Questions

Interestingly enough we are getting many questions from people about our trip. They include:

1) How are you managing to get away for this long? Well, Ellen has a sabbatical from the University of Indianapolis and my employer has been very gracious in letting me take an unpaid leave-of-absence. We have friends and neighbors who are supporting us by taking our dog, living in our house, watching our house, etc.

2) How are the kids getting out of school for that long? Ellen is working with the schools to make arrangements (each of our kids is in a different school!) It is a tricky situation to say the least and takes some creative planning for our kids and the teachers. So far it seems like most people at the schools are fairly open to the concept. But there are definitely some hoops to jump through.

3) Why are you going? Good question. See Matthew 25:37-40. Ellen and I have been to Honduras multiple times and have seen poverty, suffering, hunger, like we have not seen elsewhere. Yes, there are other places in the world, in the US, in Indiana where people suffer. But we feel led to serve in Honduras at this point in time. We have also served in Greenwood, Indianapolis, in the US and in Mexico. We learned from our church that we should serve Locally, Nationally, and Internationally. This is our time to serve Internationally. The Honduran people are great and we think we can work with kids and spread the Word -- it's hard to hear the Word while you are starving or high on glue, or in need of medical attention...so we work on the basics first.

See also Matthew 28:19-20. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

Some people are Mission "Senders" and some people are "Goers". Ellen and I have done both -- and both tasks are important. "Senders" support missionaries through prayer, communication, helping at home, donating money/supplies, etc. A "Goer" goes and interacts with the people who are being served.

4) Is this a vacation? No. I wish all of you could experience what we have experienced in the past in Honduras. I wish you could be a fly-on-the-wall while we are there. That said, we hope to show the kids some of the different areas of Honduras that we have seen. It is a beautiful country. Perhaps on a few weekends we can take an excursion or two nearby. There is a pretty waterfall called Pulaphanzak. There is Lake Yojoa. There is Valley of the Angels, etc. Would love to go to Copan Ruinas - but this is very far away from where we will be living. We hope to travel to see our missionary friend Kent Burdine up in San Pedro Sula. But during the week we will be working full days with work teams visiting from the US, working on the kid's homework, etc! At the end of our mission work we will probably take a few days off in Honduras to relax and re-acclimate before heading home.

I hope that answers a few questions. Our excitement is building!