“Not There Yet, But Already Sent”

DAY ONE BLOGPOST for Honduras.

Day One: Preparing to Go Before We’re Gone

“Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” – Proverbs 16:3

Today isn’t the first day of doing mission, but it feels like the first day of becomingmission-ready.

It’s a strange kind of day — this in-between space. The bags are packed. Final errands are done. The goodbyes have already tugged at our hearts. And yet, we’re still here. Still in the familiar. Still on this side of the border.

There’s something sacred about this space. A day for preparing, but also for pausing. A day to remember that the work of God doesn’t start when the wheels hit the Honduran runway. It starts with the posture of our hearts right now.

Before every trip like this, there’s a quiet battle that takes place inside me. It’s always difficult to leave the comfortable and step into the unknown. I’ve never been to this country. I haven’t walked its roads, heard its music live in the streets, tasted its food prepared by local hands, or looked into the eyes of its children.

But I imagine it will feel familiar in some ways. Maybe a little like the Dominican Republic. Maybe a little like Mexico. And yet, I know better than to assume because every culture is unique. Every people, every place has its own story and I am excited to discover what that means in Honduras.

What I already love most about Hispanic culture, even before this trip begins in full, is what feels like a foundational belief: that family and community are sacred. They are not just values. They are life itself. Most Hispanic families I’ve known wear their relational closeness like a warm garment, something we experienced while living  amongst the Floridian migrant community.

Grandmothers, cousins, siblings all in one household. Meals are long, conversations are louder than what I’m used to, and love is almost always expressed through presence, not just words.

Because faith is that third pillar — after family and community — it opens doors for conversation. Not every talk leads to a conversion story, but every interaction is a chance to show Jesus with gentleness and truth. There’s a sacred curiosity here. People want to know what kind of faith makes a group of Americans fly hundreds of miles just to build homes, feed children, and hold hands with strangers.

That’s who we’re going to meet. Not projects. Not problems. People. People who love hard and work hard. People who endure real pain, real loss, and still choose to gather around their families and their faith.

It’s humbling to think about. Because while we prepare to go and serve, I’m already reminded — we will be ministered to as much as we minister. Maybe more.

This morning, I read Jesus’ words in John 20:21: “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” That verse hit me differently today. Jesus wasn’t only referring to a physical location — He was sending His disciples into a mission that started in their hearts. And so that’s my prayer for our team today. Not just safety. Not just strength. But surrender.

That we would go with open hands. That we would walk slowly enough to notice people’s stories. That we would listen more than we speak. And that we would see every moment — from airport lines to village paths — as sacred ground where the Spirit is already moving.

We’re not there yet, but our hearts are being sent ahead of us. Lord, prepare us to be fully present wherever You plant our feet — today and tomorrow.

And I’m reminded already — we don’t bring Jesus to Honduras. He’s already there. Our job is simply to lift Him up, gently, clearly, and consistently, and let His Spirit do the rest.

One day in. And I already feel like I’ve received more than I could give.