We made it. We’ve arrived in Honduras. We are still very much getting settled and have a lot of things to do before we’ll have a permanent home here, but God will provide what we need in order to do what He’s calling us to do. Time and again He has proved this during our journey to Honduras (which started long before we boarded the airplane with one-way tickets in hand). I don’t presume to be an expert in Honduran culture, but here are a few impressions of the differences between the States and our new home:
Expressions of faith abound. It’s not uncommon to see signs like the one at the top of this post painted on walls. Many businesses are named after biblical people or events. One bank even adorned the teller windows with Bible verses. None of this feels forced or imposed; it’s just a natural manifestation of the faith that a lot of people have here.
As a preventative measure against COVID-19, the security guards which are customarily stationed outside gas stations, supermarkets, banks, etc. are checking the temperature of customers before they are allowed to enter businesses. As an aside, while these shotgun toting guards may seem intimidating to American sensibilities, they have been extremely courteous and helpful (which seems to be the case with Hondurans in general).
Honduran hospitality can be astonishing by American standards. I’ve heard estamos para servirle (we’re here to serve/help you) numerous times since we arrived four days ago, and it hasn’t been just an empty courtesy. Trying to start a new life in another country is bewildering, but the support from family, friends, and even strangers has been incredible. This has gotten me thinking about the hospitality of Christ which to this day remains unfathomable to me from a human perspective. While we were dead in our sins, needing Him the most and regarding Him the least, He canceled our debt by dying in our place (Romans 5:6-8). May God grant me more of the estamos para servirle frame of mind and heart exemplified by Christ on the cross.
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