Come over to Honduras and help us.

Fifteen years ago, after a moving experience volunteering in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, I visited Sister Nancy Meyerhofer in Honduras as part of a discernment process. 

After working in New Orleans, I felt that God was calling me to do something different, moving from my work in campus ministry and social ministry at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Ames. 

Nancy and I were going to meet the bishop to talk about possibilities. Before that, I spent a few days with Nancy, observing her work and going with her to some of the communities where she served.

Saturday, as is my daily custom, I read the lectionary readings. The first reading, which this year is read today, is from the Acts of the Apostles 16: 1-10. This verse stood out for me: A Macedonian stood before him and implored him with these words, 

“Come over to Macedonia and help us.”

Paul had been planning to go to Bithynia but “the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.” 

At this time, I was also considering a paid position in El Salvador. 

I had my first Latin American pastoral experiences in El Salvador and the people still have an important place in my heart. It is a holy land, graced with the blood of many martyrs. 

But, reading this passage from the experience of St. Paul, I began to wonder if my call was to Honduras. 

When I had crossed the border from El Salvador into Honduras, I noted a difference – most notably the infrastructure. The roads were terrible. (They still are in many places, though there have been improvements in the last fifteen years.) 

The next week I went with Nancy and met with the bishop. He was willing to accept my offer of help but warned me that they have no money.

I returned to the US with a greater sense that my call was probably to Honduras. There was greater poverty in Honduras than in El Salvador and there was less international solidarity with the people of Honduras.

In June 2007, I arrived and began serving here. I do not regret my decision. It’s where God has opened many paths for me to serve God’s people. And, God willing, it’s where I will be able to serve God and the people of God until I die.

 

Where am I called to be?

Come over to Macedonia and help us.

Act 16:9

Ten years ago, in May 2016, I made a trip to Honduras that led to my presence here.

The event that actually precipitated this move was a trip to New Orleans in March, 2016, with fifteen people from St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Ames to help in the clean-up after Hurricane Katrina.

This experience led me to consider something “more” in my life. I had worked for almost 23 years in ministry at St. Thomas and had no plans of moving on – until the experience in New Orleans.

                         

Following Sister Nancy, May 2006

In May, after a visit to El Salvador, I visited Sister Nancy Meyerhofer in Honduras. I have known her since about 1992 in El Salvador. I had been receiving her e-mailed reports on her presence in Honduras. I wrote and asked if there might be some way for me to help in the diocese of Santa Rosa de Copán. She told me to come and talk with the bishop.

I ended up visiting Sister Nancy in Gracias for a few days. On Saturday we went to a rural village. But before going I had read the first reading for that day, Acts 16: 1-10.

Paul had been prevented by the Spirit from going to Bithynia and so found himself in Troy. There a Macedonian appeared to him in a vision at night and invited him:

Come over to Macedonia and help us.

I had been in El Salvador before I came to Honduras and had visited a site where there was an opening for a US worker. But something called me to Honduras, even though I had many connections to El Salvador (and still do.)

But that day in May 2006 I felt the call to be in Honduras.

After much prayer, discussions with my spiritual director and friends, and making arrangements in Ames to leave St. Thomas and sell my house, I found myself in Honduras on June 13, 2007.

Yesterday, I went in a bus with 62 other people from the parish of Dulce Nombre de María where I serve, to the diocesan youth gathering in Santa Bárbara. It was a long day but several parts of the day stand out.

The readings included the reading from Acts that I had heard almost ten years ago that ended up brining me here to Honduras.

After Mass and a procession to the Santa Bárbara church with the thousands of youth present, I came across the bishop.

He confirmed that, God willing, I will be ordained for the permanent diaconate in the diocese of Santa Rosa de Copán, on July 9.

Another stage of my mission in life is to begin.

“Come over … and help us.”

Plan Grande house drama - continued

Last week Padre German suggested that I consider building my house in a different location in Plan Grande. The location is beautiful, spacious, near coffee fields, and would allow a slightly larger house and a garage.

My first reaction was positive. But I began to think and pray about it a bit more. I also called someone in Plan Grande whom I trust. She didn’t want to say anything – but it was obvious that she would prefer me to continue to build on the church grounds.

I prayed over this a lot on Sunday.

At a certain moment things became much clearer for me.

The place near the coffee fields is beautiful but it is a short distance down the hill from the central road through the village. There are a few houses nearby by, but it is in a rather deserted place. It is a great place for a retreat house. But to get to the church I would have to climb the hill and then walk a few blocks to get there.

In contrast, the current site is very close to the church, as well as to the school and several houses. I would be more available to the community.

As I consider my mission here I see it as accompanying the people, being with them. The house down the hill would be great and could be used for workshops, etc. But to me it feels like a distancing from the community.

Where am I to be?

I think I’m called to be in the midst of all this. Maybe later I’ll need a retreat spot, but for now, I see myself being called to be in the midst of the people.

digging the foundations