Hi Everyone,
I’m sorry it has been so long since I have written. It is a mixture of business here and not having internet for about four days now.
I want to explain a little bit more of what exactly I, specifically, am doing here for Tree of Life. The answer to this question really is: a little bit of everything. I am a jack of all trades and a master of none (emphasis on the “master of none“ portion). I have always said this about myself, and it is more obvious than ever here in Honduras. I am struggling on how exactly to map out what I do, so I think I’m going to put it into two parts. I’ll give my main jobs and then take you through a “normal” day for me. I hope this makes sense.
1st Job: I am hostess of sorts to the short term groups that come in from the States. Tree of Life invites short term missions teams in for a week at a time to help out with different projects around the school. These groups are anywhere from 10-20 people ages ranging from 14-64. My job is to keep them happy and informed. If they need more water in their room, I get it. If they need a guitar, I find it. I make sure they get from place to place in a timely manner and generally get to know them and hang out with them. Believe it or not, this could be the most stretching job I have. Each group has a personality and I have to adapt to their flavor. This has been a great experience for me. My hope and dream now is to possibly bring in a group from my own church one day. I know the ins and outs of the short term missions program here and I think I could give our church the best experience possible.
2nd Job: Life in Action. This is the name of the outreach ministry here at Tree of Life. These are the mountain trips I take. About once a week, sometimes more, we will take a couple trucks up to the mountains to a small village and just meet needs. This could be giving out food, clothing, parasite medication or boots. Sometimes it is a mix of all of these. One trip, we took a bunch of our smaller boy students and set up a big soccer match against the village’s boys. When a short term group is here, we will bring them along, and then I play translator between the Tree of Life Honduran staff and the group. What these trips are really about is showing Christ’s love through our actions. Each trip a small message is given and a chance to accept Christ is offered. Eventually, after a three to five year process, if all goes well there will be a church set up in that village with a pastor taking Bible classes in Tree of Life’s Bible College. It is a process. We do evangelism a little differently here, but praise God there are now 42 churches started by Tree of Life.
3rd Job: I baby-sit. There are two missionary families here. One family has a 10 year old and a 7 year old, the other family has a 15 year old, a 13 year old and a 5 year old. Some days, where I can be the biggest blessing is baby-sitting the 7 year old or the 5 year old. They are all home schooled and I have actually given the day’s lesson to the 7 year old a couple times.
4th Job: Messenger and Holder of the Keys. Some days I spend running around campus delivering messages and opening doors for different people. I actually quite enjoy these days. It keeps me busy and I get to see lots of people.
5th Job: I have started making my rounds to eventually talk to all of the girls here at the school. As I mentioned in an earlier blog, I was asked to give a message to the girls about purity of heart, mind and body. This is something I am very passionate about. So I am now on a schedule where every night at 9:00 when the students have to be in their rooms I visit a room and give a 20-30 minute message. It’s very casual and more of a discussion than anything. I tell them a little of my story and explain my message and then give them time to ask me questions about anything they want. Each room has 27-30 girls in them. I’m talking to girls whose ages range from 11-23. Obviously, my message changes just a little bit depending on the age group I’m speaking to. I’ve really enjoyed this time and I’m looking forward to continuing with it.
6th Job: Everything else. I have done computer work, cleaning, given devotionals to the short term groups and the students, worked in the concession stand, and choreographed a dance for a dance competition. It is never a dull moment.
My Typical Week Day
5:30- Alarm Clock sounds
6:00- Breakfast
7:00- My alone time
8:00- Work starts. This could mean any of the jobs mentioned above.
12:00- Lunch
1:00- Back to work
3:00- If I traveled to the mountains, I generally get back somewhere in this hour. Depending on how far away the village was.
4:00- Exercise. The directors wife, Angie, has a great ministry of leading an exercise class to the women on staff. I’m running about 2 ½ miles every day and then doing some kind of sculpting work out for about an hour. This has become an important part of my day. It’s my chance to get to know the women on staff more and I need to be in shape for the mountain trips where more often than not there is some climbing or hiking involved.
5:00- Social time. While the women exercise, the men play basketball. We all get done about the same time and will then catch up and socialize for a half hour to an hour.
6:00- Dinner
7:00- More alone time. This is where I might go get on the internet or something.
8:30- The students have a half hour of free time before they need to be in their rooms at 9:00. I’ll go out and hang out with some of them at this time.
9:00- The students have to be in their rooms. This is where I go to a room and give my message.
9:30- Head back to my room for the night and either watch a movie on my laptop or call it a night.
What have I been up to?…
1. I went to a water park with about 50 of the girl students. This was a lot of fun. It was a rather nice park by Honduran standards. I felt it was clean enough for me to actually get in. This was a blast of pure girl silliness. And praise God I made it the whole day without getting sunburned. I have no idea how I managed that.
2. I’ve been once again sick. A lot of stomach issues. It put me in bed for one whole day. This is something that has been going around somehow. I’m feeling better now. I just have a little less energy and feel a little nauseated after eating, but I’m keeping everything down, so I’m going to continue to eat. I have kind of told myself I am not here long enough to let sickness get the best of me.
3. I received a marriage proposal today. It was from a student here. He told me the only reason he wanted to marry me is so he could have kids with blue eyes. This made saying no rather easy.
Prayers…
1. I would like to feel better. Prayer for wellness please.
2. A praise. I had a girl come up to me after I shared my testimony of sorts and tell me she felt like I was talking straight to her and the two of us ended up having a very fruitful conversation. This was by far the most serious conversation I have had completely in Spanish.
3. There is a pattern I am seeing in the short term groups that come in. They are primarily female. Especially in the younger groups, they are for the most part made up of young women. Where are the men on the mission field? I believe it is time for them to take their place here.
Ok, I promise the next blog will come sooner than this one did. Love you all!
-Katelyn
Friday, July 16, 2010
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Back to the Heart of Things
Hey Everyone,
I pray all is well with you. I’m doing great here. I had a couple days where I was not quite feeling 100%, but I have bounced back and am ready for another week.
Despite the sickness, I have had a wonderful couple of days. I have returned to my true love. As much as I enjoy being hostess to the short term groups that come in and as much as I love working in the mountains, I am happiest ministering to the young girls here at the school. As many of you know, I am an Adolescent Ministry major and my heart is for Jr. High and High School girls. I have been so caught up with things around here I had almost forgotten this.
By chance, I was asked the other night to lead a devotional for about 30 of the girls. After some prayer, I felt I was supposed to give my story. My story is the main reason I am so passionate about teenage girls. So I gave a message on Purity of Heart, Soul, Mind and Body. I had a translator with me so that I would not be hindered by the language barrier. When I finished, my translator said that this was a message that all of the girls need to hear. So over the next month, I will be slowly going from room to room to give my message. All together, I will speak to about 250 girls. It is an incredible feeling when you see your dream coming into reality. I have known for awhile that this was a story I was going to be sharing with girls at some point. It is happening. Praise God.
I have been trying to be more intentional with my time with the girls. Last night, I made a bowl of oatmeal before bed. Three girls, Irma (18 years old), Rudy (17) and Kayla (14) saw me making it and were curious of what it was. I ended up grabbing three extra spoons and standing around a bowl of oatmeal sharing and getting to know one another. It’s these interactions that make it all worth while for me.
On top of all of this, I am learning to be careful of what you pray for. God will make it happen. I have been praying for challenges and stretching. This morning I gave a 15 minute message to a group of 20 adults. I spoke on selflessness and what that looks like on the mission field and in our daily lives. Holy cow. The Spirit was in me and later a man came up to me and said, “I was unaware I needed to wear my steel toed boots this early in the morning”. Meaning apparently I brought a tough message. To tell you the truth, the real miracle about this whole thing is the message was at 6:00 this morning. As some of you know, I am not a morning person. It’s amazing I was conscious at that hour.
I tell you all of this as a testament of what God is doing in my life. I am just a 20 year old girl from a small village in the middle of Illinois. I have leaned to be obedient and through that obedience God is doing awesome things. All praise goes to Him. Amen.
Prayer Requests:
1. As I tell my story to these girls, may they soak it up and understand how important it is. It will save them a world of hurt.
2. Tree of Life has a large pastors conference annually. This is a time where 300 pastors come together to fellowship and sharpen one another. There is not enough money for this conference this year. All together, they need about $15,000. At the moment Pastor Guy, the director, is trying to make the decision of does he go ahead and cancel the conference now to respect the time and money of the pastors or does he hold out and just have faith that the money will come in from somewhere. I ask that you really pray about this. Pray for Pastor Guy as he tries to make this decision and perhaps pray that the money will somehow come in. Dare I say it, if you feel led to give some money please give me an email ASAP. (katelyn.barnhart@student.indwes.edu)
This conference is a big deal here. It is a time of renewal and teaching that lasts them the year.
Peace, Love and Joy,
Katelyn
I pray all is well with you. I’m doing great here. I had a couple days where I was not quite feeling 100%, but I have bounced back and am ready for another week.
Despite the sickness, I have had a wonderful couple of days. I have returned to my true love. As much as I enjoy being hostess to the short term groups that come in and as much as I love working in the mountains, I am happiest ministering to the young girls here at the school. As many of you know, I am an Adolescent Ministry major and my heart is for Jr. High and High School girls. I have been so caught up with things around here I had almost forgotten this.
By chance, I was asked the other night to lead a devotional for about 30 of the girls. After some prayer, I felt I was supposed to give my story. My story is the main reason I am so passionate about teenage girls. So I gave a message on Purity of Heart, Soul, Mind and Body. I had a translator with me so that I would not be hindered by the language barrier. When I finished, my translator said that this was a message that all of the girls need to hear. So over the next month, I will be slowly going from room to room to give my message. All together, I will speak to about 250 girls. It is an incredible feeling when you see your dream coming into reality. I have known for awhile that this was a story I was going to be sharing with girls at some point. It is happening. Praise God.
I have been trying to be more intentional with my time with the girls. Last night, I made a bowl of oatmeal before bed. Three girls, Irma (18 years old), Rudy (17) and Kayla (14) saw me making it and were curious of what it was. I ended up grabbing three extra spoons and standing around a bowl of oatmeal sharing and getting to know one another. It’s these interactions that make it all worth while for me.
On top of all of this, I am learning to be careful of what you pray for. God will make it happen. I have been praying for challenges and stretching. This morning I gave a 15 minute message to a group of 20 adults. I spoke on selflessness and what that looks like on the mission field and in our daily lives. Holy cow. The Spirit was in me and later a man came up to me and said, “I was unaware I needed to wear my steel toed boots this early in the morning”. Meaning apparently I brought a tough message. To tell you the truth, the real miracle about this whole thing is the message was at 6:00 this morning. As some of you know, I am not a morning person. It’s amazing I was conscious at that hour.
I tell you all of this as a testament of what God is doing in my life. I am just a 20 year old girl from a small village in the middle of Illinois. I have leaned to be obedient and through that obedience God is doing awesome things. All praise goes to Him. Amen.
Prayer Requests:
1. As I tell my story to these girls, may they soak it up and understand how important it is. It will save them a world of hurt.
2. Tree of Life has a large pastors conference annually. This is a time where 300 pastors come together to fellowship and sharpen one another. There is not enough money for this conference this year. All together, they need about $15,000. At the moment Pastor Guy, the director, is trying to make the decision of does he go ahead and cancel the conference now to respect the time and money of the pastors or does he hold out and just have faith that the money will come in from somewhere. I ask that you really pray about this. Pray for Pastor Guy as he tries to make this decision and perhaps pray that the money will somehow come in. Dare I say it, if you feel led to give some money please give me an email ASAP. (katelyn.barnhart@student.indwes.edu)
This conference is a big deal here. It is a time of renewal and teaching that lasts them the year.
Peace, Love and Joy,
Katelyn
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Don't Rain On My Parade
Hello Friends and Family,
You have to forgive me. Sometimes I forget what people know about what I’m doing here in Honduras and what people don’t know. I want to share with you what Tree of Life Missions is, or at least a part of it, because the truth is there is so much to Tree of Life that I cannot even begin to tell you everything. I wrote a blog post about Tree of Life last year. You can still look at it by looking in the archive clicking on 2009 posts and it is under July. The post is called Tree of Life Ministries, if you are interested.
On to other things:
The students are back after a week long break. It was rather touching to see some of their faces when they got back and realized I am still here. Apparently, some of the students were under the impression I was just visiting for a week. So in true Honduran form, they stayed away from me that first week, afraid of getting too close again before I leave. Hondurans don’t do well with goodbyes. Most avoid them at all costs. Some of my friends purposefully left campus the day I left last year without telling me, but I digress. The students when they returned Monday greeted me with a traditional kiss on the cheek and a large smile on their faces. I had wondered why they had been acting weird around me.
Along with the students coming back came a short term missions team from the states. These are wonderful people who speak Spanish fluently. This makes my job rather easy. Because of this, I have been able to really enjoy my work the past few days. Yesterday (Tuesday) we painted the concession stand here on campus. It really needed a new paint job. Believe it or not, it was rather refreshing to do some manual labor. My mind gets pretty tired after awhile here. Most of my work consists of communicating with other people and forming relationships. I welcomed the change.
After painting, I played some volleyball. This is a big deal here. As some of you may recall, volleyball was my ticket in last year. Before I knew a single word in Spanish, I was playing volleyball. It was a great time of bonding that continued throughout the summer. It is also about the only sport here that I can competitively play with them. As much as I love watching soccer and basketball, I really shouldn’t be playing. The volleyball games usually consist of me and 11 other men. The younger male staff members and the older male students love it because I actually can give them a run for their money. What I lack in strength I make up for in simple mechanics, thank you, Coach Grusy. The funny thing about all of this is they took the volleyball net down last year when I left, and have not put it back up until I came back. As soon as I arrived they all said, “Great! Now we can play volleyball again!”. Like somehow they were waiting for my return before they could play again. I don’t completely understand, but I suppose it’s flattering.
Today I was once again in the mountains. It was a little bit of a bumpy start. I, as always, was put in the back of the truck bed to take the 2 hour drive up the mountain. This is usually fine, I enjoy the adventure and thrill of it all, but today it was raining. This is my second time being in the back of the truck during a rain storm, but my first time doing it while going up a mountain. This adds to the challenge of it, but we made it and as soon as we got to the village the sun came out and all was well. It was a really meaningful trip. We were visiting a village entirely made up of the descendents of the Mayans. This is a group of people that have been shunned by the rest of Honduras. No one will go near them. This is partially because of their violent background, the name of the village we went to was Drops of Blood, and partially just because they are different. They have their own language along with Spanish and look ever so slightly different. This is a tough group of people. Most of the men had at least one scar on their face from a machete and even the children didn’t show much expression one way or another. This is a newer village for Tree of Life. This was only the fourth time visiting them. Our hope is that through time, prayer, and Jesus Christ the image of these people will change. If nothing else, Tree of Life is reaching out to a group that is not used to being helped. It’s hard not to take notice of that. Today we visited their one school and handed out school supplies and food for their families. Over a hundred families were given food today. Each family averages 8-10 people. It was awesome to be a part of. Because the short term group here speaks Spanish, I got to just enjoy myself on this trip. I did a sac race with some kids and played hot potato as well. I ate candy with them and just hung out. All in all, it was a great day.
I believe more manual labor is on the menu for the rest of the week. This is nice because it allows me to stay on campus and hang out with some of the students after work.
Prayer Requests:
1. For the village Drops of Blood. So many people there and all of them are lost. Imagine growing up knowing that the rest of your country hates you and wants nothing to do with you.
2. I have been convicted several times this past week with my intentions here. Am I doing this for me or for God? My prayer is that I continue to learn what selflessness looks like and that I have the courage to live this way.
3. I’m feeling a little off today. After coming back from the mountains I practically passed out on my bed for two hours. I don’t even really remember walking from the truck to my room. I’m guessing it’s just the mixture of a windy, bumpy car ride, extreme heat and the greasy food they served us today. I’m taking it easy tonight. I hate to spend a night just sitting in my room, but I need to take care of myself.
Well, as always, I love you all and you are in my prayers. God bless you!
-Katelyn (Katie)
You have to forgive me. Sometimes I forget what people know about what I’m doing here in Honduras and what people don’t know. I want to share with you what Tree of Life Missions is, or at least a part of it, because the truth is there is so much to Tree of Life that I cannot even begin to tell you everything. I wrote a blog post about Tree of Life last year. You can still look at it by looking in the archive clicking on 2009 posts and it is under July. The post is called Tree of Life Ministries, if you are interested.
On to other things:
The students are back after a week long break. It was rather touching to see some of their faces when they got back and realized I am still here. Apparently, some of the students were under the impression I was just visiting for a week. So in true Honduran form, they stayed away from me that first week, afraid of getting too close again before I leave. Hondurans don’t do well with goodbyes. Most avoid them at all costs. Some of my friends purposefully left campus the day I left last year without telling me, but I digress. The students when they returned Monday greeted me with a traditional kiss on the cheek and a large smile on their faces. I had wondered why they had been acting weird around me.
Along with the students coming back came a short term missions team from the states. These are wonderful people who speak Spanish fluently. This makes my job rather easy. Because of this, I have been able to really enjoy my work the past few days. Yesterday (Tuesday) we painted the concession stand here on campus. It really needed a new paint job. Believe it or not, it was rather refreshing to do some manual labor. My mind gets pretty tired after awhile here. Most of my work consists of communicating with other people and forming relationships. I welcomed the change.
After painting, I played some volleyball. This is a big deal here. As some of you may recall, volleyball was my ticket in last year. Before I knew a single word in Spanish, I was playing volleyball. It was a great time of bonding that continued throughout the summer. It is also about the only sport here that I can competitively play with them. As much as I love watching soccer and basketball, I really shouldn’t be playing. The volleyball games usually consist of me and 11 other men. The younger male staff members and the older male students love it because I actually can give them a run for their money. What I lack in strength I make up for in simple mechanics, thank you, Coach Grusy. The funny thing about all of this is they took the volleyball net down last year when I left, and have not put it back up until I came back. As soon as I arrived they all said, “Great! Now we can play volleyball again!”. Like somehow they were waiting for my return before they could play again. I don’t completely understand, but I suppose it’s flattering.
Today I was once again in the mountains. It was a little bit of a bumpy start. I, as always, was put in the back of the truck bed to take the 2 hour drive up the mountain. This is usually fine, I enjoy the adventure and thrill of it all, but today it was raining. This is my second time being in the back of the truck during a rain storm, but my first time doing it while going up a mountain. This adds to the challenge of it, but we made it and as soon as we got to the village the sun came out and all was well. It was a really meaningful trip. We were visiting a village entirely made up of the descendents of the Mayans. This is a group of people that have been shunned by the rest of Honduras. No one will go near them. This is partially because of their violent background, the name of the village we went to was Drops of Blood, and partially just because they are different. They have their own language along with Spanish and look ever so slightly different. This is a tough group of people. Most of the men had at least one scar on their face from a machete and even the children didn’t show much expression one way or another. This is a newer village for Tree of Life. This was only the fourth time visiting them. Our hope is that through time, prayer, and Jesus Christ the image of these people will change. If nothing else, Tree of Life is reaching out to a group that is not used to being helped. It’s hard not to take notice of that. Today we visited their one school and handed out school supplies and food for their families. Over a hundred families were given food today. Each family averages 8-10 people. It was awesome to be a part of. Because the short term group here speaks Spanish, I got to just enjoy myself on this trip. I did a sac race with some kids and played hot potato as well. I ate candy with them and just hung out. All in all, it was a great day.
I believe more manual labor is on the menu for the rest of the week. This is nice because it allows me to stay on campus and hang out with some of the students after work.
Prayer Requests:
1. For the village Drops of Blood. So many people there and all of them are lost. Imagine growing up knowing that the rest of your country hates you and wants nothing to do with you.
2. I have been convicted several times this past week with my intentions here. Am I doing this for me or for God? My prayer is that I continue to learn what selflessness looks like and that I have the courage to live this way.
3. I’m feeling a little off today. After coming back from the mountains I practically passed out on my bed for two hours. I don’t even really remember walking from the truck to my room. I’m guessing it’s just the mixture of a windy, bumpy car ride, extreme heat and the greasy food they served us today. I’m taking it easy tonight. I hate to spend a night just sitting in my room, but I need to take care of myself.
Well, as always, I love you all and you are in my prayers. God bless you!
-Katelyn (Katie)
Friday, June 18, 2010
"Oh the Places You Will Go..."
Before, when asked what Honduras is like, I would say it’s like being in a Dr. Seuss book. Everything is larger than life and a little bit wonky. Nothing looks real. That was the best I could do in explaining what I saw. Not until a couple days ago did I hear the perfect work to describe Honduras. I was talking with a friend telling her about the HUGE beetle I found in my hair the other day when she said, “yes, everything in Honduras is exaggerated.” That’s exactly it. What is Honduras like? Exaggerated. The mountains are picturesque, the colors of the trees and plant life are incredible, there are toads the size of small dogs! (ok, not really, but close.) Everything around me is just a little bit more than anything I’ve ever seen or tasted before. The fruit is sweeter than candy, the beans are saltier, and even their Coke has twice the amount of sugar than Coke in the States.
I suppose everything exaggerated is not always a good thing. Oh boy is it hot here and boy is it humid. Like I mentioned before, the bugs are like the bugs you see in old scary movies. They are large and everywhere. When it rains, it is as if God is dumping straight buckets of water on you and when it storms, you run for cover.
Overall, I enjoy living in a Dr. Seuss book. The pros definitely outweigh the cons. Though I may be a little bit concerned if the eggs and ham I bought turn green.
What have I been up to?…
Monday-Wednesday: The students are gone for the week on vacation so it has been rather quiet around here. For the most part, I have just been relaxing and hanging out with some friends. I’ve done some paper work and baby-sat the missionaries’ kids for a day as well. I have gone to two NBA Finals parties too. Believe it or not, they are really into it here. It’s a big deal. They keep asking me if I’m a Lakers or Celtics fan and when I say neither they shake their head in disapproval. Oh how I disappoint.
Thursday: Yesterday I did head back into the mountains for the morning/afternoon to the same village as I visited last week. As you may remember, last time I was there we were finishing up putting in their first running water system ever. Before the pump/well system they had to climb down the mountain to a little spring and climb back up any time they wanted water. Needless to say, this water system is a big deal in this little village. Yesterday we had a little inauguration ceremony for it. There was a ribbon cutting and everything. I had the most fantastic mountain meal while I was there, as well. They village was so grateful for this water system that slaughtered TWO cows for us to eat. That is insane. Along with the beef we had rice, beans, guacamole (which I have never seen here in Honduras) and the freshest pico de gallo I have ever tasted. All in all it was a great day.
Friday: Today I was helping set up for the school’s big reunion this weekend. Every year, once a year, they invite all past alumni for a large party and church service. It’s a great time of reconnecting and fellowship. This will be my second one and I am looking forward to seeing some students from last year that graduated.
Prayer Requests…
1. I have seem to have lost some confidence in the past couple days. I’m not sure why, but all of a sudden I am nervous to speak Spanish or put myself out there. I’m still doing it, it’s just become harder. I think I’ll be fine, I just have to get back on the horse. I just don’t know how I fell off the horse to begin with.
2. I am determined to learn more Spanish.
3. The reason I want to know more Spanish is so I can have deeper, more meaningful conversations with the students here. Please pray for these delicate relationships I have with the students. I’m only here for two months so there needs to be some vulnerability boundaries on both sides, but at the same time I want to dig a little deeper.
I love you all and I am specifically praying for many of you!
-Katelyn
I suppose everything exaggerated is not always a good thing. Oh boy is it hot here and boy is it humid. Like I mentioned before, the bugs are like the bugs you see in old scary movies. They are large and everywhere. When it rains, it is as if God is dumping straight buckets of water on you and when it storms, you run for cover.
Overall, I enjoy living in a Dr. Seuss book. The pros definitely outweigh the cons. Though I may be a little bit concerned if the eggs and ham I bought turn green.
What have I been up to?…
Monday-Wednesday: The students are gone for the week on vacation so it has been rather quiet around here. For the most part, I have just been relaxing and hanging out with some friends. I’ve done some paper work and baby-sat the missionaries’ kids for a day as well. I have gone to two NBA Finals parties too. Believe it or not, they are really into it here. It’s a big deal. They keep asking me if I’m a Lakers or Celtics fan and when I say neither they shake their head in disapproval. Oh how I disappoint.
Thursday: Yesterday I did head back into the mountains for the morning/afternoon to the same village as I visited last week. As you may remember, last time I was there we were finishing up putting in their first running water system ever. Before the pump/well system they had to climb down the mountain to a little spring and climb back up any time they wanted water. Needless to say, this water system is a big deal in this little village. Yesterday we had a little inauguration ceremony for it. There was a ribbon cutting and everything. I had the most fantastic mountain meal while I was there, as well. They village was so grateful for this water system that slaughtered TWO cows for us to eat. That is insane. Along with the beef we had rice, beans, guacamole (which I have never seen here in Honduras) and the freshest pico de gallo I have ever tasted. All in all it was a great day.
Friday: Today I was helping set up for the school’s big reunion this weekend. Every year, once a year, they invite all past alumni for a large party and church service. It’s a great time of reconnecting and fellowship. This will be my second one and I am looking forward to seeing some students from last year that graduated.
Prayer Requests…
1. I have seem to have lost some confidence in the past couple days. I’m not sure why, but all of a sudden I am nervous to speak Spanish or put myself out there. I’m still doing it, it’s just become harder. I think I’ll be fine, I just have to get back on the horse. I just don’t know how I fell off the horse to begin with.
2. I am determined to learn more Spanish.
3. The reason I want to know more Spanish is so I can have deeper, more meaningful conversations with the students here. Please pray for these delicate relationships I have with the students. I’m only here for two months so there needs to be some vulnerability boundaries on both sides, but at the same time I want to dig a little deeper.
I love you all and I am specifically praying for many of you!
-Katelyn
Sunday, June 13, 2010
My Brain is Too Tired for a Creative Title
Hello All,
I just wanted to give a quick update. I am doing well here in Honduras. It really feels like I was just gone for one day instead of a year. I have picked up exactly where I left off. I’m struggling to think of some creative way of writing this post, so instead I’m just going to give you a run down of what I’ve been up to.
Friday: I went into the mountains again on Friday. We visited a small village that I have actually visited before. I love the mountain people. They live simple lives. Most will not leave the general area of their village. They are all very close. It is almost as if they are all family. Another thing I love about these people is their hospitality. Hospitality is HUGE in Honduran culture. It is very disrespectful to refuse this hospitality. Almost every time we go to a village, a family will offer to fix us a meal. These meals usually include rice, beans, cabbage, and chicken in one form or another. I actually really enjoy this food. It is customary to eat whatever is in front of you, and all of it. I have learned the most important thing is to eat all of the meat given to you. Meat is special here and not for all meals. Only for guests and special occasions will they eat meat. Most of the time, I will be eating a piece of chicken while that chicken’s brother is walking around my feet and under the table. I love it.
But eating was not the main purpose of Friday’s trip. We were putting on an eye clinic. The short term group that is here right now brought with them donated glasses and a large amount of various kinds of eye drops. A couple people would check the eyes of the people and then send them over to get the prescription they need. My job was to translate for the prescription table. This included asking them if the glasses they got were helping and explaining to them how they should take their eye drops. This went on for three hours. We saw 105-110 people that day.
Saturday: Saturday I did more of the same translating for the eye clinic. This time we set up the clinic right here at the school where I live. We spent the day setting up the students and staff with glasses and eye drops. Saturday night there is a church service just for the students. I went along this time because of the short term group that is here. I have missed these church services. There is dancing and jumping and singing. It is joyous and full of life.
Sunday: This morning I was once again translating for the group. This time for Sunday school here where I live. This afternoon was very laid back. I hung out with friends and joked around. I love these days where I can just relax and be with my friends. Tonight is the real church service. This is where everyone is invited. This includes students, staff, and the community. I can’t wait. There will be people there that I have not seen in a year.
Prayer Requests:
1. I have discovered what may be my biggest challenge this summer. As I mentioned in my last blog, I want to be challenged this summer, I want to get to the point where all I can do is lean on God and trust Him. For in this suffering there is growth. James 1:2-4: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” I think my biggest challenge this summer will be totally relying on God even when things are wonderful. I want that thirst and yearning to be closer to God at all times in my life, not just the bad. It is only by the grace of God I am here and able to do anything. This is going to be a process, but a process I am looking forward to.
2. My Spanish is getting better, but I want to learn more.
3. The students here are going home for the week for a break. Most are returning to horrendous situations. Pray for their safety and spiritual well being.
4. This short term group is going back to Georgia on Tuesday. My prayer is that they are forever changed by what they saw here. May they never forget the beautiful people of Honduras.
I think that’s it for now. I am so thankful for your thoughts and prayers. Love you!
-Katelyn
I just wanted to give a quick update. I am doing well here in Honduras. It really feels like I was just gone for one day instead of a year. I have picked up exactly where I left off. I’m struggling to think of some creative way of writing this post, so instead I’m just going to give you a run down of what I’ve been up to.
Friday: I went into the mountains again on Friday. We visited a small village that I have actually visited before. I love the mountain people. They live simple lives. Most will not leave the general area of their village. They are all very close. It is almost as if they are all family. Another thing I love about these people is their hospitality. Hospitality is HUGE in Honduran culture. It is very disrespectful to refuse this hospitality. Almost every time we go to a village, a family will offer to fix us a meal. These meals usually include rice, beans, cabbage, and chicken in one form or another. I actually really enjoy this food. It is customary to eat whatever is in front of you, and all of it. I have learned the most important thing is to eat all of the meat given to you. Meat is special here and not for all meals. Only for guests and special occasions will they eat meat. Most of the time, I will be eating a piece of chicken while that chicken’s brother is walking around my feet and under the table. I love it.
But eating was not the main purpose of Friday’s trip. We were putting on an eye clinic. The short term group that is here right now brought with them donated glasses and a large amount of various kinds of eye drops. A couple people would check the eyes of the people and then send them over to get the prescription they need. My job was to translate for the prescription table. This included asking them if the glasses they got were helping and explaining to them how they should take their eye drops. This went on for three hours. We saw 105-110 people that day.
Saturday: Saturday I did more of the same translating for the eye clinic. This time we set up the clinic right here at the school where I live. We spent the day setting up the students and staff with glasses and eye drops. Saturday night there is a church service just for the students. I went along this time because of the short term group that is here. I have missed these church services. There is dancing and jumping and singing. It is joyous and full of life.
Sunday: This morning I was once again translating for the group. This time for Sunday school here where I live. This afternoon was very laid back. I hung out with friends and joked around. I love these days where I can just relax and be with my friends. Tonight is the real church service. This is where everyone is invited. This includes students, staff, and the community. I can’t wait. There will be people there that I have not seen in a year.
Prayer Requests:
1. I have discovered what may be my biggest challenge this summer. As I mentioned in my last blog, I want to be challenged this summer, I want to get to the point where all I can do is lean on God and trust Him. For in this suffering there is growth. James 1:2-4: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” I think my biggest challenge this summer will be totally relying on God even when things are wonderful. I want that thirst and yearning to be closer to God at all times in my life, not just the bad. It is only by the grace of God I am here and able to do anything. This is going to be a process, but a process I am looking forward to.
2. My Spanish is getting better, but I want to learn more.
3. The students here are going home for the week for a break. Most are returning to horrendous situations. Pray for their safety and spiritual well being.
4. This short term group is going back to Georgia on Tuesday. My prayer is that they are forever changed by what they saw here. May they never forget the beautiful people of Honduras.
I think that’s it for now. I am so thankful for your thoughts and prayers. Love you!
-Katelyn
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Surprises and Miracles
Hola Amigos y Familia,
I am in Honduras now, safe and sound. My flight yesterday went rather smooth and customs was no big thing. Thank you for your prayers and concern.
As predicted, there have already been a few surprises in the last 24 hours. The amazing thing is, all of the surprises have been wonderful! Here’s a small list of just a couple of the surprises…
1. My feelings when the plane landed in Honduras. I’m not going to lie, I was worried that I would arrive in Honduras and regret my decision to come back. You just never know for sure how you are going to react in a situation. At the least I expected myself to be nervous and anxious for the first week or so, but this is not the case. As soon as the wheels of the plane hit the ground on Honduran soil an other worldly peace came over me. I felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be. It was a feeling of coming home. This feeling has not left me since arriving. It is as if I just left Honduras for a day instead of a year. Everything is coming so naturally.
2. Which brings to surprise number two. I believe this surprise has to do with the prayers coming from the States. All of my Spanish has come back,…and then some. It is a miracle! I find myself speaking words I had no idea I knew. It is incredible and I praise God to no ends for it. Today I spent the day in the mountains translating for a short term group that is here. What? How is that possible? Only with God. This is not to say my Spanish is perfect. I have already made a fool of myself a few times by messing up some phrases, but everyone is patient with me and truly wants me to succeed. There is still a lot to learn and I am looking forward to it.
3. This next surprise is just a huge blessing. As some of you know, last year I lived in the bunk house here on campus. This is where short term groups stay. I was just fine with this. I had a bed, I had a shower (in the middle of the room) and I had a little privacy. That is, until short term groups would move in. It became a bit overwhelming and cramped then. But I survived and was planning on the same living arrangement this year. Not until I got off the plane and was driving to Plan Escalon did I learn that the directors had finally moved into their new house they have been building leaving their old house, right in the middle of campus, unoccupied. I am currently living in a room of their old house! There is no furniture except a bed and a small vanity, but that’s really all I need. The house does serve as the staff daycare building during the day, but I have my own key for my room so no one can get in and I’m not around during the day much anyway. I have my own room and my own separate bathroom! I feel rather spoiled. I will post photos of said room another day.
What have I been up to?
Reconnecting with old friends
Setting up my OWN room
There is a short term missions group here for a couple days. Part of my job here in Honduras is to play host for the short term groups. This means answering questions, making sure they have everything they need, doing a little translating and really just being there for them.
Because of this I left for a mountain village at 6:00am this morning. Where the group goes, I go. This worked out perfectly because the other part of my job is these mountain trips. I sat/stood in the back of an old pick-up truck for three hours as we trekked up the mountain. While there I translated, handed out food, played with some kids and kept the group busy. The main reason we were there was actually to finish up the villages first running water system. There are 17 houses in this village with approximately two large families living in each house. I’ll let you do the math. Today the men in our group were putting in the pump at the bottom of the mountain where the spring is. The pump then, well, pumps the water to the top of the mountain and then they let gravity take over as the water travels down into the village. They actually have rather good water pressure just because of how high and steep the water is coming at them. I did end up taking a few trips up and down the mountain as I brought water to them men and checked up on them. The hike was only about ten minutes down, and fifteen minutes up. One thing is for sure, I will be in good shape by the end of this summer.
Prayer Requests:
Praise that my Spanish is back! Also prayer that I will continue to learn and comprehend.
It almost makes me weary that everything is going so well and easily so far. I realize it has only been a day, but I want to stretch and grow here. I want to be challenged emotionally and spiritually this summer because through those challenges maturing occurs. I want a mature faith. I seek a mature faith. I want to get to the point where there is absolutely nothing I can do but rely on God. This is a beautiful and freeing place to be. Bring it on.
For my parents. I am so thankful for their support. I now they are proud of what I am doing and understand why I have to do it, but they worry, as any good parents would. I want them to have peace over the next two months. If you happen to see them, give them a hug from me please.
That is it for now. I love you all and will talk to you later.
God Bless!
-Katelyn
I am in Honduras now, safe and sound. My flight yesterday went rather smooth and customs was no big thing. Thank you for your prayers and concern.
As predicted, there have already been a few surprises in the last 24 hours. The amazing thing is, all of the surprises have been wonderful! Here’s a small list of just a couple of the surprises…
1. My feelings when the plane landed in Honduras. I’m not going to lie, I was worried that I would arrive in Honduras and regret my decision to come back. You just never know for sure how you are going to react in a situation. At the least I expected myself to be nervous and anxious for the first week or so, but this is not the case. As soon as the wheels of the plane hit the ground on Honduran soil an other worldly peace came over me. I felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be. It was a feeling of coming home. This feeling has not left me since arriving. It is as if I just left Honduras for a day instead of a year. Everything is coming so naturally.
2. Which brings to surprise number two. I believe this surprise has to do with the prayers coming from the States. All of my Spanish has come back,…and then some. It is a miracle! I find myself speaking words I had no idea I knew. It is incredible and I praise God to no ends for it. Today I spent the day in the mountains translating for a short term group that is here. What? How is that possible? Only with God. This is not to say my Spanish is perfect. I have already made a fool of myself a few times by messing up some phrases, but everyone is patient with me and truly wants me to succeed. There is still a lot to learn and I am looking forward to it.
3. This next surprise is just a huge blessing. As some of you know, last year I lived in the bunk house here on campus. This is where short term groups stay. I was just fine with this. I had a bed, I had a shower (in the middle of the room) and I had a little privacy. That is, until short term groups would move in. It became a bit overwhelming and cramped then. But I survived and was planning on the same living arrangement this year. Not until I got off the plane and was driving to Plan Escalon did I learn that the directors had finally moved into their new house they have been building leaving their old house, right in the middle of campus, unoccupied. I am currently living in a room of their old house! There is no furniture except a bed and a small vanity, but that’s really all I need. The house does serve as the staff daycare building during the day, but I have my own key for my room so no one can get in and I’m not around during the day much anyway. I have my own room and my own separate bathroom! I feel rather spoiled. I will post photos of said room another day.
What have I been up to?
Reconnecting with old friends
Setting up my OWN room
There is a short term missions group here for a couple days. Part of my job here in Honduras is to play host for the short term groups. This means answering questions, making sure they have everything they need, doing a little translating and really just being there for them.
Because of this I left for a mountain village at 6:00am this morning. Where the group goes, I go. This worked out perfectly because the other part of my job is these mountain trips. I sat/stood in the back of an old pick-up truck for three hours as we trekked up the mountain. While there I translated, handed out food, played with some kids and kept the group busy. The main reason we were there was actually to finish up the villages first running water system. There are 17 houses in this village with approximately two large families living in each house. I’ll let you do the math. Today the men in our group were putting in the pump at the bottom of the mountain where the spring is. The pump then, well, pumps the water to the top of the mountain and then they let gravity take over as the water travels down into the village. They actually have rather good water pressure just because of how high and steep the water is coming at them. I did end up taking a few trips up and down the mountain as I brought water to them men and checked up on them. The hike was only about ten minutes down, and fifteen minutes up. One thing is for sure, I will be in good shape by the end of this summer.
Prayer Requests:
Praise that my Spanish is back! Also prayer that I will continue to learn and comprehend.
It almost makes me weary that everything is going so well and easily so far. I realize it has only been a day, but I want to stretch and grow here. I want to be challenged emotionally and spiritually this summer because through those challenges maturing occurs. I want a mature faith. I seek a mature faith. I want to get to the point where there is absolutely nothing I can do but rely on God. This is a beautiful and freeing place to be. Bring it on.
For my parents. I am so thankful for their support. I now they are proud of what I am doing and understand why I have to do it, but they worry, as any good parents would. I want them to have peace over the next two months. If you happen to see them, give them a hug from me please.
That is it for now. I love you all and will talk to you later.
God Bless!
-Katelyn
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Round Two: Have Peanut Butter, Will Travel
Greetings Family and Friends!
Here I am on the eve of my trip to Honduras. So many emotions are going through me. I go from excited, to anxious, to overwhelmed, to estatic. I like to think that the strongest emotion I have right now is excited. Is that really true? At least for the moment it is.
So I actually leave for Chicago tomorrow morning at 2:30am. Because of this, I do not think I'm going to sleep tonight. This is really for the better. It gives me a chance to make sure everything is packed and ready to go, and guarantees that I will sleep my first night in Honduras. I struggled with that first night last year, for obvious reasons.
Speaking of packing, I'm not done with it yet. Yeah, I'm a little behind. It's ok, though, it will get done and everything will be fine. I just have to keep telling myself that. I will feel so much better about this summer once that packing is complete. Almost there. At least I have the important items already packed. This includes my passport, my money, clothes, first aid, oh and peanut butter. That's right, I'm traveling with my own peanut butter. Not until last summer did I realize how much I love peanut butter. It is wonderful. I eat it for almost every meal and as a snack. It is very expensive in Honduras and a little hard to find, so I'm bringing my own. I have two large jars of Great Value Creamy Peanut Butter packed away in my luggage. I think I could leave right now with these few mentioned items and be just fine. Everything else is just icing on the cake, or peanut butter on the toast, perhaps.
This blog will be the main place I put my prayer requests over the next two months. I feel so blessed knowing there are so many people out there praying for me right now. I look forward to staying in touch with all of you. Much love!
Prayer Requests:
1. Travel safety: I'll be on my own going through customs and running to catch my connection in Atlanta. I have done all of this before, but it's always kind of crazy.
2. Surprises: Last year within the first hour of landing in Honduras I found out I was going to be teaching English, cooking completely for myself and was set loose in a Honduran market to gather all of my food for the entire summer. I am preparing myself now for surprises that may come up. We have discussed where I will be living and what I will be doing while I'm there, but you just never know. I have to be flexible.
3. Language: My Spanish is shaky at best. I am praying that it comes back quickly and I will continue to learn throughout the summer. I have already been told that I am heading into the mountains this Thursday and Friday. That means communicating with lots of people in small villages that do not know any English. I must be prepared if I am going to speak to them at all.
Well, round two, here we go. I look forward to the many adventures I know God has planned for me. Adios!
-Katelyn
Here I am on the eve of my trip to Honduras. So many emotions are going through me. I go from excited, to anxious, to overwhelmed, to estatic. I like to think that the strongest emotion I have right now is excited. Is that really true? At least for the moment it is.
So I actually leave for Chicago tomorrow morning at 2:30am. Because of this, I do not think I'm going to sleep tonight. This is really for the better. It gives me a chance to make sure everything is packed and ready to go, and guarantees that I will sleep my first night in Honduras. I struggled with that first night last year, for obvious reasons.
Speaking of packing, I'm not done with it yet. Yeah, I'm a little behind. It's ok, though, it will get done and everything will be fine. I just have to keep telling myself that. I will feel so much better about this summer once that packing is complete. Almost there. At least I have the important items already packed. This includes my passport, my money, clothes, first aid, oh and peanut butter. That's right, I'm traveling with my own peanut butter. Not until last summer did I realize how much I love peanut butter. It is wonderful. I eat it for almost every meal and as a snack. It is very expensive in Honduras and a little hard to find, so I'm bringing my own. I have two large jars of Great Value Creamy Peanut Butter packed away in my luggage. I think I could leave right now with these few mentioned items and be just fine. Everything else is just icing on the cake, or peanut butter on the toast, perhaps.
This blog will be the main place I put my prayer requests over the next two months. I feel so blessed knowing there are so many people out there praying for me right now. I look forward to staying in touch with all of you. Much love!
Prayer Requests:
1. Travel safety: I'll be on my own going through customs and running to catch my connection in Atlanta. I have done all of this before, but it's always kind of crazy.
2. Surprises: Last year within the first hour of landing in Honduras I found out I was going to be teaching English, cooking completely for myself and was set loose in a Honduran market to gather all of my food for the entire summer. I am preparing myself now for surprises that may come up. We have discussed where I will be living and what I will be doing while I'm there, but you just never know. I have to be flexible.
3. Language: My Spanish is shaky at best. I am praying that it comes back quickly and I will continue to learn throughout the summer. I have already been told that I am heading into the mountains this Thursday and Friday. That means communicating with lots of people in small villages that do not know any English. I must be prepared if I am going to speak to them at all.
Well, round two, here we go. I look forward to the many adventures I know God has planned for me. Adios!
-Katelyn
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