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Lessen the Loneliness

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There is definitely a romantic view of overseas missions. People may think it’s nice to live in a beautiful, tropical foreign country. People may think it’s nice to have money sent to you by supportive people and churches. People may think it’s nice to run your own organization. Don’t get me wrong, there are most definitely nice things about overseas missions. It is an amazing call from God to leave your home and move to a foreign place to walk with the people there. It is an honorable calling. It’s also a hard calling. We could argue there are harder callings or that all callings are hard in their own way. I agree. Today, however, I specifically want to talk about one of the difficulties that comes from answering the call to overseas missions.

Reality of Overseas Missions

The reality is it’s lonely as an overseas missionary. Overseas missionaries live in a constant state of transition as they welcome people in then watch them leave shortly after. They have to form thick skin so as not to allow every goodbye to break them apart, but then they have to be soft enough to allow new people in. It’s an exhausting cycle, but it’s part of the job.

I think the loneliness of an overseas missionary comes mainly from the lack of steady, deep friendships. Life is lonely without deep friendships, deep community. As a full-time missionary in a foreign country, it is extremely hard to find community for various reasons such as language barriers, age gaps, and differences in mission strategy. It is more likely that once an overseas missionary develops a solid friendship, that friend leaves soon after.

I can’t say I experienced much loneliness during my time as a missionary in Honduras. I can’t say that because I walked into a ministry with Lead Missionaries who pursued a relationship with me and helped me grow in my relationship with Jesus. I’m speaking of the Lead Missionaries of 61 Isaiah Ministries, Shannon and Kristi Hopkins. Those two people are ordained by God to be missionaries here in Honduras. They love like Jesus, truly like Jesus. They let people into their lives over and over and over, then say goodbye to them all. You may have moved around a lot as a kid and experienced the need to put up walls in order to protect yourself from difficult goodbyes. Think about being the one that never moved but instead watched everyone else move on. Not only have Shannon and Kristi done this for 10 years here on the field, but so have their kids. Through the constant change, they remain obedient to the call God placed on their life. Thank you to the Hopkins family and to other overseas missionaries who remain obedient to the call, even through the loneliness.

The Hopkins Family: Emma, Kristi, Shannon, Tyler, & Bella

Overseas Missions Is a Commitment

Not everyone is cut out for the role of overseas missionary. It is a commitment to serve God without familiarity and without steady, deep community. It is a commitment to raise others up only to watch them leave again and again. If you know an overseas missionary, reach out to them. Check in on them often. Go see them! You may think they’re too busy and they probably are, but keep trying. Lessen the loneliness.

College bound- Jonathan

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This young man is the essence of a humble servant. He isn’t the first kid you notice in a class but that doesn’t stop him from always doing the right thing, jumping in to help those around him and steadily leading by example. I can’t think of a more deserving kid to win a full-ride, very prestigious scholarship to the University of the Ozark’s through the Walton Foundation. He went through a rigorous application process that involved essays, videos, interviews and exams. He never complained about how much work it was. He did everything I asked of him right down to wearing a full suit in 95°F weather during his interview. In fact, he never complains, period. During one of his practice interviews, I asked him what the hardest part of growing up with a single mom was. Here was his chance to whine. But his response was pure thankfulness, “She had to be dad too. She taught me to shave. She taught me everything a man should know. I’m so thankful for her.” Pray for Jonathan as he heads to Arkansas to study agriculture and then returns to serve his country. He would never brag on himself but college essays are made for showcasing talent so read his essay below to know a bit about him and the awards he has received.

Jonathan:

  When I was ten years old my parents separated and from then until my first year in high school I was a very quiet guy. In seventh grade things started to change in my life. That year I had Bible class with a great teacher who led me to Christ. She showed me that sin not only takes place on the outside but also on the inside. With her teachings, I began to truly pray for the first time, and I realized that even though I am not the main character in the story, I am loved by God, and that is what really matters. Knowing this, I began making friends and playing all kinds of sports. In eighth grade I began serving in church on my own because I wanted to be part of it. When the school year ended I won three awards: an academic award for being on the honor roll, a sports award for my development in athletic activities, and the Christian Citizen Award for my joyful spirit, a solid testimony, and for serving others. Even with winning all kinds of awards, the end of that year contained not only smiles but tears as my favorite teacher left. I ended up learning that angels may guide your way, but they will not always stay after the message is received and understood.

Freshman & Sophomore Year

     My freshman year was full of new experiences and activities. I won third place in the one thousand meters and third place in cross country for the national schools gathering. I was also part of a drama club and was cast as Cogsworth, the clock, from Beauty and the Beast. That year, I was also privileged to be in the third academic place of the school. My sophomore year was another amazing year because I began to uncover my dream career in a great biology class in which I began to care for nature. That same year I had the opportunity to translate for a medical brigade and missionaries for a week. I truly enjoyed it because I interacted with a lot of people as well as served them. 

Learning From My Grandfather

          During my junior year, I began spending a lot of time with my grandfather, learning from his wisdom. He taught me about agriculture. His discipline, courage, and his military experience showed me that teamwork is the basis of great work. I always want to remember his teachings because by learning how to work with a team I will also think about others, whether that be their needs or their goals. My senior year, because of the pandemic, I learned that what makes us enjoy life is not material stuff but having close relationships with our family and friends. I have spent a lot of time with my grandfather helping him plant: corn, trees, vegetables, and flowers. I love to do that with him because in those moments, he shows me how to serve others and teaches me that serving others is one of the keys to obtain success. He has taught me that if I am intelligent and get good grades but do not help others, I am not doing anything in this world. We are here to serve others with the abilities, gifts, and talents we are given.

My Goals

  My goals are to serve people by using nature, agriculture, and biology. I want to go to college and learn everything about these amazing topics. Apart from acquiring knowledge about biochemistry, I want to experience how to study, take care of, and modify a plant using technology. Getting good grades is one of my academic goals because, in some way, grades will reflect my effort and learning. Earning a bachelor’s degree is another of my academic goals, but I do want to continue my education and be prepared in all possible ways on how to put my knowledge into practice and be ready to help others. When I get a job I want to be responsible and disciplined so that my work can be done well. I will help my country, Honduras, whose economy is based mainly on agriculture. I want to help them by doing experiments to make plants stronger, more resistant to plagues, and increase production. I want to be useful to my country and its natural wonders.   

Shaped by Experiences & Wisdom

I have experienced interesting challenges and opportunities that have shaped me today. Everything started by accepting Christ as my savior. The essence of happiness is not material things but relationships with others. Serving others by using biology and chemistry is not only part of my career goals but of my life goals. My grandfather has influenced me to share not only knowledge but also my time and energy energy.

College bound- Gracia

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Gracia Mondragon won a tuition-free scholarship to Hope College along with a private scholarship from individuals near Holland, Michigan. While I may be a bit partial to her as she has dated Tyler for the last two years, I also think her ideas of how to transform health care in Honduras are pretty great. Along with applying to colleges, she has run her own bakery in order to pay for college entrance exams and application fees on her own! In all the years that I have been a school counselor, I have never had a student do this. If you live in the Michigan area, let her borrow your kitchen. You won’t regret it! Read her essay below to get to know her.

Grace Mondragon:

For the last few days, I have been sitting here thinking about what I should write. I have asked this question over and over again, “Grace, who are you?” I tried writing about myself many times and failed. I finally realized that I cannot talk about myself without including the people and experiences that have made me who I am. Therefore, in the following blog, I want to talk about two of the most important people in my life and how their influence has affected my view of the world.

My Mother

My mother is the type of person that everyone wants to be around. If I had to describe her in one word, that word would be love. There has not been a single time in my life where I haven’t seen her showing love for others. Her kindness, sincerity, humility, and wisdom are all incredibly evident for those who have the blessing of knowing her. I remember taking long trips when I was a little kid to take care of grandma, she had cancer, and no one else was willing to help. Her willingness to do things no matter how big or small is one of the things that I love the most about her. She gives cheerfully, invests her time, her heart, and all she has without expecting anything in return. My mother is strong, gentle, and loving like no other woman I know.

My Dad

My dad, on the other hand, is a man of character. He speaks boldly and is willing to sacrifice everything he has for the sake of his loved ones. My entire life, He has shown me the importance of perseverance. We have lost a lot as a family over the past few years. My grandmother, a treasure for everyone who knew her, passed away a couple months ago. Her loss was one of the most painful moments my family has experienced. I saw my dad weeping and hurting like never before. I cannot imagine what losing your mother with such short notice feels like. However, I can imagine the strength it takes out of a man to lose his first love. He endured that trial and many others that the world will never know about. He is strong and speaks boldly but he loves passionately and sacrifices selflessly.

Love

Ever since I was a kid my parents have taught me that the best way to love is to serve. Their example inspired me to live my life in a way that not only shows love towards people but also towards what I do. They have raised me to fight and stand firm no matter how hard a circumstance might get. I have learned that the secret behind endurance is your willingness to stand back up after that painful fall. Therefore, I have become a young entrepreneur to pay for my college applications. I have also volunteered as a translator for my school community helping in any way I can.

“Grace, who are you?”

At the beginning of this blog, I said I wanted to tell you about how other people influenced my life so that I could properly show you who I am. Now it is time to answer my own question. I am a sixteen-year-old girl from a little country in Central America, who is willing to give her all to achieve what her heart desires. I am passionate about what I do, and when life starts to get hard, I do not quit. I love people wholeheartedly, and I am willing to serve others in everything that I do. I am the daughter of a wonderful couple who loves and never gives up. I am an achiever and want to be part of Hope College’s alumni, knowing that their acceptance does not define me, but it does open a door to reach one of my dreams.

A final note by Kristi

Applying as an international student to colleges in the US is a bit different than the application process for a US student. It takes great grades, several interviews, more academic tests and TONS of perseverance… and all of this while learning remotely in a pandemic. For this reason, I am especially proud of our students who have overcome multiple obstacles to fulfill their dreams of studying in the US then will return to serve in “our” country. Over the coming weeks, I would like to introduce y’all to “my” kids that are heading your way. Write to them. Take them to dinner. Send them a care package. Check in on them. Above all else, please be in prayer for them (and their parents).

*For the record, I have a list of kids that are going to school here that I am equally proud of but fortunately, they will be close enough to their parents to receive their support.

College bound- Regina

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Regina Vicente has a heart for both education and health care and will be heading to Hope College. She won a tuition-free scholarship as well as a private scholarship from individuals and churches in the Holland area. While I have taught her for several years, I have gotten to know her better this year when her dad joined 61 Isaiah as a full-time pastor. Any pastor kid will tell you that they are often free labor. But I think she would volunteer even if not forced to, as this girl has a heart for helping others. She is one of the few students that I know who values the older generation and wants to serve them with her nursing degree. Read her essay below to see what she considers to be hope.

Regina Vicente:

At some point in our lives, we have all felt lonely, like there is nothing left for us to do, well that is where hope and faith play their part. We show our hope everyday without even realizing it, our actions show what we hope for and how strong our faith in it is. Hope is easy to say, but hard to believe especially in hard times. For us to have hope we have to have faith, from there God is the one who will fill us with hope and peace we cannot even explain.

Doña Toña

Growing up my grandmother lived with us for her last four years of life. She was pretty lucid for her age but still needed someone to give her undivided attention during the day. So, she had a part-time sitter who lived a couple of streets from our home that would come in everyday and keep her company. The sitter’s name is Antonia, but we called her Doña Toña. She was pretty young at the time, probably around her late thirties. Doña Toña was a single mother with two teenagers, being single did not stop her from building character in both her children, in fact they were and still are one of the most respectful people I know.

Her Hope

Whenever I think of hope, Doña Toña instantly comes to my mind. She did not have a degree or a business but a sitter’s income and she also sold food to students. Her hope was that someday her children would grow up and have a
better future than she did and her hope motivated her to keep working hard. I remember when her children left for college and moved to a different city, her words were: “I have no way to provide for them, but God does and he will make it possible for my children to earn their degrees”. She would send them frozen food for them to microwave throughout the week and worked extra hard to provide for them. Her hard work inspired me to also work hard, making me realize when we hope for something it will not always be easy, but it will not be impossible either.

Her Faith

Despite all the limits or things that could have stopped Doña Toña from sending away her children and making the decision for her children not to go to college, she did not and her circumstances did not stop her. Her faith was beyond paychecks and bills, but she believed God would never leave her and He never did. She had ups and downs financially and emotionally which she is really open to share, but one thing that never went down was her faith and hope. Doña Toña served in church, going through financial problems people would expect for her to leave church and work extra hours but she never did. She stayed faithful to God and he was also faithful to her.

Doña Toña Today

Long story short, now Doña Toña doesn’t work, she has a beautiful and charming dog named Bruno, which you will see her often on walks with. Her children, now adults, are an architect and microbiologist, both well known in town as brilliant people. After all the sacrifices, hard work, and faithfulness Doña Toña has achieved everything she hoped for. Her testimony has brought so much hope into my life since I started high school. Whenever I’m struggling or feel like giving up, Doña Toña’s testimony reminds me that God will always provide no matter how hard it may seem, all I have to do is trust in him and never lose hope.

Inspired by Doña Toña

Without even knowing it Doña Toña impacted my life and I have no doubt I am not the only one she has inspired and given hope to. Her life was hard, it was never easy for her or her children, but during that time you would see her and it would not even occur to you what she was going through. She would always greet you with a smile and if you visited her, you could tell hospitality was one of her gifts. All of her problems and struggles did not play a part in the way she lived her life. She was definitely troubled, but she also had faith and her hope never disappeared. It was not that she was living a perfect life, it was that her faith was in God and he never let her down, her hopes never went down. One thing Doña Toña taught me when I was little was to believe in what I want, but also to work hard for it. She placed that mindset on me of working hard to accomplish good things and in the way to also believe in myself and remain faithful to God.

Inspire Hope

Doña Toña’s testimony has given me so much hope for my future. It is also a reminder that it is not going to always be easy, but if we remain faithful to God, he will make sure we accomplish what we hope for. Just as Doña Toña was placed in our community to inspire hope, I also want to inspire hope wherever I go. I really want people to believe in what they hope for, to have faith in what God is holding for their future and most importantly I also want to keep believing in what I hope for, because I know God will be part of my way.

College bound- Horacio

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Applying as an international student to colleges in the US is a bit different than the application process for a US student. It takes great grades, several interviews, more academic tests and TONS of perseverance… and all of this while learning remotely in a pandemic. For this reason, I am especially proud of our students who have overcome multiple obstacles to fulfill their dreams of studying in the US then will return to serve in “our” country. Over the coming weeks, I would like to introduce y’all to “my” kids that are heading your way. Write to them. Take them to dinner. Send them a care package. Check in on them. Above all else, please be in prayer for them (and their parents).

*For the record, I have a list of kids that are going to school here that I am equally proud of but fortunately, they will be close enough to their parents to receive their support.

Horacio received a scholarship from Calvin college as well as a private scholarship from individuals and churches near Grand Rapids, Michigan. He is planning to study biochemistry or music performance. Horacio is the kind of kid that you notice as a teacher. He stands out in any class. I have probably told him to be quiet more than any other kid. However he always makes me smile, is always willing to help and is incredibly brave, willing to do things out of his comfort zone. He is smart, funny, a great singer, fabulous actor, and amazing artist. He hasn’t had the easiest of time in his school career but he has persevered. I couldn’t be more proud of him. Calvin people, you are in for treat in getting to know him! Read on to see how amazing he is.

Horacio Portillo:

The story of my potential starts in 2003 in a small town in the West region of Honduras named Gracias, Lempira. I was a premature born child to a mother who earned less than the minimal salary, and a father who had not graduated from the Honduran Armed Forces’ Academy until two weeks prior. I was raised by my grandmother my first year of life, as both my mom and dad were working somewhere else to barely earn for my formula and diapers. My mom decided to return and live with me, and after one year apart from each other, she returned home and opened a small business. That business to me was the best craft store to ever exist in Honduras. 

My education started in 2009. My mom’s craft store was not doing well, and as a low ranked army officer my father was still earning minimum wage. Despite the economic situation; it was time for me to enter first grade. Young me thought he would never make it past first grade whilst being the youngest person in my class. Nonetheless, since that first day of school I grabbed an intense love for learning new things, that love gave me the potential to end the year holding my class’ first place. The same thing happened in my second grade, but this time with a near perfect average. However, in order to gain strength, I was yet to face the toughest experiences ever.

Enrolled at Abundant Life Christian School

My parents saw my potential and decided to enroll me in a private school, though finances didn’t quite allow it. My mom and dad took their biggest shot in me by enrolling me in a wonderful Christian institution, which affirmed my morals and opportunity into my life. This school was amazing; but learning a new language and making new friends can be tough. In third grade I found myself in great anxiety, which led me to stress eat, and sent me into a downward spiral. By the end of middle school, I weighed around 150 pounds, which is about 50 pounds more than people my age weighed. 

As I entered high school, I decided I would still be an outstanding kid despite struggling. I achieved this. Although not in the top spot, I was still academic excellence. I was still overweight, but I decided enough was enough sophomore year. I decided to seek help with my anxiety, and which had turned into very bad depression. I also decided to get help with my weight. I rediscovered my potential, I rediscovered my worth. I rediscovered my love for helping others and being a person of change. I rediscovered the value of life, thanks to an incomparable teacher and counselor, who would become my third mother, and my lifeline for sophomore and junior year. 

Throughout this crazy journey we call high school, I started putting my love for others first. I discovered a newfound excitement for translation, which led me to translate for two mission trips. I will never forget going to villages near my area and sharing, helping and caring for others. Junior year I discovered my love for others could be of great help in a poor country with an underperforming health system. I decided to pair up with my class and school president, who is one of my greatest friends, and we organized a toy and personal care supply drive for newborns and kids in our city’s public hospital. The pictures of giving out smiles and the satisfaction that came with receiving them back will never leave my mind, and have led me to want to share my potential with the country that saw me discovering sharing, caring, and my potential.  

Potential Discovered, Rediscovered, and Seeking to Uncover

Life has truly been the best school for experience, I cannot say otherwise. A public school was the perfect place to find my potential, and a private and Christian school was the best place for me to rediscover said potential, and I am beyond thankful to have been lucky enough to receive such excellent education. Now, as my potential is seeking for a place to continue growing, I have to keep the place that saw it begin present at all times. Now, as I hope to achieve a greater education, I must never forget the place that brought me the education I take with me everywhere.

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