Hello! As you know, for the past 7 weeks I have been living in the middle of the jungle. Since I’ve been bad about blogging what we are doing, here are some things this has consisted of:
- Clearing an area of the jungle (literally cutting trees down with machetes) to make a garden. The ministry will use this to teach the community how to grow fruits and vegetables to eat or to sell.
- Digging trenches behind a building so rain doesn’t get in.
- Hiking through the mountain to collect and carry wood back in order to add a bathroom to a building.
- Carving flower pots out of wood from trees we chopped down for different families in the community.
- Class three days a week for women and children, to learn practical life skills as well as how to read and write.
- Many many other projects!
As I was reflecting and having some quiet time with God, I recognized how over the past 7 weeks identity labels that I have carried most of my life have been slowly washed away. Identities attached to careers I’ve pursued or wanted to pursue. Identities attached to fitness. Identities attached to what people might think of me. Identities attached to how busy I’ve stayed or how hard I’ve worked. However, I’ve noticed as I introduce myself to people here in Honduras, the introduction has started changing. Here in the middle of a jungle, with a tent and a few pairs of clothes, I am Madison. I am someone who is hungry to learn more about Christ. I wake up day after day quite literally not knowing what type of work I will be doing for the day. But whether it’s hiking up a mountain and through mud pits to carry large planks of wood, or whether it’s cutting out crafts for kids, I wake up preparing my hands and heart to serve my creator as best I can. I desire to love all people I come into contact with well, whatever that looks like.
My identity and desires have slowly evolved and that has not been an easy journey. It has been emotional and confusing at times. But it has also provided a lot of beauty and clarity to who He says I am.
A quick update: we are currently in our last week with Catracho missions. We have gotten so close with the team we have worked with and I’m not ready to say goodbye yet. The strength that these people have physically and mentally is astonishing! Something that has stuck out to me since being here is the majority of the Catracho team are teenagers. They organize the services and invite pastor Paul up to preach when it’s time for his message. These are the most fun yet obedient teenagers I’ve ever met! They serve so genuinely and treat us like close siblings. The ministry site we’re at has only been here for a year and has come sooo far in that time. I’m eager to see where they’re at just a few years from now.
Our next stop will be for our debrief, where our whole squad and our leaders will meet up! We were surprised to find out we’re going to El Salvador! We leave next week and will spend two weeks in El Salvador before heading to our next ministry site in Nicaragua. Prayers for safe and smooth bus rides to both places!
