Washing hair-Honduran style!

How adorable is she!?

6 weeks ago today I was in Honduras, having finished up my first day in children's ministry.  That was quite a day.  If you know me or read my blog at all, you know my heart for the orphaned and children. As you can imagine, I was fairly excited to spend time with these children in foreign countries that I have been fantasizing about showing Jesus' love to for quite some time now...we're talking years.

However, in my flesh I am so weak.  The first night in Honduras we were told specifically how we would have to wash lice of the children's hair.  Like decipher who had lice and who didn't, scrub lice shampoo in their hair, and then dump ice cold water on their heads (though they never flinched), and reshampoo and condition their hair, and finally comb out the dead lice.

Again, if you know me you know crawling things freak me out and I'm a slight freak about germs.  So this lice business was totally out of my comfort zone and not something I was looking forward to. Honestly, I was kinda hoping I could do something else within the children ministry, but in God's sovereignty He completely changed my heart. 

² The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. ³ Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; ⁴ so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. ⁵ After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

John 13:2-5

You can bet that this scripture was the topic of the sermon our team heard at the Honduran church service we attended the Sunday before we started our week serving the people of Honduras. So, if Jesus, the most perfect and holy man to walk on earth, knowing the disciples wretchedness, can take off His outer garments and kneel to wash disgusting feet then...How the heck am I to tell Him, who was crucified for me (hung across with nails piercing through His hands for all my sin), "Um, I'm not really comfortable washing lice of these children's hair, so could I do something else?"

Answer: I didn't. I humbled myself at the foot of the Cross and washed those beautiful children's hair. And you know what? Next to praying with all the women in evangelism, washing their hair was my favorite thing!! I loved being able to wash it (semi)-clean and to pray over each child as I did it. Don't you enjoy having your head rubbed and hair washed? I do and I got to do that for many Honduran children who rarely get their hair washed. I loved it and I got to do it standing next to two other women from my team. I loved be able to serve as team, side-by-side, showing these children Jesus the best we can. 

 Waiting...

I will never forget this little guy's face.

Getting hair brushed after it's all clean...

These girls hung around both days we were in their neighborhood.

"Always a Bridesmaid"..and loving it ;)

I thought it would be fun to reflect and share some photos from all the weddings I have been blessed to be in the last 4 months. God has taught me something from each wedding.

The first wedding I was in was a friend, Jenny,  who's studying at Iowa State, but came to Ames from Taiwan. It was amazing to that when God has a plan to bring two people together, oceans will not keep them apart.

Jenny and her bridesmaids :)

The second wedding I was in was a friend who I have known since I was five.  At this wedding I came to the shocking realization that ready or not, we are now grown-ups. Read more about my thoughts here.

Brittany and Will Bartz

My friend Jaime, was the next to get married. Seeing how God has brought them together as been such a blessing. The emphasis at their wedding ceremony was the reminder of a great wedding day described in Revelations, where we (the church) are considered God's bride.

⁶ Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:

“Hallelujah!
    For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
⁷ Let us rejoice and be glad
    and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
    and his bride has made herself ready.
⁸ Fine linen, bright and clean,
    was given her to wear.”

(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.)

⁹ Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.” 

Revelation 19: 6-9

Jaime and Nathan Brinkman

 

Another friend from high school, Kelsey, got married this past weekend.  The bride and groom have been friends since middle school and Jharred said he just always knew he would marry Kelsey. Yup, you can do a collective "awww..."Their friendship has lasted about a decade and now they are husband and wife. I love that :)

I really really love wedding days.  I love seeing the excitement on the bride's face in the morning as she comes to the realization that she is getting married today!! I love seeing her get readying--hair and make-up and dress--and then seeing her face as she looks at herself in the mirror, knowing she is beautiful. I love seeing the groom look at his bride in adoration of her beauty.  I love being able to stand-up next to them as they each make one of the largest commitment they will ever make--to love the person standing across from them for rest of their lives. I love being able to now see what God has in store for each couple as husband and wife :)

Love is patient

Love is kind

Love does not envy

Love does not boast

Love is not proud

Love always protects

Love always trusts

Love always hopes

Love always perseveres

Love never fails

1 Cor. 13

3 Weeks Ago...

Becky and I ready for Day 1!!

This is what I was doing 3 weeks ago. I was in Honduras, starting our first brigade day.  Looking back I think that Monday was my favorite day of the whole trip.  I got to do adult evangelism!!

This meant that I got to sit next to an amazing translator as those who received medical care would come to our area, for us to share the Gospel with them or just encourage them in their walk with God. Most of them were woman who had many children and most likely no husband.  I was a little nervous about being able to have the strength to hear their stories and not fall apart and feel completely overwhelmed by their pain. But, God is faithful!

Monday morning I was journaling before we left for the day and this is the verse that was in my journal...

"For the spirit of the sovereign Lord is on me because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners." Isaiah 61:1

God reminded me that this is what He has gifted me with being able to do. He has given me the desire to come along side those who are hurting because of hard life circumstances, and to love and encourage them. That's what I LOVE doing! And He brought me to Tegucigalpa to meet the 14 women I met to day and love them like Jesus for the 15-20 minutes I got to spend with them. 

And as I met with them God met with both of us.  God gently loved me, whiled I loved them.  As I listened to their hurts and heard their prayer requests, I realized my extreme inability to help them.  Their circumstances were beyond anything I could help with and their pain was too deep for me to heal in just 15-20 minutes. So, I did the only thing I knew to do, pray. I couldn't help them, but I have learned that when I am weak, God is strong.  So, I held their hands and lifted up their needs to the One who gives us exactly what we need when we need it, despite when we think we need it. I asked God to meet their needs and protect them, that was why I was there. I wasn't there to help them find jobs or save them from alcoholic and abusive sons or husbands. I wasn't there to help to single moms take care of their 6 children. [Although, you can bet I wanted to ;)] I was there to tell them about Jesus and about how He helps them and strengthens them.  I reminded them of the hope in Heaven. That's why God brought our two very different lives together for a short time here on earth.

One family, seeking after God despite hard circumstances.

Some of the ladies on our team..rockin' the scrubs look all week :)

What evangelism looks like...a translator, a North American,
and a patient

So, that was my first brigade day. Loving those women and coming before God with them and lifting them up. I loved every short moment of it. It truly was a desire fulfilled. I can't wait until I can do more of it, but for now I'm being equipped through graduate school.  That's what God has and He knows best. So, I wait patiently (most of the time) until I get to do it again ;)