When I was back in the United States for vacation in April, I was still discerning on if I was being called to apply to be the permanent service coordinator at the Finca. A large reason why I felt like I was being called to guide our missionaries and lead our program going forward was the impact that Latin American spirituality has had on my life. I remember saying for the first time while I was back on vacation in April that I feel closer to Jesus while praying and worshiping in Spanish. Despite Spanish very clearly being my second language and an ever-present work in progress, there was no doubt in my heart the positive impact that Latin American spirituality has had on my life and my relationship with Jesus.
One of the primary reasons for this is the music. The people here pray and worship through music SO, SO, SO WELL!! When I first arrived in Honduras just over 3 years ago, I wasn’t entirely comfortable with the way people pray and worship through music, largely because it wasn’t something that I was accustomed to and my lack of Spanish led to an inability to comprehend exactly what we were singing. I am so grateful that I now am able to speak and understand the language better, and, as a result, I have gotten way more comfortable using music to pray and worship God.
I feel remarkably close to Jesus when our entire Finca community, or the entire church in Mojaguay or Trujillo if we are outside the Finca, is singing together, often accompanied by our religious sisters and some of our older kids playing the guitar and at least one male doing a beat on the Garifuna drums. VIBES!!! STRAIGHT VIBES!! You can feel Jesus in the room. You can feel Jesus on your heart. What a feeling!
Speaking of the Garifuna drums, one of the most unique experiences in my time in Honduras that was completely unexpected has been witnessing the Garifuna culture and their form of worship. The Garifuna are descendants of an Afro-indigenous population that was exiled to the Honduran coast in the 18th century and largely live along the coasts in Central America, particularly Honduras and Belize. The Garifuna have a dominant presence in the Trujillo area and often have masses in the Cathedral on Sunday mornings at 6:30am.
A Garifuna mass is an unbelievable, hard-to-explain, jaw-dropping experience that leaves every person on fire with the Holy Spirit when they walk out the church door. I have experienced some of my most profound moments with Jesus during a Garifuna mass, swaying with my brothers and sisters in Christ, closing my eyes and listening to the incredible singers with the 3-5 sets of Garifuna drums, yet truly not understanding a single word in their Garifuna language with the exception of “Buiti binafi” (Buenos días). It is an experience impossible to describe yet impossible to forget, and the ability to experience the Garifuna form of worship during the Garifuna masses has changed my life and my relationship with Jesus.
Also, the Latin American spirituality has many spiritual traditions that were never part of my spirituality in the United States that have made me feel closer to Jesus during my time at the Finca. For example, we recently completed las posadas, which commemorates the journey that Joseph and Mary made from Nazareth to Bethlehem in search of a safe refuge where Mary could give birth to the baby Jesus. We celebrated a posada each day for the 9 days leading up to Christmas, and it is one of my favorite times of the year and one of my favorite spiritual events that we do at the Finca.
As a Finca community, we sing Advent songs and walk together as a Finca family to 3 houses within our Finca fence, with two of our small kids dressed up as Mary and Joseph. The first two houses reject Mary and Joseph, saying there is no room for them there. The third house opens their door to the entire Finca community, followed by singing songs, playing fun games based on the Gospel reading of that day, and enjoying a food and drink prepared by the hosting house. The same thing is done for each of the 9 days leading up to Christmas. AN INCREDIBLE TRADITION!!
Ven, ven Señor no tardes
Ven, ven que te esperamos
Ven, ven Señor no tardes
Ven pronto Señor
This is the chorus of my favorite song this year during the posadas! I felt Jesus’ presence SO DANG MUCH walking around our Finca campus with all of our kids, tías, Sores, and missionaries in the same place. Closing my eyes, walking with the people I love so much, hearing the sound of the ocean waves nearby… GOD IS GOOD!!
Ultimately, I discerned to stay at the Finca as the permanent service coordinator for 3-5 years beginning in May 2024. This past year has challenged me to grow in so many ways and has challenged me to depend on God each and every moment of the day to simply love the person in front of me. I have been alone in the missionary house for the majority of the past year, but I am so grateful to now have a loving missionary community again in CST that loves and supports me every day. I am so grateful to have a community that respects my authority as the service coordinator yet also is able to simply spend time with me as a normal part of their missionary community. WHAT A GIFT!! Especially after my problems with the new missionary class in 2023 not respecting me as service coordinator and loving me as part of their community, that is something that I will never (hopefully) never take for granted.
Please pray for all of our Finca kids this holiday season, that they can feel God’s peace, love, and joy as we celebrate as a Finca family.
Please let me know how I can pray for you!
God Bless!