Plans

The weekend of Oct. 9^th, I went to San Lorenzo (very southern Honduras, right on the Pacific Ocean) with Melissa, a seminary student and an English student of mine. During this time, God opened the door (and gave me and my parents peace) about staying with her family. In short, I will be in San Lorenzo, Honduras from Nov. 30^th – February 8^th. I will be helping to build up her church and in a complete Spanish immersion experience. I am excited about this opportunity as I would like to improve my Spanish, which is coming along rapidly. But it would be a great opportunity to know the culture more intimately.

How does this fit in the big picture? I continue to have 3 passions:

1)
Women and teen girls at risk, victims of trafficking, abuse, domestic violence, rape, etc. and related issues. As a more relational, one on one type of person, I am more interested in the healing/rehabilitation side, but envision a holistic program…..these women and children need holistic help from the church.

2) Missions to unreached countries. As a single, American woman, it would be difficult for me to go—not impossible, because all things are possible with God, who is God over all governments and all things. However, the Honduran church is uniquely positioned to go to places where we cannot.

3)
Discipleship, living life together, helping the church be the church the living representative of God, which goes along with the healing side of #1, and equipping others to go to the unreached world, and eventually perhaps, if God calls me to another country, in yet another foreign world.

How those will all play out, I don't know. In light of the above, if I had to say right now what I would want to do, it would be to invest in a community and to help disciple and capacitate a church to do women's ministry and serve as missionaries. God can change that, and change what it looks like. My plans are in His hands.

That is a broad vision, so what are some small steps?
My first step is to return to Honduras on November 30^th until February 8th to spend time with Melissa's family in San Lorenzo. My goals for the trip are the following:

1)
Continue to improve my Spanish. I expect by mid-February to be fluent.

2) To know her church and her family and the area better, to see if this is an area where I might be able to serve long term

3) To lay a foundation of prayer and search for direction

4)
To serve in that church with the youth group and in other areas where I can during 2 ½ months

5) Continue to invest in Melissa—she has an interest in missions and is a good friend. : )

6) I may also visit another friend and missionary a trafficking expert in Honduras and who works with rape victims and a lot of other women at risk, for some time (a week or more).

I would also begin to apply for residency, as until I have the residency, I have to leave the country every 3 months.

For financial information, please see: http://graebird-support.blogspot.com/


A little more background about the south of Honduras, as I am continuing to pray.

• It is hot!
  
• There are very, very few missionaries in that area—most of the missionaries in Honduras are in San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa (the two main cities) and Siguatepeque (right in the middle of Honduras). These tend to be strategic central areas. I recognize that.
  
• I have been told that the church generally is healthy down south. In light of this, I ask if it is better to serve in a different area. But if a church is to start a women's ministry, than they need to be developed. Regardless, this is a priceless opportunity for which God has opened the doors to learn more.
  
• San Lorenzo is an area of tourism and there are many women and children on the streets and engaging in prostitution, and rumors of human trafficking rings. Melissa and her family know of no one helping these women.
  
• The pastor of the church in San Lorenzo has been praying for a long time for someone to help start a ministry to women on the street. This blew me away….He had been praying for years to help reach the women and children at risk, the very thing I feel God has laid on my heart. The time with his church and family would be to find out more about that vision in more concrete terms.
  

"I know, O LORD, that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps" (Jer. 10:23).

"The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever—do not abandon the work of your hands" (Ps. 138:8).

Jesus said, "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor" (Luke 4:18-19).