Day 2: Full Speed Ahead (a.k.a. meeting the OHIO TEAM)

a.k.a. Gospel Boldness

a.k.a. Teamwork!

Today was really encouraging. We walked a lot.

Plan:

I wake up at 8:28. We leave at 9 to walk to Casa Flores. 

"What's Casa Flores, Sam?" 

I haven't told you yet

Actuality:

I wake up at 8:28, Doña Francina comes over and brings us freshly-cooked eggs and Gallo Pinto. Wow. What neighbors. Dang. 

We left around 9:45 and walked to Casa Flores (which is the other team's house).

Let's tangent here about the other team: There's a team here for 1 month from H2O Cincinnati. It is very important to me that you know that I spelled Cincinnati right on the first try. Though, to be fair, my first mission trip (2004) was to Cincinnati. Anyway. This team has been focusing on the college campuses in Heredia. They've been making friends and visiting classes and playing frisbee and sharing the gospel. 

They seem like a really strong and well-focused team. I think the gospel push they are bringing will be a huge blessing to H@ngout, and I am so, so glad they're here. Praise the Lord. 

So, we arrived at Casa Flores, and helped make 101 burritas hondureñas (tortillas hechas por una abuelita, huevos, platano, frijoles negros, salchicha, y un poco de queso... i.e. really tasty) for H@ngout. After we were done, we sat and talked a while with the Cinci team. It was fun getting to see the different connections through our church network (usually centered around LT). Around 11:30 we walked to the UNA campus for H@ngout. 

H@ngout was poppin, y'all. I got to have fantastic conversations with Daniel, Patrick, Jose (Soho), Jose, and got to see Isaac, Saul, and Yizus/Jesus/Jose. One of the guys from the Cinci team shared some bold, intense, beautiful gospel and we ate the burritas and we hung out for hours. 

After a while, we walked back to Casa Flores and then back home. We were all pretty sun-drained, some sun-burned, mostly all tired, and thirsty. So, we sat and ate some PB&J and more burritas and chatted. Then we went for groceries and made a devotional plan for the CDI and campus tomorrow (yes, we're splitting the party, stay tuned to see how that goes, lol).

Today included a lot of reliance on our team, which felt like the most beautiful part of the day to me. 

Every single person shone and served in ways that were needed and different. I could go through and list each thing for each person, but I won't. But what I saw today has me feeling so blessed and filled with trust for this team. I an rely on them and they will come through in amazing ways. So. Flippin. Proud.

This is our team right before we drove to the airport. No, that didn't happen today.

Basically, it was a good day. I did have to process through some insecurity as we interacted with the Cinci team; their staff are young, focused, driven, and seemingly organized, but that just makes me happy for their team. The real thing that hit me is the passion, confidence, and boldness they have when it comes to their purpose as a team and the gospel. It's beautiful. 

Has my passion for the gospel waned? I've never thought of myself as a bold person (and that's not bad), but I have had seasons where the passion for the gospel has driven me to great boldness. I have had seasons where I have led confidently and spoken confidently about the things of God, but now I feel a deep hesitation to speak, and filled with questioning and self-doubt when I do. I think it's born of growth in humility, but I think it's grown into actual fear of leading or influence. 

Don't get me wrong, normal day-to-day logistics and decisions and all of that is fine, but it's the spiritual leadership that feels so strange right now.

PRAYERS!

-for our team(s) to walk with the Lord tomorrow

-for our team(s) to bless the students and the kids tomorrow

-for us to continue to work together well

-for increased connection with the students and kids

-for continued protection and guidance from the Lord