¿Cómo se dice, “Mary Faith is at language school,” en español? Oh, never mind — we’ll keep it in English before someone has to diagram a sentence. But yes, it’s true: Mary Faith is once again immersed in language school, bravely tackling the very grammar concepts most of us avoided by pretending our high school textbooks were decorative. This morning’s adventure? Choosing the correct pronouns for direct and indirect objects. Ay, caramba.
“I’m enjoying the school,” she said. “It’s a key part of helping me communicate better in Spanish. Plus, it has been a challenge to attend church and not understand what is being said.”
Next week, the students will head to a local school to sing songs and play games with the kids — a lively blend of ministry, vocabulary practice, and trying to remember the Spanish word for “tag.” The school also schedules regular outings, including trips to the vegetable market where the produce is fresh, and the opportunities to practice Spanish are even fresher.
But language school hasn’t been her only adventure. Mary Faith spent August in Phoenix, visiting family and helping her two younger sons pack up their rental house and move into campus housing. In September, she and Kirstin embarked on their cross-country odyssey — a backpack-collecting pilgrimage with mileage that would make a long-haul trucker proud. Because the route looped through North Carolina twice, Mary Faith got to see her oldest son and his wife two times… and that’s when she received joyful news: she’s going to be a grandmother this spring.
Two weeks after returning to Honduras, she packed up again for language school, where she’ll remain until December 19th. You may be thinking, “Surely she’ll have time to settle back into life in Gracias after that.” Oh, sweet optimism. She flies home to Phoenix on December 22nd to spend Christmas with her family. If suitcases earned frequent flyer miles, hers would have elite status by now.
And then — the surprise of the season. Last week, Mary Faith received her Honduran residency card.
“It was a total surprise,” she said. “I’d been told it could take a year or a year and a half. I sent in my paperwork in June and got an email a couple of weeks ago saying I could go to Tegucigalpa and show my passport. They said it would take five more days to get the card, but I walked out with it that same day.”
The residency card means she no longer has to leave Honduras every ninety days. While she has treasured those frequent visits with family, she certainly won’t miss the extra travel expenses (or the packing… and unpacking… and repacking).
While she’s in the States over the holidays, Mary Faith would love to connect with churches, small groups, or individuals interested in partnering with her ministry. And if you won’t be nearby? Not a problem. Thanks to the wonders of modern technology — and a reliable Wi-Fi signal — she’s happy to set up a Zoom call to share more about her work, her needs, and what God is doing through her in Honduras.
If you’d like to learn how you can support Mary Faith as she continues serving full-time on the mission field, feel free to reach out. She’d love to hear from you.
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