-6)
That is exactly what Zion's Gate has proven to be, a refuge. I pray that God will continue to bless it abundantly, and I hope to come back here soon.
“Freedom seems to happen more and more each day, and each day I hope God will make me less of me and more of Him.”
Wow, Laura! I love these words! What a good lesson for all of us!
You’re home now, and I’m just now reading your blog. I’m so happy for you that you had this adventure. Amazing! Just…. WOW!
Love you –
Mrs. Badcock