Wednesday, June 20th 2018
Sometimes we consider someone an acquaintance, a coworker, a sibling, a friend, a sister or brother by choice, and then there is family. We don’t get to choose our families and sometimes we wonder if God’s design went a little skewed, you know every family has that one. The one that teaches you how to be more patient, how to be more accepting, or the one you know to keep your distance with. These past 4 days have proven that when a team comes together with that same mission orientated heart; the paths merge and we become family. We share the same toileting areas, same showers, same rooms, and transportation. We say things that reveal our truths without judgement or fear. We find laughter amongst the tears as we share our day’s journeys together.
In this trip we have been triple blessed over and over again. Our Honduran Friends of Barnabas crew members have spent a lot of time with our team, therefore we have had an even larger family to share our days with. Our team was blessed to have Erin, the President of FOBF visit with us this week and share with us all of the amazing efforts and programs in play thanks to the FOBF team. This Honduran team never ceases and stays strong in the mission every day. The Mountain Medical Teams are but a small fraction of this very large picture to assist Honduran communities to become health educated and aware on how to care for each other, in birth, for the mothers, and for the growth and development of the children. The honor bestowed to be a small fraction of this large plan brings immediate inspirational tears to the eyes. This is a family. This is FOBF. When we arrive back from our day’s journey, Raul our bus driver says, “Welcome Home!” Instinctively you look up and realize this is our home because we are a family by choice. Our hearts brought us together and forever our hearts are bonded over the love of Honduras and their families.
In the clinic today, we formed trusting bonds and development with a community that is being served for the first time by our Mountain Medical Team. This was an opportunity to build the relationship, to show the community that we love them and want nothing more but to see their families flourish in better health. It was an egg farm, so we were very fortunate to receive the largest space many say they have never seen before on mission trips in the past. We saw 198 community members, 20 referrals for specialty services, and 1 referred for the Extended Care Program. For a first-time establishment in the community; our hearts were overjoyed with all the beautiful people we met today and had the privilege to serve. God has a unique way of forming new bonds along the way. The only thought that can be provoked is, “God, use these hands, these feet, these brains, and these hearts to do Your will. Let Your will be done in all of this.”
Stay tuned as we journey to another community and please pray for the new bonds to be developed along the way.
~Maggie Smith
