Hola! I am writing to you LIVE from Urraco Pueblo where we are officially one week in and living our most interesting (and dirtiest) lives. There have been lots of adventures within this first week on the Race, so buckle up for a ride thats as bumpy as a truck ride down the unpaved streets of Urraco.
First thing is first. Our ministry partner!
We have been incredibly fortunate to be partnering with a ministry called Zoe Church where Pastor Roni and his wife Esther have welcomed us with open arms and brought us in as the family he considers us to be. They have kept us busy with leading worship during church, running kids service, clearing a field for their new church building, and late night youth sessions. Everyone is encouraged to bring their gifts to the church and he has made space for us to connect to the heart of the Lord in a new land. To speak more accurately about all the incredible ways this ministry touches this small town would suffice its own blog, which I will cover in my next post!
In the meantime, let me tell y’all about this week…
Upon arrival to this magnificent town, we were pleasantly surprised with accomodations in a house graciously given to us by a family from the church. It has a porch, beds, one bathroom, a sweet kitchen, coffee mugs, and a clothes line out back. We all about cried as we walked in at 3am Saturday morning after our long travel day; mentally preapring for the reality of sleeping on a church floor in the heat of Honduras for the next two months.
Praise (and I can’t emphasize this enough) the Lord.
Now, that does not mean its all been rainbows and butterflies. You might remember when I said at the beginning we are living some of our dirtiest lives. That wasn’t a joke. Honduras is hot. Like, real hot. Air conditioning? Not really a thing where we are. Honduras also has little to no clean water. Drinking water is imported and recycled into large containers that we buy at the corner store. The running water for dishes, showers, flushing toilets, and washing hands truly has a mind of its own and we haven’t been blessed with a single drop of running water in three days.
I know what you’re thinking. How are they bathing? Great question!
Oh, the power of bucket showers and baby wipes. But mostly, we embrace the filth and act like its not happening. Its going great!
Another thing is the bugs. Man oh man, the bugs. Our first day of ministry consisted of us clearning a piece of field for Zoe Church’s new building- raking, picking up trash, knocking down well walls, and moving palm trees (yes, you heard me correctly). Me, being the gringa that I am, decided to wear 3/4 pants and no bug spray because I don’t love the smell. This is where I became the new feeding ground for the Honduras population of mosquitos and they got fat off my blood and stupidity.
This wasn’t even the best part of the week.
Skip to day 4.
Leave it up to me to travel all the way to a foreign country, eat foreign food, bathe with interesting water, drink tons of coke (because apparently I do that now?) all to find myself face first in a toilet on night 4 of Honduras with food poisioning from none other than the “fresh food captial of the world”… Subway.
That is the last time I choose health over pizza when given the option.
So, I have spent the last three days struggling as I survived my first stint of sickness from poorly washed food in a foreign country. Week one and killing the game.
As dirty, tired, dehydrated and sickly I might have felt in the first week, the feeling of home is equally resonating with my soul as we grow closer to this community each and every day. Understanding God’s global church and having a front row seat to all the ways this community clings to his faithfulness makes me thirst for more. I am so aware of the fact that our God is uniquely personal, caring and tending to the needs of all his children who call upon his name. The 49 days spent in this place will be hard and hot but filled with so much joy as we fall deeper in love with the people of Urraco Pueblo.
There are sure to be a million more adventures in the days to come, so make sure to subscribe to my blog and/or my podcast on spotify- The Amanda Show (WR Style) to have a front row seat of everything going on in Honduras and beyond!
I love reading your blogs and I listened to your first podcast. You have a gift, girl!!! In so many as you are proving each and every day!! Look forward to seeing more fun pics, videos and hearing what God has in store for you all!!
HI! Baby Girl! Hope you are feeling better today. Love hearing from you and about your adventure so far. We miss you! Pray for your safety on your journey! Love Gran
I’m enjoying the N squad updates!
My suspicion your Subway adventure may have been the fresh vegetables. Fresh veggies are risky business. The veggies are ok, it’s the water they are washed with that is the unknown. Sticking with cooked veggies is safest.
Those of us who backpack all embrace the filth! We are all equal in that adventure! Hang in there you will work out the kinks sooner than you realize.
Wow, Amanda! I love hearing about all your adventures in the first week of ministry. You’re sense of humor is so refreshing, even though you have found yourself in some not so great situations. Keep up that JOY of the Lord, it truly is you strength! I’m so thankful that your living situation is good….staying in this nice house is such a blessing! Go get’em for Jesus! We are thinking about you and praying for you always! We love you very much!
I can see from this blog that you will describe things in much more detail than my racer! I’m Zach’s mom. I will catch your podcast and follow you as well as the other team member’s blogs. Thanks for sharing.
Amazed by you! So excited to hear more about the ministry in the next blog. Proud of you !
OOF!! What an adventure already!! Y’all are so strong, so capable, and SUCH a blessing to Honduras!