How do we pray? Do we ask to see God at work – to see His hand in our lives and the lives of our family and friends? Do we ask to grow in love for others? Do we ask for purpose or to see God’s plan? Do we wonder what heaven might be like? These questions and prayers are all ones prompted through serving in Honduras with West Shore’s Awesome Adventure Children’s Ministry.
It all began around 2012 at Vacation Bible School. One night of the week included a special presentation from the newly-returned Honduras team. Their recap was filled with stories, pictures, songs, and excitement. My daughter, Karly, and I were captivated! This looked like a truly “awesome adventure” – an amazing opportunity to serve God. We dreamed and prayed about this, listening to the trip’s songs on a borrowed CD, and patiently waited until Karly was old enough to go. Finally in 2017, when she turned 11, it was our year. After several months of planning as a team, practicing Bible lessons, skits, and puppet shows…we were ready. 
Our week began by spending time and worshipping at a church in El Progresso (the 3rd biggest city in Honduras) that serves as a Compassion International site for 200+ sponsored children living in poverty. We had the humbling experience of visiting their homes, hearing their stories, and praying together. Next, we traveled by bus through the most beautiful, verdant green mountains to Morazan, which would be our home base for the next 5 days as we drove a school bus (circa 1980s) through a river to get to 3 remote schools. 
For the past twenty years, groups from WSFC have been invited by teachers and principals to visit their classrooms and share the gift of Jesus with their students. Each year, we take over the classrooms with a VBS-style program of Bible stories, games, crafts, skits/puppets, and songs. We played soccer, jumped rope, colored with chalk, blew bubbles, and painted nails. But by far, everyone’s favorite activity was singing and dancing. We replayed “Fuego, Fuego” often, a fun cardio workout in the Honduras heat! We were showered in love by the children and immediately became the best of friends. By the time we returned home we were happily exhausted, tearful to say goodbye to so many new friends – but blown away that God had opened the door for us to share Jesus with hundreds of children.
What began as a hope and a dream from that first-time trip in 2017, has now turned into an annual “must” in our summer plans. This past summer was our seventh trip back to the place Karly (now 19) and I affectionately think of as “home.” God has opened the door each year for us to return. Within our hearts, a tremendous love has grown for the people of Honduras – a sense of great mission to build on these relationships and live out the Great Commission as given to us in Matthew 28. The Kingdom value of this mission trip is truly enormous.
How do I know this?
I have seen God at work. He has provided protection and safety over our group, travel mercies when our bus broke down (twice!), provision when Miami airport closed and all flights were cancelled due to a hurricane, and faithfulness during pandemic illness. He continues to give us the opportunity to share the gospel so openly in public schools, where children ask Jesus into their hearts and are encouraged by teachers in their faith journeys. God continues to grow His ministry for us, from 1 school in 2005 to 6 elementary schools and a high school in 2025, with nearly 1,500 students.
I have seen God’s hand. A core group of our team has matured during trips to Honduras, their faith expanding with boldness to share the gospel both in Honduras and back home. Our students and the Honduran student translators have been changed through serving. To see them go on to a life of ministry, missions work, and make career choices that have been influenced by these trips, is a precious gift and provision of God’s hand. To observe the Honduran school students grow up, develop, learn, and deepen in their relationship with Jesus is both a blessing and confirmation that these annual trips are fruitful and valuable.
I have seen God’s love. It’s an “agape” love that only He can give, shown through our bonds and relationships that, in such a short time, grow exponentially. Through Him, our love extends towards fellow teammates and for the children we serve. 
I see God’s purpose. This has become so much more than a one-time missions trip for Karly and me. God has given us an enormous love and burden for Honduras and its people. We are both in a transition stage in our lives – college and a soon-to-be empty nest. We sense His calling and are so excited to see how exactly He will lead us. This partnership with Honduras is multifaceted. West Shore has assisted in building projects, water purification, education, supplying food, and giving life-changing medical support to these schools and children, impacting their extended families and greater communities for Jesus.
I have seen a glimpse of Heaven…. worshipping God in English and Spanish, seeing the joy as a child accepts Christ, the tears of “goodbye” followed by the smiles of “Hello!” the following summer – seeing the body of Christ grow, hearing the year-round ministry updates from the Honduran team. It’s our laboring together in this common ministry that will one day make heaven well represented by Honduran voices.
And at the throne room of heaven, when someone undoubtedly requests to sing “Fuego, Fuego,” we will know that we are truly Home.
For a glimpse of Honduras, check out these video clips:
Meet the Author
Julie McNair began attending West Shore in the mid 90s as a Messiah student, and it’s been her home church ever since! She has been active in Women’s Ministry for 20 years. Her favorite weeks of the year are getting to serve as the nurse for Harvey Cedars student camps, and with her daughter, Karly, in Honduras. She resides in Dillsburg with her husband, Troy, and three children.