Shining a Light in Roatan

Several years ago, I was in a class in Seattle called Passion Search where we did exercises to determine a life vision for ourselves. This is what I came up with and it still resonates with me today:

“I choose to live warmly by faith with a delighted heart, freely engaging myself in the lives of those around me. Using my body, soul, mind, and spirit to love others and to enter battle to bring light and healing to the dark places in the world and to myself.”

I have to admit that some days I walk in line with this vision and others times I don’t but thankfully, there is grace.

Last night I returned from an amazing week-long mission trip to Roatan, Honduras. I went with a group from the school of ministry I did last year and also folks from Vineyard Church in Indianapolis. Fifteen of us from different ages and backgrounds flew to Roatan to love on the people there through many different outreaches where we prayed with widows, orphans, and those in Roatan who needed to know the Father’s love for them.

I didn’t know what to expect. I had done overseas missions work in the past but it had been 18 years since my last trip. Now, at 42, I felt more set in my ways and more worn for wear and concerned about how I would adapt.

The trip ended up being wonderful- beautiful, challenging, and engaging. Our team had many adversities to contend with including a stomach virus that snaked its way to many of us throughout the week. We were coming back from an outreach when I got sick and the driver of us bus had to pull over while I (gracefully – ha ha!) threw up in the trees and bushes nearby. So, some of the time, we were caring for one another and praying for each other and trying to stay hydrated.

We also had proof in the form of lizard poop on one of our teammate’s beds that a lizard called the monkey la-la was running through the guest house. This added an extra layer of both concern and laughter – trying to imagine where it was and squealing at pictures of this large lizard we found online which we discovered was also called the “Jesus lizard” or the common basilisk. 

Not to mention a pipe broke flooding the area in the room where I stayed and all of my clothes were soaked. We all would have our own stories of personal challenges and “missionary war wounds.”

We also had some trouble on our return flight getting back into the country. We had limited time to go through customs, re-check our bags, and go through security again. With this short time frame, six members of our team didn’t make it on the flight. Even though we pleaded with the airline to wait and tried everything possible, we fly off without them. They had to stay in Texas for the night and didn’t get back to Indianapolis until today.

All that to say, we bonded together as a team as we persevered through trials and challenges to our Western ways of thinking and acting.

I could cry as I imagine the beautiful people of Roatan and the adversities they face as far as poverty, broken families, and addiction. And, also rejoice at the beauty of their hearts and the warmth they displayed to us. These people of Roatan captured our hearts as we prayed for them, ministered alongside them at churches and in villages. It is hard to put into words the moments where time stopped as we laid hands on people and saw the powerful love of God moving over and through them. It seemed like we each in our unique gifts and personalities were led to talk to/pray with certain people and it was fun to see how the Spirit wove our prayers and petitions together to form a beautiful tapestry.

I had an experience with a beautiful girl named Sherena who was 18 and she knew about God but didn’t have a relationship with him. We prayed together and I asked for God to bless her with a job and we started talking about Jesus and she did not know him as her Savior. I asked if she wanted to ask Jesus into her heart and she did. So, I led her through a short prayer. And, connected her with her Pastor. There was something about her openness and her heart that touched mine.

In addition to all of these things, something else happens for me when I am on mission trips. I come face to face with myself. I start seeing patterns in myself highlighted and insecurities popping up. There is something about being comfortable in the United States that often hides our negative patterns and sin. Whereas, being stripped of typical conveniences, supports, or outlets often brings to light what is really there.

For me, it is humbling. I believe I have worked through a lot and received a lot of healing in my life. Yet, while spending a week in Honduras, I started to see patterns of thinking and acting that I desperately want freedom from. So, some of my time was spent asking God to deeply heal me and restore me.

It is interesting to me how our healing is tied up in other peoples’ healing. What I mean is that, we are often healed in relationships not through our own personal efforts or control. That is why I love the following verses from Isaiah so much. It is a long passage but I encourage you to read it and to think about the words and promises. As we give to others and shine our light, God is so good to heal us as well. We have a good, good Father who loves us and allows our own healing to be gracefully intertwined with others as a way to co-conspire to bring even more light to the dark places in the world and to ourselves.

Isaiah 58: 6-12 (AMP version)

God speaking his instructions:

“[Rather] is this not the fast which I choose, to undo the bonds of wickedness,To tear to pieces the ropes of the yoke,
To let the oppressed go free and break apart every [enslaving] yoke? Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into the house; When you see the naked, that you cover him, and not to hide yourself from [the needs of] your own flesh and blood?”

God’s promise to us:

“Then your light will break out like the dawn,
And your healing (restoration, new life) will quickly spring forth; Your righteousness will go before you [leading you to peace and prosperity], The glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
You will cry for help, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’”

God speaking:

“If you take away from your midst the yoke [of oppression],
The finger pointed in scorn [toward the oppressed or the godly], and [every form of] wicked (sinful, unjust) speech,
And if you offer yourself to [assist] the hungry and satisfy the need of the afflicted, then your light will rise in darkness
And your gloom will become like midday. And the Lord will continually guide you, and satisfy your soul in scorched and dry places, and give strength to your bones; and you will be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters do not fail. And your people will rebuild the ancient ruins;
You will raise up and restore the age-old foundations [of buildings that have been laid waste]; You will be called Repairer of the Breach, Restorer of Streets [b]with Dwellings.”

Amen.