Honduras Part 1

I just got back from twenty something trip mission trip to Honduras. Since I didn't get to write anything while I was down there, I wanted to share some of my experiences while I was there.

We got a red-eye flight to Houston that landed in Houston at five in the morning. I grabbed subway for breakfast. I love subway at any time of the day. AFter a two hour lay over we got on our flight and landed in San Pedro Sula around 11 am sometime. As soon as I stepped off the plane into the breezeway I thought I was going to die. Of course, I knew that it would be hot there.. obviously, but I never dreamed that it would be that hot. Being an Alaskan and attending school in Canada, I'm not used to hot weather. I basically sweated so much that I could have supplied the perspiration equivalent to a quarter section of the rain forest. AFter going through a long customs line, we got on a bus and started traveling.

I wasn't even sure the bus would be able to make the drive. It looked like it was going to sputter and break apart as soon as we hit a pot hole. But that was all part of the adventure and I was happy to just be able to sit by the window and try to catch the breeze.

Then something sobering happened. We were driving down the road when we saw what looked like a terrible accident up ahead. The closer we came, I saw an over turned truck and stuff everywhere. It didn't dawn on me until we got a little closer that the things that were strewn everywhere were people. I stared in horror. There were at least three people laying on the road, in the hot sun. There was blood everywhere and the people were dismembered. Mrs. Hall said, "Oh know, look away." But of course we didn't. There was a lady in a fitted black T -shirt with her hair in a pony tail, she didn't have the bottom half of her anymore.

I'll never forget how they looked laying there. I asked why no one was helping them and hot the answer that they were dead, that there was nothing that anyone could do anymore. It was the first time that I had ever been exposed to that type of death and at that moment a lesson hit home for me. How could I have ever wanted to delay that second coming of Jesus, just so I could finish up some stuff that I wanted to do here. People die DAILY, whether we are exposed to it or not. There is so much suffering in the world. When people die, thats there last chance. Eternity has been decided, there is no going back. We need to reach them before that happens. I want to live a life of service, I want to reach them, to take the opportunities that God has given me everyday.

What if you knew it was someone's last chance? It would be easier to put fear aside. But we don't know what will happen to them or us tomorrow. So lets take the opportunities. I just wonder about the people laying in the road. Did someone take an opportunity to reach them before it was too late? I dont' know. The past cannot be changed but the future has a world of possibilities and opportunities for change. I'm not an alarmist, but I do believe in taking opportunities that God has given us to serve and reach out to people every day.