Good Morning Team Boulware!

I haven’t posted much lately, but I’m back in (holy) business today! I think I probably “hit the wall” so to speak in my “65 Days-A Step of Faith” journey last week. It was a tough couple of days. I went solo on leading the Flowers Bay youth group last Thursday night-20 plus youth ages 10-20 years old. Initially, I described the evening as a nightmare-but after talking to  some of the youth this week, it went better than I realized. Then, I went solo with the Sandy Bay youth group on Saturday- another ministry nightmare experience! Since last Thurday, I have been left shaking my head in disbelief! Reality – I am finding the concept of  “learning and adapting to the culture”  in Roatan to be much harder to grasp than I ever anticipated.  Participating in a VBS or youth event on a mission trip is totally different from living in the community and leading the weekly youth gatherings. EVERY METHOD I ONCE USED SUCCESSFULLY IS NOW ON THE TABLE FOR POSSIBLE REVISION OR ADAPTATION!

UP is down, wrong is right! I will give you another example. I was put on the preaching circuit for last Sunday-to preach at Camp Bay. Camp Bay is on the east end of the island-I describe it as journeying “to the ends of the earth.” I was looking forward to sharing the Good News! One problem-Joe told the D.S. I would need someone to drive me to the church. It would be unsafe and costly to take a cab-about $25 one way. It’s a LONG way to Camp Bay!! The D.S. said he would provide transportation. Joe said, “it will never happen,” but  I needed to prepare a sermon (if by chance they made the proper arrangements). Apparently, the habit of getting non-paid preachers to pay their way to the farthest church location was frequent and Joe was not going to let the church powers-to-be take advantage of me! I would of gladly paid the money, but then I would be adding fuel to an already blazing fire of  dysfunction. The end result -the Camp Bay congregation (innocent victims) were left without a preacher, and I was left with an undelivered sermon. That’s ministry life on the island! I am truly learning a new depth to “TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND LEAN NOT INTO YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING…”