Adult English Students

Called to serve 

Philippians 2: 5-7a

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus;  

Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 

But was made of no reputation; and took upon himself the form of a servant 

ACE Administrator’s training.  The last time I took this training, Daniel was in kindergarten.  Now, he’s entering his final year of university.  So, here I am in Tegucigalpa – working eight hour days with significant homework each night.  Plus, the seminars have been primarily in Spanish.   Time to be stretched and pushed again.

Going back to being a beginner, waiting for my flag to be answered (those of you from NLCA will understand this), being submissive and being a servant:  these are lessons that I hate having to learn – again.

What was one of the big lessons from this week?  Leadership is service.  Greatness is meekness.

Why am  I in Roatán?  To serve those whom God puts in my life.  To lift up Jesus daily.  Pray that I shall be faithful to these principles.

Time in Oklahoma

With my nephew, Caleb

My time home was wonderfully refreshing.  Mexican food, family vacations, and Settlers of Catan made the time fly by.  Thanks to each of you for encouraging me and my family during this time.

OKC Zoo with my nephewsMy sister, Rebekah, and I

Bethany Independence Day Parade with Sarah and Daniel

Intibucá.  Christian Heritage Academy.  Small groups.  Accountability

Intibucá

In May I was blessed to be invited on a mission trip to Intibuca with my friends from the Iglesia de Dios in Coxen Hole.  Here is a church in an impoverished neighborhood sending missionaries all over the world including countries that are closed to North Americans.  We delivered medicine and mattresses to the Lenca Indians of Honduras and also helped with a women’s conference.  Being part of their trip reminded me that we are all blessed and as Christians were are called to serve those whom God puts in our lives.  Maybe it’s the Lencas or maybe it’s your hurting neighborhood.  Whoever it is, we are to serve.  It’s incredible what happens in our lives when we get outside of ourselves.

Click to view slideshow.

Christian Heritage Academy

The last week of May, a group of energetic students and faculty descended on Roatan.  Their task; share Jesus with the Islanders.  Some did this by building a house.  Some hosted VBS for a group of neighborhood children.  Some spent time making friendships with a group of girls that have suffered unspeakable tragedy.  Some did minor home repairs for me. (Sorry Mom, I know I should’ve been able to do it myself.)  Some served me by doing the often mundane and tedious behind the scenes tasks that go with being a teacher.  I know the girls that helped me at my house did not expect to come to Honduras to color 1000 vocabulary flash cards.  However, they saved me weeks of work and were a huge encouragement to me personally.  Thanks, CHA team, for the many ways you served and shared Jesus.

Small groups and accountability

The church in action is not just big groups and trips.  It’s also small and intimate.  And, I’m privileged to say that God’s blessed me with a new friend and accountability partner.  We meet every Monday to pray for each other and the times are sweet.  I’m so grateful God put Debi in my life.  Additionally, a friend of mine, Thelma, asked if we could begin a Bible study.  Two weeks into the study, Thelma accepted Jesus as her Lord during an open-air meeting.  My times of prayer and study with these ladies are a gift from God.  I’m thankful I get to be a part of the church in these smaller settings, too.

Residency

My residency paperwork is still in process. There have been snags, bumps, and even some mountains along the way.  The process needs to be finalized by August 7 or I get to start all over again.  Keep this as a matter of prayer.  We serve a God who sometimes moves mountains and who sometimes invites us to climb them with Him.  Whatever the case, I’m glad He’s in control.

Extremely Extreme Pirates of the Caribbean Zipline

Coming Home

I’ll be home June 27 through August 4.  My sister and her family are currently in the States (they serve in a closed African nation) and this is going to be a great time for all the family to be together.  We are working on an event at Crossings and I’ll advise you when I have the date confirmed.  Finally, it’s a pleasure to have my son, Daniel, here with me for three weeks

I’m so glad the church can show up in may ways, from mission trips to supporters at home, to new friends, to spending time with family.   Thank you for your prayer and support.

Birthday breakfast with my advanced class

April brought a wonderful gift.  Sarah, my daughter, and Rebekah, my sister, came for a one week visit.  I asked Sarah to share her perspective with you.

Extremely Extreme Pirates of the Caribbean Zip Line

Maybe it was something about the beach nearby or the fresh mangos each morning. Maybe I just really loved not having to be at work. But as I reflect on the wonderful seven days I got to spend with my mom on this small island, I began to realize that what truly made it special were the people who crossed my path. After all, without the people, it really is just an island, an island with tourists and hibiscus plants and dukas on every corner. I admit, this was what I expected. I expected an island and at first had a difficult time justifying why my mom was doing “mission” work there. But then the plane touched down and I began to see and feel, taste and touch the truth of the island.

Making sugar cookies

Roatan is place of stark contrast. There is extravagance just minutes away from poverty and glimmering cruise ships only steps away from gang graffiti. There are hurting people who have found it hard to trust outsiders because they’ve been used so many times. There are those who want to bring change to the many broken hearts, lives, families, and political systems on the island, but who feel alone. And there are those who simply need a friend. In just a few short months, my mom (despite her … elementary … Spanish) has succeeded in developing genuine friendships and relationships with so many of the people I’ve just named. Her classes have brought influential, passionate people together. Her sacrifice has shown the outsiders that they are loved. Her unselfishness has shown that she is giving without condition. And the truth is, the way she lives her life lets those around her see the hope of Jesus each day. Yes, there is work to be done on this small island — mission work, heart work, life-change work — and my mom is doing it. And in the short amount of time I spent watching her interact with her students and friends, I began to realize that she is right where she belongs, touching the lives she is supposed to touch.

Yes, it’s an island — a gorgeous, tropical island like so many others. But it’s more than just an island. It’s a place that is representative of the reality so many of us go to islands to escape. My mom, though, has chosen not to escape the reality, but to immerse herself in the dirty, crazy, amazing, rewarding, beautiful work of loving people and meeting them where they are ready to be met. And that’s what makes Roatan more than an island. And that’s what makes Roatan special. And that’s what makes me so proud of my mom. And hopefully someday soon, she’ll let me come back and show me more of her new island home, but even more than that, show me how she’s sharing Jesus.

No, they don't have aspens in Roatan.

thought life would or should take becomes a twisted pathway. I have friends that are struggling with their financial support, a friend in the hospital with a very serious illness, a friend who just lost her daughter suddenly, a friend who has decided to give up what she thought was her dream job to stay in OKC, and I’m having some major challenges with my residency paperwork.

So, as I sat down to work on this I decided to listen to some old music on my iPod. The gift – “No Doubt” by Petra.

So, in honor of all of us that are walking through challenges I give you Petra.

“No Doubt”

There are times when you feel like you can’t go on                                                               There are times when you feel like giving in                                                                                And there are times when youfeel like you can’t try anymore                                            There are times of trouble in believing                                                                                      This test of your faith will last                                                                                                        As long as it takes to pass                                                                                                                 Till you have no more doubt you’ll endure                                                                                  And your faith will emerge true and pure

(Chorus)

No doubt it’ll be alright                                                                                                                   With God it’ll work together for good                                                                                            No doubt in the end it will be understood                                                                                     No doubt it’ll all work out                                                                                                           With faith He can move any mountain for us                                                                             No doubt in the power of Jesus                                                                                                      And after all is done we find out                                                                                                    All we really need to have is no doubt

There’s a time to take a reckless leap of faith                                                                        There’s a time to be cautious and to wait                                                                                     And there’s a way of learning from the past                                                                                 That this time of trouble won’t last                                                                                               And sometimes we want to think we know                                                                                 The ways He will choose to make us grow                                                                                      But it’s never the way of our choosing                                                                                           And we can’t always see what He’s using

There will be winters in the seasons of our soul                                                                        With a cold and bitter wind that chills our lives                                                                        But our faith can be building a fire                                                                                               That will warm us ’til springtime arrives

“For I know the plans I have for you,”  declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you,  plans to give you a hope and a future.  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”  Jeremiah 29:11

While the promises in Jeremiah weren’t written specifically to us, they still ring true today.  God will be found — if we seek Him.

Sandra (social worker), Deborah (teacher), Nereyda (psychologist)

One of the special projects with which I get so serve  is the Casa Hogar.  This is a unique girls’ home operated by Buckner International.   The girls in this home have suffered some kind of abuse and are in the home as a protective measure.  Some have been abused by family members, some have been the victim of trafficking, and some have been abused by gangs.

The girls have a tremendous support system and it’s my pleasure to be a small part of that by teaching English classes.  What is amazing is the way God is  healing these young women.  One would expect a group of girls that are hard and cold.  Instead, they are tender and in love with their Saviour.

As with any program, there are challenges.  Pray that the girls will be protected from harm and that they will continue to follow Jesus.

Keep Megdalia, Karla, Sandra, and Neyreda in your prayers as they work with these girls.

“He (God) created human beings, not only to enjoy His grace in relationship with Him, but also to extend His glory to the ends of the earth.”

David Platt in the book Radical

One of my faithful students

The other night in my police class one of my students asked me to teach them the following phrase in English, “I need to see your license.”  So, we practiced that along with “I need to search your backpack (bags, car)” several times during class.

The next day I’m driving to the bank,  (in my car which has no plates and my friends at the station assure me it’s no problem) and I get pulled over at a routine checkpoint.  It was my student and he just greeted me in Spanish.   On the way back he pulled me over again.  I asked him what the deal was and he leaned in my window and said,  “I need to see your license.”  As I started to pull it out he just laughed and said not really.  We just laughed and I went on.  I guess he knew it was safe to practice on me.

Unplugged

Unplugged.  It seems like such a curse in our society.  Our modern technology was the one thing that made leaving home and family palatable.  Yet it seems God had plans to stretch me (yet again  — doesn’t He know I’m 50).  So,  I spent my first month here in Roatan unplugged.  It seems God wanted me to focus on Him and not on my family and friends in Oklahoma.

My first few days here were hard and lonely.  However, now I’m busy and sometimes long for the down time.  That seems to be part of my journey — I still haven’t got down the idea of being content in all my circumstances .

One of the gifts I received during my first month here  was beautiful times with God on my front porch.  The birds are beautiful and abundant.

One morning I noticed how the sea eagles (At least I think that’s what they are) spend the mornings just letting the currents carry them.  That reminded me of a concept I learned while doing the “Experiencing God” Bible study — do what God puts in front of you.

So,  that’s what I’m doing.  I’m walking through an incredible array of doors that God has opened up for me.

“They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

Commissioning Service at Crossings Community Church OKC

At last month’s commissiong service Pam

Millington read the following story:

When William Carey, known as the father of modern missions went to India, his friend and fellow pastor, Andrew Fuller, agreed to stay behind and raise support for the effort.

Fuller described what happened: “We saw that there was a gold mine in India, but it seemed almost as deep as the center of the earth. Who will venture to explore it? ‘I will go down,’ said Mr. Carey to his brethren, ‘but remember that YOU must hold the ropes.’’

Well, it’s time to start holding those ropes. I found out today that 200 people want to take English classes. That’s a little overwhelming. I know that “problems are opportunities for God to work” . . . but really. God, it’s time for You to pull a miracle off.

Pray that God will give me direction and inspiration in this area.

Being home is great and I’ve really enjoyed making memories with Sarah and Daniel: trips to Dallas/Fort Worth on the train, days at the zoo, Shakespeare in the Park, Settlers of Catan.

Daniel at Dealy Plaza -- Texas schoolbook depository in background

Sarah's new friend at the OKC zoo.

Working on Spanish.

Three wonderful women have stepped up to encourage and help me as I continue to work on my Spanish. Please lift Diana, Blanca, and Maria up in your prayers. I certainly have new empathy for adults struggling to learn a second language.

Blanca y Maria, mis tutoras

Date of Departure – October 9th!

“As individuals give themselves to God, He will equip them for being used in the service of His kingdom.”    Andrew Murray

Boy did I need to read this today.  I can’t tell you how much my mind has been stretched in three days.  I’ve learned an incredible amount in a very brief period of time.  I’ve also come to realize how much I don’t know  –  isn’t that what happens as we gain more knowledge – we realize how much more there is?

I know so many of you have been praying for me.  Don’t stop. God is helping me understand this new language – yet it isn’t easy.  We have classes beginning at 7:30 every morning.  Then the afternoons and evenings are for homework.  Today I worked from 4 p.m. until 11 p.m.  This old body isn’t used to college student hours.  As many of you know,  I turn into a pumpkin at 10 p.m.  At least that’s the saying around the Hunnicutt house.

Yet, God is definitely there helping me.  I know God has called me to Roatan, so it only follows that He’ll equip me for the service.  I just wish I didn’t have to work so hard.  I know -– this is the revenge of all you former students from the past twenty-one years.

Many of you have asked what the needs are.  Keep your eyes open for a newsletter in your inbox.   The top of the list is still to PRAY.

Recently, God gave me a gift during chapel.  We were reminded that coming to language school is a very humbling experience.  We wouldn’t be here if we weren’t leaders and “successful” back home.  Others wouldn’t entrust their finances to us if we weren’t people that are capable.

Yet here, we have no titles.  We aren’t what we do – we are who we are.  We suddenly can only communicate on the level of a toddler.  Now we are one of the least and very powerless.

I remember learning in Al-Anon that everything in life is either a gift or a lesson.  So what’s the gift, because I’ve had enough lessons – thank you.  I am who God made me.  I am not what I do or what I know.  God desires to use me because of my faults and challenges not in spite of them.  When I can do these things on my own, who is glorified?

So here I am.  Sorry I missed Marty Ring’s funeral.  Thinking of my dad whose birthday recently passed.  Wondering if I can really cut it here and in Roatan.  Knowing that I can’t – God can.