Honduras or bust

In about 24 hours I will be on the ground in La Ceiba.  Wow… many the miles is a true statement.  It has been over 2 years since I first asked Mike questions about working for MTW and got sent to a recruiter.  But two years of good preparation and necessary learning.

I’m sad to leave Costa Rica… what a wonderful experience this has been.  If I could sum up my time here in one word, it would be “rest”.  Anyone who has ever been to language school would probably say that’s not a normal response, but oh the Lord knew exactly what I needed.

For 10 months I had a space to call my own, friends my own age, families to join, time to study or go to the movies (b/c they were in Spanish we deemed it learning :) ), a ministry that was wonderful, but didn’t happen in my space and overwhelm all my time.  The balance was just what I needed.  The Lord didn’t let me stop… that’s not what resting was for me.  I learned and grew and ministered and formed relationships and told people about Jesus.  And I grew in my walk with the Lord so much.  Learning that He is my only constant in a world of a thousand goodbyes and a lot of being alone.  He is enough, He really is.

I love the ministry I’ve come from and I love where I am going.  And I love what the Lord has taught me here that I’m going to be able to use there.  I love how he has orchestrated every relationship, every time I fell, every late night conversation to bring me right here right now to serve Him in La Ceiba.  I can’t even tell you all the ways I know that, it would take far too long.

So now, on to the next mile, to the next challenge… to new people and new places…

Tonight I am stuck in bed feeling terrible and praying that tomorrow will bring better health.  But its giving me time to process, and I think I needed that.  So thank you stomach flu for slowing me down here at the last minute so that I could leave this place well.

Please pray over the next couple days for good health and good transition!  I’m thankful for each of you!

New address

Here is my new address in Honduras… mail is always welcome :)

PO Box 733
La Ceiba, Atlantida
Honduras, Central America
C.P. 31101

Easter

He is risen… He is risen indeed! I love Easter Sunday, it is easily my favorite holiday of the year.  I wanted to share my favorite Easter song this morning.

It is Finished – Part II (Red Mountain Church)

Hark! the voice of love and mercy
sounds aloud from Calvary;
see, it rends the rocks asunder,
shakes the earth, and veils the sky:
'It is finished! 'It is finished!'
hear the dying Savior cry.

'It is finished! O what pleasure
do the wondrous words afford!
heavenly blessings without measure
flow to us from Christ the Lord:
'It is finished! 'It is finished!'
saints the dying words record.

Finished all the types and shadows
of the law that went before,
Finished all that God had promised;
death and hell no more shall awe;
'It is finished! 'It is finished!'
Saints, from hence your comfort draw.

Tune your harps anew, ye seraphs,
Join to sing the pleasing theme,
his great finished work proclaim;
Saints on earth and all in heaven
Join to praise Immanuel's name:
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Glory to the bleeding Lamb!

Need in Honduras

Hey everyone... since I mentioned in my newsletter the need for finances for this building project, I thought I should tell you how to give in case you're interested.... so this is a blog post that I stole from my team leader!

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Since the Fall our mission team in Honduras has been constructing a ministry center in the super poor neighborhood of La Isla in downtown La Ceiba. On this property we are building a high school, a medical clinic, a church, a center for homeless kids, a theological seminary and a dorm for short-term mission teams.

We are on a time crunch and we need your help. Our desire is to complete the first floor of the dorm building before June 4th so that when our first mission team of the Summer arrives they can sleep there. We are scheduled to host 10 mission teams from the U.S. this summer. If we don’t get this dorm ready by June 4th each team will sleep in our personal home with us.

We are asking you to prayerfully consider giving a one-time financial gift to help us meet these urgent needs. Hosting short-term mission teams from the U.S. is a great benefit to our ministry. In the past those teams have shared our home with us, including our small kitchen and two bathrooms. We have hosted up to 22 people in wooden bunk beds in our home. This new dorm will provide more space for those visiting missionaries and a little bit of breathing room for us.

There are two ways you can make a onetime contribution:
1) On-line:
Use your credit or debit card right now by clicking HERE.

Please make sure you enter 92412 as the designation.

2) Check:
Mail your check to:
Mission to the World
P.O. Box 116284
Atlanta, GA 30368-6284
Attn: #92412

Make sure you write "#92412" in the memo of the check.

If you would like to learn more about the downtown ministry center you can watch our 3 minute 30 second video by clicking HERE.

Or, you can look at recent pictures of our progress by clicking HERE.

Please be in prayer that God will provide the funds we need to complete this dorm by June 4th. Also, please consider forwarding this information on to your church or friends and ask them if they would be interested in supporting God's work in Honduras. Thank you so much your prayers and support.

Lasts are the worst…

This week I did a lot of last things here in Costa Rica.
* Last time sitting in a little wooden uncomfortable desk :)
* Last time asking so many questions in class that I annoy the other students
* Last time doing Spanish homework
* Last baby shower (Congrats Rachel!)
* Last movie at the theater (go see Rio, its awesome!)
* Last class party
* Last hugs
* Last goodbyes

I took my hammock home from the Messicks house.  Nothing says “I’m moving” like taking down your hammock!  I think we were all a little sad about that.

But as Kathy reminds me, for all the goodbyes, there are hellos waiting on the other side.  And I can’t wait for that!  Starting with… tomorrow!

My sister is coming to Costa RIca!  Tomorrow afternoon and we’re taking a birthday trip.  I cannot wait to see her and get to share my life here with her for a little while.  Its her first time in Central America, so it will be really fun to introduce her!

a flavor favorite

I’m going to tell you about tonight’s dinner that I’d like to call “almost” chickfila…

Cassie is awesome and brought me 6 little gems in a ziplock baggy!  6 containers of chickila sauce… this is a serious flavor favorite of mine.

So tonight I went to Burger King and got a chicken finger combo (you don’t have to tell me, its not the same, but you do what you can with what you have! ).  And dipped in chickfila sauce, it tasted pretty awesome!  I am so glad I have four more… anybody want to eat at the mall tomorrow? :)  I’m only kind of kidding…

Next time I’m going to try KFC and see if there chicken fingers are better.  But the weirdest thing was going on there tonight when we got there.  There wasn’t a menu up on the board and the coke machine was missing the whole front panel.  Makes it difficult to order.  Any suggestions on the next best thing to chickfila chicken?  My choices are Mcdonalds (without chicken selects), Wendys, Burger King, and KFC.  Please give me your chickfila sauce spending advice!

newsletter April 2001

April 2011

Quilting

Josefa and I have been working on a quilt together.  Its been a great time for us to hang out and spend time talking.  My sewing Spanish vocabulary is getting better :)  And she is so excited about it!  Today we finished the top part.  I say we, but she did most of the work!

hope

“When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.  For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. 

Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity.  I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord" - and you forgave the guilt of my sin. 

Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him. 

You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.”
Psalm 32:3-7

“Praise be to the LORD, for he has heard my cry for mercy. 

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.  My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song. 

The Lord is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.  Save your people and bless you inheritance; be their shepherd and carry them forever.”
Psalm 28:6-9

This morning I am overwhelmed by the Lord’s great mercy.  He offers forgiveness that I absolutely don’t deserve.  He gives freedom.  He is my help.  And He will carry me.

Today my heart is heavy for brokenness.  Sin and broken relationships and hurt and pain.  This is not what we were created for.  But the Lord meets us in the middle of our mess and picks us up as our shepherd and carries us.  It is only by His strength that we continue to live here in the midst of brokenness.

Oh the faithfulness of the Lord

As you all know, I have been raising money for a car for when I get to Honduras.  I have been praying, but I will admit, not nearly as hard as I should have been, that the Lord would provide the $4000 before I arrive on May 1st.  This is not a long time.  I do not take money lightly, and $4000 is a lot!  And I only first sent out postcards about a month ago.

And yet the Lord knows all of our needs exactly.  He knew exactly what I needed, when I needed it, and how He was going to get it to me.  He provided consistently the whole time, encouraging me every step of the way that He was bringing in the money that I needed.  And then this week I get a call that the rest of the money I needed came in… what?!?  That’s amazing.  In one big chunk from one very generous heart, the Lord finished giving me everything I needed to buy my car. 

Thank you, thank you, thank you!  To everyone who gave or prayed… I am so thankful that the Lord hears us and answers the prayers of His children.  He is a provider.

I am buying the car from the McCanns who left Honduras on Thursday to go back to the states.  What joy there is in the Lord’s timing that this very week I could tell them that I have all the money for them to buy a car in the states, or a house, or whatever they need for where the Lord is taking them.  It’s a blessing all around.

When I told my friend Erin about it and how incredible the Lord’s timing is, she said, “Shannon, God can do anything.”  So simple.  And I know it.  But I am so quick to forget.

Also, if you were interested in giving money towards this car fund and would still like to donate money to the Honduras team, we have a desperate need for funds for our building projects.  To find out more about it, read here.  We would love your prayer and financial support!