I heard about the Honduras house-building project while attending a college and career event at my church. 

At first, it appealed to me solely because it was occurring in January. 

Since I was finishing my degree in December and I didn't have a job lined up yet, it seemed like an opportune time to go on an international project/trip.

Two weeks later, I approached the person heading up the team, Rhonda, and asked her for more information. She told me the deadline to book my flight at the great price she had found was in five days. Aaack -- I needed to make a quick decision!

At first, I decided not to go because of some confusion about support raising. However, Rhonda phoned me on the day of the deadline, and cleared up the confusion. She told me I could have until Wednesday morning to decide about the project and get back to her. It was Monday.

I started praying and thinking hard about the project. It seemed like I should go, and I didn't have any good reason not to go, but I wanted to make sure it was God's will for me.

I was challenged by a Campus Crusade for Christ staff member to examine ways that God may have been preparing me for this trip.

I believe one way is in the issue of trust. This is a theme that has come out of a book I am studying called Experiencing God, by Henry Blackaby. 

I have known for years that God loves me and wants what’s best for me, and that I can trust in Him. But to a certain extent, it has only been head knowledge. I am now coming into a deeper understanding of the reality of God’s love, and how I can really trust in Him in all circumstances. 

This is an issue for me going to Honduras, as I have never traveled internationally before, and the prospect frightens me to a certain extent. I know that I can trust in God though, and that He is in control.

A second way God has been preparing me for this project is by developing my heart for mercy ministries. 

The past three months, I have become increasingly frustrated with our North American society, and the greed that is so prevalent in it. It seems many people only care about their own wealth. We are indoctrinated by the commercial media with the lie that wealth and possessions will bring us happiness, and so we spend our days striving for these rather than caring for each other and for those less fortunate than us. 

This attitude is a fairly new one for me, and I hadn’t really acted on it yet (besides filling a Samaritan’s Purse shoebox), so the opportunity to build houses in Honduras seemed like an awesome opportunity to act on what God has been teaching me (Matthew 25:34-40).

By Tuesday evening, I had pretty much decided to join the Honduras team, but I wanted to sleep on it. I tried phoning Rhonda to find out when I could contact her the next morning, but she wasn't home.

Wednesday morning, I phoned Rhonda's home again, but again she wasn't home. I went to my college, and tried calling a couple more times throughout the morning, but she was not to be found. I checked my phone messages at home, but there was nothing. I knew that the deadline was sometime that morning, but I had no way to contact Rhonda.

I went to a computer lab to work on an assignment. I had a class at 2 p.m., so I decided at 1:30 to try one final time.

I called her house. Again, no answer. But then, when I phoned for my messages, there was one. This is the gist of it: "Hi Tavis. It's Rhonda calling. Sorry to harass you again, but I just wanted to check one final time if you'd like to join the team. I'm at work (she left her work number ) and I'll be phoning to confirm the plane tickets at 2 p.m. I don't even know if you'll get this message by then."

I excitedly phoned Rhonda at work. It was 25 minutes until the deadline. Rhonda was excited too.

"I had just put everything aside to pray for you," she said.

I believe God has pulled together this team to go to Honduras. It’s been amazing to see the miraculous way it has come together. I’m excited to see how God will work through me in Honduras, and how it will deepen my relationship with Him. I am hopeful that through this project, the people of Honduras will be blessed, and will see Christ’s love in our team.