Mission Trip:

The Bible is not the basis of missions; Missions is the basis of the Bible.

~Ralph Winter~

April 18, 2014

Santa Semana (Holy Week):

This has been a very interesting week! Honduras is a primarily Catholic country, so Easter is a very big deal here. In my opinion, Easter should be a big deal everywhere, but anyway! Stay tuned for more of my humble opinions Schools are off this week, including Baxter, and most businesses are closed, as well. Traffic is so light, and the city feels different. One could almost describe it as peaceful. So peaceful, in fact, that Ive had lots of time this week to catch up on some reading and writing. More than that, Ive been thinking about the contrasting cultures of the United States and Honduras and the pros and cons of both; most specifically, the contrasting attitudes of Christians in each country. Although it didnt take long at all to notice a difference, seeking to understand the differences is something Ive been working on this week.

Street murals made out of colored sawdust. Supposedly depicts scenes from Catholic tradition. Displayed for Good Friday parades.

This quote is on the wall in Baxters chapel. I love it.

RENEWING OURSELVES TO TRANSFORM THE WORLD

Honduras vs. United States:

Before I left for Honduras, nearly every person I talked to gave me the same piece of advice: write about everything. Ive actually surprised myself, because, as a person who really doesnt like to write, Ive actually been very diligent in journaling all my observations on this trip. More than just writing about where I go and what I see, though, Ive really started thinking about how this culture compares and contrasts with my home culture in the United Of course, the food is very different, and thats taken some getting used to. (Beans States. are not my thing) Also, Spanish has very little in common with English, so learning to speak Spanish in its (crazy confusing!) sentence structure has been challenging, yet rewarding. The biggest difference Ive found between Honduran and American culture has to do with the people. The people here are content and happy, though their circumstances could easily provoke bitterness. This may seem trivial, but when you smile at people here...they smile back! We all know that doesnt happen often in America. Americans have this precept that we need wealth or status to be happy or successful. Hondurans have taught me differently. Further, still, the church in Honduras is growing rapidly. As soon as a congregation is planted here, that congregation is working on another church plant elsewhere in the region. Congregations here dont have all the bells and whistles we tend to have in America. Most meet in small warehouse-type buildings or even in homes. You wont find a steeple, song-books, or cushioned pews. Very rarely will you see an A/V system. The congregations here are focused solely on worshipping God and spreading His Good News to all creation through church plants. While the conveniences we have in American worship services are nice, I dont believe they give us a worship advantage by any means. In fact, the passion and zeal Ive noticed in the Christians here is something Ive rarely seen in America. Christians will WALK 3-5 hours to assemble together for worship. There is no air conditioning, no comfy pews, and no fellowship meal afterwards. They come for one reason, and thats to worship. They need this time with believers to get them through always-difficult weeks. The Bread of Life sustains them, not the physical food from a potluck.