Every Trip to Honduras is Amazing - Brenda and Dale Hyche

Dale and I have completed two trips to Honduras. The first in 2001, and after that first trip, we were hooked; - but for the next several years we concentrated our time on helping with Dale’s aging mother, job changes, and waiting on the arrival of grandchildren before the opportunity to go back to Honduras came again in June of 2008. Our first trip took us to Limon, the sewing school and laying the foundation for the woodworking school. Last year we traveled to Utila on Bucket’s team and had an amazing experience. (Every trip is amazing, isn’t it!?)

Within a week of returning from Honduras we were planning for the trip in 2009. However, on November 20 th 2008 Dale was diagnosed with a fast growing type of rare kidney cancer and was scheduled to see a surgeon. The following day, November 21 st we attended lunch at the home of Lexie Hilton, where Sis. Eleanor and other team members were gathered. They prayed for Dale’s healing and that we would still be able to make the AHMEN mission for 2009. That very night at 8:15 pm our son Kenneth, was on duty with the Jasper police force and was involved in a head-on collision when a car – fleeing from another officer - topped a hill on the wrong side of the road sending Kenneth and his partner into a fight for their very lives. They were rescued from their burning police car and both were airlifted by helicopter to UAB where we would spend the next 29 days, coming home for only 6 hours during that time

Kenneth had a total of four surgeries and lay on a breathing machine in ICU for nine days. His partner has since recovered and is back to work. As a matter of fact, the accident which (should have) taken the lives of all five people involved – took none. Praise God! While Kenneth was battling to live at UAB, Dale underwent surgery at Brookwood to have the diseased kidney removed. I went from hospital to hospital and never missed a visiting time. When Dale was discharged from the hospital he came to the hotel next door to UAB for his recovery period.

On December 20 th Dale, Kenneth and I came home in time to be with our family for Christmas. Dale, still weak from surgery himself, insisted on sleeping in Kenneth’s room getting up with him several times during the night to change bandages and help Kenneth turn over in the bed. It will be a while before Kenneth’s recovery is complete but he has graduated from the wheelchair to a walker; from the walker to crutches; and most recently from crutches to a cane. As a single parent he has resumed caring for his three children and is grateful to God for sparing his life so that he can see them grow up.

When Dr. Camp asked me to write an article for this webpage about our experience, I had to wait until I was emotionally able to tell the facts. It would be great (but unrealistic) to say I was never afraid – that I never wondered “why,” but I can honestly say that God is good and God is God, just because that is who He is. He loves us with such great love that even in the tough times we can be assured that He has our best interest up front, and He has a plan. Life is not about me – and life is not about you. Life is about sharing the love of God with a lost world; on the home front and in other countries.

Being the merciful God that God is – He has allowed us to pass through these dark days, with a renewed appreciation for Him. Not because He spared our son, and not because He let me still have my wonderful husband by my side – but simply for the fact that He is GOD, and I love Him so very much. Satan’s attempts to stop us might have slowed us but God’s work still goes on. If not in me, in someone who is willing to embrace Him for all that He is. (Larry Pitts’ work was not stopped upon his death – it was accelerated.)

It is a privilege to stand in the gap and hold the candle so someone else can see. I refuse to give up my spot sitting on the knee of my heavenly Father because the best part of life is spending time with Him in prayer and fellowship.

More than ever my faith is rooted in the Love of God, the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ, and the guidance and counsel of the Holy Spirit. That is what I want to share with as many people as possible, in whatever way God allows.

Livingston Chapel United Methodist Church 2008 team to Utila