Happy Shannon Day!

I know… I’m being an overwhelming blogger today.  But just now, with 36 minutes left in the day, I realized that this is my one year anniversary living in Honduras, and that’s kind of a big deal :)

This was me, a year ago today.  Weak with the stomach flu, totally annoyed by the woman at TACA who I swear changed the baggage rules right as I walked up the desk, and so sad to have left my friends in Costa Rica.  I had no idea at the time the adventure the Lord had in mind for me in the upcoming year.  If I did, I may have chosen to fly back to NC instead :)  No… I’m totally kidding.  I wouldn’t trade the last year here for anything!  It has been a wild ride, but I have seen the Lord’s faithful hand carrying me.  But back to the title, Evan Clow deemed May 1st forever Happy Shannon Day b/c it’s the day I arrived.  So thanks Evan for giving me a holiday… now how shall we celebrate?

Recap…
I arrived in May and started meeting with Kiyomi and IHNFA but I didn’t speak enough Spanish to understand anything they were saying.  In June my brother arrived to stay for two months and I loved every second of having him here.  The summer brought heat and summer teams… it was a struggle because I still didn’t feel like I had a place here or a clear purpose and I felt like being so busy with teams hindered being able to pursue that.  Also my car broke down.  A lot.  September brought lots of changes as Bethany left and I didn’t have any friends.  Then Heather moved to La Ceiba and is now my roommate!  Caitlin moved to Ceiba.  We started getting involved in the church and making friends.  Then I got stuck out of the country for a month, stupid yellow fever shot.  I got trained in pavement project.  Kate moved to La Ceiba and our roommate dynamic changed again, but for the better.  And somehow in the midst of that, our paperwork was done and I could look to rent a house.  How amazing is God?  We rented a house and my dad and Rick came and built us beds.  My family showed me countless times this year how lovingly supportive they are and I am SO grateful for them!  I met girls, interviewed potential staff, made contacts, and then God gave me people who wanted to work with and for me and wanted to live in the house.  Again, incredible.  So we moved in 3 girls and 3 babies, hired a house mom and started to deal with the reality of a day-to-day, life-on-life ministry.  I had lots of visitors, people got married, and the Lord gave me a sweet community here in Ceiba and grew my team closer together.  My team has been so supportive and I don’t know what I would do with out them.  I’ve cried, a lot.  And laughed, a lot.  I’ve said a lot of goodbyes, but also a lot of hellos.  I’ve admitted defeat, but also kept on.  I’ve started doing things I’m bad at on a daily basis.  Oh, and in that vein, we started paperwork to open a small business.  I think I need to take a nap, or a hibernation :)

The theme of this year…

Great is Thy Faithfulness oh God my Father
There is no shadow of turning with Thee
All I have needed, Thy hand hast provided
Great is Thy Faithfulness!  Lord unto Thee.

I have seen God’s provision every time I turn around.  In finances, volunteers, teammates, girls, lessons of grace, lessons of forgiveness, friends and fellowship, leadership, medical care, and SO much more.  I never want to forget this season of walking in trust and faith because there is absolutely NO WAY I can do this on my own.