A Time of Contrasts

What a couple of  weeks it´s been! From the US, to Honduras, to Guatemala…a lot to adjust to in a few short days!

I can´t believe I´m finally on mission. I feel like this has been in the making for so long. And actually, God has been showing me more and more through prayer how He has carefully planned this for quite a long time. It´s almost mind-blowing! It has really made me realize the incredible significance of EACH and EVERY day. Every moment, really, is a part of the path of our life, and every little thing we think, do, say, pray…all of it leads us on a certain path. It´s sometimes incredible to look back and see the way that God has used us, both the good and the bad, to bring us to the point we are at now!

And that point for me at this moment is Antigua, Guatemala. Never thought I´d be saying that! After a few days at the mission in Honduras, I was sent here for language school. I´m now studying away, trying my best to understand the language I will need to serve the people of Honduras.

My transition to Honduras was a bit of a shock. Coming from a month in Europe, a week in California, and finally from my home, to this country in Central America is such a huge change. I had an idea of what to expect (since I had been to another part of Honduras before, 2 years ago), but still...It´s definitely a different world.

We pulled in to the house of the Missioners of Christ, and I met my fellow missionaries! There are 4 from the US (counting myself) and about 8 from Honduras. We live in a little complex, with separate halls for guys and girls, a communal kitchen, and a big chapel. It´s really quite beautiful and peaceful. Something I wasn’t expecting is the massive barbwire-topped wall that surrounds the place. Because our ¨barrio¨(neighborhood) is really quite dangerous (especially for me as a ¨gringo¨). The combination of desperate poverty, drugs, and easy access to guns makes it…well, lets just say it´s not the kind of place you´d want to go skipping down the street. Actually, we´re not really able to leave our complex at all, unless we´re driving somewhere. This, combined with not really being able to speak the language, adjusting to the food, cold showers at 5am, and large spiders that I found near my bed has made for quite an experience!!

Simply put, it´s hard. It´s hard to be isolated since I can´t communicate (yet!). It´s hard to be inside our complex when I´d love to be out in the barrio meeting all the people. It´s hard to sleep when gunshots wake you up at 3am.

But this is where God comes in. Thankfully! First of all, I know that I have an army of people praying for me. This makes all the difference in the world. I can really feel it, and I think without this, I would have fled home after my first spider-spotting! So keep up the good work J

But it really comes down to the Mass. The Mass is my salvation. As a Catholic, I truly believe with all my heart that Jesus is present in the Eucharist. So what can hold me back? What can stop me? A stupid spider? Food that makes my stomach…not so happy? Not being able to speak with others? As if! I get to receive God – the God who made something out of nothing; the God who became small and suffered for us; the God who is Love – each day in the Mass. With this knowledge, no matter what comes my way, I know that I can do anything, between two Eucharists. But this is ONLY if I can rely totally on God, and not let myself get in the way at all. This is the hard part. We love to get in our own way! It´s good to be so tested in this way, because I´m able to see that, in my daily life, I allow so many distractions to get me so off track. When all of those externals are stripped away, and I´m forced to face myself and God, I can see so much more clearly that I need Him for EVERYTHING, because ALL that is good comes from Him. This is a painful lesson to learn and a hard one to remember, but I am glad that God is teaching me.

Ok, I could keep going on all day. For those of you who know me, you know I can´t limit myself when I write! More about language school and other recent experiences to come soon!

Please keep the prayers coming…I need them! You are being prayed for in return.

United in Him!

Erick (the new Spanish spelling of my name J)