An Unfinished House

 There was a baptism the other day at the Mennonite Church in La Ceiba. Almost 20 people got dunked in an ice-cold mountain river. Not simultaneously, but you get the idea. Sergio, who had just accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior the week prior was among them. I don't think he imagined that he would be baptized quitee so quickly. Normally you have to take a 4-month long class at the church prior to your baptism. The pastor though, after talking with Sergio, decided to expedite the process and baptize him now. Just so happens the baptism occurred while a group from Frazer Mennonite was visiting and Pastor Brenda Martin Hurst was the person that actually baptized him. I talked to him that night via telephone and he said that he was grinning from ear to ear, that he was just so happy and felt like his life had begun anew. It has Checho, it has.

Silas James Beach, Welcome to the World.

I am thrilled to report that yesterday afternoon, in the middle of our scheduled discipleship class via Skype, Sergio asked if he could accept Jesus into his life as Lord and Savior. In that he was skyping from Maureen's house we called her over and through many tears from all three of us, she helped him say a prayer that confessed his sins and invited Jesus into his life. I am elated, proud of young Sergio and a little sad that I cannot be there in person. Please, more than ever, prayer for Sergio and the road ahead.

Sergio & Rafael his Sunday School Teacher I thought to update the blog with a post about Sergio (Checho), who in many ways became my chief focus the last 2 months that I was in Honduras. I wrote an article about him for the EMM's monthly magazine and I think I'll post that here and then give some updates. From the June-2012 Missionary Messenger : Our work in the garbage dump community of Los Laureles these past four years has revolved around offering hope.   Hope in a way out of poverty through a quality, secondary education. Hope in a positive sense of self-worth through soccer teams, birthday celebrations and loving, Christ-centered friendships. Hope in Jesus and his transforming grace through Bible studies, church meetings and discipleship classes.   There are many, many youth in Los Laureles that are learning to live by this newfound, holistic   hope in Jesus; allowing him to take their brokenness and the brokenness of their community and transform ...

As many of you are now well aware - I am no longer in the employ of Eastern Mennonite Missions nor in Honduras. For the last 2 weeks I have been staying with my family in Williamsport, Pa reeling from the shock of being back here so soon and trying to take stock of my circumstances and the events that led me here. For reasons of privacy and confidentiality I will not go into details as it relates to my being released from service with EMM but I do feel it incumbent to write that I made decisions in my time there in Honduras that certainly necesitated just such an action on the part of the mission board. To put it bluntly, I am grieving; grieving my actions and decisions, grieving the impact that it has had on loved ones, grieving my severed relationships with my beloved community in La Ceiba, simply grieiving. I have never been quite so melancholic for so long and the road ahead seems ever so long. I should say that I am not directionless or spiraling into depression; I have found ...