The Unglamorous Side of Ministry

Over the past few months our main focus has been on building relationships. Our days have been filled with meeting new people, reconnecting with new friends, spending time talking, and more importantly lots of listening. While it's true we've been able to help out a few pastors and ministries in the past few months by providing, more or less, resources to make their ministries more effective, we haven't had any "glamorous" mission activity. When I say glamorous, I mean what most people think of when they think of foreign missions: building houses, schools and churches; feeding the poor (although we have done this indirectly); "setting free the captives"... We have had the privilege to meet LOTS of people in the last 2 months that have given us great connections in nearby communities, some Garifuna, some not. We have begun new relationships with new people in different walks of life. And we're seeing God's plans begin to unfold.

Building relationships is perhaps the "unglamorous" side of missions and of ministry for a missionary. But it is probably the most important! We've been sharing with everyone (at least those who read our updates!) about God leading us into what we call community transformation. We sensed the Lord leading us this direction when we saw the great disconnect between faith and real life here. In Honduras, much of what people believe about God and Jesus (Christians) is disconnected from reality. So we see a very religious culture, but at the same time a culture that is very self-centered. People have a belief in God and in Jesus as God. But their lives do not match what Jesus asks of us: "pick up your cross and follow me." There is too much fear. There is too much desperateness. There is too much influence from the world, especially the images of non-reality from the U.S. (TV shows, movies, "Hollywood" news). These images are thought of by Hondurans as reality for Americans and the desire to be like this has infected this culture like a disease. So our approach to evangelism, to seeing lives truly changed, has taken a new approach to involve every aspect of life: spiritual, physical, social, educational, and economic. Hondurans need to see faith lived out as an example. And given opportunities to do this themselves. To put "feet to their faith." Everything we do needs to be grounded in faith—living life, going to work, praying continually, in our relationships—we need to be in the world to have an effect on the world. Salt and light! This is what we desire to teach them.

The "port" in one of the Garifuna communities we are
exploring for community transformation.

Since January, we have connected with other missionaries in La Ceiba who have the same heart for ministry. We will report more on this as time goes on as the Lord shows us more clarity, but we are looking at the high possibility of working with this missionary family in La Ceiba to reach Garifuna communities with the Good News through community transformation and through their ministry. We have been working with them in the communities they are currently in to get an understanding of how it works in real-time. And eventually, Lord willing when the timing is right, we will begin work in a Garifuna community. We have identified some communities that would be great places to start and are taking steps towards establishing connections in them. So while we wait for the "glamour" side of missions, we will continue to build the relationships God has given us.

Prayer

Please pray for us as we work with current communities where "transformation" is taking place.

• I (Corey) am one of four speakers at a three-day pastor's conference this week in the mountains. I will be challenging the pastors to live out their faith outside the church walls. It will be an encouraging time for the pastors, but also very challenging. Pray I would have courage to speak what God has put on my heart and that He would use me as a prophet to speak into the lives of the pastors. Pray also for Kirsten and the boys as they will be home without me for most of the week.
• Pray for a short-term team of 20 that is coming on Saturday (June 7) to begin building a school in the community we are helping in. Another team comes in on June 13 to finish the project. Pray for safety, relationships to be built, and lives to be changed (both for the short-term team and the people in the community).
• Pray for Kirsten and the boys as they travel to Oregon next week. Kirsten will be in her sister's wedding and will be gone about one month. Pray for her safety as she travels alone with the boys. Pray for Gavin as he steps up to be the "man" and helps Kirsten get to where they need to go.
• Lastly, pray for our future ministry and how YOU can be involved. We will need a lot of help, logistically, financially, physically, and prayerfully. We believe one of the main reasons God is leading us into this ministry (besides the obvious mentioned above in this post) is to involve you, to grow you, and for God to USE YOU! He wants to because His Word says He does! So be praying about this ministry and how you might be involved in some way, especially about the community transformation aspect. It will take a team to accomplish.

Thank you for praying and supporting us in the many ways you do! You are a vital part of this ministry here and we could not do it without you. To God be the glory!!

In His Grip,
Corey, Kirsten, Gavin & Garret