As our bus got closer to the capital city, I woke up to the sounds of people excitedly cheering and shouting. I peeked my head out the window of the bus and saw men, women, and children lining the outskirts of the city. A caravan was trailing our bus. Trucks full of people were following us into the city while waving flags and sounding off air horns. Some faces were full of complete joy. Some faces were full of fear. Other faces showed relief.
They had been expecting us. For over a year they had been planning and preparing for our team’s arrival. Their hearts were expectant. Their arms were opened and welcoming. They had hope for their families, their city, and their country. La nueva Honduras.
Over 2,000 missionaries and translators stretched across the 18 states of Honduras, in the 18 capital cities. Each team was responsible for personally reaching each Honduran in every state, sharing the gospel, bringing shoes to those in need, bringing food to families, and bringing medical relief. This event, titled One Nation One Day, had been in the making for years and was declared a national holiday by the President of Honduras.
Our team of 100 was located in Gracias, Lempira, home to 250,067 Hondurans:
We had barely stepped through the gates of the city and the Hondurans were already thanking us and praising God for His promises. The desperation was something I had never physically seen or experienced before. Suddenly all of my problems seemed insignificantly small. When have I experienced the desperation for food and clean water? When have I experienced the death of my brother for a small debt of money he owned? When have I experienced a marriage and a family at the age of 14? When have I experienced extreme physical and emotional abuse? When have I been abandoned by my family? These are just a few of the many hardships I learned from the people I connected with. Instantly after hearing each one of these stories I felt guilt, disgust, and sadness. The pain they experienced was so heavy. But… I noticed something amazing. All of them still had FAITH. They desperately believed that God could heal the brokenness in their lives. They held on to every last ounce of hope and strength they had. They yearned for God’s love. No doubt in their mind ever held them back from total surrender.
Each day we spent in Honduras we had the opportunity to travel to the schools in Gracias. On the first day we spoke with four different groups, a total of 2,000 students. We shared the love of Christ with them through skits, songs, and testimonies.
The next few days consisted of a lot of traveling to our destinations. The schools we visited were 3 or 4 hour bus rides up into the mountains. Some of these kids have never even been down the mountain to the city of Gracias, and their families survive on the land through farming. The kids didn’t know what to expect because they had never seen a white person before, especially one with bright blonde hair. I miss their little fingers pulling on my braided pigtails! The little ones were so full of life. They smiled and laughed at our skits and listened to the pastors talk about Christ’s love for them. I prayed that each of them would grow to love the Lord deeply in all that they do. My heart misses their bright eyes and sweet smiles.
I didn’t really understand what it meant when people went on missions trips and stated, “I left a piece of my heart there,” until I held these sweet children. They loved to be loved. I know God will take great care of them. All the brokenness and pain I saw in the lives of the Hondurans can’t even compare to the amount of redemption and healing I saw take place in those same lives. I experienced the Holy Sprit move and work like I had never seen before. I did things that I never imagined I could even do. I saw lives be transformed right in front of my eyes. I saw mental, emotional, physical, and generational chains be broken in an instance. I saw a blind man regain his sight. I saw a child speak who had never spoken before. I saw limbs and joints come together through healing. I saw a broken family become mended. I saw diseases vanish. I saw a nation become completely transformed and renewed.
253,580 students were reached by the 1Nation1Day team with an impacting message about destiny and purpose.
382,597 Hondurans received practical aid.
2,000,000 meals were distributed to 266,664 families.
110,000 pairs of new shoes were given to children in impoverished communities.
5,933 Hondurans received medical treatment.
23,000 pastors gathered to pray for the future of Honduras.
487,000 Hondurans attended the 1Nation1Day final crusade
60 million viewers watched live on TV; also airing in 200 other nations to a viewing audience of 860 million people.
By the end of July 20, 2013, the 1Nation1Day team had been FACE TO FACE with an estimated 1,172,187 Hondurans.
“Can a nation be saved in a day? Can an entire country be brought forth in a single moment?” Isaiah 66:8
YES, IT CAN.
To see a video recap of 1Nation1Day check out this link:
The Expedition 