Due to the current political situation in Honduras we have had a series of curfews placed on the people of the departments (states) along the borders of Nicaragua. This includes the two departments that we were holding our youth conferences in El Paraiso and Choluteca. The curfews did not allow us to travel freely about the country like we normally would. So, in result, I bring you the alternative events that God had planned for us.
Pastor Enrique, Evangelist Timmy Borjas, and I were waiting in Toncontin International Airport on Friday morning anticipating the much debated trip of Rev. Alejandro Gaete from Church of the Masters/Iglesia La Esperanza in Providence, Rhode Island. We were all excited for his arrival, seeing as this was his first time in Honduras and together we were all going to be participating in the 2009 Youth Conference. However, while waiting for Pastor Gaete to claim his baggage and exit the gate we got a phone call from the hotel (in Danli). The news was that a curfew for El Paraiso starting at 12:00 afternoon had been imposed. Considering the present time and the time it takes to get there, we decided that we wouldn’t make it to the hotel in time. So we were forced to cancel our Youth Conference in Danli for Saturday. Pastor Gaete came out of customs and joined us after his long journey from RI. Shortly after greeting him, we explained to him our dilemma. Disappointed, we simply changed our plans to spend the night in Tegucigalpa and to leave early in the morning to go visit the Danli ministry when the curfew was lifted. Right? Wrong!!!
We woke up the next morning bright and early. We were so optimistic about our day and still excited about the remaining youth conference that we had scheduled for Choluteca on Sunday. We headed for Danli, El Paraiso so that we could show Pastor Gaete part of what the Lord is doing in our ministry; but yet again another roadblock prevented us of our plans, literally. Straight ahead there was a military roadblock. When stopped a well armed soldier told us we couldn’t pass and that we needed go back to the capital. After heading back to Tegucigalpa, we realized that the curfews were not going to be lifted any time soon and that it would be wise to cancel our second youth conference in Choluteca. We were expecting around 300 youth to attend and now they would be notified that there would be no conference. While trying to stay positive, we made plans to make a trip to Villanueva, Cortes to drop off some supplies to a few of our churches up North. However, after making a phone call to our supervisor up there, we learned that we wouldn’t be able to make it across the bridge since there were people who had gone on strike and took over the roads. At this point we were stumped. We were thinking, “What do you have planned for us Lord?”.
From this point on our weekend shifted gears. We had a great time with Pastor Gaete in Santa Lucia and Valle de Angeles. While visiting Santa Lucia, we witnessed some long time friends getting married in the Municipal Court. This marriage was a testament to God’s power of restoration. Our friends had been married 20 years and on this day they were uniting their lives again after being divorced from each other for 7 years.
On Sunday July 26th, morning we enjoyed a church service at our home church in the capital. Later on in the afternoon, Pastor Gaete shared a word for Pastor Enrique’s online church “eChurch” as he preached on “Got Peace?” Click here for sermon
On Monday July 27th, Pastor Enrique gave Pastor Gaete a tour of the capital, which started at The Suyapa Basilica and ended at El Picacho. That evening, we went on a pastoral visit, to pray for brethren who had been struggling with some physical illness. Pastor Gaete shared an encouraging word with all and then we prayed for the entire family. It was a truly blessed time. As for Pastor Gaete’s time spent with us, it strengthened our friendship and gave us time to get to know each other better. Through all of this the Lord’s plans were to still bless us while blessing others. We thank the Lord for using this time to teach us that our plans are not His plans. He leads, we follow!
Stacy Newman