Learning

I would like to introduce you to a few of my students. As of now, I have at least 17 students among 8 classes, and a few yet waiting to form a class.

Amanda—I always have to rush out of my class with Amanda as I am always late for my Spanish class, which comes immediately after my class with Amanda. She has a higher level of English than most of my students, and we always have good conversations. I leave these classes greatly encouraged by her words, her heart, her wisdom, her smile, and her passion to share the gospel. This is her reason for learning English; she wants to be able to share the gospel with those who do not speak Spanish. She and her husband (a professor here at the seminary) are planning on being missionaries to Spain, where 0.2% of the population are Christians. They want to settle in the south of Spain, where there is a large group of Muslims and immigrants. Right now, they are waiting on their visas. In addition, they don't know where their funding will come from. Honduras is a poor country and the cost of living in Spain is much higher. A tithe of nothing is nothing….Yet, Amanda and Jaime move forward in faith.

Meldin—Meldin wants to learn English to be a missionary to the U.S. He challenges me on how much I love those in my country, and how much I am zealous for God's people and God's church in the U.S. He knows that the US is swiftly becoming a non-Christian nation. From the age of 16, he desired to study at the seminary, but in a family with a single mother (his father was murdered) and 9 siblings, he had no idea where the money would come from. God provided the money, but he also struggles with a lack of potassium that causes temporary spurts of paralysis. He is praying for health and for a way to go to the US to be a missionary. After that, he wants to go to India.

Melissa and Mayra—In addition to being my neighbors in my apartment, they are also becoming my best friends here. I can see their joy when they work with youth in the churches. I see their perseverance in their studies—I am amazed at how hard these girls work in their studies and in their work-study program, and in service to their local churches. Their intensity to serve the Lord amazes me. In addition, women are not welcomed as leaders of churches. In their words, they and Ana (the third female student at the seminary) are the only women who are studying to serve full time in all of Honduras. Yet, they persevere with an unequaled dedication.

Consuelo and Francisco—What I think of first when I think of Consuelo is her laugh. She laughs at her mistakes in English, she laughs at the joy of being able to speak another language (or, at least a few words…), she just laughs! Francisco patiently puts up with her teasing. Her husband is the pastor of a local church that has a dream for community development. Thus, they have a coffee roaster that helps people in the mountains produce their own coffee.

There are others I could write of…Tongo, Elder, Dennis, Evelyn, Orfilia, Gloria, Donna Betty, Ibis, and others. But they are known to God.

For this season in my life, I am surrounded by Amanda's heart for the lost, Meldin's faith, Melissa and Mayra's dedication, and Consuelo's joy, and so many others. I am learning, too.