Tela Trip- Community Retreat Reflection

Its amazing what a weekend away can do for a community and everyone in it. I mean really, just to get away leave the mission and just pass time by with the rest of the missionaries. Its easy to spend time with the missionaries--you are with these people pretty much 24-7--but finding a time when you are just relaxing with them, enjoying each other´s company as opposed to working and planning all the time, is really hard to come by. And that´s why this weekend was so good. Bob and Erica did an excellent job of planning the whole weekend, making sure that we spent time just having fun and yet have serious time devoted to looking at ways we can grow as a community.

We arrived about four in the afternoon in Tela, some by bus, the rest by car. Tela is on the Northern coast, about 60 miles from San Pedro Sula, and about 125 miles from Comayagua, of course, sits right on the beach. It was relaxing from the beginning. Our hotel was several stories tall that looked out over the beach, which was only 3 minutes away by foot. We spent most of Friday just passing time together, with some brief reflections and introductions to the retreat by Bob and Erica, and enjoyed dinner together closing with celebrating Diana´s birthday (even though it was a Friday during Lent, we felt her birthday was worth celebrating with cake and ice cream). By the way, the Honduran Happy Birthday song is so much better than the one Americans sing, you create your own verses and all that, its great. Saturday morning began early and after some personal prayer time, we headed down to the beach and had some praise and worship on the beach, a unique opportunity to look out on the horizon and really see that yes, the Lord´s faithfulness does stretch to the skies and that He has been faithful to us as a community even through our difficulties. Next we competed in teams to build the greatest sand castle. The competitive spirits came out in full force, as it turned out the team with the biggest castle was the team who won (the judge being a local Honduran who happened to be walking by). After some free time on the beach and in the water, Erica gave us some concrete ways to help fortify our community to be even more Christ-like with supporting one another, genuinely working on relationships, and learning to correct one another in charity. We took some more time that afternoon and brainstormed what were the strengths and weaknesses of our community and what we can do better to improve our weaknesses. After enjoying some pizza, we had the long awaited talent show where everyone was asked to do or perform something in front of the group so as to show off our talents as individuals. This had been talked about since October, and for various conflicts had been put off until now, but the wait was worth it as it was quite memorable. There was just about a mix of everything: a magic trick, a comedic act, an impression of Sméagol from Lord of the Rings, songs performed on guitar, both written and improvised, testimonies shared, dancing and gymnastic routines, and even a time of prayer and intercession as one individual led us in prayer to ask the Lord for gifts we wanted from the One who gives every good gift. It was the perfect way to end the night as we ended our display of our own gifts by in turn, thanking the Lord for his gifts to us, and continue to ask Him to allow us to discover new gifts, so that we may glorify Him all the more. Sunday wrapped up the retreat with Mass in the local parish, a grand breakfast at the restaurant, and prayer.

So to conclude, I would say it was definitely blessed as the Lord really showed us how each one of us is a gift to the community as a whole, and each member God has called here for a particular purpose to accomplish his will. That and it reinforced why we do what we do, for what purpose, simply because the call of God is on our hearts and we all have been given the grace to respond accordingly. Its really quite amazing to think how each of us has come here all for the same purpose. How radical the call of the Lord is and how much he has done in our lives!

Personally speaking, I am very blessed to be a part of this great missionary community. I would not be the same person had I not joined, and I can see how the Lord has changed me a great deal in the time of just six months. The community as a whole is a testament that when we focus on Christ and truly aim to make Him the center of our lives, however difficult and stressful certain times may be, because we take time as a community and as individuals to focus more and more on Him, God in his faithfulness and love, truly uses each and every situation to teach us something about ourselves, whether it be our weaknesses or our strengths, not just so we can suffer more through difficulties, but so that we can learn from them to grow and be strengthened in the future. I pray that truly, may the Lord draw us closer to Himself for his greater glory in time and eternity. Amen.

-written by Richard Vaughan