Countdown to Honduras...5 days!

Hey, how are you?! I have lately been thinking about our upcoming missions trip and I've been trying my best to keep things in perspective, the type of perspective that I know the Lord wants me to have, not my own. While I have been worrying about leaving the comforts of home, not being able to see Bryon, or even eating the normal American food that I am used to, I realized just recently that this trip to Honduras is going to be a chance for me to make a difference in the lives of others. I know that I have to keep this thought in the forefront of my mind at all possible times, "For what is our life? It is even a vapor that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away". All the things that the Lord has blessed me with, a home and family, my boyfriend, food on my table so that I'm not hungry, He didn't have to give me any of them. It's only by His love and His continuous grace and mercy that is new every single morning that I am able to enjoy those specials pieces of my life! They're like an extra-added bonus! And I know one thing for sure, God would not put those things in my life to prevent me from taking advantage of opprotunities that I am givin to share His unconditional love with others, even if it's all the way in Honduras! When I actually do stop my selfish thoughts and consider what I'm about to take part in, I am so humbled. Who am I that the Lord would want to possibly use me to reach someone for Him? I am so unperfect. I am encouraged to remeber right now, people like David or Moses. God used an ordinary shepard boy to kill a giant! He used a man who couldn't even speak clearly to lead a nation into the Promised Land, and out of bondage! My prayer is that He too can use a college student who is most of the time too worried about leaving home or her boyfriend to reach people in Honduras!

I ask that my readers pray about a few things with me in preparation for this trip...(just if you think about it throughout the day or whenever!)

-Safe travel
-Patience and understanding and cooperation of all those who are going

-Definately for the hearts and minds of the Honduran people to be softened and ready to hear the gospel. Pray that the students in the elementary school like us and don't think we're wierdos...this is the part I'm looking forward to the most.

-For those participating in the trip, please pray that we will have the courage, boldness, and at the same time, humbleness needed in order to reach others for Christ.

I know this has been a lot of typing, but lastly, I would love to leave my viewers with a few thousand pictures from my trip to Honduras last year. Keep in mind that this trip was with family, so it was more like a vacation...we had a blast! We will be in the same spot for our Missions trip...La Ceiba, Honduras.

This is the famous 'Ceiba Tree' from Honduras. Pretty cool, huh?

A little market-place on the side of the road.

Check out that mountain in the background! Whoa! God is so amazing.

I'm pretty sure that's a banana tree! I really love this picture...I don't know why...I just do!

Here we are on our way to go canopying through the jungle! Really exciting!

Just a scenic picture...with some powerlines running through the trees.

One of my favorite pictures: children at the local elementary school playing during recess.

A horse in the back yard of some family...? I guess he's...or she's...just a family pet!

More Horsey!

Okay...raise your hand if you've ever wanted to ride horses on the beach!

Yes! You guessed it! We got to! This is my cousin Matthew, me, and my uncle Doug saddlin' up!
Bryon's horse was so slow. It was hillarious once he finally reached the beach! He was like, "Erin, I finally just stopped and started pep-talking my horse and I told her, 'Listen, I know it's hot and I know you're tired, but we've gotta catch up!' "
Just'a neat picture of all of us riding to the shore.
Here's a house we passed on the way there. See the chickens in the yard?!

I like this tree...alot!

This is a student from the elementary school, riding his bike home!

Here are the boys and girls who have just attended a full day of school! This is so cool.

Our little airport in La Ceiba. We flew in here. It was so tiny, and I remember when we walked inside, it was freezing.

Another really cool looking picture. I'm pretty sure this one was taken through the van window, on our way to see the grounds where my uncle Doug and his crew will be building an orphanage!

And here are the grounds. In this upcoming missions trip, we will again be visiting the man and family who live here...and will be seeing some progress towards the orphanage!

I'm pretty sure that this man and his family live here in order to prevent 'squatters' from taking over the land that my uncle's company has already bought and are preparing to build on. Isn't that amazing?!

Pepsi and Coke products are popular in Honduras.

This is a pineapple field! I don't know if I spelled 'pineapple' correctly, though!?

Here's one of three beaches (is that a word?) that we went to see.

It was so cool when we ate at this restaurant. We were definately on island-time, so that's why it looks so dark and late, but nonetheless, it was awsome sitting there under a grass ceiling on the roof of this stone building seeing the stars while we ate!

A Honduran specialty- tortilla chips and bean dip!

How hillarious. We are looking wonderful in the canopy gear, aren't we?! Kidding, I'm kidding!

Here's Emilee, my cousin, Amy, Emilee's best friend, and Matthew, Emilee's twin brother and my cousin. They were so much fun and soo funny. Emilee and Amy would probably kill me if they knew I had this picture on here.

Check out that look that I'm getting from Emilee! Haha. This is us after we rode our horses up the side of the mountain, to canopy on ziplines, back down!

And here's Bryon's attempt at taking a picture while riding his horse up the mountain.

Oh my goodness! This was awsome! A natural hot spring...and we got to swim in it after we ziplined! This was the neatest thing ever.

Close-up of the hot spring.

Here's the boys with our guide! He was a really nice guy. (from left to right: Bryon, Matthew, James, Uncle Doug, guide...I cannot remember his real name!)

This restaurant was my kind of place! A pool to swim in while you're waiting on your food.

Catching a little R&R

My First Visit to Brandywine, West Virginia with the Colliers!

If you start at the bottom and work your way up, you'll be able to view the pictures in order!

What a great family!

I cannot believe I almost forgot this picture! One of my favorite shower curtains of all time! :o)

Everyone was pretty wore out after the hike. Look at Philip and those big brown eyes!

This led to a pretty amusing discussion, "Bryon, just think of what it must feel like to be pregnant!" Haha. Oh he makes me laugh.

Praise the Lord we didn't add to those 15 people! Bob, Kiera, Bryon and even me! We made it all the way to the top. A three mile hike, overall.

If you can't make out the words, this sign at Seneca Rocks says, "Since 1971, 15 people have died at Seneca Rocks from falls."

A very windy place, that Spruce Knob!

A very...umm...manly?...pose! Haha...beautiful Spruce Knob, and Bryon on a rock. We're actually on the highest peak of West Virginia, here.

Yummy! Breakfast! An egg and cheese omelet, and a tropical punch Capri Sun. Thanks Bryon!

Cactus (maybe I should say, 'cacti') grow here! I heard Bryon touched one when he was younger and after he had been told not to by his Papaw.

Love the picture. Love the boy in the picture!

I think this is called a 'swinging bridge'. If you want the truth, I was a little nervous getting out here, but after a minute of stabilizing, I was fine!

We seriously made a new friend! Here is Shawn. He's bailing hay with a really neat bailer. We went down to watch when we were kind of looking for something to do one evening, and this guy stopped to talk to us. Very nice man. Very cool tractor!

Flowers?! For me?! What'a great guy! :o)

Bob used to swim here! We hiked around the whole lake one evening after dinner.

Bryon catches helgramites on our first day of fishing! These little creatures are probably some of the grossest things I've ever saw.

The sun begins to set on our first day there! (Notice grass now. See! I told you it looked better!)

You'll never guess what Bryon did after we first arrived! He took care of the yard! It looked better after he mowed it. My boyfriend is such a hard worker!

Honest to goodness, I was so surprised to see how quickly that little cabin became so 'cozy' and 'homey' after we got our stuff in.

This kitchen was the place for many good times. Bryon's omelets, Kiera's dinners, late night games of dominoes, and sandwich packing for our fishing trips!

And the famous quote by Bryon, "Erin, this isn't what you pictured at all, is it?!"

And here's some turkey feet!! (It made a lot of sense after I learned that this cabin is mostly used by men who come here to hunt!)

We finally arrive and here's what my eyes behold!!! (Notice the grass before...)

Bryon and me and the view from Germany Valley (I think that's what it's called!)

Oh my gosh! This struck me as so weird. Only Bryon knows how funny it really was.

Haha...Oh my goodness! The sun was in Philip's eyes! What'a cutie.

We stopped at Seneca Rocks on the way there...

This past weekend I was priviledged enough to get the chance to visit Brandywine, West Virginia with Bryon, Bob, Kiera, and of course Philip. What a great few days with some of my favorite people. To be honest, I didn't know what to expect as I rode up with Bryon. I heard different things about Brandywine, and the cabin in which Bob's family has built. Some things I did know for sure: the cabin was made of center block, it not too long ago received an indoor bathroom instead of the out-house outside, and if I wanted to make a phonecall, it meant driving up the road a ways to use the payphone!

Kiera and I were talking one evening in the cabin and we came to the conclusion, it's trips like this one when you realize that you don't need things like tv's or cell phone service to enjoy yourself. The beautiful weather and countryside was refreshing, and I'm so happy that I got a chance to experience this part of West Virginia. I learned of the many different places where Bryon's dad, Bob, spent his summers, and going back to visit was very special not only to them, but also to me. Here's some pictures! I hope you enjoy!