Life is Short

March 11, 2009

This morning I attended my first Honduran funeral. In reality there is not a funeral service as I know them in the States. After a death there is an all night vigil with the family and the body. Then within 36 hours the person needs to be buried since no embalming happens. I went to the cemetary this morning for the burial of the son of a woman from my church who often comes to camp to help cook. It is a sad story because he was killed and had just married last year. The mother had just been thanking the Lord for His protection over her family who lives in a more dangerous part of San Pedro Sula. And now less than three weeks later, tragedy has struck. It is one of those situations where it does not make sense the seeminly needless pain and yet God is still Sovereign. I hurt to see her pain and that of her 14 year old son, Bryan, who I also know.

At the burial site there were a few words spoken but then the coffin was whisked off and the burial happened. I had been told the burial was to happen at 9:00AM so I arrived on time. Others came a little later and said that they heard 9:30. And yet still others came later and announced that it was to be at 10:00. I later learned that the family began walking at 9:00AM from their home to arrive at the cemetary. So I had a little wait. The ladies I was with were discussing how at the cemetary the burial has to happen within a certain amount of time or the family had to pay more, perhaps by the minute. One of the woman said that she likes the towns where the burials are relaxed and people can take their time to grieve. There is no time pressure. It would seem that burials are one place where the laid back culture does not permit delays nor waiting ... unless you want to pay for it.

Last evening I was driving into downtown San Pedro to drop Evelin off at the church when suddenly a man dashed across the road, such that I almost hit him. I honked but as soon as he jumped on the sidewalk, I realized that he was probably running from something. Sure enough Evelin noted a security guard leaving from a nearby building, probably in pursuit of the man. All of this has reminded me again of the dangers that exist here in Honduras (though all over the world too) and the need to be careful and always in prayer. And sometimes God's answers to my prayers are not what I had expected or hoped for but that is where faith comes in and trusting that He still is in control.