This land we love may find us elsewhere.

It’s Monday. I have already written a lengthy email to my Tribal Bible study group and I even included some other friends in the email, pertaining to my first ever Mission Trip to Tegucigalpa, Honduras. However, not thinking at this point I will ‘revisit’ those thoughts I simply want to just say; “I am here to blog about this present moment.”

The sound of September is incredible today. I have so much on my mind and very little time to capture all that is transpiring into my heart as I have thought about the absolute beauty this day has brought to me.

An occasional pounding of some tool, of my neighbor working in the distance is a reminder of how quiet and spectacular this 85 degree weather is outside. All my windows are open and I cherish this moment in time. The hush of the slightest breeze is amazing. If this was Spring I wouldn’t be sitting in this chair relishing in my thoughts I would be pulling the stale remembrance of winter off my sprouting buds, because they would be trying desperately to reach the surface of the earth, to the light of this beautiful temperature. But no, I am inside contemplating all that is coming my way in the months ahead and enjoying every moment of this solace, here in my office.

A small airplane just flew over my house. I can only imagine the view from up there. The parallel comparison of my husband sitting downstairs in his recliner is just simply beyond my comprehension when we have two recliners on the back porch of our home. He’s retired, why isn’t he out in the beauty of his retirement? Who knows? The view is my remembrance of California and the rush of feelings I got every time I was favored to visit that part of the country. Out in the back yard today as the golfers approach the green after the fairway on number 7, I smiled at the scenery. I love my house, I am blessed beyond measure, and we live very moderately. I can’t even imagine more. It was surreal imagining home, while I was visiting the country of Honduras.

Beauty—wonder—fulfillment—desire and sheer strength of blessing is all around me at this very moment. Now, I can take a minute and compare where I was just seven days ago. Dirty dusty roads, dogs and goats and even horses walking along side of the road where there is no sidewalks. I saw a horse dead on the side of the road. He was hit by a car, a car that has not limits in speed or vehicular offense. The noise of the horns and the anxious drivers changing lanes without a moments notice was so completely appalling. If you decide to drive a vehicle in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, you enter at your own risk. Roads with no boundaries of the officials. If your car is tagged, then you can drive and you can drive however you wish. I love America. I can actually say, “I love law” it helps to keep others safe, assumingly so.

But allow me to take you to my inmost secret and sacred thoughts of my first ever missions trip. The invitation alone was quite memorable. First, the flash back was the month of April and Bro. Roberto Ventura along with his sweet daughter Emma Rachel heard words come from my mouth as I spoke passionately about the written Word of God which I love so much, while at the Harvesters Convention in Grove, Okla. They heard a combination of two people, they told me. They heard my mother and my daddy, in my voice. With that combination and the oracle that God has created me to be, this ignited a flame that became a burning fire which landed me in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. I did not see it coming.

I was content to keep landing in my spot every Monday night to teach the written Word of God to my Tribal Bible sisters. And like the very first teaching I ever did in my home on September 15, 2008 I had officially became “The face of an arrow” and I was sent out to the country my daddy and mother had been accustomed to for 32 years. (I never considered going—not until I was ready to go)I stood where my daddy once stood. I was standing with a different passion than He did I am certain, but I had also never anticipated loving the people like I know my daddy once did. I began to understand his missionary heart. I’m 49 years old and since I can remember my parents have supported, traveled and endlessly devoted their lives to missions. Daddy always said; “A church who does not support missions is not a church.”

However as I looked up and saw the roof over my head and realizing it was not the TENT which my daddy personally carried over to the people many years ago, I could actually feel the love of my father, both eternal and natural.

Daddy planted a seed and I was standing in the midst of His deed accomplished. My mother who was there with me and she watched as I declared the message of the Lord to these precious people and I watched her cry. I too shed many tears as the Joy of knowing I was doing a simple act of TESTIFYING about my Savior, and this was clearly coming from my lips. Daddy would have been proud.

I spoke and knew that what I was speaking was only the GRACE of God.

Though Tegucigalpa is only a five hour travel day, we are worlds apart as far as the characteristics of simple and fascinating living that we are offered here in America. Tegucigalpa is the capital of Honduras and as far as a Capital city; it looks very much like a typical poor uncultured place with a whole 8 million population waiting for what? Raid, violence and poverty are everywhere. Walls upon walls upon walls divide the housing only hoping that they will not be tampered. They are trapped between Guatemala and El Salvador and Nicaragua. Only the waters of the De La Bahia would give them any sign of escape, but then they face illegal entrance to a whole other world. Only the few rich and the Ambassador of the US and the President of Honduras grace such luxury that only few will ever possess. I looked around. I never stopped looking around. They are at least 40 years behind the US and most likely they will never see the destiny I have been able to enjoy in my short span of life. No wonder daddy saw the need and determined to do the deed. But this is what I do know. Daddy saw a deeper need which was to give the people hope. The hope that is found in Jesus Christ is the greatest riches they could ever possess.

In the children’s faces, they know no different. Except that Americans are rich and blessed and we resemble Hollywood in the fashion sense of the Word! When I got out of the car to transfer to the bus where the kids were going, because it was “The day of the Children,”(celebration of the children) two little girls standing side by side, tugged on the sleeve of the other and said; “Look” or Ver in Spanish. I was the blonde American about ready to invade their space. Though they were uncertain of my arrival or what I was about to do and say, they eventually warmed up to me and I got smiles later and even was offered pieces of really bad tasting candy. But I kept it in my mouth until she couldn’t see me and I spit it in my Kleenex.

As I said, my parents have been coming to Honduras for years. My mom was sheer delight to watch in the country she calls home. She also says that Honduras is a place of restoration for her and a place of restitution. When we were to visit the Valley of The Angels (which is a simple yet quaint tourist spot) her face lit up. It was in the Valley that God restored her soul, she said. She tells this story to all who will listen, and many listened as we did much ministry while we were there. After my dad died in 2006 my mothers’ life changed as she knew it for more than 50 years. But it was in the Valley 3 years after his death that God met my mother in the Valley of the Angels and God in fact restored her soul. My mother impressed me with her ability to communicate to the Spanish speaking people though she knows no Spanish. My mother has a language which speaks of its own brogue; it’s one of laughter and the sound of enthusiasm. Who wouldn’t understand that? It’s boundless, it’s much like love.

Though I slept like a baby and arose like a trained farmer, it was in the church of Gerizim (pronounced Hair-o-seam) that I found my solace. Every morning before the sun came out to shine over the mountain and into the church’s east side window, I was there, walking, praying, and contemplating. The concrete floors surface was perfect for my morning exercise, but the heavenly language that waited for me every day refreshed me and awakened me to a new idea of living out the rest of my life. Let me explain.

It was 5:05 am on the Sunday morning of September 11, 2011 that I laid in bed asking God to tell me what He wanted me to say to his people of Gerizim church. The moment I asked, He answered in a vision. I heard thunder and I saw horses. The horses were wild and they were coming out of the mountain with furry. Suddenly I was in the church in this vision and I was standing in the church and I could see them coming from the mountains of the eastern sky. (If you look up from the windows of the back side of the church of Gerizim you can see the tips of mountains and if you are there early enough, which I was, you will see the sun bust through and the rays of its splendor touches the first window of the east side of the church.) So, in this vision I saw them coming fast and furious! I saw the first horse, white with fire in his eyes and the dust was billowing along side the hoofs of these incredible beasts. They came rushing inside the church without a thought and without a missing step and as they exited the ‘entrance’ of the church they scattered within the compound of the property. (These horses were much like the horses in Rev. 6, they were not righteous horses until they were trained by God!) But as they scattered they began to graze and they became at peace and when I asked the Lord what happened to their furry, He said to me this; “They will come from the mountains wild and full of furry but it is here that they will be taught and they will be trained and they will be loved.” I began to see the purpose of the church.

When I asked Brother Roberto if he positioned the church’s windows to face the east, and if that was a plan? He answered no. But I said, “I believe it was Gods plan.” He agreed after I shared with him my yearning to go to the church everyday I was there. It called me so to speak.

This vision was not taken lightly when I shared it with the 3 services I spoke in that day on September 11, and I will always cherish the instant vision I got from the Lord at that very moment when I asked. It was 5:15 when I arose to enter into the backside of the church building where I would only wish to revisit this vision. I saw the confirmation in the multitude of faces that day and then I remembered the horses became tame, and that brought me a peace I can only give praise to God for. It was amazing to stand where the heart of my father once stood. Maybe, just maybe I was a horse, trained.

In my home now, I am looking out my office window which faces the North and I have a 5 ft. butterfly bush that’s planted just outside of my window and all around this purple flowering bush are monarchs tasking the purple pollen. Gracefully they enjoy and graciously I enjoy them. One, two, three and four they land lightly on the flowers and soon, very soon this will pass, but certain it will be a part of my complete solitude and gratitude once more. I am completely undone by the wonders and actions of my God.

Why wouldn’t I leave my comforts to see the strength of Who God really is in another place? I will. Though peace may not be apparent in places with less comfort, there is one thing for certain. He is my peace and He goes with me every where He sends me.