El Roi

As one flies into Honduras it’s pretty hard to not see the beauty.  The ocean to one side, and on the other rolling mountains of lush rainforest. 

Now zoom in: Within minutes of getting off the plane it is hard to not see the hunger.  The barefoot boy washing windshields in hopes of receiving a few coins.  The crippled man whose foot is rotting begging for just enough to buy his next meal.  Being the second poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, there is much hunger.

But what about those that hunger to be seen, those that feel invisible? Don’t we all have this desire deep within us, for someone to see us. And not just to see our physical appearance but to really know as us as we truly are? 

Mother Teresa said, “There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread.”

This is the hunger of so many of the deaf people in Honduras, “Someone see me!” The community around them says, “You are deaf, you are nothing.” and rarely acknowledge their existence except to tease.  The only time their family sees them is when they put them to work.  They have no voice, they are not heard, and they are not seen.

This was the plight of Hagar as well.  She was a slave and after finding herself on the run, alone in the desert, God sees her, despite her mistakes and inperfections.  Genesis 16:7 says, ”And the angel of the LORD found her...in the wilderness...” After God instructs her, Hagar says, “You are a God of seeing [El Roi]...Truly here I have seen him who sees me.”” (Genesis 16:13)

Signs of Love makes it a point to “see” these precious people, to look them in the eye. Often times, when we first meet them, they don’t look back, they are afraid and quickly shift their gaze to the ground.  But one of the most remarkable experiences is to look into the eyes of a child that has never been seen, with the eyes of Christ. 

It has been so exciting to have the village minicamps.  We get to spend 3 days with a small group of deaf that we usually only see for 2 hours once a month.  During this time we have gotten to “see” so much more of these amazing people! 

We are privileged to look upon and 

love Selvin, and we trust
that he will truly know El Roi 

Hilda really likes butterflies and wants to make jewelry when she grows up.  She is patient and is skilled in cooking.

Melkin likes hugs, she believes she can do anything and will try anything new.  She is good with animals and smiles all the time!

It’s been said, “The eyes are the door to the soul.” When we look at these special people like no one else has ever done we are opening a door, a door to share Christ.  That person may not know the name of Jesus (for that mater they may not even know their own name!) but as they grow I know that they will remember the first person that ever “saw” them... Christ in us!  And I pray that they would come to have a relationship with El Roi—“the God who sees.”

Vapor

There is a common saying here in Honduras: “Si Dios quiere,” which translates to “If God wants.” I have heard this phrase countless times throughout the past year, and have come to deeply appreciate its meaning. Loss is well known to many Hondurans. This country has an understanding of the fragility of life that we Americans often choose to ignore. They understand that life is “but a breath” and can vanish at any moment. And so, when I say, “Ok, see you next week”, they respond with “Si Dios quiere.”

I’ve been thinking a lot about the fragility of life these days. It is a vapor, a mist. It is there one minute, and the next minute it has vanished completely right in front of your face without you even knowing it. Life is tricky that way. It’s so there that you forget one day it won’t be there. The other day, I listened to a sermon, and in that sermon the woman asked, “ What will you do with the ‘vapor’ that you’ve been given?” I’ve asked myself this question countless times…

So here is my goal: to waste my vapor away on His kingdom work. To love strong. To give compassion to all. To fight for the least of these. And to keep seeking His guidance as my vapor dissolves away. And when I fail (because I know that sometimes I will), I will get back up and try again.

As I work alongside the servants at Signs of Love, I see how they are using their “vapors” for God’s kingdom work. I watch as they encourage, teach, love, challenge, empower and embrace those who have been considered “the least of these” for so long. Many of the “least of these” have never been given an opportunity to attend school, have never been given the right to learn sign language, and some have never even been allowed to step outside their homes. They are oppressed. But God has brought the servants at Signs of Love to remind them that they are NOT abandoned, NOT forgotten. These precious Deaf are Loved. Cherished. Adored. And as they realize their worth, they find a hope and a strength that carries them.

Now that is vapor-worthy.

“Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”   James 4:14

The Future

For many of us this word holds a number of different emotions. For some of us, there may even be a bit of fear behind it. When I was in high school, the thought of the future was terrifying. The future meant growing up, leaving my family and beginning a whole new life. Now that I’ve grown up (just a bit), left my family, and started a whole new life, I’ve realized the future is not what is terrifying, It’s the unknown that really frightens me. The future may hold many things, and not knowing what they are is the scary part.

Diana, our new Honduran volunteer teacher, 

teaching the youngest group at our school. 

We love her and so do the kids!

Since working as the teacher for the Deaf for Signs of Love, I have been given new eyes to view the future. I no longer view  the future as the scary unknown, but as an opportunity for change, an opportunity for new workers to rise up and join the harvest, an opportunity for Signs of Love to grow as an organization through the Mighty Hand of our Father. I am overwhelmed with excitement by the thought of what God is planning for the future. I believe God is working and cultivating hearts right this second, and preparing Hondurans to become the leaders of tomorrow. Being in the school Monday-Friday has allowed me to witness the children from villages, who a month ago had no language, carry on a conversation with not only their other classmates, but the teachers as well. We have also been meeting Hondurans who have taken a huge interest in the Deaf and Signs of Love, who with the right guidance and love of the Father, will bring something really special to Signs of Love Honduras. And God is still working in other areas! The past few Sundays, many children from the school have begun attending Deaf Church, which is really exciting in itself. Not only are they coming to church regularly, but they also have engaged themselves by volunteering during the service, answering questions, and helping to re-teach biblical concepts to the other attendees. These kids blow my mind! They are so smart and I just know God has huge plans for their lives and I cannot wait to see them unfold. Meanwhile, we pray. Since all these wonderful things are happening, I know the enemy is on the prowl. Please join us in praying for the future leaders of Signs of Love, the ones being cultivated now, and the ones who may not yet be found. Pray that each day we do not lose an opportunity to build up these future leaders, along with the leaders that have already answered the Call and are leading right now. We all know how the story ends, the enemy will lose, and we will not fear the future or the unknown, because nothing is unknown to the God of the Universe, and I know with all my heart He is leading this organization into great and marvelous things!