Identification

Sightseeing took on a new meaning in one of my side trips during my Caribbean Cruise. Instead of taking another snorkel excursion, I decided to hire a local taxi driver to show us the main town in Roatan – Honduras. I really wanted to see how the locals lived.
While most folks shied away from this ‘adventure’, I picked out a cabby and after settling for a reasonable rate, we headed off into the unknown.
With my ten word Spanish vocabulary – I was able to make some conversation with my cab driver. We introduced ourselves and during the course of the “Spanglish” conversation, I told him I was a “Pas-tore” and his eyes lit up. He quickly reached over shook my hands and told me he was a Pentecostal Christian. It’s strange how a simple identification of faith can dramatically change a “foreign” experience.
Immediately the atmosphere changed – no longer did I view myself as a vulnerable tourist but a fellow brother in the Lord.
We drove through the entire town, took some pictures and headed back to our cruise ship.
We made sure to pay him extra as this was no longer just a simple business transaction, but an opportunity for blessing a brother. I came back with a fresh appreciation of what we have and a renewed sense of mission.