As the team prepared for our trip to Honduras this year, I wondered if it would be similar to our time in 2009. I had been so blessed from my first experience in Honduras. Could this trip top the first one or even match it? I was prepared to have a good time with the team but I was not prepared spiritually for what God had in store for me.

The night of our arrival, the team went over the responsibilities for each member, I felt compelled to volunteer in the kitchen - they had only 3 workers to serve 90 people each meal. The first night in the village, Freddie and Velma, our kitchen staff leaders, informed us that all the meat they brought from the States was held up in Customs; there was a possibility that there would be no meat to serve during our entire stay at the village. Freddie and Velma had prepared for months and now with this sudden change of events, they worried about the miserable experience that might arise. They weren't worried about the bacon, sausage or hamburgers; they were worried about how it might affect the mission. As we worked together I could see the heart they had in serving everyone on this trip. I reflected that if in a similar situation, I would be more worried about the food than the actual mission itself. God taught me that sometimes when we're all caught up in the work, we forget about the love for the people we serve and the people with whom we serve.

I have to admit that I was skeptical and cynical as to why we were going to this particular village. We are a large team and this village had recently been served. I wondered why BMDMI wouldn't use our resources in a place where the need was greater. I was told that the local church needed a new roof and that our team would be building it. At first I didn't see the urgency in it. The first 2 nights we were at the village we had worship in a local community center. Why didn't the church rent this space? After all, my church rents space.

The last day we were in the village, I went out with a door-to-door evangelism team for the first time in my life. We went to every house we could find and everyone welcomed us in. When asked if they attended church, many of the Hondurans said the church was too far. I was reminded that we all make excuses before God and others; we need to reflect on our barriers before Him.

In one household, we met an elderly mother with her daughter and 3 grandchildren - 1 child was completely naked and other wore only a shirt. Their home was in poor shape, door frames with no doors, window frames with no windows and dirt floors. A team member named Trace asked if they knew they were going to heaven, and they responded with uncertainty. Trace and I explained salvation the best we could but they seemed closed. They said they often prayed about their troubles but that their life situation never changed so they stopped going to church. Before we left that house, I prayed for them to not be so anxious about life and to have faith in God.

On the last evening, we worshipped in the church with the new roof for the first time. The church was filled and the church members were so joyful, crying tears of joy. I honestly can't remember many times in my life where I exuded this level of joy. This was their temple and the roof was no different from the wall that Nehemiah was compelled to rebuild. That night the family we witnessed to came to the worship service. It was such an answer to prayer. During the invitation, the daughter was one of the first ones to come forward to profess her faith in Jesus. It was such a blessing to experience how God works; He showed me the significance of that roof and the reason for our trip. At that moment, I understood God's heart for the people in Honduras. The roof, the tears of joy, the brotherhood in the kitchen, was God's way of teaching me His heart. - testimony by Tony Law