Being Hope

I was asked to share about my trip to Honduras today during our staff prayer time.
Here are my notes...

A Hybels/Willow mantra is that “the local church is the HOPE of the world”

This got me thinking… what is the local church to me? and to my/our world.
Personally, the local church is:
a place of community/relationship
where I experience God in worship differently than in other experiences
where I receive teaching and am challenged to grow in my faith
where I have found purpose in using my gifts
The bad news is, that while these are all good and fine… these are pretty much all about me.

More globally, what is the local church to our "world?" and by that I mean America, the northwest in particular.
Statistics are everywhere on line, but about half of people believe in God but only 7% give positive comments regarding the Christian church. 20% of people view Christians negatively, 57% neutrally and only 17% positively

What I saw in Honduras was different and I am challenged and changed as a result.
The church there… it was a place of HOPE.

I heard a woman share her story of being healed of a tumor. 15 people made commitments to Christ in that service. This reminded me that God works in our lives for His glory. It also reminded me of the power of sharing our stories.

I watched a youth pastor living life with his students, investing in them in real one on one relationships. This reminded me of Kurt/Austin, Cliff/Kent and challenged me to be more open to this in my own life.

And I heard the story of a young, poor, simple pastor who is SO sensitive to the needs of the people in his community who are hurting and being abused that he is going to law school to become a lawyer so that he can bring hope as a part of his ministry there.

The church is not here to meet our needs. We are the church here to meet the needs of the world. - Erwin McManus

Mother's Intuition

Saturday Westview Cheer hosted a cheer competition.
I worked with my friend Kathy in the snack bar all day and when it came time for the Westview team to do an exhibition cheer I decided to stay behind and let the other moms go watch. The minute I made this decision I felt my gut say that Molly was going to get hurt... I brushed it off and went back to work stocking, rotating and facing pop (i've discovered a ocd issue when i work snack bars).

I could hear the girls cheer in the background and then applause... :-)
Then, my friend Kathy came to me looking very troubled and said, "go find Molly she got hurt."

Turns out it's a nasty black eye from being hit catching her flyer. Who says cheerleading is for sissys? She'll be fine but it's ugly.

So, what was that? Intuition? I'm not sure that it would have been better to watch it happen...

this could... change my life

ok, probably an overstatement... but... today i got a starbucks gold card. There was a fee... but it will allow me wifi access for up to two hours a day at any participating starbucks. Seriously. As much as I love my new office... I will be so excited to use this benefit.
and, i get a 10% discount on all purchases... so it will be paid for in no time.
Nice.

What I Didn't See

My trip to Honduras was very focused on producing the Summit and building relationships with the team I would serve with. But literally across the street and this river from our venue is the Honduras I didn't see with my own eyes.

I had the opportunity to hear stories about this part of life in Honduras through the pictures taken by some traveling with the WCA and the stories of Honduran pastors over dinner. The hardship they face doing ministry with little or no financial resources, with crime and oppresion, I cannot find words...

Compassion Internation traveled with several WCA pastors to build relationships between American churches and the Honduran churches who are ministering to this part of the community. Some people who have sponosored Honduran children got to meet their kids. It was powerful for them to see the work and impact that Compassion is actually having there.
I'll share some photos from their experience...

This is the neighborhood...


This is this families home. Can you get a sense of the size? This is all there is? They all share this bed. The newspaper is on the walls to provide insulation.


The children who are sponsored through Compaasion International get food and medical care and education.
This clip was put together by one of the American pastors who visited the projects. (Turns out he's married to Art Wilmore's daughter... shout out to my home church in California)
Half of the Honduran population is under 25 and WAY too many of them live like this. The local church, Compassion Intl. and I pray, the Summit will make a difference in the lives of these kids and as a result their families and the community. Sponsor a child

surprised

sur⋅prise   /sərˈpraɪz, sə-/ verb,
1. to strike or occur to with a sudden feeling of wonder or astonishment, as through unexpectedness:

This morning when I awoke I could still feel the pulse of Honduras in me… my heart felt full to overflowing. The idea that I would begin to lose my grip on the power of the trip seemed out of the question.

Now… hours later, I can feel myself going back to normal and with all that is within me I DON’T want that to happen.

My friend Julie challenged me today to write down the things I do not want to lose.

I have hesitated for two reasons…
the first is.. how cliché this is? I go to a third world country and have an awakening... it was only 5 days...
The second is that these are mere heartbeats… not well formed ideas yet. But because I am beginning to feel numb again and I will spurt them out here…

I was surprised to discover some of what being poor may really be and what it isn’t (lesser people).

I was surprised to discover people who on the surface, when they are still, seem weathered, in some cases even sad, but when they are engaged a warmth and life… a light, exudes from them like none I have ever seen.

I am surprised to be so challenged by the reality that saying your friends are your family… really isn’t the same as family being family.

I was surprised by Coty's answer, when I asked her what Hondurans like to eat? what their specialty was... she said "our food is for sustenance." What a concept. (Though... the black beans at Power Chicken are the best I've ever tasted)

I was surprised how much more tangible, close to the surface, as though it were in their veins, their relationship and dependence on God is.

I am surprised to learn how the separation of church and state in our country has created road blocks to the way the local church really can be the hope of the world; I saw church which wasn't a building, but in community, I saw sanctuary, a place of hope and refuge and grace rather than the government playing these roles…

I am surprised to be able to finally feel free to say that I love working with men. I have not fully owned this but Catherine Rohr’s testimony gave me permission to be real in this way... and heck, her men are convicted felons and murderers.

I am surprised to learn the universal power of communication. When you don't have common language and when you don't need it.

I am surprised to be so deeply affected by the reality that something I was part of really mattered. It was intoxicating, and it leaves me somehow longing and restless.

I am surprised how close to the surface a level of new intolerance for "much ado about nothing" stuff is. At times I wanted to scream don’t you/they/I realize that so little of what we concern ourselves with… really matters.

I am surprised how bothered I am that I don't really live a life focusing on the Next Generation with my own kids and with others and how simple it looked when i saw it in action.

I am surprised how little I know.

I am surprised how small the world really is and how little my world has become. two different things.

I am surprised how numbing my life, our culture is... the pace, the stimulus, the distractions. I am convicted at the pace of life that I lead and what I have missed and not gained, as a result.

Larry challenged me to being open to being surprised and he was so wise.