Tonight I had small group. I may only have 3 more small groups before I leave if plans work out the way I am thinking. I have asked for prayer because I think it makes sense to go to Honduras for 90 days, then come back to the US. It serves several purposes: I can go to Telluride with Bob and his family; I can come back and do more fund raising with a fresh perspective, new photos and new stories; I can find a house while I am there, then have a place for me and my cats to move into when I return; and I can get my passport stamped, which I will have to do every 90 days anyway.
One of my small group members said 90 days is a good amount of time for me to get a feel for things down there. We agreed, the first month in a new place is fun, but after the second or third month things can start to get old. She said she thought I would get frustrated over the lack of running water. I told her the lack of running water has never bothered me and reminded her that I lived outdoors year round, doing wilderness therapy before she met me. I told her about standing in the snow and bathing with a coffee can of water. She laughed and said once again, she is amazed at all of the ways God has prepared me to serve in Honduras. In Honduras I will NEVER have to stand in the snow and wash myself with one coffee can of water. I'll have the luxury of a bathroom!
My life in Honduras has really been years in the making, from Spanish classes in high school, to the close relationships I formed so naturally with Central American friends at various restaurant jobs in my 20's, to being baptized in Honduras (which went against all of my plans), then going back to Honduras to become more fluent in Spanish and realizing I was called to serve there. And so many things in between. There is no doubt where I belong. The only question is when. Right now I am praying about March 27th.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Friday, February 24, 2012
Water
 |
| Overlooking Los Pinos |
 |
| Kids carrying water to home |
 |
| The living area |
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| Bedroom |
Yesterday, as I returned from Pilates class here in Salt Lake, I dumped the tap water from my water bottle onto the ground. That small action really made me think.
When I move to Honduras, most of the families I will serve do not have running water. If a home does have running water, the city controls when the water is turned on. The last time I lived in Honduras we had running water from about 11pm until 6am every 3rd night. Usually. We stored that water in huge garbage cans to use later. The water was not safe to drink. I saw a little squirmy amoeba-like thing in it once, so I never looked at it closely again. It comes in one temperature - cold.
Kids from the Breakfast Program I will serve always ask for the left over milk cartons. They fill the milk cartons with water to take home for dishes or bathing. I have visited some of the childrens' homes. The first home I ever visited kept their water in a bathtub. However, chickens had access to the same bathtub. Let's suffice it to say, the water was not clean. Most other homes had garbage cans outside to catch rain water for bathing or cleaning.
A home in Los Pinos (the community I will serve) is usually one room, sectioned off with a sheet between the sleeping and living space. It has a dirt floor. The walls are random pieces of wood. When it rains, the rain can easily blow through the walls. A piece of tin is set on top of the walls and held in place with heavy rocks to make a roof. Cooking happens outside in a designated area. I never asked where a person relieves themselves. After visiting those homes I understood better why I often saw people urinating along the side of the road. Why walk home and urinate near your house when there is no bathroom there?
Lourdes and Jairo have called several times. Lourdes said she needs me "urgently", but she wants me to move in God's time. She is currently feeding at least 65 kids on a daily basis and really needs help. I will tell you more specifics about that later. For today, water was on my mind.
When I move to Honduras, most of the families I will serve do not have running water. If a home does have running water, the city controls when the water is turned on. The last time I lived in Honduras we had running water from about 11pm until 6am every 3rd night. Usually. We stored that water in huge garbage cans to use later. The water was not safe to drink. I saw a little squirmy amoeba-like thing in it once, so I never looked at it closely again. It comes in one temperature - cold.
Kids from the Breakfast Program I will serve always ask for the left over milk cartons. They fill the milk cartons with water to take home for dishes or bathing. I have visited some of the childrens' homes. The first home I ever visited kept their water in a bathtub. However, chickens had access to the same bathtub. Let's suffice it to say, the water was not clean. Most other homes had garbage cans outside to catch rain water for bathing or cleaning.
A home in Los Pinos (the community I will serve) is usually one room, sectioned off with a sheet between the sleeping and living space. It has a dirt floor. The walls are random pieces of wood. When it rains, the rain can easily blow through the walls. A piece of tin is set on top of the walls and held in place with heavy rocks to make a roof. Cooking happens outside in a designated area. I never asked where a person relieves themselves. After visiting those homes I understood better why I often saw people urinating along the side of the road. Why walk home and urinate near your house when there is no bathroom there?
Lourdes and Jairo have called several times. Lourdes said she needs me "urgently", but she wants me to move in God's time. She is currently feeding at least 65 kids on a daily basis and really needs help. I will tell you more specifics about that later. For today, water was on my mind.
So for now, I will continue to appreciate my fresh smelling clothes, which I washed in a washing machine and dried in a dryer. I will enjoy pilates classes in a studio more extravagant than most homes in Honduras. I will bask in a hot shower after class and be grateful for the way it eases my sore muscles. I will drink tap water and not complain that it doesn't taste the same as bottled. Finally, I will NOT dump tap water onto the ground again. It just doesn't feel right anymore.
Many people have asked how fund raising is going. On March 1st I will receive a statement from World Outreach Ministries, the people who are handling my finances. I'll update you after I have more specific information. To those of you who are supporting me financially, I appreciate it more than words can say. Every penny helps. However, I must reach my goal in monthly donations before I can leave. You can contribute by clicking on this link and finding my name (Fager, Mary Lynn).
https://worldoutreach.org/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=117
Thank you for helping me follow my calling. I can't wait to be writing to you with awesome stories from my new home in Honduras!
https://worldoutreach.org/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=117
Thank you for helping me follow my calling. I can't wait to be writing to you with awesome stories from my new home in Honduras!
Sunday, February 12, 2012
(Almost) A Year Later
A lot has happened in the past year. But in some ways not much has changed. My baby nephew, Joey, was born 10 weeks early. He is now a healthy, beautiful one year old. My mother moved from Illinois to Littleton, CO to be closer to her grandsons.
I am still in Utah.
I began fundraising last April to move to Honduras. What started out feeling like a productive, easy process, came to a halt in May. There were a few rough and confusing months over the summer. However, during that time I never lost the feeling that I was called to serve in Honduras.
Two weeks ago Jairo said it would not be a good idea for me to go. I watched a CNN Special Report entitled, "Honduras: The most dangerous region on earth" that night. Everyone seemed to agree that things have changed in Honduras and it is much more dangerous. Yet, I still felt the call to serve the people there. So I sent out an email asking for prayer. Maybe I was meant to serve from the US? Maybe it would be a matter of waiting until the country gained control over immense drug trafficking problems? I didn't know what the answer would be.
However, my prayers were answered quickly with and email from Lourdes which stated that she would like me to come "now, in this moment". She asked for a phone number so she could call me, Jairo called the next day - twice. The day after Lourdes called and we talked for almost an hour about all of the ways I can serve the church there. The biggest shock to me was that the dynamic had changed from me asking, "Please, will you allow me to come?" to them asking me, "Please will you come? We need you urgently."
Fundraising has picked up again and I am really relieved to say that finally I have my mother's blessing. For years she has been anxious about the idea of me moving to Honduras, but the recently the Lord has given her peace.
Now I'm praying about how and when to move forward. Much of it depends on finances. But Lourdes has made it very clear that while she would like me to be there as soon as possible, she also wants to be sure that this is all done in the Lord's perfect time. Many people are praying for me. We are asking God if I should go for a temporary visit, then find a place to live so I could return and move in with my 2 cats. (Yes, I will be the crazy gringa cat lady.) Or should I pack up and leave permanently all at once. So far I have not gotten a notion of God speaking to me about this. But I have faith that He is moving in my life right now. Many things have happened that are more than coincidence. So I know that He will show me the path He wants me to take.
In the meantime I am grateful for the many ways He as shown me his presence so that I know I am not alone on this journey, but I am indeed following the calling that my God has for me.
I am still in Utah.
I began fundraising last April to move to Honduras. What started out feeling like a productive, easy process, came to a halt in May. There were a few rough and confusing months over the summer. However, during that time I never lost the feeling that I was called to serve in Honduras.
Two weeks ago Jairo said it would not be a good idea for me to go. I watched a CNN Special Report entitled, "Honduras: The most dangerous region on earth" that night. Everyone seemed to agree that things have changed in Honduras and it is much more dangerous. Yet, I still felt the call to serve the people there. So I sent out an email asking for prayer. Maybe I was meant to serve from the US? Maybe it would be a matter of waiting until the country gained control over immense drug trafficking problems? I didn't know what the answer would be.
However, my prayers were answered quickly with and email from Lourdes which stated that she would like me to come "now, in this moment". She asked for a phone number so she could call me, Jairo called the next day - twice. The day after Lourdes called and we talked for almost an hour about all of the ways I can serve the church there. The biggest shock to me was that the dynamic had changed from me asking, "Please, will you allow me to come?" to them asking me, "Please will you come? We need you urgently."
Fundraising has picked up again and I am really relieved to say that finally I have my mother's blessing. For years she has been anxious about the idea of me moving to Honduras, but the recently the Lord has given her peace.
Now I'm praying about how and when to move forward. Much of it depends on finances. But Lourdes has made it very clear that while she would like me to be there as soon as possible, she also wants to be sure that this is all done in the Lord's perfect time. Many people are praying for me. We are asking God if I should go for a temporary visit, then find a place to live so I could return and move in with my 2 cats. (Yes, I will be the crazy gringa cat lady.) Or should I pack up and leave permanently all at once. So far I have not gotten a notion of God speaking to me about this. But I have faith that He is moving in my life right now. Many things have happened that are more than coincidence. So I know that He will show me the path He wants me to take.
In the meantime I am grateful for the many ways He as shown me his presence so that I know I am not alone on this journey, but I am indeed following the calling that my God has for me.
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