For Such a Time as This....

I've been back in Honduras for an entire MONTH already....ahhhhh! And I was going to start blogging again like 2 weeks ago....whelp, late as usual, figures.

Ok, so when I first got here I was really surprised to go through about 3 days of major culture shock. I had spent a year and a half here and had apparently grown desensitized to the poverty- and crime-stricken realities of Tegucigalpa. I suddenly felt slightly fearful walking on the streets and had to once again re-adapt to life without the liberty of a car (or a faster-than-two-hour commute to the Ranch). It was strange to feel uncomfortable in a country I had grown to love and acknowledge as my second home. But don't worry folks, the culture shock quickly passed and I soon dove into my love for everything Honduras.:)

Initially, I was also quite overwhelmed by having to start over once again with 60+ new gringo co-workers, a new location in Tegus, and over 300 new students to try to name and grow to understand and love, all the while trying to re-connect with past friendships, students, and my beloved Ranch kids from my prior two years here. I have learned that I am not a large group person (though God always likes to throw me into places like that:), so I quickly stepped into my "Recluse" character and asocial habits for a couple of weeks. As names have slooowly smelted into my memory and familiar faces continue to cross my path, I am gradually beginning to feel ready for a deeper level of new friendships...maybe?? But I really do miss friendships back home and the ones that seemed to so much more easily form my first year and a half here. I definitely feel like I'm getting old and less open to whole new beginnings. But I guess that's gotta be a normal feeling for someone who has moved around so much, verdad?

I LOOOOOOVE my job!!! Wow, I feel SO blessed and privileged and GRACED to have been granted such a responsibility as this, at such a time as this. My job as Asst. Spiritual Director serves as a well-balanced mix of youth ministry, counseling, overseeing, brainstorming, and one-on-one daily connections with the kids. I was designated the role as MC on our first 3 day retreats for the students...yowzas. I definitely felt short on the energy side of things, but God must have granted it to me supernaturally, because I was soon becoming known as the high-energy part of our team of 3 in the Spiritual Development dept....go figure. Again, God always seems to call me where I just don't feel so qualified, ready, or equipped...hmmmmm....He must become more; I must become less. I just yesterday gave my first talk at chapel, and it was an incredible opportunity to show the students just how much I care about them, how I want to grow to know them more, and how I see God just beginning my work here. I feel great ease and excitement (at the same time? hmmm....) in sensing God's gentle call on me here for quite some time. I think I could get used to this place....again.

More to come soon...love and miss you all back home, especially my nieces!!!