You may have to sleep in the forest

The new university in Honduras started this month.  The program's president, overseer, and advisor interviewed about 20 girls, most recommended by pastors and/or missionaries to study at the Leadership College.  I received an email from Glen (the president) talking about the girls that were interviewed.  I think it's best if I just let him do the talking.... 

At the end of the day, the students who were selected were hugging and rejoicing as though they had won a million dollars. Those not selected were greatly disappointed. During the interviews, we heard many touching stories. Some had not eaten on their 20 hour trip to the interview so we fed them and gave them food money for their return trip.   Three candidates were from La Mosquitia, the largest wilderness area in all of Central America. It was a financial burden for them to come for the interview. We selected two. After the process was over, I was expressing apologies to the one not selected and in the conversation discovered that she really had no where to go till May or June when we hope to have enough student sponsorships to accept her. 

I said to her that we would welcome her now but we had no bed for her. She replied "I do not need a bed. I can sleep on the floor as I have many times." Trying to lighten up the conversation a little, I said "without a bed, you may have to sleep in the forest." Not realizing I was kidding, she replied. "No problem. I can do that. I really want to be able to study. This educational opportunity is my chance for a better future." Bottom line: we accepted her saying we'd do something for a bed and thinking to ourselves that we’d trust God to find her a sponsor. 

This story only encourages me more about the move we are making.  I mean, if only we strove for opportunities to better our futures like this young woman has.  This is an incredible opportunity for these young women (because most don't go to college in Honduras) and knowing they really care about this is awesome.  I wish I could be there now.


One of the reasons we are going to Honduras is to make a difference in the students' lives, and give them an education that they can use to make a difference in others' lives (think pass it on).  Please send positive thoughts and prayers our/her way. And if you want to sponsor her schooling, you can send money her way also!  This is an amazing opportunity for these students!


I hope there is a bed for me...I don't want to sleep in the forest.

Thoughts while I was in Honduras

I thought it might be fun to post my quasi journal entries I had when I was in Honduras.  They're more like notes and I'm not sure if anyone really cares, but it's kinda fun to look back, right...?  Added a few extra words to help it make sense in some parts...

Saturday
Arrived.  Pretty rough traffic in the city, Tegucigalpa (Teguc - sounds like tay goose).  We had to drive a long way outside the city to reach the place.  The roads were not good, but Gen said they were in good shape.  We probably wouldn't leave the surrounding village too often because it's far from anything, including store.
Electricity is currently little to non-existent, but will have solar and wind power by the time we'd come.  Internet will hopefully be here when we get here as well.  Spotty right now.
Food is pretty much the same for most meals today; beans, tortilla, egg, avocado, agua.  There actually was chicken, pork or beef as options at the hotel we ate at.
There is little water pressure in the sinks/toilets, but should improve with higher tank, and there will be hot showers when we'd return.
Need to learn Spanish - Olivia too!
People hang out in the dark because there is no electricity, but they are nice comfortable houses.

Sunday
Got to play futbal with the locals.  It was pretty warm and I was tired, but it was fun.  I played while Joe went to church.  Primarily the woman and children go to church, and guys play soccer.
We had a little more variety today with the food, but have tortillas with every meal.  Dinner was sort of like a fajita...real good.  Had some rice with chicken for lunch.
Joe and I jumped in the river off some cliff today.  It was cool, but water was cold.  It was pretty hot today...got some red shoulders from being in the sun.  Have to make sure our babies are protected from the sun.
Dinner was with the 2 cooks, both women and they were very nice.  Joe spoke enough Spanish for us (him) to hold conversation.  It actually was very good.  Helped me feel more at home so to speak.  I think Sarah would like them.
Glen also left us by ourselves for the day and will be back tomorrow night.  Its been a little weird, but it's forced us to try and communicate, so that's been good.
I worry a little about Olivia and having stuff to do (considering all she's involved in, in the states), but it'd be awesome is she could learn Spanish at a young age.
I miss my family.

Monday
Today we helped build the foundation for what may be Joseph's house.  It's interesting to see the way construction is done here...at least the part that we saw.  Glen said yesterday that they would also build a house for us if we decided to come.  After we worked for a few hours we had lunch (spaghetti and chicken), then went for a walk to check out a huge waterfall.  It was very beautiful.  We were forced to try and speak to the cooks again in Spanish.  Joe did most of the talking, but it was good.  They were the ones who took us to see the waterfall.  They like American music.
Tonight after dinner, we played some card games that the cooks taught us.  We also played with David who taught us a casino game.  Not sure how or what I was doing, but I won, and now he owes me a coke!
Glen came back tonight with 2 others, David and Weldon...funny characters.  One is snoring right now...
Forgot...Joe and I went swimming again today.  We jumped off the high cliff and I went poop in the river (don't judge me) because our plumbing wasn't working in the house.  We also bathed in the river (don't worry it was up river).  It was more fun than a shower after getting real hot from work and the hike.
I also had a siesta in the hammock on the front porch.
There seems like a lot to explore, but not sure how easy with Olivia and a 6 month old.  Would most likely need stroller for the little one.

Tuesday
I've begun to feel very welcome and liked here.  The people are very friendly towards us and seen to enjoy talking and hanging out with us.  Its been very fun and challenging trying to hold conversation in Spanish, though I feel like I've gotten a tiny bit better since we arrived.
We worked on the farm today, fixing pipes that bring water ti the buildings and beginning to work on installing the pump for the water filter.  Glen gave us responsibilities while installing the pump, but didn't just tell us what to do.  This was good, I thought, because we actually had to solve the problems.  In other words we were challenged and had to use our brain, so if we moved down here, I know that we wouldn't do boring jobs, but we'd be allowed to solve problems ourselves.
Joe and I also went down and bathed again.  We had 3 boys watching us.  It was pretty funny and a little awkward.  Whenever we bathed we had boxers or shorts on, but still awkward to have 3 others watching u bathe in a river.  Maybe it's a cultural thing :)
Lunch was very good.  Some potatoes in a tortilla thing and tomatoes and cucumber and onions on top.  Sounds strange but it was yummy.  I think Sarah would have to get used to the food...I think Olivia especially would be shocked when we came here...no ice cream, no chocolate, no sprinkles, etc.  Yes we could get some, but not as readily available.
If I was single, I would be here in a heartbeat, but I just don't know about Sarah and Olivia.  They're in a good place and I don't want to break that up.  Saying that, I can see us living here.
One more thing.  We learned how to ride motorcycles today from the farm manager.  We had a lot of fun.  Everyone else had a lot of fun when I crashed.  It wasn't bad, and more funny.
I love you guys (Pregnant Sarah and Olivia) so much! \

Thursday
Yesterday we kind of worked in the morning with the guys on the tower/platform that will hold the new water tank for the bedrooms.  We did a little work and a lot of talking.  Again, it was good for us to continue learning the language and getting to know the guys a little better.
After work we ate lunch and packed our bags to go back to the city.  We wanted to leave the night before our flight to make sure we didn't get caught in any delays.  We stopped by Profe's house, who I think Sarah would work with if we come down.  She's very well known and respected in the community.  She was very nice and gracious as well.  Her husband was killed in a motorcycle accident not too long before we got there and she was confined to a wheel chair in the same accident.  She was actually using a walker when we saw her yesterday though, so she is recovering.
After that we stopped by Douglas (pronounced dooglas) house.  He had surgery a little while ago to remove his appendix.  He has been in bed for a while w/o ability to eat solid foods.  We prayed for him and gave him and his family some money.
We finally got to the city and checked into our hotel.  We walked around the city for a bit and then through the markets.  It was similar to the markets in Rwanda, but most of the vendors were on the main street.  It sounds like the prices arent too inflated (even for whites) and bartering isn't as common as say the Mexico flea markets.  It was fun to see everything.  We then went to a popular eatery called El Patio.  It had very good food!  Then back to the hotel room, but we were also able to see a lot of the city because the first place we went to was closed down.  The city is pretty large.  I think it's about 1 million people.
hotel in the city was about $40 for 2 single bed and $32 for 1 single bed.

Today we woke up and basically left to go to the airport.  We were there very early b/c Glen had some stuff to do, so we actually walked over to Burger King for breakfast.  All the American franchises connect to the states through internet, so as a service to their customers they have free wifi.
Then we headed back to the airport.  When we went through the security, I think I mistakenly told some young females Joe and I were gay...oops.  They were laughing and said something really fast that we didnt understand, so we just kept walking...and I'm still cracking up about this.  Anyways, the Tegucigalpa terminal pretty much sucks.  The food court before you get through the terminal is ok though.

Well, hope that was a little insightful...I know there was at least 2 funny parts that should have been worth a laugh!

Testing the mobile blog posting!

Missed Opportunities

As I sat in Starbucks, sipping my Grande Non-fat Vanilla Latte and typing away at an email for work, a man pulled up on his bicycle.  He came inside, skipped the line for coffee and sat down across from me.  He had a backpack and a bigger fluffy coat.  Both looked well used.  He put his headphones on and chilled out for a while.  The guy had that "homeless look" - I know that's probably really bad of me or something, but I know you know what I'm talking about.  And I certainly don't mean that to be derogatory either.

After a while, he pulled out a plastic bottle of something and a razor and walked to the bathroom.  Coming back a little smoother faced than before, my earlier assumptions of homelessness were more or less proven.  As he sat back down, I really felt like I should talk to this guy or at least offer to buy him a coffee and bite to eat.  "Ok, as soon as I finish my work, I'll talk to him," I thought.  That's the responsible AND thoughtful thing to do, right...offer the guy some food, but after I finish my work.

A few more minutes of typing go by and a friend's dad walked in that I hadn't seen in a while.  We chatted for a while, exchanging baby stories - cute, I know.  But while I was catching up, the homeless man got up and left.  I remember watching him, thinking "no, no you can't leave!  I'm not done with my emails yet!"  But it would also be rude to excuse myself politely from the chit chat to offer a homeless man a drink and bite to eat, right??  Rude or not (more not), I missed the opportunity to bless that man.

I still feel horrible that I didn't interrupt my work for a few minutes to offer that man some food and maybe a couple of minutes of conversation.  I really felt like I was supposed to talk to that guy.  And who knows what it would have meant to him for someone to buy him a cup of Joe and give him a couple minutes of time.

I wonder how often we go about our day and miss opportunities like this to bless others.  I really hope I see that man again, but I likely wont.  Funny thing is after I finished my work, I went to the bookstore to read and found a book by Max Lucado again and he has a prayer ending one of the chapters:

O Lord, what an amazing opportunity you have spread out before me - a chance to make a difference for you in a desperately hurting world.  Help me to see the needs you want me to see, to react in a way that honors you, and to bless others by serving them gladly with practical expressions of your love.

Notice the "react" part in there...so did I.

Where's your next opportunity!?  Don't miss it!  And certainly don't let it walk away from you!


Random factoid:
There are 10 human body parts that are only 3 letters long.  Name them (without google).

Sarah's first blog post ever!

In 2005 I decided to escape the stresses and demands of life in the US and travel to Malawi, East Africa to live in a village that housed 130 orphaned children. My role was to help care for, tutor, mentor and play with these children. The lessons learned and friends made were far greater than any knowledge or comfort I could have passed on to the children and others in the villages we lived in and visited. That summer I spent in Africa, my life in the US continued to crash. My boyfriend and best friend of nearly 5 years was killed in a car accident and my other friends and family were becoming increasingly distant due to differences in experience and poor choices I had made over the past few years. However, finding faith in God and developing new friendships in Malawi was the beginning of a wonderful journey I am still traveling on today.

In Malawi I roomed with 12 other “white aunties.” The incredible experiences of living in a rural African village together for 10 weeks created a very strong bond among us, as you can imagine.One particular woman, Hailey, and I have stayed a part of each other’s lives. We share a bond that began through and is unique to our experience together of serving in that village at that time, openly shedding the baggage we had come with, growing in our faith and seeking insight into becoming the women we were created to be.

It is through her friendship that I met my amazing husband, Ira. After returning to the states I went back to Boston University to take a second chance at advancing my education in International Studies and Hailey returned to her home in Oregon to work, study to become a CNA and be close to her future husband, Joseph, and her family. After all that had occurred among friends and family in the US and the experiences and growth in my life while I was away that summer, my return to Boston was extremely lonely and confusing. I began traveling to Oregon to visit Hailey and other friends who I had made there. This became my safe haven, a place of peace and purity I could have never imagined in my hectic life in NY and Boston.

On my first visit, Hailey introduced me to her boyfriend (now husband), Joseph, and his extremely good looking roommate ;) , Ira. We met a few other times on my visits to Oregon and began keeping in touch when I was back at school in Boston. Soon we decided that continuing our relationship would require one of us to relocate so that we were not living on opposite coasts. I was happy to volunteer as my life in Boston was miserable. Looking back, it was this new start in a new community that was necessary to continue the growth that had begun in my life during my time in Malawi. Ira’s continuous encouragement, support and care from the time we met helped me through difficult experiences in my past and taught me how to better love and care for my family, friends and others. Our marriage was not easy in the beginning as we learned to love and respect each other, flawed and broken as we came into it, and then as we welcomed our first child and had to learn how to be parents together.

Today, just a week after we welcomed our second daughter, I am in awe at the bond that my husband and I share and all that we can see which has been orchestrated over the past few years to break us, and grow us, and encourage us to become the people, the couple, the son and daughter, the parents, and the friends who we are today. Of course we still have our flaws and we will always be learning and growing, yet to look back and reflect on how far we have come gives testimony to our faith and to our friends and family who have so blessed us with their unconditional love and support.

Soon we will be taking another big step in our journey as we plan to move to Honduras for about a year. Ira and Joseph have been offered the opportunity to teach at Leadership University (LU), the first English speaking and residential college in Honduras. The goal of the college is to raise educated, responsible leaders for Honduras, one of the poorest countries in Latin America. LU is being started by the non-profit organization, Art for Humanity. Art for Humanity “promotes small business development and education so those in need can transition to sustainable self-sufficiency” and bases its provision of humanitarian aid according to its belief in helping the poor help themselves. Ira and I are excited to be involved with an organization that has helped many people to get out of poverty and to lead self-sustaining lives.

Hailey and I are looking forward to serving together again in another country, this time with our families. We will be taking care of our families, working on the coffee plantation and exploring other ministry opportunities within our new community.

Honduras

Basic Indicators

Source: UNICEF: The State of the World's Children Report

Population: 7,319,000 (2008)
National language: Spanish
Per capita income: US$ 1,800/year (2008)
Life expectancy: 72 (2008)
% of population using
improved drinking water sources: 84% (2006)
% of population using
adequate sanitation facilities: 66% (2006)
Under 5 Mortality Rate: 31/1,000 live births (2008)

Honduras, slightly larger than Tennessee, is the second-largest country in Central America. It's bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Guatemala and El Salvador to the west, and Nicaragua to the south and east. It has a small amount of coastline on the Pacific Ocean.

Fishing and farming are the main staples of the Honduran economy. While some sugar is grown for export, most revenues are made from the sale of coffee, shrimp and bananas. Honduras also has limited reserves of gold, which provide an additional source of revenue. A very wide gap in income and available services between the rich and poor make Honduras one of the poorest countries in Latin America.

Carrying too much Luggage

Ahhh.  Finally another weekend away from work.  Weekends are so refreshing and this weekend I got some work done around the house.  I'm cleaning up the house to put it on the rental market while we're gone as well as sell some of our things to help raise money for our trip.  Which reminds me...if anyone reading this wants to help raise some money by having a garage sale and donating the money or splitting the money 50/50 towards our trip, that would be great help!  I think I mentioned in a previous post that we're trying to raise more than $10,000 initially and maybe a little more for other recurring costs (like insurance and some travel costs) while we're there.

I've already started going through some of our stuff (sold the patio set Friday night!), and realized that we have a lot of stuff.  And some of the stuff we really don't need.  And some stuff you need, like the dresser/shelf thing that stores all the stuff I don't need.  Where would I put that stuff if I didn't have that dresser?  We don't just go buy things whenever we get the chance, but I have to admit there is a fair amount of excess.  I think sometimes we don't feel like we have a lot because of the things that we don't have or the things that others have that we don't.  But that's because we're focussed on what we want instead of appreciating what we have.  I know I can be that way at times.

Before going through a lot of our things, I was reading a book at the bookstore the other weekend.  I think it was called "Travelling Light" by Max Lucado.  Anyways, here are a couple of excerpts:

...the secret of satisfaction.  'The Lord my shepherd; I shall not want.'           David has found the pasture where discontent goes to die.  It's as if he is saying, 'What I have in God is greater than what I don't have in life.'

and

What's true in jogging is true in faith.  God has a great race for to run.  Under His care you will go where you've never been and serve in ways you've never dreamed.  But you have to drop some stuff.  How can you share grace if you are full of guilt?  How can you offer comfort if you are disheartened?  How can you lift someone else's load if your arms are full of your own....There are certain weights in life you simply cannot carry.  Your Lord is asking you to set them down and trust Him.  He is the father at the baggage claim.  When a dad sees his five-year old son trying to drag the family trunk off the carousel, what does he say?  The father will say to his son what God is saying to you.  'Set it down, child.  I'll carry that one.'

and it goes on to talk about how we can't take anything with us when we die either.  It doesn't matter if you don't believe in God, or do or believe in something else, these are applicable to everyone's lives.  Stuff can hold us back.  Don't get me wrong, not all things are bad, and having a lot isn't necessarily bad either.  It's when we look to the stuff for satisfaction.  You might be satisfied for a short while, but I promise it wont last forever.

So, sell all your stuff and donate the proceeds to our trip to Honduras!

Today, you get some of my random thoughts...a peak inside how my head works all day.  :)

7lbs 11oz of pure joy

I don' t remember the last time I cried before Sicily Kate was born on 1/7/11 at 7:59am.  It was such an amazing experience to be a part of that I couldn't help it.  More on that in a bit....With Olivia's birth, I have to admit, I wasn't well educated about the birthing process, Sarah's rights as a mommy, and everything else that accompanies pregnancy.  Sarah and I (especially Sarah) educated ourselves on the birthing process this time after she talked to more friends that had kids and what they went through.  Much to my surprise, there was a lot I didn't know about, and a lot I wish I would have known for Sarah's pregnancy with Olivia.

During the whole pregnancy with Sicily, Sarah did about as much reading and studying as possible about having a baby.  She was able to learn a lot of techniques and rights etc etc about pregnancy and birth to make it the best experience possible.  Sarah chose to have a natural birth - meaning no drugs to induce and no drugs for pain. There were several reasons why she chose not to have these drugs during birth, including:
1. She wanted to let her body do the work "naturally" and she felt that her body would know when it was time to have the baby
2. She wanted to be fully cognitive before and after the birth to be able to take care of the baby and herself as best as possible.
3. She didn't want the baby to be a non-consenting party receiving the drugs, when there is no reason the baby should have the drugs.
Anyways, there were other reasons, but those were the big ones.  And we're both really glad that we chose to do it that way.  As I said, it was a phenomenal experience for the both of us.  Now saying that, I know from the blood curdling screams that it was not easy or painless.

I think because I was more invested mentally and was able to see Sarah go through the pregnancy just the way she wanted to go through it, and I was a small part of the birth (more this time than last), I was affected emotionally also.  Or maybe it was simply the emotions that flood you when experiencing the miracle of life with the one you're in love with, or all that combined, I'm not sure, but the point is, I was crying.  Which isn't the "manly" thing to do (I'm not sure blogging is either), but it shows how extremely joyful I was for the birth of our second little girl.  Enough to cry!  I know I'm joking a little about it, but it really was an awesomely amazing thing to go through!

Why the heck am I telling you all this.  I'm not too sure, but I really just wanted to write about it I guess, and isnt that what a blog is for anyway?  I did want to say again that I highly recommend learning more about the whole birthing process for all the young couples out there that are thinking about having kids.  You never know, you might learn a thing or 2 and it might even make you cry...err...enjoy the experience more!

2 side notes:
1. (This is mostly for the men) Crying for me is like a couple tears, ok, I wasn't balling or uncontrolled or anything, and I'm not even sure if Sarah saw me do it, but they were pure tears of joy.  Don't be afraid to shed a few tears at anytime, it feels good, just don't blog about it if you don't want others to find out.
2. I never know when to use Effect or Affect or what the exact difference is.  It bothers me enough to think about it every time I write them and get a little annoyed, but not enough to figure out the difference...hope that doesn't bother you English Majors.

Happy New Year

Ahhh, a new year.  It can be time for a new beginnings and new resolutions...that don't make it through the spring, but usually January 1st is just another day for me.  However, this year feels different to me.  I feel like I have a lot of "new beginnings."  Our baby should be here any day now, which will double our trouble at the house and make me outnumbered 3:1.  (Side note: I am happy to say that Olivia chose to sign up for a basketball class at the Rec Center, so she could play like daddy.)  Another new beginning is our moving to Honduras.  Though we wont move until June/July-ish, we will begin a lot of our preparation for leaving soon.  We must get our house rentable and rented, get rid of some of our household items, raise money to build a house in Honduras, prepare lesson plans, and I must quit my job.  There are other items also, but those are the main ones.  And I also, for whatever reason, feel re-energized for work, even though I can't wait to leave for Honduras.  Maybe it's the start of a new quarter or I'm just ready to get back to routine...and maybe (probably) I will feel different after my first week back on the job, but I got it now, so I need to harness as much of the positive energy as possible!  Anyways, there are a lot new things happening in our lives and we are excited.

All these new things, though exciting for us, will also bring with them extra challenges.  The money raising, lesson planning, getting the house rented out, and other preparations will require more time and energy from us, while we also welcome our new baby girl to our family.  I am so excited for these changes/new things, but please pray for us!  We have a lot of hard work in front of us.

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and has a safe and happy new year!

Christmas Spirit

Now that I've had a few days to reflect on Christmas, the family I got to see and all the presents I gave and received, I have a few thoughts that came about because of the Christmas Holiday.  
1. I am very blessed!
          a. I have a week of paid vacation time between X-mas and New Years!
          b. I gave and received my fair share of gifts!
          c. I spent Christmas with a lot of family and had a huge meal!
          d. I have a beautiful, healthy family

2. I can often disguise those blessings as entitlements.  It seems like the more I have, the more I seem entitled to. We're about to have our 2nd little girl anytime now and we get to choose all these "options."  We get to pick the doctor, pick the hospital, pick if we want to keep it, we can even possibly pick the date by scheduling induction or C-Section.  I think back to the very first Christmas when Jesus was born (remember that's the real Christmas Story) how the Son of God himself didn't even have a hotel room to be born in.  He was born in a barn, with the animals! And Joseph, Jesus' earthly father, was probably the one to deliver the baby!  I'm pretty sure my wife wouldn't be cool with a barn baby and though it would be cool to say I delivered our daughter, I think I'll leave it to the doctor.  :)

3. The people that Sarah and I want to serve in Honduras, aren't guaranteed money if they want a week off, don't have an education to even get a job where that may be a possibility.  They may have their babies in a hospital if they can find someone with a car to drive them there.  And they certainly don't have huge feasts like we get every major holiday or birthday.  I can go on and on about what we have and what they don't, but I think you get the idea.

These more or less random thoughts have actually made me want to serve the people in Honduras even more.  I've realized in my life that I have more than I probably deserve and I want to give back to people that don't have the opportunities that I've had and will have in my future.  There are lots of people around the world, including the US that don't have much, but Sarah and I feel that we are being called to Honduras, so that's where we're headed.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Gotta Have Faith

I found out last night how much money we will have to raise to help pay for the house that Art For Humanity is building for us...$10,000!  I was expecting something more along the lines of half of that.  I mean, we still have to pay for medical insurance, travel costs (we are required to leave the country every 3 months to renew our visas),  storage unit in the states, etc.  Wow, if 50 people gave me $100 each, I'd still only be half way to the goal.  Now granted, Glen said the goal is $10K and whatever we can't meet the organization would cover the rest.  So that's assuring that it's not an actual requirement, but it's still causing my head to spin!

I have to be honest with you, my life has been pretty "easy" (knock on wood).  I haven't really had to go through any extreme circumstances.  I've always had good health, family & friends close by, at least a little money in the bank, a job, a place to live and a car - even after I wrecked a few.  My faith has never really been "battled tested," so to speak.  Until now.

After church on Sunday I was thinking about my inexperienced faith after we read the Christmas Story (Luke 1:26-55) from Jesus' mother Mary's point of view.  (http://www.ajesuschurch.org/topic?id=802&c=1939 - link to the teaching).  In the story Mary is confronted by an angel named Gabriel.  He tells her she will have child and not just any child, but Jesus and not only that, but she will still be a virgin when she has the baby!

Insert context; in Mary's time having sexual relations prior to marriage was a huge no-no.  The marriage would be called off, Mary would be mocked and shunned by the rest of the community and probably become an outcast.  In our pastor's words, "It would have been scandalous!"  

Logically, Mary asks how it will be since she's a virgin.  The angel says that, "the Holy Spirit will come upon [her]", and goes onto to say that "nothing is impossible with God."  Her response, "I am the Lord's servant."

One of our pastor's points was that Mary models faith for us, even in the midst of what could have been humiliating and left her disgraced.  She didn't want to have child out of wedlock or have to convince people that the Holy Spirit was the father, but when she realized it was God's plan, it became her plan.  Mary could have chosen to not go along with God's plan, or asked God if He could wait until they got married before she would get pregnant, but she would have missed out on the blessings that God had in store for her.  Many times God's will is sudden and requires us to surrender, just as in Mary's case.

When I think of my situation, I can pull - maybe force - some similarities with Mary's situation.  Like,
1. Fairly Sudden change of plans
2. New plans could have people mocking me for leaving a well paying job to volunteer
3. The seemingly impossible (raising lots of money) is possible with God

Ok, like I said, not perfect parallelism between the 2 situations, but close enough for me to want to respond like Mary.  I truly believe that God gave my wife and I hearts to serve others less fortunate, and called our family to Honduras.  The hard part (at least for me) is leaving the comfort of my cubicle (aka the money that I make) and trusting that God will provide for my family.  I truly have no idea how we are going to raise $10K in the next 6 months for the house, another few thousand for insurance and other costs while in Honduras, and also what we're going to do when we are ready to come back to the states, but I do know that God is asking me to have faith.

My response: I am the Lord's Servant.  I want to model, in some capacity, the same faith that Mary did.  And also serve God where and when I think He is calling me.