First, we want to express our heartfelt thanks for your prayers, financial support, and the time spent labeling pill bags before we left. Every prayer prayed, every dollar given, and every pill bag prepared became part of God's work in Honduras. Although most of you remained at home, you were with us in every clinic we held and every person we served.
Our first mission trip to Honduras was in 2002. Twenty-four years later, we have returned home from yet another trip. Every year is both different and the same. The clinics may be in different villages, and the faces may change, but the warmth of the Honduran people and the ways God works through these trips remain constant. It never fails to change us and to bless us.
By the numbers, this was a very successful week. Our team cared for more than 500 patients in six different clinics. We also distributed 200 pounds of rice and 200 pounds of beans to families in communities where food insecurity is a daily reality. Those numbers represent real people whose lives were touched because of you. But the numbers tell only a small part of the story.
At our closing Eucharist with our Honduran teammates, Chris Paul reminded us that we encounter the face of God in one another and in every person we meet. Those words captured the heart of this trip. It has never been simply about the number of patients we see or the amount of food we distribute. It is about being present with God's people. It is about taking time to listen to each patient—to hear their story, pray with them when they ask, and simply let them know that someone cares. Many need hope just as much as they need medicine.
And then there are the children. Their smiles are always magical. Mark spent his days surrounded by them as he handed out stickers—not only to the children, but often to the adults as well. Everywhere he went, a crowd seemed to follow. One of the highlights of the week was watching children's faces light up as he took instant photos of them. Many had never seen an instant photograph before, and the excitement of watching their own picture slowly appear was unforgettable. Those moments reminded us that joy is a gift that can be shared without speaking the same language.
This trip is also about relationships. After twenty-four years, we are no longer visiting strangers. We are returning to friends and to people who feel like family. We look forward to seeing familiar faces each year, and we are humbled that they remember us and welcome us back. Mission is not something we do for others; it is something we share with one another.
This year we were especially reminded of the passage of time. The teenagers who served as our translators this year were not even born when we made our first trip to Honduras in 2002. At the same time, many of the young translators who worked beside us on those early trips have now grown into physicians, nurses, dentists, physical therapists, psychologists, and other healthcare professionals. Several have told us that their experiences with our clinics inspired them to pursue careers in the medical fields. This is truly the way that a short-term mission trip can have long-term implications.
Again and again, we were reminded that God was already present in these communities long before we arrived. We simply had the privilege of joining in the work God is already doing. In serving others, we found ourselves being blessed, encouraged, and transformed once again. It is impossible to return home unchanged.
Thank you for making this mission possible. Your prayers strengthened us, your gifts provided medical supplies and food, and your faithful support allowed us to be the hands and feet of Christ in Honduras. This mission belongs to all of us. The love of Christ reached hundreds of people because you chose to be part of this work.
As we reflect on this trip, we give thanks to God for every patient, every conversation, every prayer, every smile, and every opportunity to see Christ in the faces of those we met. Thank you for helping make those holy encounters possible.
Jon and Kat Dailey