Old town with a new future: Trujillo, Honduras

"Language school, language school, language school!" That was the feeling about three weeks ago when we decided it was time for a long break. We had been at our language studies for a solid 8 months with an occasional holiday or visa renewal trip or a weekend trip with others to explore different areas. We hadn't had solitude as a family since our last visa trip in January, so it was well overdue... and it was showing in our studies, attitudes and family life. There are times in life where you just need to set everything aside and regroup as a married couple, family and individually, so we did just that.

Rest, Relaxation & Prayer

We were a bit preoccupied with Gavin's 11th birthday (May 14th). Although it went well, we knew we needed some rest together so we decided to go back to Sambo Creek along the north coast, the first Garifuna community we had visited in Honduras. We stayed there for 4 nights mostly focusing on spending intentional time together as a family, time praying, planning and dreaming together as a couple, and time individually recharging our souls. We had much time in prayer, personal reflection, and talking together about the future of our ministry here in Honduras. Life here can be very exhausting with language and cultural differences added to the seemingly continual spiritual warfare, so this time was precious.

Typical roadside homes just outside Trujillo.

Taking advantage of our more central location on the north coast (just east of La Ceiba), we decided beforehand to make the end of our trip more exploratory in nature. So after feeling refreshed in so many ways, we headed two hours east to Trujillo. Christopher Columbus landed in Trujillo in 1502, making it one of the oldest cities in Honduras, and certainly the oldest anywhere along the north coast. It is lined with very old cobblestone streets, an old fort poised with canons to fight away pirates, and a beautiful hook shaped peninsula creating a protected bay. It is also home to the first Garifuna community (arrived in 1798), now named Santa Fe, about a 20 minute drive west of Trujillo. From what we saw, the concentration of Garifuna communities in this area is greater than any other location in Honduras, and the majority of people in this area are Garifuna.

Looking west, the nearest point on this beach is Santa Fe,
the first Garifuna village in Honduras.

While in Sambo Creek, I (Corey) was researching where to stay in Trujillo since we did not have any connections this far east. Most people we had talked to had never been to Trujillo since the road there ends just past the Garifuna communities outside of it. So getting info on this place from locals was difficult without actually going there ourselves. I had narrowed down our accommodations to two places, one that was in town and was very reasonable price-wise and facility-wise, and another that was out of town but more costly. I prayed over my choices and after discussed them with Kirsten. I later felt a peace about the one out of town, but in my desire to save a few more Limpiras (local currency) I called the one in town to inquire about a room. The phone rang and rang and no answer. I rechecked the number and called again and still no answer. Ever have those times where you follow your own intellect and not Spirit's? No, me neither! (sarcasm added) So I called up the other place and got a very friendly voice on the line. As it turned out we got an off-season rate and it was cheaper than the place in town, so we decided this was it. When we arrived at the "Retreat" as they call it, we learned that the owners were North American (from the Pacific NW). They knew many people in the area and were very well connected. On top of that they love the Lord! (more on this in a moment)

Connecting & Complementing

Garifuna boys playing soccer in Guadelupe.

Through connections that the owners of the Retreat had we were able to connect with many locals. What we want to do long-term is connect with existing churches, ministries and people and complement what they are already doing. We also want to begin something new if that is what the Lord wills. Knowing us better than we know ourselves, the Lord connected us with MANY people in Trujillo; Hondurans, Garifuna and gringos. We were able to connect with a family who owned a business in Trujillo doing business as missions, and visited their property which included a forested area (jungle) along a river setup to house volunteers and short-term mission groups. We got to share stories with each other, and encourage one another with how the Lord was using each of us.

Main street in the Garifuna village of Guadelupe.

We also met a missionary couple using veterinary skills to share the Gospel with area farmers. They also have a gift shop where they have helped people in the villages around Trujillo make crafts and sellable items out of natural, free resources (such as plastic bags, pop cans, pine needles, corn kernels, etc.) as a way to get them to be self-sustainable and as a means to share the Gospel.

We visited a nearby children's home and school as well called La Finca del Niños that provides free schooling to village children and a safe haven for abused and abandoned children with a Christ-centered education.

A couple "jovenes" walk the beach from Trujillo to Santa Fe.
The beach here is often used as transportation as it's the most
direct route between towns.

We went for a hike one day with the Retreat center owner to a nearby village to talk with a man who carves wood and cement to sell to tourists and area hotels and developments. We spent time talking with him about his family and craft, met his family, and he even showed us a new home he was building for his sister with the profits from his carvings. He was very proud of the new home, which was quite nice compared to the adobe and mud/stick homes of the rest of the area. The Retreat owners had employed him from time-to-time to carve Mayan looking statues for their property, and in this way improving his business (by showing his craft to customers of the Retreat) and by providing for his family by working for himself.

Showing their skills at hula hoop, kids in Garifuna villages
find fun in anything and everything.

We also met many different walks of life on the beach, one of the best places to meet people. We met a Garifuna guy named Rudy who sold us some cloth bracelets. The wares he was selling were a great way to enter into this guys life and ask questions as well as listen closely. Asking him about his life, family and community so quickly opened up doors of communication. He felt comfortable telling us much about his family, where he lived (Santa Fe), about community life, and more. Being gringos has its disadvantages here, such as always being a target to sell something to. But in this case it was a blessing and open door into Rudy's daily life.

One of our goals of this trip was to visit all of the Garifuna communities around Trujillo: Puerto Castilla, Barrio Cristales (neighborhood of Trujillo), Santa Fe, San Antonio, and Guadelupe. Each had something unique about them. We wanted to know more about their location, physical boundaries, existing churches and/or ministries/missionaries, public services, and perceived needs by locals. We learned quickly that they are all very tight-knit, not just relationally but physically. At times I felt like I was driving through someones porch or back yard! Each community has its strengths, weaknesses, and challenges. We could foresee how these may affect a ministry as well.

Open Doors... Literally!

This is the house that is available for us to rent on the property
of the Retreat, a two bedroom/one bath.

While at the Retreat, we talked a lot with the owners about our desires to minister with the Garifuna and how we were seeking a place to begin this ministry. And they expressed to us their desire to help us. One of those ways is to connect us to as many people as they know in the area and to help us however else they can. They also offered us a house to rent while we are seeking a place to establish our long-term ministry. The house is situated on their property so leaving to different places for more than a day or two means our belongings would be safe with their 24 hour security and having someone always present to manage the Retreat.

Garret with the Retreat
center dog "Piper"– a built-in
perk living on the property.

Chimi is the property monkey
(white-faced capuchin) who is
very loving. The boys love her!

This is an advantage for us since we are tentatively planning on being back in Oregon mid-November for the holidays. Although the house is small (about 700 sq. ft.) we would have access to their 10 acre property and natural playground for the boys called "la playa" (the beach). To top it off, the owner is a pilot who owns the only plane in Trujillo and can charter flights out of Trujillo (it has a "land-able" airstrip). The Lord has opened so many other doors of opportunity for us in this community and to live on this property for the interim.

Overall, we see Trujillo as an old town with a new future, a future of hope and change. We want to be part of the heart change that will happen in Trujillo and the surrounding communities, for us specifically among the Garifuna.

What's Next?

We share all this with you to let you know that we have set a tentative move date from Siguatepeque to Trujillo for the end of August. As our language school winds down this summer, we will be securing plans with our sights set on Trujillo as our long-term ministry area.

The road heading out of the Retreat with
"Go with God" as the calling orders...

What we ask of you is to please pray about details to fall into place. We are the kind of people who want to act when the Lord says "go!" and want to wait when he says "not just yet." We have been in much prayer about this and with all that has happened can only point to the Lord leading us to this place. He is saying "go!" We simply need to obey and step forward. We typically can't see forward more than one step out, so we move forward in faith knowing that we are being led by His Spirit and doing His will. We will be finishing up language school in the next month or so, have a team coming in July that we will be involved with, and have our house in Siguatepeque leased until August.

Until that time, please pray that we would finish our language school well (that we would pass our test with an advanced level for the language), and that we would have a healthy balance of family life/school life/ministry. Thank you for joining us on this incredible journey and supporting us in the many ways you do! We truly cannot do it without you.

In Christ and Him alone,
Corey, Kirsten, Gavin & Garret