Mission Trip - 2008 Cathy Cantelli
Before I left for my recent trip to the Mama Tara Miskito Orphanage, in Puerto Lempira, Honduras, I was suffering with an ulcer in my esophagus. Nothing I did seemed to make the pain go away. I struggled with whether or not I should make the trip. It wasn't at all rational to go to a 3rd world country with a physical problem, not knowing where I'd go or what I'd do if things got worse. I felt that I needed to go and somehow it would all work out. I knew that if I was supposed to go that the Lord would help me in some amazing way. I would take comfort with verses that spoke of losing your life for the Lord, you would actually save it, and in Isaiah 58, talking about the true fast was to help the needy...etc, and then your healing would come like the noon day. Well, when I left early in the morning on June 23rd, my gut was in pain and I was crying at the airport. My husband thought I should stay, but I told him that I really needed to go. Well, as the hours crept by, I noticed my pain was slightly diminishing. When I arrived at the airport in Honduras, I realized I actually didn't feel any pain. Within less than 24 hours, I felt like a new person. I believe the Lord healed me. It looks like I was under a spiritual attack and I could have easily succumbed, but I stepped out in faith and can truly attest to the Lord's goodness and faithfulness. This was the best part of the trip, because I faced a giant called fear and saw the Lord do battle for me.
Our presence there is always important to the children. We did our usual VBS, crafts, games, and worship songs. Kids, universally, seem to love to sing. It is one of the most powerful ways to get them to focus on truths about our God. As usual, many of the people who go on the trip, are sponsors of the children. We always make sure that even the children whose sponsors can't come, have a gift and letter from their sponsor.
Many of the men on the trip found many physical labor projects to work on everyday, to help Gustavo and his workers get things done a little faster. They managed to hoist a 5,000 gallon empty water tank onto a platform that had been built before we came. They ran pipe up to the tank and connected all the pipes so that they were able to pump water into the tank and fill it up. They now have the ability to have running water in both buildings. The men also did a lot of sanding of the steel beams and painted them. They were always busy with many projects, although too many to list, they were so helpful to the finishing of this project.
Other activities we did were to take children into town and buy shoes. We then took them to a friend's small restaurant to fed them tacos and cokes. They don't get out much, so this was great fun for them. Of course, riding in the back of a truck would be against the law, but the kids love it , and in fact, if it's not raining, I do too! We took the kids swimming at this beautiful little crystal clear creek. It actually has a little bluff and the kids love to jump into the water off of the bluff. There is a shallower part for the younger children. The kids love to climb on all of the Gringos. Sometimes you have 3 or 4 little ones clinging to you for dear life. They get so excited. You can tell they are having a great time, and it's one of my favorite things to do with them.
ON this trip, I was involved with a few meetings that were important for the possibility of getting outside help for our orphanage. One time there was a meeting in town, where Gustavo, Mama Tara and I went, which was held in the city hall. The honored speakers were soldiers from the U.S.Army. They are involved in a Humanitarian Assistance Program and were on a fact finding mission to see how they may be able to help the people of Puerto Lempira improve their way of life, as they are so cut off from most of the country and way behind in development. The same army guys came to our orphanage a few days later and took photos and talked to us about potential help. We are waiting to hear from them.
Our presence down there was important for so many reasons. Christians have a bad reputation of starting projects and then giving up, when things get too difficult. American Christians have the worst reputations. When the Board members show up yearly, and things are beginning to get accomplished, I believe we are showing them that we are serious and perhaps they may begin to believe what we say about the love of God, as we continue to try to minister to them in the most frustrating situations. Things are really hard there and the communication and transportation situation makes for the most discouraging problems to try to get anything done. It's like we are constantly moving in slow motion, but , Praise the Lord, we are really seeing things through to the end. We are truly feeling a new hope that, no matter how difficult things are, and have been in the past, nothing is too difficult for our God. The other members of the board, along with other faithful friends to this ministry are not giving up. We believe we are called by the Lord, and if so, trust that the Lord will help us, as He has already shown us. It has been an exciting, faith building experience, and no matter how tiring it is, and how dirty, and rain soaked we become, no matter if there is electricity all the time, or if there is not enough running water in the hotel to take a shower at night, to me, it's worth it. I don't like flying, I hate airports, I don't like to be hot and sweaty, and sleep in a camplike facility, with mosquito nets, and most of all, I hate the bugs, but there's something to be said for the feeling that you are in the right place, at the right time, doing what the Lord has put in your heart to do. Nothing can beat the feeling you get, the feeling of satisfaction of being a conduit of the love of the Father on the earth. It was worth diving off the cliff in the beginning of the trip, because I have come to know the faithfulness of God, that when you put others first, He takes care of you.