Wonder Voyage 2008 Summer Blog

After a week of hard work and hours of face-to-face ministry time with Honduran children and older folks, our team from Mt Ararat Baptist Church was treated to a day of fun and celebration.  The morning provided some time to shop for those final souvenirs for family, friends, and supporters.  Afterwards, we made the short drive to Siguatepeque, where we stopped for lunch at Wendy’s.  After a week of a mostly tortilla and bean diet, those frostys and fries were cause for elation in many.

Another 30 or so miles brought us to the edge of Lake Yojoa, the largest natural lake in Honduras, and the home of over 400 species of birds.  At the northern edge of the lake, near the town of Peña Blanca, stands Cascada Pulhapanzak.  This 43 meter waterfall is an amazing sight to behold, but it is even more amazing to cross through!  Most of the team took the plunge…into the pool on the edge of the falls, into the pool in front of the falls, and into the cascade itself.  Crossing hand in hand in front of the crashing water, the team waded to a small cave which is hidden in the mist.  What an awe-inspiring and breathtaking experience this was for everyone. One team member, Shaun, happened to have his birthday today…it was an unforgettable way to celebrate turning 16!

We returned to Comayagua for our final meal together; and since it was a birthday, we did it in serious Honduran fashion…we started with hats and honking horns to surprise Shaun, and then proceeded with a candy-filled piñata.  Who says you’re not supposed to eat candy before dinner? We feasted on various Honduras specialties and then finished the meal with an amazing Tres Leches cake…outstanding.  By candlelight later in the evening, the team members shared their various moments of wonder from the previous week.  Many of the students have realized that they arrived in Honduras as very selfish individuals, but none of them want to leave here that way.  We have been priveleged to see and feel God working in us and through us this week.  We pray that the lessons, changes, and challenges that God has provided this week will continue to be incorprated into our daily lives back home.  

What a movement of God! How rare and wonderful it is when God reaches down from Heaven above and touches you. The night we did the “pass the candle” ceremony God showed up and His presents saturated the room, creating an environment of safety and warmth where the hard shells of the Jr. and Sr. High hearts were melted away to reveal an openness and honesty comparable to nothing less than what can be considered to be the very institute of intimacy, family.  It was a night where the social status barriers, cultural barriers, age barriers, and maturity barriers all came down to expose what we had become, that being one group joined through long days of hard and hot service to the Lord, prayer, and the grace of God. Although there were two churches there we had become a family with a likeminded goal of loving and encouraging one another by stillness and storytelling. It was an epic night and one I will soon not forget.

Crystal is a student on the journey.

Everyday, I seemed to be more and more amazed by the majestic beauty surrounding me. Today, we arose to sunshine pouring through our windows which was a sweet feeling compared to the previous days of stormy weather. We immediately headed down the road for a breakfast then headed toward Page, Arizona. The drive, though tedious, was beautiful. We arrived in Page, had a quick bite to eat at Sonic, and headed to a tour bus. The tour bus shuttle us down to Glen Canyon where we got on a boat and headed down the Colorado River. The canyon size amazed me as we floated down the river and occasionally took my breath away. The sky by this time had grown dark creating a lighting that seemed a bit surreal. We all had a blast floating down the river, joking around and being silly, and arrived at an out cove where we all decided to jump in! It was FREEZING cold, about forty-eight degrees, but it was completely worth it! We headed back down the river and spent more time bonding and truly feeling as if we were family. Our river floating was about three hours of exquisite beauty ending with a technical entrance into the Grand Canyon. We took a long bus ride back to page, got back into our cars, and headed back to Sedona. On our way home we stopped at a Navajo restaurant where we got about thirteen pieces of flatbread which turned out to be WAY more then we could eat. We arrived back at our Living Water Retreat center at about 11:30 at night, took hot showers, and passed out in REAL beds. A simple shower and a cozy bed were two sights I had been longing to see, and that night I slept better then I have for months.

Although this day had some amazing stories, a few of my favorites include the Flute Master, and I Wanna Rock. If you know ANY of us, you know how ridiculously silly we can be. On our river floating adventure there was a few other boats on the river. One of the boats contained a man who we like to call the flute master. As epic as that may sound, it was not a title of honor. Our tour guide was telling us some stories when all of the sudden a beautiful flute began echoing through the canyon. We all went silent admiring the sound thinking it was something to be admired, but then Jerome, our guide, told us that a few months ago a Navajo man came down and played his flute. Apparently, the tour guide who was now playing was a wannabe. Jerome jokingly called him the flute master. Jerome described how this guy was a little big-headed and we all imagined how silly the flute master must have been. Then as we went down the river we passed one of the boats and Kelsey stared right at the boat and screamed “I WANNA ROCK!”. It echoed throughout the canyon and we looked back to see a tourist snapping a photo of us, and as you can imagine, we could not cease the laughter.

Through out this trip there has been a reoccurring theme of beauty and bonding. God reveals himself greatly through the storms, the sky, the canyons, and the desert. This day the beauty was truly evident leaving my heart yearning for another look at Gods masterpiece. As these moments of fun occurred, I could see the change that has occurred in all of our hearts. This trip has helped made us more vulnerable and therefore opening our eyes to things that we otherwise would have missed. This day has made me realize how blessed we all are for getting the chance to have a look at the fingerprints of God, and getting a moment together to laugh as a family after a long week of serving as one. We truly are the chosen ones, the blessed ones, and I am so thankful for the chance to see God work so powerfully in my close friends hearts.

Ah! Sleep! We woke to a beautiful blue morning. We prepared for a hot sunny work day. Some of the team continued to work around the yard. Others put up stucco wire on the house so it could be “adobe mudded”. The third group pre-fabricated a front porch to be built on a Hogan (a traditional Navajo dwelling). The Hogan is where Elsie’s uncle, a native practitioner (medicine man), lives. George and I had the privilege of working with Johnny again today. Since it was our second day with him, he was even more comfortable with us. He smiled a lot and joked a lot with us as we worked. He even called George “crazy white man” and then let out a big laugh. We got more rain today.   We also hiked to Grand Falls. Many of the Cody family went along. They seem very comfortable with us. Little did we know how much had changed. That night, as gathered for our last meal, Elsie asked each of us to share something we “learned”. It was clear that emotions were building.

Elsie wanted to share her perspective on our visit and the grandmother wanted to say some words as well. She spoke of us as family. During their sharing, many in the family began to cry. One by one, each person was compelled to share. Each person spoke volumes of thanks. Each person spoke of healing. When the stoic Johnny stood up to share, he emotionally spoke of the love for his wife who passed away 5 months ago.  How he missed her, how he would miss us, how much he appreciated the time. His wife, Betty, the matriarch of the family, had died 5 months ago. The entire family had been struggling with that loss for 5 months. In three days, many signs of healing had occurred.

I was struck by the emotional outpouring. A very large extended family had been hurting for 5 months. During our time there, they experienced significant healing. Family members said Johnny smiled more in the three days we were there than in 5 months. They had two days of significant rain, the first time in months. Their dry cisterns were filled to overflowing. God put together two diverse families, poured down healing rain on everyone, began a healing that wasn’t possible without him, and made a way for us to share His love in ways none of us thought possible.

Ariana is a student on the voyage.

At a starting 4:15 am, the team was woken by a loud and energetic singing Shawn. We were off to the house to partake in a traditional Navajo prayer that took place during dawn. Though the lack of sleep was apparent in everyone’s eyes, the excitement of being able to partake in a native ceremony could not be hidden. Standing on solid ground, looking out into what seemed to be forever, the sun peeked over the horizon line. Violent colors danced magnificently across the sky; a beautiful pattern of orange, blue, purple met the clouds, creating an infinite conversation about life, not heard, but understood by the heart. In that moment, God’s glory and majesty were more evident to me than ever before.

I spent the morning helping Darlene take care of her grandmother (who is 99). As I observed her compassionately care for her aging and hindered grandmother, I was overcome by very conflicting emotions. I live in a world were self-preservation is more important than another’s. In my home, it is every man for himself. My family is so very closed off and private. On only the second day of being on the reservation, I experienced more of a welcoming than I have in my own home.

Though I was saddened by the dysfunctionality of my own family, I was filled with hope and promise. Darlene and the Cody family taught me the importance of being loyal to those you love, even if they are difficult. At the end of the day, I was filled with the joyful thought of returning home and thanking my parents for all that they do. The Cody’s ability and willingness to be open and share their heart with us gave me a better understanding of my family’s relations and respect for all that my parents do.