Micah Project

Having heard so much about the Micah Project from other IST teachers, I was excited to finally be going to see it on Friday!

The school chaplain, his spiritual son (a graduate of IST, now in his 3rd year of CC studying Turismo), my mom, and I all piled into the chaplain's car to head to Micah around 4pm. The chaplain told us the story behind Micah Project on the way there
(to learn more go to: http://www.micahcentral.org/).
I learned how boys who were once living on the streets, oftentimes addicted to drugs or glue, are invited to live in a rehab. group home where they are clothed, fed, educated, and loved unconditionally. Currently, 18 boys live at the Micah house, and older ones live in the Timothy house down the street, which focuses on cultivating spiritual/community leaders.

On Fridays, the Micah Project has a soccer outreach for the street kids. They play an intense game of court soccer ("object of the game: stay alive"--ha!) or watch/talk with the volunteers on the bleachers, then hear a mini-devotional. There is prayer and a warm meal following the devotional.
It rained most of the time we were there, and I watched as wild pigs picked through the soggy trash surrounding the play area. Some of the kids lived here.

I talked with one 16-year old, and the stories he told were intense. Going to Micah reminded me of a mix between my experiences with Westmont ministries: with Juvenile Hall, with Potter's Clay (Mexico VBS) and with Bread of Life (a homeless ministry). Although, at Micah, all of the conversations had were in Spanish.

Near the end of the game, I was introduced to a graduate of the Micah House who had returned to help out with the ministry. This student is a true testimony of God's transforming power and His work through Micah Project; the student is a passionate believer of Jesus Christ and wants to study at Wheaton College to become a counselor so he can really help the street kids of Honduras. Wow!

Afterwards, we went with a Wheaton College graduate (who now works for Micah) to the actual Micah house. We got a tour of the place, and I saw that the kids had a library, computer room, and clean beds. It is a beautiful sight to see how much these kids are loved and hear about how they have started going to church and given up drugs altogether.

Altogether, I have seen that there are many opportunities to get involved in ministry, outside of school. Also, I have seen that there are many sides/areas to Tegucigalpa, and that even in the midst of poverty or hopelessness, God is already at work in powerful, life-altering ways!

So, once I get established in my classroom and get used to living in Honduras, I can start looking into the possibilities for ministry; although I have to be careful not to over-commit and neglect my primary responsibilities which are at the school. I look forward to getting to know my students next year and to teaching, discipling, and above all loving them as Christ does.

1 John 4:12

No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.