Serving in Kentucky while the rest of our staff and missionaries are located in Honduras can be tough. It’s definitely not as physically tough as living and working in Honduras, but it’s the other type of tough. It’s hard to be stuck in an office on a Tuesday afternoon while I know our staff is leading a discipleship class for young kids in the Bordos. On Fridays, I often find myself wishing I could join Cris and the boys for the afternoon youth class. Not to mention, I love playing soccer and getting to spend a weeknight at the local futbolito kicking it around with some of the boys. I miss being away from friends. Friends, who I have witnessed God call to Honduras to lead a children’s home or girls transitional home. It’s that kind of tough.

Don’t hear this wrong or believe that I am complaining. I am blessed to serve and I have known this was God’s call for my family several years before I actually took this role for Sparrow. God actually led me to Sparrow Missions before it was even Sparrow Missions and in the process He used it to change my entire life. His call started back in 2010 with a small group of missionaries from Hope Community Church, and continues to lead me daily now. BUT, being the only guy in the states handling logistics, finances, and paperwork wasn’t exactly how my ego wanted it all to work out….let’s just say I don’t get many emails or phone calls to see how that last deposit went!

That all being said, being on this side of Sparrow does offer me something the folks in Honduras don’t always have the benefit of receiving. Life in Honduras is fast and furious. It’s hot. There are good days. And not so good days (more than our staff will admit to).  There are praises. And a lot of prayer. But our Honduran staff doesn’t always get to see the “full” picture of Sparrow. They see God moving in San Pedro Sula, Santiago, and Siguatepeque on a daily basis, but they generally don’t get to witness the unbelievable faithfulness God displays from folks here in the states.

• Faithfulness that comes in the form of countless notes and letters of encouragement. Sometimes they are via email or Facebook. Other times verbally by phone. Most of the time they are hand written and share a personal story of how they are praying. I try to share them with our staff, but the volume is honestly hard to keep up with.
• Faithfulness that comes in the form of the 641 individuals, churches and businesses that came together in 2015 to financially support our organization or one of our missionaries. 641!! That number is incredible and represents 38 of 50 states in the US! There is no way for our staff to understand or see just how God has connected people from all over the states to our organization.
• Faithfulness in the form of 224 short-term missionaries, from 12 different states who took time during 2015 to spend a week serving alongside our Honduran staff. Yes, our staff ultimately gets to meet and serve alongside each of these missionaries, but they don’t get to see the process of God calling them to go, bringing them together as a team, and ultimately providing for them financially! I get to see their nervousness and apprehension. I get to pray for them as we prepare and make plans, but also hear their testimony when they return!

Several years ago, when Tara (my beautiful wife!) and I were going through a bit of transition, we landed on the small book in the Bible from the prophet Habakkuk. To summarize, the book is basically a cry from the prophet as to why God’s chosen people are having to suffer under some of their enemies. God actually responds to Habakkuk (for real!) and the prophet’s faith is restored (duh!).

BUT, in God’s first response to Habakkuk (yeah, Habakkuk was a bit stubborn and God’s first response wasn’t enough), verse 5 says the following:

“Look at the nations and watch and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if I told you.”

Truth be told, God’s plan was “utterly amazing” to Habakkuk due to the fact that God was going to use another one of Israel’s enemies to destroy their current enemy. It was crazy and unconventional, but in the end, God would restore His chosen people. It just wasn’t the path or way Habakkuk would do it. It was God’s path.

Much the same, the path I am on with Sparrow might not exactly be the one my flesh would’ve taken, but thankfully so! I am so very appreciative that His plan is so much greater than mine, and that His path for me is so much more than I would of believed if He’d have shown it to me all those years ago!  

God Bless each of you and Happy 2016!!

Bo