In August 2009, I went on a mission trip to Honduras with two members from my church. We stayed with two missionaries from the states, a lovely couple Shari and Terry, who led a ministry that catered to homeless and orphans. This is a journal entry/message from my mission trip to Honduras that I wrote in 2009. I feel I’ve come a long way since then, but I’ll never forget the journey I’ve experienced.
" On Saturday we were loading the truck up with supplies for another day of ministry and I saw 3 random guys walking over to the truck. They asked Terry if we needed help in Spanish so I went to grab some water containers to load into the truck. Then Terry yelled out to Shari to close the front door. I turn around and I see that one of the guys stepped foot into the garage area while the other two were pushing Terry around for something. I had no idea what was happening at first. I was standing face to face with the man who came through the garage and he lifted his shirt up a little to reveal a gun strapped to his belt. I started to panic and the first thing that came out of my mouth was “No”. I look over to Terry and I see that the other two men had guns as well. He started to yell some things and then pointed the gun at my face. I thought to myself, “Am I going to die right now?” I’ve heard stories of some people getting shot in the head over cell phones or for no reasons there. I prayed the fastest prayer in my life. “God keep me safe”. He directed me with his gun to go into the house and he told us all to sit down on the couch. They grabbed a laptop, camera, jewelry, and money. Shari kept trying to plead with the robbers saying not to hurt us because we were just missionaries. Terry came in shortly after with the other two robbers and started to say “En Cristo, En Cristo, En Cristo” They ordered us all to sit on the couch with the guns pointed yelling while the other robber grabbed our belongings. They quickly escaped. Shari called the police and called some of their American church members in Honduras. Everyone came shortly after for prayers and support. Shari came over to us and started crying saying “I’m sorry this happened to you guys because in all our years spent in Honduras this has never happened before."
When I was staring at death through the barrel of the gun I didn’t have one of those moments where your life in the past flashes before your eyes. I wasn’t thinking about my family and what would happen to them if I were to die. I wasn’t thinking about my friends or church. What came to my mind was God. I thought, if I were to die now, what would I have to show God for this life that I lived on Earth. This mediocre, unloving, selfish life that I have been living. No! I did not want it to end this way. I told God, “I can do more. I can do better for you Jesus. You gave me your all so give me another chance to give my all. Instead of my life flashing before my eyes, other people’s lives flashed before my eyes. Those who didn't have a relationship with God. Those who had no hope for eternity. My friends, coworkers, and family members. I thought about everyone in my life, that I am responsible for. I said “God, let me minister to them.” Please give me more time. Let me be a LIVING(not dead) sacrifice for your good and perfect will.
I sat down minutes after the incident, flipped the Bible open with no direction but the book opened up to Matthew 10:
28Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
32"Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. 33But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.
Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Before Saturday we had already visited the prison, orphanage, and did ministry work for the homeless. At the time I was thinking to myself, “This is fun and it‘s not so bad, I can see myself doing this long term.” I believe God woke me up on Saturday. God wanted to show me that the mission field is dangerous as well. If I’m willing to live for God, I have to be willing to die for him as well.
Finally this verse came to me:
7For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. 8If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
When the American church came over to pray with us after the robbery I started to realize how selfish I was being. The first thing that I did when I was facing death was to ask God to save me. That was my own desire for my own fate I was asking God to do for me. This verse shows that we belong to God whether dead or alive.
What’s amazing is that God answers prayers in ways I would never expect. Before the trip I asked God for only two things. I asked Him to draw me closer to Him and to take my relationship with Him to a new level and I asked Him to keep us safe. And He answered both prayers. God is so good. I’m so blessed. I always ask God, why ME!? Why do all these crazy things keep happening in my life? Because He truly loves me.
So I want to ask you all today. Look at your lives right now. Ask yourselves, what am I doing with my life? What are you priorities in life? Don’t take life on earth for granted. Spend every breath wisely. Go love your family, your friends, your children, your fellow church members. Children respect and love your parents. Parents love your children and raise them up using the word of God. Help to build each other up in love. Look for each other spiritually. Go out and fulfill the great commission. Finally, Glorify and Love God faithfully every day like it’s your last because He gave us His all."
....And it makes me think, What have I been doing since the day I almost died and had a second chance of life to glorify God?
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