We Don't Need Bright and Shiny

Monday, March 20, 2023

Our team had breakfast at 6:15, followed by a medical team meeting. We headed out for an hour-long drive to the village of El Cacao, Santa Rita, Yoro, where the team set up clinics in a two-room schoolhouse. Today was the first time that Friends of Barnabas has visited this village, so there was a lot to be learned by both the team and community.

Charles led the community and missions' team in prayer, and the day began. The registration tents were initially set up outside, while the medical clinics, dental clinic, pharmacy, and eye clinic were set up in a two-room schoolhouse. The day was cool, wet, and rainy. So much so, that registration had to be moved inside one of the two rooms, creating cramped conditions.

The conditions were not ideal but were still able to do our jobs. It poured down rain all day long, but the people kept coming. They walked a distance and waited in the rain. There were no windows in the schoolhouse, and the roof leaked, but the people were there, and the team was able to serve. The portable router was wrapped in plastic bags, and the EMR iPads worked just fine. The rain put a damper on the day, but if it didn’t put a damper on our spirits. We were able to see numerous families, children, adults in the area, some of whom had walked an hour or more to the clinic with their large families. As David said, we don’t need "bright and shiny" to do missions, we just need humility and love for our fellow man.

Liz summed it up when she said that partway through the day, she was nearly in tears because she was so happy to be there, and so happy to be doing exactly what she felt led to do. Everyone unanimously agreed that we were very impressed with the support staff here. There are a lot of people working in and with this organization here in Honduras who know their jobs well , are eager to help each other, and are very impressive. Everyone agreed that the new translators are excellent.

Back at Alfredo House, dinner was shared, and Sheri led the group in our evening devotional, written by Troy Keaton at Westlake Community Church, which encouraged us to be led by the Holy Spirit. She read, “If we merely live by our own understanding we will always be limited to doing what WE are capable of doing. But when we walk close enough to the Lord to hear His voice and follow His leadership we will get to see and do what GOD is capable of doing.”

We are very excited to see what God is capable of doing and continues to do in the communities we serve this week.

~Erin Thackston