Tyler's Honduras Mission 2008

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Tyler's Honduras Mission 2008

Update # 5

16 February 2008

Yet another incredibly late update… I'm sure all of you at home have been as busy as I and haven't even had time to catch up. So no matter when you're reading this… Greetings from Tegucigalpa!

Like I said, I have been incredibly busy the last two weeks. As the time goes on I get more and more intern responsibilities. This week that process was taken to a whole new level in the span of a few hours. Some of you may know one of our Brigade Coordinators, Eduardo. There are two Brigade Coordinators who are in charge of the brigade sites all day taking care of all that goes into a brigade. Eduardo did not show up to work this Tuesday and has subsequently left WGO for unknown reasons. Just like all of us, Eduardo has problems and I ask you to pray for him and his family as he goes through this difficult time.

I tell you this because when the brigade coordinator doesn't show up for work… his duties pass to the intern. I'm fighting off sleep right now because I had a busy week of being intern/part-time brigade coordinator. I was in charge of the site most days this week. This included making sure that the Hondurans waiting to get into the brigade, the American missionaries, and our Honduran staff, were all happy and safe. They weren't always happy, but we all made it out in one piece. I really enjoyed the extra responsibilities and the valuable leadership lessons I learned in just a short time.

We are not always blessed with an experienced, flexible, and trusting team, but I have to say that this past week's team will hold a special place for me. I really enjoyed working with them through all the difficulties of losing a brigade coordinator mid-week. This team really came down to Honduras with some great leaders and hearts to serve the Honduran people. We had very busy days at the brigade sites and were able to minister to a great number of people.

Friday we poured a concrete kitchen and some steps for a single mother taking care of nine kids and her 85 year old grandmother. She had nine kids because she was caring for her sister's children because her sister had been killed in some sort of violence. It was really a blessing to be able to give this family something that they didn't have before. They were incredibly appreciative and willing to share their hearts and homes with us.

Friday was just one day after the Northern Illinois University attack and I spoke with the family regarding the problems of our two countries. I told the family that everyday I read the Honduran newspaper, which is full of articles about murders, drug deals gone bad, and corrupt officials. I told them that we come from a country that has been richly blessed, but we, like Honduras, have a terrible amount of sin and violence in our country. I explained that the floor that we were pouring was a way to combat that violence. I told them that the floor represented the Love of Christ and that we wanted them to take the next opportunity to spread that peace. If they spread it to the next person, and so on and so forth, we might just start to make a dent in the hate and violence that is so rampant in our world.

I never tire of the spirit of the Honduran people. They live in conditions few of us can imagine. It is not that we cannot imagine these things; it is that we don't want to. It is much easier to pretend as if they don't exist, but we cannot exist in ignorant bliss forever. These problems don't solve themselves; they fester and eventually become massive humanitarian and national security problems that require immense resources and effort to subdue. Perhaps we should start pre-empting problems instead of fumbling for solutions in the dark.

On a lighter note… WGO received its second short term intern last week. Renae Johnson was a team member last week with the team from Dixon, Illinois, but she will be spending the next four weeks assisting me in our intern duties on the brigades and with the mission house. I am very happy to have some help and company and look forward to taking a couple of days off while Renae takes the reins.

Once again I thank all of you for your prayers and support. I ask you to pray for WGO, the mission, and the people of Honduras.

Love,

Tyler

Editors Note - Tyler graduated from Trinity Lutheran School in 2001, Metro East Lutheran High School in 2005, and the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis 2010.

Click here to see all of Tyler's pictures or larger versions of these pictures.

Click here to go to the World Gospel Outreach web site

Click here to go to the web site of Tyler's home church, Trinity Lutheran Church in Edwardsville, IL.