Christmas in Tela

Christmas has officially arrived in Tela! This past Tuesday, I had the privilege of attending the Christmas tree lighting ceremony. Ok, so it's not so much a Christmas tree as lights in the shape of a Christmas tree (real Christmas trees don't exist in Honduras), but it was still a lot of fun. The students from my school were invited to open the ceremony with a few Christmas songs. Afterwards, we counted down to light the tree, and then enjoyed a beautiful fireworks display. It was really fun for me to be part of the celebration!

Follow the link below for a video of the choir singing!

http://youtu.be/FONfPPy1pTI

Transformation

I had seen pictures of the pier in Tela online before I ever got here. So when I arrived, I knew I had to find it. As it turned out, it wasn’t that difficult to do. It’s only about a 15 minute walk from my apartment. The pier was old and I love the old wood, watching people fishing for blue crab off the side, and seeing the little kids running along the wooden beams and jumping into the water. This pier, I thought, must be full of history.

So when, a few weeks back, I heard rumors that they were working on the pier, a part of me was kind of sad. Still, everyone in the community seemed so excited about it that I was curious to see what all the fuss was about. I made my way down to check it out about a week later, and what I saw amazed me. There is now a sign over the newly-built entrance to the pier that reads, “La materia no muere, se transforme” – matter doesn’t die, it transforms. As I walked along the pier, I noticed a lot of things: lights, benches, trash cans, there’s even a covered area at the end now. It was a lot of fun for me to experience the excitement surrounding the revamping of the pier, and it really looks great!

I think the transformation of the pier is a lot like the transformation that takes place in our hearts. This has gotten me thinking about my life, and where I see God at work in it. Advent, the church season before Christmas, is a time to prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ. I encourage you to join me in reflecting on the areas of your life that are in need of a change. Invite Christ to work within you, and see the transformation!