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Pastor Dan answered the phone. After a short conversation, he caught the receiver: “Hey Dana we are going to Honduras with some people from other churches to build a church. Do you want to go?” I glanced up from the Field and Stream magazine to reply; “Uh, yeah, okay.” It was 1981.
Where Honduras was, I had not a clue. Nor did I have any idea as to why they would be going there to build a church. With time I understood that it was part of a volunteer, short-term missions program of the Church of the Nazarene. A group of 10 to 15 people would get funding together, travel to a mission field somewhere and help the national people build their church.
When I agreed to go, I had not considered that the trip was going to cost around $1,000.00 which was substantial money at that time. Also, my financial situation had changed considerably. It is a complicate story that doesn’t matter now. Despite the fact that I had a good paying job; I had accumulated debt, along with two properties that I could not sell or rent. If you are old enough to remember, the late 70’s and early 80’s was a difficult financial period for all.
However, when the plane left for Honduras, I was on it with a bunch of people I did not know. That was a little difficult to begin with as I was not used to, or much liked being around a lot of people. We landed in the capitol city of Tegucigalpa in January 1983.
We worked long hours for a couple of weeks. It was a different situation back then as most of the team members were either farmers, mechanics, builders, or had some other skilled vocation. Most everyone had the ability to work with their hands on some aspect of the construction. Also, a number of the men were WWII veterans. No one seemed to mind working long hours or living in somewhat uncomfortable situations. Some of their wives were able to cook good meals in the make-shift kitchen. Everyone slept on mats on the floor in one of the churches and you heard no complaints.
The two weeks went rapidly, and a lot had been accomplished. The building was far from being completed but we were out of time. All got on the plane satisfied with the experience, feeling as though they had served the Lord in some capacity. We had also been exposed to the mission field and had been able to meet folks in the churches. The experience had been good. However, on the return flight at 30,000 feet, while staring at clouds through the window, I began to contemplate my situation.
The thoughts bounced around somewhere in the back of my mind: “I had just spent about $1,000.00 that I did not necessarily have. Mortgage payments on top others were waiting as were other bills. While listening to the rhythmic hum of the engines, I tried to envision what the next few months were going to look like. It didn’t look too good.
We got off the plane and I made my way to my sister’s house in Lewiston, Idaho where I had left my pickup. I needed to get back up the mountain to work. As I asked her for the keys, she handed me an envelope explaining that I might want to go talk with the real estate agent before leaving town as my house on Prospect Avenue had sold. The house had been on the market for 9 months without a single call. The market was in a slump. It seemed strange that I no more than got off the plane and the house was sold.
The next Sunday in Church at Pierce, a young couple approached me: “We have noticed that your house in the Pine’s Addition has been vacant for quite a while. Is there anyway we could get into it?” It didn’t take me too long to reply: “There sure is.” That house had been on the market for over a year.
In less than two weeks after the trip to the mission field, two properties that absolutely would not move were sold and I had signed the papers. That was $970.00 every month in mortgage payments I would not be making.
It certainly was enough to make a guy think. Could it be?
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
(Matthew 6:33)