We arrived in La Ceiba on Tuesday. It is wonderful to finally be here with our
team, staying in our teammates’ home and getting to know our new city. Everyone is healthy and happy.
*If you are my parents, my grandparents or my in-laws, stop
reading now.
We were burglarized Tuesday.
Our boss, Mike picked us up from the airport and brought us
to the home of some teammates where will stay for the next couple of months
while they are on furlough in the U.S.
As we got settled in the house we began to notice evidence of
burglary. Someone had broken into a
large storage container in the backyard, they cut the screen on an enclosed
patio to dig through some footlockers, and then they cut away PVC pipe to get
at the water pump. Thankfully, they
weren’t very successful. The storage
container was securely locked on both sides so the lid couldn’t fully open,
preventing them from taking all but the smallest items, the footlockers were
already empty, and we must have arrived while they were attempting to take the
water pump because they abandoned the job in a hurry.
The next day they came back.
We were away from the house, having dinner with our team and
a short-term team visiting from the U.S.
When we returned home, Michelle thought the hole in the patio screen
looked bigger. Sure enough, the next
morning we found that they had dug through the storage container a second time
and had checked the footlockers again.
They also moved the cover off of the water pump but since it had been
completely repaired they didn’t bother trying to cut it out again.
Being burglarized our first TWO days in Honduras might have
tempted us to call it quits if it hadn’t been for a few things:
1. Our team responded.
They didn’t marginalize the situation but came to our
defense in a big way.
Our boss hounded the property management company to repair
the water pump damage and had our water back up and running in a day and a half
(oh yeah, we were without water our first day and a half in Honduras). This is really quite amazing because in
Honduras it would usually take several days to get this repaired. After the second burglary, Mike arranged to
have guards at the home 24 hours a day to send a message to these thieves and
to make us feel secure.
Our teammates who rent the home contacted us from the U.S.
to apologize to US for having to go through the experience. They also arranged to change all the exterior
locks on the home.
The rest of our teammates have all been supportive,
compassionate, and loving through this.
2. We expected this.
We didn’t expect something to happen our first hour in
country but we knew this was possible.
Honduras is known for crime.
We have been preparing for the worst in coming here.
3. This is why we are here.
People are in need.
And the thing that they need most is the best thing we are able to
share. Jesus.
I have been forgiven much.
And for this, I am able to forgive and even love those that sin against
me.
-Adam
