After a week on mission in Honduras, a week in between, and a week on vacation in PCB, I am back home and back online. I have the rest of today and all day tomorrow left in my "summer," so I am sitting somewhere between "just veg and enjoy the last of it" and "get up and get some things done that you can't do when you're working!" Vegging is winning.
I think I'll use some time to share insights gained over the past few weeks, starting with God's message for me as I visited the people of Vivistorio, Honduras.
I've spent a week each summer for the past 8 years serving the people of Honduras through the Baptist Medical Dental Mission. If you'd like to learn more about our particular mission, please read this article in The Anniston Star:
Honduras Baptist Medical Dental Mission.
A couple of the precious children who came through the clinic,
my daughter, Erin, at her station in the pharmacy--dispensing liquid medications,
and the hand-sanitizing station--bleach, beta dine, and pure water--that keeps us from getting sick in the field.
These visits have always been very fulfilling for me, but this year the Lord had a specific message for me: "You serve me well here (in Honduras), but what will you do for me when you return to your 'normal' life?" Some people might view those who choose to travel to other countries in the name of Jesus Christ as generous, faithful servants. And I do, too--viewing
others who go as generous and faithful. But I don't view myself that way at all. This one week a year in Honduras is probably one of the easiest things I do! OK, riding a school bus to the clinic site, sleeping on Army cots in school rooms, and hoping I don't see any frogs are 3 things I don't relish...but deciding to go, helping pack medicines and gifts for the Hondurans, getting up early each morning and standing on my feet all day as I gather the prescriptions for the patients are all no-brainers. It's not that I think I have no choice in the matter--certainly, I do. It's that I KNOW I am serving the Lord while I am there. So doesn't it make sense that God's question is, "What about at home?"
When I am knee-deep in my day-to-day life at home it is difficult for me to always know if I am truly serving the Lord in all I do. My mind tells me I am being faithful by teaching children and cultivating relationships with coworkers, students, and parents. My heart, however, doesn't always support the concept. I feel I should be doing more. From this point, I want to be more focused and stay more alert to opportunities God gives me each day to serve Him and others.
I hope my family and friends will hold me accountable to this goal.
