As I approach my fourth decade, it feels sumamente strange to have left behind the stress and responsibility of adulthood for the worry-free life of a child. Well, OK, so I may be exaggerating un poquito, but by becoming a missionary in Honduras, I have left behind a lot more than my family, friends, job, and house. I am still responsible for some bills, but no longer do I have to worry about grocery shopping, preparing my food, washing dishes, doing my laundry, house work, yard work, car repairs, or house maintenance. I am driven everywhere I go, and Emily would be the first to tell you that I don’t even open my own car door! In my defense, this is because it has a child safety lock on it, so I can’t open it from the inside. :-)
Before you get too jealous, I have to confess that it is difícil to embrace the freedom that my loss of responsibility has brought. I find satisfaction in being self-sufficient, and my family would tell you that I have always been stubbornly independent! Still, I am appreciating this new kind of freedom, and I am trusting God that He is teaching me lessons in this season of relying on others. At this moment, I think the lessons look like humility, submission, allowing others the joy of giving and serving, and learning what it means to live in community. God did not create us to do life alone, and in learning to rely on others, I hope that I am also learning how to rely more on Him. That, I know, will bring the truest source of freedom!
On a lighter note, the other way in which I’m enjoying the life of a child is that I get to play with two cute little boys almost every day! Five year old Anthony and three year old Eli are eager and energetic playmates! I’m learning about Spider Man, Buzz Lightyear, the Incredible Hulk, and Iron Man, and they are learning how to play Mother May I, Crazy Eights, Tic-Tac-Toe, and Simon Says. The best part is that we play in Spanglish—my favorite language! We are pictured above just outside their home which is in the mountains outside of Tegucigalpa in a village called Tatumbla.
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