The Maple Hill group was supposed to return to Nashville this afternoon, but our flight out of Tegucigalpa was cancelled. This was due to a fuel tank explosion that occurred at the Miami airport. The plane that was supposed to leave Miami was not allowed to leave, so no plane for us to board in Tegucigalpa.

This has created quite a backlog of people trying to get out of Tegucigalpa and we have been unable to find an alternate flight for our group until Tuesday afternoon.

Instead of staying at a hotel in Tegucigalpa, we decided to make the 4-hour drive back to the Mission Lazarus Posada/Refuge in San Marcos to save money.

We have now safely arrived back at the Posada and are sitting in front of a nice fire. The plan is to worship with one of the local congregations tomorrow. On Monday the ladies will be setting up a small clinic in one of the local villages, and the men will be helping with a construction project.

Our plan for Tuesday is to drive back to Tegucigalpa for our 2:20pm flight to Miami. We would appreciate prayers that these new travel arrangements will come through and that our group will remain safe.

Even though this is frustrating, I’m extremely grateful that everyone is safe, and that we have a place to stay.  I’m also grateful that the problems are in Miami and not in Honduras.  With the political unrest that occurred last year, we know that things could be a lot worse than they are.

I’m also grateful that we had an amazing week. Nothing that has happened with our travel plans can diminish that. As I close this post, I’m thinking about the 21 souls that came to Christ during the brigade. We should pray for these new brothers and sisters continually that God will bless them with the strength to remain faithful. The following are the names which need to be lifted up in prayer:

*Carmen Maria Darce *Gladis Darce *Gladis Johanna Darce *Tomas Darce *Oneyda Bricano *AmParo Aguilera *Sindy Castro *Yerika Castro *Mari Oneyda Fuentes *Selvin Cordova *Emilson Cordova *Osman Peratia *Meylin Cardenas *Rut Castro *Norma Matute *Rixa Jarquin *Pedro Munoz *Darwin Munoz *Christian Armas *Wendy Estrada *Gabriela Mendoza

Our final day in Namasigue was almost beyond words. I’m emotionally overwhelmed, and incredibly sad to be leaving this community. I also have great joy because of how good God is, and how powerfully He has worked in Namasigue this week.

Today the medical team treated 180 more patients in the clinic which makes a four-day total of 655! Great work by everyone who participated in the brigade and made such a HUGE impact on this community.

The evangelism team had an overwhelming day. We began by studying with a couple who had invited us into their home. The husband plays soccer with Javier, and asked us to come and study.

Studying with Meylin Cardenas and her husband…

All of us had the opportunity to teach, and the wife decided to commit her life to Jesus Christ. The husband could not be convinced and said that he would wait for his wife to lead him. This was very curious to all of us since he had invited us to their home.

Baptizing our new sister in Christ…

After the study we went down to the river, and I was blessed to be able to baptize her into Jesus Christ. Praise God!

Later that day, we visited with a young lady who is the sister of Sindy and Yerika that were baptized yesterday. We studied with her for a long time, and she kept saying that she was not ready.

Studying with Rut Castro…

Javier said the we should go, so everyone started to head toward the van, but Espartaco kept teaching. Javier came back and the two of them continued to study with Rut. She decided that she wanted to commit to Jesus, and again we headed to the river. Dondi was blessed to be able to baptize her into Jesus Christ! Praise God!

Dondi baptizing our new sister in Christ…

From there we visited with a family to drop off a sack of food. Javier had explained that the children of the house had been faithful in attending the local church since it was planted, but the mother had never committed to Christ. He said that he hoped she would be open to study in the future.

As we came to the house, Javier asked me to pray as we dropped off the food. I prayed that the mother, Norma, would open her heart to the study of God’s Word, and ultimately commit her life to Jesus. As I finished the prayer, she said that she was ready to study right now, so I began to teach her.

Studying with Norma Matute…

As I was studying with Norma, Javier went across the street and began studying with another family. I had only been teaching for 15 or 20 minutes, and could tell that she was very open to the message. I asked her if she wanted to commit her life to Jesus and be baptized for the remission of her sins. She immediately said YES, and gave me a big hug!

As we were taking Norma to the van to head toward the river, Javier came and said that a woman named Rixa from across the street also wanted to be baptized, and that there were others on the same street that wanted to study.

Espartaco, Wayne, Dondi and I headed to another family down the road, while Javier and some of the young men studied with a gentleman across the street.

We studied with a man named Pedro and his mother. Pedro’s wife was already a member of the church. As with Norma, I could tell that Pedro was very open to the message, and very shortly asked if he wanted to commit. He also said YES very quickly.

Studying with Pedro Munoz and his mother…

Pedro’s mother said that she knew what she needed to do, but would do it later after thinking about it for a while. All of us studied with her at length about the urgency of making a commitment, because none of us are guaranteed tomorrow. Unfortunately, she could not be convinced.

As Espartaco, Dondi & Wayne were studying with her, I headed across the street to where Javier was studying with a young man named Darwin. He had spent eight years in America, and had just recently come back to Namasigue.

Javier studying with Darwin Munoz…

While Javier was studying with him, Darwin said that he wanted to commit his life to Jesus Christ and be baptized. We also received word that one of the men on the evangelism team, Erminio Armas, had a 13-year-old son who wanted to be baptized.

Baptizing Christian Armas…

The evangelism team traveled to the river with the five who wanted to be baptized. I was blessed to be able to baptize them into Jesus Christ! Praise God!

Baptizing Rixa Jarquin…

After the baptisms, Javier exhorted the two men who were baptized to work towards being leaders in the local church in Namasigue.

Rejoicing with our new brothers and sisters in Christ…

From there we delivered several food bags to various members of the local church. We also visited with the mother of a young lady who had been working with the evangelism team, Yeny Guevara. Yeny’s mother is suffering from Leukemia and will soon begin chemotherapy treatments. Javier offered a prayer for her mother, and told a story about a critical medical condition he had earlier in his life that God had brought him through.

Kaitlyn Jamison from Maple Hill was with the team in the afternoon, and was able to share with Yeny that her mother had also had cancer. Yeny, and most of the members of the evangelism team began to cry. It was quite an emotional moment in the midst of a very emotional day.

Next, we visited with the Armas family. With the baptism of Christian, and the repentance of Hector earlier in the week, all of the members of the Armas family are now christians. The father, Erminio, asked that we pray to thank God that his entire family were now servants of God.

We came back to the church building well after dark, and began to say our goodbyes to everyone. As we were packing up the van, Javier came back and said that there were two more young ladies who had been studying and wanted to be baptized. He asked me if I would stay and baptize these two girls.

Baptizing Wendy Estrada…

It was well after dark, and not possible to go to the river, so Javier said that we could use the wash area inside his house.

Baptizing Gabriela Mendoza…

Being able to baptize these two young ladies was another great ending to another awesome day, and an incredible week. In all, 21 people committed their lives to Christ and were baptized this week. Praise God!

It was really tough to leave Namasigue, and to say goodbye to Javier, Espartaco, and the rest of the evangelism team. There is a part of my soul that is in Namasigue, and I can’t wait to go back again.

Wow! The days just keep getting better and better in Namasigue. The Medical Team treated another 223 patients for a total of 475 since Sunday afternoon. This team continues to amaze me!

The Evangelism Team also had a very productive day. We started the day preaching to the people who where waiting to be seen in the clinic. These consisted of both individuals who were members of the local church and those who were not Christians.

Preaching to people waiting for the clinic in Namasigue…

After Dondi and I got a chance to teach the people at the clinic, we headed out into the community. Today my father, Pat Agee, was able to go with us.

Our first study was with a mother and two of her daughters. Javier and some of the young Christians from the community had already been studying with them, but they were hesitant to commit due to their father/husband.

Studying with the mother and her two daughters…

The two daughters made the decision to commit their lives to Jesus Christ, but the mother could not be persuaded due to her husband. Javier will continue to study with her in the coming days.

We traveled down to the river, and my father was blessed to be able to baptize these two young ladies into Jesus Christ! Praise God!

My father Pat with our new sister Sindy Castro…

…and our new sister Yerika Castro

From there we visited the home of Dunia, one of the first converts in Namasigue three years ago. With the help of her father, and the local church, Dunia was able to move into a new house yesterday. She had specifically requested that we come by and offer up a prayer of thanksgiving for the house.

Praying with Dunia in her new house…

In the afternoon, we studied with a lady who had never attended the local church or been involved in a Bible study. When we arrived, Javier encouraged some of the younger men from the church who were traveling with us to also participate in the study along with us. This was incredible to see, because Javier is training these young mean how to teach the Word of God, and indeed these young men are already active in evangelizing the community.

Studying with Mari Oneyda Fuentes…

We studied with this lady for quite a while, and over time her heart began to soften. All of us had an opportunity to teach, including two of the young men who were with us, Janier and Arnold.  She ultimately responded to the Gospel, and wanted to be baptized into Jesus Christ.

Again we went down to the river, and I was blessed to be able to baptize her into Jesus Christ. Praise God!

Praise God for our new sister in Christ…

Finally, we were able to study with three teenagers. The father of two of these young men was already a Christian, and active in the local church. He is also the uncle of the third young man.

Studying with Osman Peratia, Selvin Cordova & Emilson Cordova.

We studied with them until very late in the afternoon, and they also decided to commit their lives to Jesus Christ! Again we went down to the river and Dondi was blessed to be able to baptize them. Praise God!

Praise God for our new brothers in Christ…

There are several things that stood out to me today.

1.) It was an incredible blessing to be able to spend the day with my dad. This was the fifth day in our last two trips to Honduras that I have been able to evangelize in Namasigue. However, today was the first day that my dad was able to go with us. It was really powerful to see him baptize two new sisters into Christ, and to be able to share in this incredible work with him.

2.) I am incredibly thankful for Espartaco Alonso. Espartaco is the preacher for the church in Choluteca, and has been translating for us all week. Not only is Espartaco a great preacher and evangelist, but he has also been very patient in translating our teaching, our prayers, during baptisms, etc. It has been great to get to know him this week, and I hope to be able to work with him again in the future.

3.) I am impressed at the way in which Javier (preacher in Namasigue) is training the young men who have been traveling with us this week. They are very active in making contacts and in evangelizing the community. Also, they are already planning to begin follow-up work with all of the individuals we have baptized this week beginning on Thursday, after we leave for San Marcos Wednesday night. Having a team in place to do follow-up work is critical for these new Christians, and what a blessing these young men are for this community.

4.) As we were walking down to river for the baptism of the three young men this afternoon, I was able to have a conversation with the father/uncle, who speaks pretty good English.  He said that he was incredibly thankful we had come to Namasigue to teach, and hoped that we would considering coming again and again.  That really touched my heart, and it was pretty neat to be with a father as his two sons and nephew were baptized into Jesus Christ!

The evangelism team rejoicing with our new brothers in Christ…

As we finished the baptisms, the sunset was beautiful over the river. It seemed like the perfect ending to an AWESOME day!

Another AWESOME day in Namasigue!! Today was the first full day in the clinic, and the team was able to see 178 patients.  That absolutely boggles my mind. What an incredible impact the medical team is having on this community!

I was again part of the evangelism team with Dondi, Wayne, Javier & Espartaco. We delivered food bags to 6 families and studied with three individuals.  

Delivering food in Namasigue…

The first study was with a young Christian who is struggling with the influences of Satan in his life.  We spoke with him and attempted to encourage him to be faithful to God and His church.

The other two studies were with individuals who had not yet accepted Christ into their lives.  Praise God that both ultimately made the decision to join the Kingdom of God and be baptized into Jesus Christ!

One study was with a woman who was the only member of her household that was not a Christian, though she had been visiting the local church for almost a year.

Studying with Oneyodi Bricano…

We studied with her for around 30 minutes, and then traveled down to the river, and Dondi was blessed to be able baptize her into Christ.  Praise God!

Rejoicing with our new sister in Christ…

The other study was with a woman who had never attended the local church, and we studied with her for quite a long time.  All of us got an opportunity to study with her, but it was especially impressive to watch Javier at work.  Even though he does not speak English, his passion for the Lord is obvious.  

Studying with AmParo Aguilera…

Once she made the decision to to be baptized, we again traveled down to the river and Wayne was blessed to be able to baptize her into Christ.  Praise God!

Wayne with our new Sister in Christ…

It is an incredible privilege to be able to work side-by-side with Dondi, Wayne, Javier & Espartaco.  These are all great men who love God, and love sharing his Word.

What an AWESOME day in Namasigue!! Well I guess this is officially day 2, but the first day where we were doing actual work.  The day started with worship in Namasigue.  As always, worshiping with the Christians here is an extremely encouraging experience.  The preacher, Javier gave a lesson from Philippians on being happy even when problems arise.

Javier preaching with Cameron translating…

After worship we finished setting up the clinic and began seeing patients around noon.  There were 74 patients that went through the clinic this afternoon.

I was part of the evangelism team that included Dondi Malone, Wayne Smith, Javier (preacher in Namasigue), & Espartaco (preacher in Choluteca).  Espartaco was our translator.  We left the clinic around 1:30pm, and studied with two different families and brought food sacks to two others during the afternoon.

The first study was with the Darce family.  We studied with them for the better part of an hour, and all of the adults in the household made the decision to commit their lives to Jesus Christ!

Adults from left to right … Gladis Darce, Javier (preacher), Tomas Darce, Carmen Maria Darce, Gladis Johanna Darce, and Me.

We went down to the local river for the baptisms, and I was privileged to be able to baptize all four of them….

The study with the second family went well, but they are not quite ready to commit.  Our plan is to come back and visit with them again later this week.

Every year before I come down here, I start thinking about how much of a hassle it is to get everything ready, and how much I’ll miss my family, and begin wondering whether or not it is worth it.  And, likewise every year I’m totally blown away when I get down here.  What a priviledge to be able to share the Word of God with the people of Honduras.  What an awesome day, and what an awesome trip to share again with my dad.  Praise God!!

Why aren’t you signed up for the 401K? …I’d never be able to run that far.

You have to forget your last marathon before you try another. Your mind can’t know what’s coming.

U.S. marathon finisher total surpasses 1/2 million mark for the first time [in 2010].

If one can stick to the training throughout the many long years, then will power is no longer a problem. It’s raining? That doesn’t matter. I am tired? That’s besides the point. It’s simply that I just have to.

Man Trains For Marathon While Eating McDonald’s-Only Diet – The Consumerist

We are different, in essence, from other men. If you want to win something, run 100 meters. If you want to experience something, run a marathon.

The human body has limits. Go Find them!

If the word quit is part of your vocabulary, then the word finish is likely not.

There are clubs you can’t belong to, neighborhoods you can’t live in, schools you can’t get into, but the roads are always open.

If you see me collapse, please pause my Garmin.

Originally Posted on 3-31-2010

By far the most common reaction I get from non-runners when they find out I’m a long distance runner and marathoner is some type of obligatory comment like “that’s great!” or “wow!” but their body language is saying “I don’t get it” or “You’re Nuts!” Some people are even more direct in voicing their bewilderment.  My favorite comments include:

• Running a marathon is more dangerous than smoking
• You know that you’re destroying your body
• Well, I only run when being chased

While these reactions are frustrating, it is something I understand.  For the first 30 years of my life, I hated running with a flaming passion.  Running was punishment. Something you had to do when you made a mistake in practice.  I always looked at marathoners with a sense of amazement, but also with a feeling that they were some type of freak of nature (like an alien).

I tried numerous times to become a runner, but I never seemed to be able to go farther than 3 miles without feeling like I would (a) collapse or (b) die of boredom.

When I reached my 30s, I started a new job, and began working with a lady named Mary Anne who had run over 30 marathons.  I told her over and over again about my hatred of running, and she continued to encourage me to try it again. Eventually I did try it again, and again I seemed to get stuck on my 3-mile limit.

On one particular Saturday, I decided that I was just going to push past mile 3 no matter how tired I was, and right on schedule I thought that mile 3 was going to be the end of me.  Then somewhere in the middle of mile 4, something clicked.  I fell into this trance-like rhythm, and was able to complete 6 miles.  I was ecstatic. From that moment in the middle of mile 4, I have been hooked.  How could this be?  I hated running?  Yet, the next weekend I ran 7 miles, and then next weekend 8 miles, and so on.

So what is it that “clicked” on that particular Saturday?  How did this moment transform me from someone that hated running into a hopeless addict.  How did I become a person that has completed 6 half and 8 full marathons?  I guess on some level I agree with the one who says they only run when being chased. However, the things that are chasing me are not wild animals or bad guys.  They are the things that drive me, that push me to run, and run, and run.

So what is chasing me?

A High Stress Life – While I love my life, I have to admit that it is extremely high stress. From my job, to frequent speaking/teaching engagements, to family and church responsibilities, I can’t seem to slow down.  Running has become my outlet, and my solace.  Nothing can drown out the noise of the world like the rhythm of running long distances.  I used to think that activities like golf and tennis were good outlets for stress, but they bring their own stress, especially golf.  The only thing stressful about running is finding the time to do it.  Otherwise, running is like the greatest drug in the world to me.

An Inferiority Complex / Scars from High School – To say that I was not very popular in high school would be a big understatement.  I was shy.  I was a nerd.  I didn’t date a lot.  I didn’t “party” with the cool kids.  I did not play football.  I was the last one that got selected for teams in PE and recess.  I got picked on constantly.  Now, I often wonder to myself how many of those that tormented me through those years can do what I can do.  All of this just adds fuel to my addiction.

Small Fiber Sensory Neuropathy – Approximately 6 months after the moment when running “clicked” for me, and 1 month before I was supposed to run my first half marathon, I began experiencing some bizarre neurological symptoms that started in my legs, and quickly moved throughout my entire body.  Running only intensified these symptoms (including numbness in my feet, arms, and face), and I was forced to stop.  It took 7 months, and a trip to Johns Hopkins in Baltimore to discover that I have a rare neurological disorder called Small Fiber Sensory Neuropathy.  This is an auto-immune condition that destroys the small nerve fibers in the skin, leading to intense feelings of burning and numbness.  The good news that I received at Hopkins was that this condition would not affect my motor skills, and the symptoms could be controlled by medication.  Even though I lost a year of running due to the disorder, the medication allowed me to return to training, and complete my first 1/2 marathon 8 months after being diagnosed.  When I started running again after my diagnosis, I was even more driven than before to run, no longer taking this ability for granted.  It continues to be a major motivation for me.

Family History of Hypertension – Almost every member of my immediate family is on some type of high blood pressure medication, and I began to see signs of this in my own life very soon after I graduated from college (1996).  However, since I began running in 2007, my Systolic pressure has consistently been less than 125, and my Diastolic less than 75.

A “Type A” Personality – Mary Anne often tells me that she knew I had a personality that was perfectly suited to long distance running, and that is why she talked to me about it so frequently.  I am a “Type A” perfectionist, to the extreme. I think this is ultimately why running “clicked” on that Saturday in 2007.  Once I pushed past that 3-mile barrier, it was something I knew I could do, and I wanted to do it really well. For the first time in my life I saw the possibility of completing a half, or possibly a full marathon, and I wanted to go for it.  This insatiable drive to get better continues to push me through every training run, every track workout, every cross-training exercise.

Fear of Failure – I set lots of running goals, though I rarely share them with others. However, part of my motivation to continue running is a fear of not meeting these goals.  This fear is exponentially intensified if I do share a goal with someone.

Well, there it is….the reasons why I run (at least many of them). Why do you run? What is chasing you?

I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.

Back in April 2010, I posted my first marathon bucket list shortly after completing my third marathon in Knoxville, TN.  Since then, I’ve completed five more marathons including several on that initial list.  Also, there are now more marathons that I want to finish before I leave this earth.  To that end, I present a revised list, which includes my completed marathons at the end.

Tier 1:

• Boston – My goal is to qualify before my 40th birthday (I’m 36).  With the changes in qualifying standards over the next two years, it is going to be harder and harder for this to be a reality.  Still, I will continue to train hard to meet this goal.

• New York – As the intro to Letterman says – “The greatest city in the world!” NYC is my favorite place on earth, and I can’t wait to run this marathon.   All 5 boroughs, 2 Million+ spectators, 44K+ runners!!  I missed out on the lottery for 2010, and am entered again for 2011.  Should find out if I made it in early April.

• Big Sur (Monterey, CA) – 26.2 + The Monterey Coast = WOW!  Considered to be one of the most beautiful marathons in the world.  Might have to combine with a trip to play Pebble Beach.

• St George (Utah) – 5240’ at the start and 2600’ at the finish, running through beautiful St George, Utah.  I’ve been told it is one of the best-organized races in the country.

• Walt Disney World Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge – My wife and I have been to DW 8 times since we were married in 1997, so we obviously love the place.  The Goofy’s Challenge is to run the 1/2 marathon on Saturday and the full on Sunday.   Runners get a Donald Duck medal for the 1/2, a Mickey Mouse medal for the full, and a Goofy Medal if they can complete both.  I was registered for the Goofy Challenge in January 2011, but missed the half marathon due to the flu.  I was still able to complete the full marathon, but would like to go back and do the Goofy at some time in the future.

• Marine Corps. (Washington, DC) – Running through the monuments in DC with Marines handing out water & Gatorade at the aid stations.  Sounds pretty special.

• Rock n’ Roll San Diego – The original Rock n’ Roll marathon in the city known for perfect weather.   I know that all of the Rock n’ Roll events are incredibly well run, and are BIG!

• (new) Athens – The marathon course is based on the myth from which the race gained its name: Pheidippides, a messenger in Ancient Greece, ran from the Battle of Marathon to Athens to announce the Greeks’ victory over the Persians.  The course begins in the town of Marathon and finishes at the Panathinaiko Stadium in Athens, a site for athletics competitions in ancient times and the finishing point for both the 1896 and 2004 Olympic marathons

• (new) Missoula (Missoula, MT) – Ranked by Runner’s World readers as the best marathon in the US in 2010.

• (new) London Marathon – One of the five World Marathon majors (along with Boston, Chicago, New York & Berlin).  Can’t think of a better way to experience London than with 35,000 other runners on a fast course.

• (new) Berlin Marathon – Another of the World Marathon majors, and an extremely fast course.  Home of the world-record of 2:03:59, set by Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie in 2008

• (new) Ogden (Utah) – Another marathon that is supposed to be among the most beautiful in the US, but without the steep climbs of Big Sur.  5400’ at the start and 4300’ at the finish.

Tier 2:

• Miami – A flat, sea-level course in beautiful Miami.  Finishers get a spinning palm tree medal.

• P.F. Chang’s Rock n’ Roll Phoenix – I love the natural beauty of the Phoenix / Scottsdale area, and like the idea that the half and full are on different courses.  As always, Rock n’ Roll events are a lot of fun.

• Little Rock – Another one that is about the medal.  Like having a dinner plate around your neck.

• Cincinnati Flying Pig – Why?  – Two-Sided Flying Pig Medal….

• Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey (Nashville, TN) – Basically 2 laps around the main drive in Percy Warner park (1 in each direction).  I regularly train in PW park, and to say it is challenging would be an understatement.  Each lap has over 1250’ of elevation change.  Not certified, not a BQ, but I really want to do this one.  Part of it is because it is my hometown.  Part of it is the beauty of the park.  Part of it is the cool, wood, flying monkey medal.  Part of it is getting the bragging rights for finishing this brutal course.  Plan to register for this one in 2011 if I don’t get selected in the New York lottery.

• (New) LA Marathon – A point-to-point, net downhill course through the second largest city in the US.  I have never been to LA except through the airport.  Seems like a fun way to experience the city.
  

Completed Marathons:

1. Chicago – October 11, 2009 – 3:53:05

2. St. Jude Marathon (Memphis, TN) – December 5, 2009 – 3:42:22
   

3. Knoxville – March 28, 2010 – 3:39:12 – Race Write-Up

4. Country Music Marathon – April 24, 2010 – 3:52:55 – Race Write-Up

5. Twin Cities (Minneapolis, MN) – October 3, 2010 – 3:25:38 – Race Write-Up

6. Rock n’ Roll San Antonio – November 14, 2010 – 3:24:13 – Race Write-Up

7. Walt Disney World – January 9, 2011 – 3:43:08 – Race Write-Up

8. Mercedes (Birmingham, AL) – February 13, 2011 – 3:39:46 – Race Write-Up

So what great races are missing from my list?