Adios - used for both hello and goodbye

The time has come for me to end this chapter in my story. Three months has come and gone and I'm back on American soil. Like any good book, all the chapters play a part on what is still to come. Depending on how far along you are in the book, sometimes you have more questions than answers and you are left hanging until you read a little farther. Other chapters may be slower than others. My favorite chapters are when you find out what you have been waiting for so long to discover.

This chapter in my life has been full of adventure, trial, persistence, growth and excitement. I'm not sure everything that God is going to do with what he has shown me during this time but, I'm sure some of the new skills I have learned will equip me for whats ahead.

I know it will take me a little while to re-adjust to things now that I'm home. My prayer is that I won't fall back into "routine", but will continue to listen to the whispers of God as I follow him everyday.

Thanks for following me. Hope you enjoyed the journey! Adios

The Lost get Found

You may draw your own conclusion to this story but the only way I can explain what I am about to share is nothing short of a miracle and many many prayers. To get the full picture I recommend reading my post “El Hoyo” if you haven’t done so already. It explains the story of a small boy named Pablo who has been living on the streets and smoking crack at the young age of 12. Every time we would go to Ceiba, Lisa and I would look for him. It was no easy task in a large city with many possibilities of where he could be. Unfortunately, almost every time we did spot him, he would run or he wave for us to leave, I think because he didn’t want us to see him in such a state. Lisa would tell me hurt, and frustrated at the corruption, "who would give such a small child drugs and why is no one doing anything?" or an even harder question she would ask was, "what should I do? He's going to die here. If not from the people, then from the drugs." Feeling helpless and unable to process a good conclusion myself, I would look back at her unable to say any comforting words.

Almost two weeks ago one of Lisa’s foster boys, Oder, who is 16 years old and back with his birth mom now in Ceiba, spotted Pablo sleeping under the bench the park. He had lived with Pablo for a little while when they were both living at Lisa's house. Oder bought him a Baleada with the little money he had and took the time to talk to him. I’m not quite sure all that happened in that conversation but by the time they were done conversing, Lisa told me she got the call that Pablo saying he wanted to come back home. There were a few other people that came alongside Pablo during this time as well, helping steer and guide him in the right direction after he had made his decision and the next time we went to Ceiba we were going to pick him up to take him home after 2 and a half months of him being away.

I had mixed emotions about this at first. This would most likely interrupt the peace at the house, create more work for Lisa, who knew what the withdraw stage would be like, and there is always the possibility of him running again. Yet Lisa knew all this and was still overjoyed that he wanted to come home. 

It reminds me of the story about the lost sheep and the sheperd who left his 99 to find the 1 and was overjoyed when he found it. Why is the one so important? Don’t the 99 matter as well? As I’m thinking about it, I don’t think that the point of the story is that the 99 don’t matter, but that each one is equally important, so important that the shepherd goes after it even though he has 99 others. No matter which of the 100 would have left, it wouldn't have mattered, he still would have gone after it. 

This woman is an inspiration to me and a beautiful picture of what I believe Jesus feels for all of us. No matter how much we mess up and run away Jesus is waiting with open arms. He continues to pursue us and love us.  This doesn’t mean that we won’t have to live with the consquenses of our bad decisions or that it will be an easy process but it will be a journey worth walking with Him.

I never would have thought that when this kid ran away that there was any chance of him returning. Not after all the hurt and pain I'd seen as a result or him leaving. But, I was blessed to see this beautiful miracle of love, hope, faith and restoration. Pablo has a long way to go, but it looks like he is making good progress. God is working in his life and I look forward with anticipation to hear more of what God continues to do in his life and the lives of those around him.

Measuring Time

It's hard to believe that I only have 8 days left until I'm back in the States. I realized today how much more I value time when I feel like it's slipping away.

I was at the beach with the boys today and I treasured our moments of playing in the waves as we enjoyed cooling off from the hot and sticky day. I listened to them just laugh and laugh as I  tried to memorize the sounds before they faded to a memory.

Later that day we went to the park. I wasn't sure what they wanted to do at the park since there was no play structure and I couldn't think of anything fun to do there but I was wrong. They found bottles to kick, other bottles to shoot tops out of like guns and trees to climb. Later they found lots and lots of tops from bottles of soda and played checkers in the dirt with them. They have taught me so much. The importance of being content, enjoying and making the most of the things that you have, can be such a hard but valuable lesson. Sometimes I want to be more like them.

Tomorrow I leave for the island of Roatan to take a few days to debrief and reflect on my time here.  I'm so incredibly excited that I will meet my mom there and we will finish out my trip together. We will stay in Roatan until Wednesday and then spend a few days back in Balfate before we go home.

Its hard for me to think about saying good bye, its always something that is so bitter sweet. Looking forward to what's ahead while closing another chapter. The boys will ask me.."Estephani, when are you coming back?"...and I look at them, trying not to tear up while I say.."I'm not sure".

Cayos

Lisa and I had been trying to figure out a little get-a-way with the boys for quite some time now. Between juggling finding somewhere affordable, getting someone to stay at the house, and making sure the dogs were taken care of, didn’t make this task easy. Finally the plans were set and we were going to Cayos Cochinos which are beautiful islands off the north cost of Honduras.

We got up early and took the short hour boat ride, where we had hired a private boat from a local fisherman, to take us over. I enjoyed the ride as I looked at the blue water that sparkled like diamonds as the sun rays danced with the waves.

It was sweet to watch one of the older boys, Jelsing, putting his arm around the his younger brother, Isaias, in a loving and comforting gesture as they watched the waves together and searched beyond the blue sea for the islands ahead.  Another one of the boys, Jeremias, was sitting close to Lisa, as he was a bit afraid of the water after a near downing experience as a young child. The last of the four, Ever, was sitting independently and I’m not quite sure what was going through his mind.  We were starting our adventure, the wind blowing through our hair, the taste of saltwater in the air, and the anticipation of a fun time to come.

When we arrived at one of the islands I couldn’t stop smiling or staring at the beautiful water. It was so turquoise and clear that you could see the ocean floor. I felt like I was in a surreal world. It was like I had dived into the pages of a National Geographic magazine. The boys were just as excited. Cayos is made up of 13 islands and we stopped at one of them where we had to sign in and watch a short video on respecting the environment. After that we dropped our bags at the cabin we were staying at and took another small boat to explore a snorkeling spot. 

After some awesome snorkeling we were our way to another island for lunch, when our boat driver spotted some dolphins and we headed toward them. It was an unreal experience as the dolphins were swimming alongside our small boat (about the length of 2 dolphins, and shallow enough that you could put your hand down and touch the water). There they were jumping out of the water, playfully and carefree. There must have been at least 6 or more of them. We all smiled and giggled in delight as we had stumbled upon this rare and majestic experience.

We  had  two wonderful days of snorkeling, swimming, swinging in hammocks, watching sunsets, hunting for seashells and sea glass, and eating local food. It passed all to quickly and before we knew it we were back on the same boat that had taken us over, going home. This time the twin Jeremias who had been afraid of the boat ride just a few days earlier was bolding sitting by himself at the front of the boat. The waves were much more rough coming back and with the choppy water I thought for sure he would be afraid. The boat driver slowed down at one point and asked him “Papi (an endearing term), quieres ir aqui con nosotros?” “Do you want to come back here with us?” He turned around as much as he could with his restricting life vest. His  hair was windblown and he had slashes of water on his face but he was grinning ear to ear shook his head no. 

Yes, yes indeed, it had been a good trip. Not only had we lived in a fairytale land for two days but this boy had also conquered a very real fear  and was the bravest of us all.

Mancho

It was dump day. Lisa and I were going into town to run some errands and visit the dump. The first thing that we did when we got into town was to pick up Mancho. He is a 14 year old boy who lives in the dump and is part of a gang. There are different levels of gangs here. Some are bad, others worse and others horrible. Thankfully the one he  is in only qualifies as bad, but none the less its a gang. He is a really good kid, but has been hanging around the wrong people. 

Today Mancho was going to have a change of scenery by hanging out with us :) He went where we went and helped us with our errands. We didn’t do anything special, but we got to show him love by just hanging with him. The thing I remember the most about that day is going to the grocery store with him. He helped me push the cart around and showed me which rice was the best and I showed him which toothpaste I liked. I was impressed by his gentle spirit and curiosity to learn. Something that I have noticed about the culture here, especially in poverty stricken areas, is that people don’t speak with kindness when asking for something. At the dump people say “Give me this, or that”. There usually is no please or thank you. Mancho never once asked me to buy him anything at the grocery store and when I offered to get him a few things he was genuinely thankful. 

Because of Mancho's life circumstances, he doesn't have much of an opportunity to succeed. But, with his big heart there is hope that he can not only survive but thrive. It will not be an easy journey as he has put himself in some bad situations. But, you can tell there is something in his heart that is rare and bold that he himself has not yet fully discovered.  If his character is nurtured into the man God has created him to be, he will be unstoppable.

Thank you

One day I was sitting in the rocking chair outside talking to some of the boys and enjoying the beautiful weather when Lisa handed me her cell phone and said someone wanted to talk to me. I had heard her talking in spanish to this person just moments before and I wondered who it was. “Hola.” I said, praying my spanish wouldn’t fail me now. The answer on the other line was that of a young man. He was calling to apologize to me for stealing my things. He was sorry and asked me to forgive him. I couldn’t believe it, my things had gotten stolen about a month and a half ago. The conversation almost brought tears to my eyes and I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I said of course I forgave him and went on to ask how he was doing. I admire the young man and his boldness and courage to step out of his comfort zone. I knew he was ashamed of what he had done yet he didn’t let that stop him from doing what was right. 

Rewind

Here are three stories from events that happened a few weeks ago but I didn’t get around to writing.

El hoyo

They call it "el hoyo" which means "the hole". It's the place to go to get your drugs. The drug of choice here is crack or "piedra" which means rock. They say its better here, bigger, stronger than you can get in neighboring towns. "El hoyo" is a deep, depressing and dangerous place and once you have fallen in, its like trying to get out from a 100 foot hole with no footholds or places to grab. Even if you can see the light from where you are standing it is almost impossible to reach it or feel its warmth again. The police won't do anything. Their station is literally  next to where "the hole" is.  Its an oxymoron of co-existence. Your only hope is a miracle.

This is where one of the boys, Pablo* (12 years old), who was living with Lisa, choose to return after almost a year of living the life a child should have. They say that it can take up to three years for a street kid to start to begin to come around and that it is normal for them to run. They also say finding a street kid once they are back on the streets is very difficult and nearly impossible if they are in "el hoyo". The reason for this is they sleep during the day when its safer and are awake at night.

One day while Lisa and I were in town, which is about an hour from where we live, we decided to drive through "el hoyo" just to see if by some chance we would see him. Fist we met Juan*, a 14 year old street kid whose face looks like that of and old man because of the drug. Juan is "a looker". He takes the people who want to buy drugs to the drug dealers. Lisa was talking to him to see if we could find out where Pablo was.

During this time I was waiting in the car trying to take everything in. I was watching the faces of the people who passed by. Some were high, some were wondering what these white girls were doing in this part of town, some were police men with there large guns and expressionless faces - all seemed hopeless.

Then I hear Lisa yell, "Pablo, venga" she called. He ran down an alley. She decided to talk Juan some more and bought him some lunch. As we were driving away Juan waves us over. We round the corner and there is Pablo with Juan holding him so he wouldn't run away. Lisa jumped out of the car and ran to embrace him. She held him tight and they talk for a little while.

 I can still see the picture of them talking clearly in my head. This once healthy looking boy looked nothing like he did when he was with us just 5 weeks ago. It was like the life had been sucked out of him. He was scrawny, with murky eyes, wild hair, and tattered clothes.

Lisa returned to the car with tears strolling down her cheeks. She told me he said didn't want help, he said he was fine where he was. Trying to process the hurt and the pain, we drove away.

*Names of kids have been changed.

Laundry in every country

Clothes get dirty. You can wash them by hand and hang them up to dry or put them in a washer and dryer, but either way you have to do something to get them clean again.

During the two weeks that I was in charge of the boys I realized that with 4 of them, there was always laundry to do. I could not escape it. Inevitably boys get dirty with all their playing outside.  If I didn't do any laundry they would run out of clothes to wear and that just wasn't an option.

Laundry has reminded me of a very important lesson. There are some things in life that I have to do that are not always fun but are necessary. The difference isn't how I do them but what my attitude is towards doing them.

I like to argue with God. "God, I know I said I wanted to come here to serve you, but I wanted to make a difference and do something great. This isn't exciting and cutting edge like I hoped it would be. This is normal everyday life."

I can see His gentle smile as he looks me in the eyes and reminds me, "Yes my child, you did come to serve. You came to serve me. You find your worth not in the things that you do, but in your faithfulness to do what I have chosen for you. Keep your eyes on me and remember, there is laundry in every country".

Movies and a hospital bed

Jeremias needed to spend the night at the hospital which frazzled me a little bit. I thought they were just going to drain some junk out of his chin and we would be on our way (I know...you like my technical term). How was I suppose to be two places at once? How could I watch the boys at home and be at the hospital at the same time?

I emailed Lisa and we figured it out. One of the workers, Argentina, who has been helping me out, would spend the night with Jeremias and I would be with the boys. It meant more work for me in the morning but that would be ok.

From the hospital I drove to pick up the rest of the boys then drove to pick up Argentina, then drove home. We ate dinner, piled all the boys back into the car with Argentina and went back to hospital, then drove home for the night. Good thing it's only a 10 minute drive to the hospital. The only challenge is trying to dodge ALL the holes in the dirt road along the way! I am also thankful that I learned to drive stick when I first started driving or this situation would have been a lot more difficult.

I got the boys ready and off to school the next morning, went the hospital  to pick up Argentina, went to pick up Fidel, who is another worker, drove them back home then drove back to the hospital to be with Jeremias. By now I was becoming a pro at dodging the holes,  cows and dogs on my way to and from.

When I finally got back to the hospital Jeremias wanted me to watch movies with him. It wasn't enough that we were in the same room, we had to be doing the same thing. He would tell me what was going to happen next in the movie or asked me if I liked a certain part. I didn't know I would be continuing to learn my Spanish through kids movies, but it works for me!

Later that day, I found out the doctor wanted to keep him one more night because they don't have a fancy machine (I think its called an EKG) to check to make sure everything was still looking good.



God is teaching me serving comes in all kinds of ways. It can be as simple as snuggling with one of His kids in a hospital bed while watching movies in Spanish and if I get to do it two days in a row, it's a blessing!

Wait..no..I don't do vomit

One of the boys, named Jeremias, had a growing lump under his chin for about a week. It wasn't getting any better so the doctors decided that they would cut into it to see if they could get anything out and to try to figure out what was going on.

They gave him a shot to put him to sleep and worked on his little body. I waited in the waiting room until they were finished with the procedure. Once it was over the doctor came out and asked me to wait with him as he was waking up. She said sometimes they are a little disoriented or sometimes they can be a little nauseous.

I conjured up my most motherly skills and went into the room. I rubbed his back and hummed him a song as he tried to orient himself and his surroundings. His eyes were dialated and hazy as he  looked at me half asleep.

Sometimes he would say, "Vamanos" or "y Isaisas? y Jelsing?". He wanted to leave and wanted to know where his brothers were. I told him we couldn't leave just yet and that his brothers were waiting for him. This was not a sufficient answer for him and he tried to sit up a little to show me that he was ready to go, but before he got to his feet he started to throw up. I had to leave the room! I don't have this motherly gifting yet! I think you get that when you have your own kids. My gag reflexes started to kick in and I too would have been right next to him throwing up if I hadn't left. I called for the doctor who was in the other room and said, "I'm so sorry I can't be with him right now...or we will have to clean up two peoples throw up." She laughed, saying my face was priceless as she went into the room to move him to a clean bed. After I took a few deep breaths I returned to try to comfort him. "Good thing that's over," I thought, "He doesn't have anything left in his  tummy i think I can manage it from here." It wasn't 5 minutes later that it started all over again. This time I was determined I would suck it up and be there for him. I tried telling him he was ok and rubbed his back. Holding my breath I moved the sheets from the previous bed that were still full of throw up, put down a new sheet and gave him a clean place to try to rest. When the doctor returned she congratulated me for making in through this time and I must admit that I was kind of proud of myself as well.

"Vamanos". He repeated over and over. I couldn't have agreed with him more but unfortunately he wouldn't be going home tonight.

Welcome to our restaurant

One of the things I was hoping to experience while living here was eating authentic food, things that I wouldn't likely get in the states. Yesterday after I cooked an American dish for lunch, I told them they could be the chefs for dinner.

They asked me "can we pick the flowers from behind the house to eat for dinner". I told them they could and when I went to go check on them they looked like little monkeys, high in the tree. They came in with there bags full of little pink flowers, much more than we could eat by ourselves for dinner. Then I had an idea. I asked them "how would you like to cook them for some more people who are visiting from the states?" I was sure the other visiting missionaries at the hospital would want to experience the culture in this way as well. Their faces lit up as they pondered the idea of being the chefs of the evening. We went through the kitchen gathering the ingredients we would need to bring - eggs, meseca, oil, flowers and green beans.  On the hospital grounds there is a "hotel" for visiting teams and they have a large kitchen downstairs.We hopped in the car and were off to our "restaurant". 

The two younger boys lost interest in being the chefs when there was other things to do, but the older two were up to the task at hand. They started preparing the tortillas as I helped separate the flowers. As people came into the kitchen they would hand them a tortilla saying "Probalo", "try it". They would study each persons reaction as they tested their creation. When the "customer" said they like it they would stand up a little taller, very proud of themselves, and continued with their cooking.  

Another couple had prepared chili and bread, which was good because we wouldn't have had enough for all of our guests. When the food was ready we went upstairs to the dining room table which was prepared nicely and lit by candle light. There was 12 of us altogether. We enjoyed good food and company as we fellowshipped together. It was a different experience for some of the boys and you could tell they were trying to take it all in, not quite sure what to do at times.

We had dessert which another gal had made, said our goodbyes and called it a night.

I think they have a future business as restaurant owners, now we just have to come up with a name. 

Taming the Waves

One of the things that the boys love to do is go to the beach. They especially like to bring there "lanchas" which is a boogie board and styrofoam surf board and ride the waves. They are very fun to watch as they help each other paddle out trying not to get pushed back to shore before catching the perfect ride in.

One of the boys while waiting for his turn on the "lancha",  had found a stick on the beach and was playing in the water. He is the smallest of the four boys but loves to use his imagination.   I couldn't help but smile and laugh as he was slapping his stick, with all his strength, against the waves as they came towards him. It was as if he was saying "take that" you wave, "I'm the master here". He did this for several minutes ready to teach each wave who was boss. I think he thought that maybe if he did it enough times the waves would cease to come in and surrender to his strength, giving up the fight. When the waves persisted he finally jumped over them, throwing himself into the mercy of the water as if to say "this time you win".

Playing Mom

This past week I have been in charge of the kids as Lisa is away temporarily for 2 weeks. I have tons of help and am not alone in this task and am so very blessed with all the people who are helping me and making sure I'm ok. Being responsible for these kids is teaching me a lot. They help me see life/ in a new way, challenge my patience at times and always keep life interesting. Here are a few stories from the week.

Life

Wow I can't believe it has been almost 3 weeks since I wrote my last post. Time flies by.

I am settling into life here and am starting to finally feel more comfortable speaking Spanish. Every day is a little different which keeps things interesting. I have been planning English lessons, working on cleaning and organizing projects, doing hair cuts, going to the dump, and playing with the kids...just to name a few of the things I've been up to.


During this time God has been teaching and molding me more and more into the person that He has created me to be. Every morning my prayer is that I will be able to hear his whispers and follow close to whatever it is he has for me that day. I am being stretched and hopefully being made more pliable so that I will continually remember to yield to Him. This morning I was reading Psalm 143:8 which says it nicely "Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you."

I never know what each day will hold, I only know it will be a little different than I expect it to be. I get to continually practice being patience, coming up with creative solutions, as well as learn how to gently direct, as I continue to work with the boys. They are such great kids, with huge hearts and who have already taught me a lot. They are great helpers, desire to learn, want to do good, and for the most part play really well together. Each day has it's learning moments or times when I feel I can't take anymore, when I just have to take a deep breathe and ask God to give me strength and guidance for the situation at hand.

I'm also remembering not to take things for granted, such as having electricity and internet. I surprise myself how dependent I can get without realizing it until I don't have it when I would like it. During these times I remember I can go 24 hours without these things and my world will not come to an end. But I have become more prepared when theses situations arise :)

More thoughts soon...

Miracles

I am so overwhelmed by the goodness of God and His faithfulness. Yesterday morning we got a call from the mother of the boys who took our stuff and she said she wanted to give it back. When Lisa told me I could hardly believe it. Could they really still have my computer? It had been 3 or 4 days and I figured they had sold everything by now. We got in the car and went to the meeting spot where the lady said she would be. I tried not to get my hopes up just in case she didn't show and sure enough when we got there she wasn't there. We asked around to see if anyone had seen her and no one had. "Lord what is going on?" I thought. "What do we do from here?" Just then a police car drove by us and we decide to ask for their help. We had a strong Honduran man with us, who knew knew Lisa and obviously knows the culture, and he thought it was ok to go with them. So we hopped in the police car and with the 4 police men and their rather large guns we went searching, but to no avail. After 45 minutes of driving down bumpy roads, asking around, and receiving many strange and confused looks decided to return to the car. On the way back we passed by the original meeting spot and we saw the mother. She had our things with her! Lisa got back her DVD player and CD player and a few other things and I got my computer.

 Later that night when I got to look at my computer there was not even a scratch on it and everything that I had on it was still there. It still blows my mind. The chances of getting it back were slim to none and getting it back all in tact 4 days later is nothing short of a miracle!

Thanks for all your prayers!

Language Barriers...and more

I have only been in Honduras for 9 days but I still get frustrated with myself when I can't understand the language. My brain has been processing a lot of information and  trying to  put a new language on top of it is challenging to say the least.

 I have 3 semesters of Spanish from Sierra College and 6 months of experience in Mexico but sometimes I feel like I can't understand a word. I am realizing the power of words since I am limited by them.The kids are patient with me and try to repeat things, say them in different ways and act things out :) I know God can still use me in spite of my limitations and through them He can shine brightly because I will know it is Him and not I who is working.

I am also trying to observe how each kid learns and what their strengths are. Having two boys that have never been in school is like having a 5 year old in an 11 year old body. I have to readjust my expectations and find creative ways that they can learn. I am constantly trying to think of new ideas, crafts and projects that they will like and will help them succeed.. I have to continually pray throughout my day for God to give me patience and guidance.

They only have until the end of this week until they start school so I think my role will be changing a little..we will see where God leads.

Living by faith and not by sight

These past few days have been very difficult and stretching. 

Saturday

On Saturday morning two of the boys who have live here with Lisa the longest ran away. It is heartbreaking that they did this after she has poured so much time and energy into them. And they not only ran but they also took some of her things with them. 

How could they do this I thought? Why would you want to run from opportunity, safety, love, and a good life. But the streets is what they know. I feel like God sometimes asks me the same question. "My child, why do you run from the good I have for you. Why do you not trust me with all your heart and remember that I have amazing plans for your life?" And this is often my response to him, "Well Abba, its unknown. How can I know for certain when I cannot see? When I am uncomfortable with something I don't want to continue, I want to go back to the security of the known even if its not the best for me." 

Sunday

Today was the twins birthday! We went to the circus. When we got there we realized it was more than we thought it would be but decide to go anyway. When we get to the counter the lady gave us a deal! Its neat to see the provisions of God when you are at the end of yourself and are forced to trust Him. 

The circus was a blast. We saw lions, tigers, a kangaroo, a camel and a bunch of neat acts. After it was over and by the time we got home I was very tired. In addition to the circus today, I had broken up a dog fight, found out a child had died at the children center, was still trying to process what the boys had done and another boy had come to visit who was possibly going to be stay with Lisa.  It was a full day emotionally and physically to say the least. I was ready to hit the sack when I got to my "casita" and realized the lock was off. 

I called for Lisa and she came with one of the older boys and when we got inside we found out that indeed I had been robbed. My computer, money, chocolates, milk and bread were all gone. I just started crying. It was the thing that pushed me over the ledge. I had never been robbed before. I felt violated. After looking around we came to the conclusion that it was probably the boys. We can't be 100% sure but we have reasons to believe it was them. Part of me hoped it was and part of me hoped it wasn't. My mind was to jumbled to think clearly.

Tuesday

Today I took the boys to a nearby hot springs along the river. As we were walking these worship lyrics came into my head, "We live by faith and not by sight for You, we're living all for you." I don't know what God is going to do with my time here in Honduras, but I do know that I am here for a reason and the timing is not by chance. Where I'm living is not a dangerous place. Lisa has had at least 6 other Americans stay with her and nothing like this has ever happened before. At times I walk in fear. Fear that is not from God but of from my own thinking. Satan would like to creep in wherever he can because he doesn't want God's will to be done. This doesn't mean I should be smart about things, but I will hold onto the promise that He has placed me here for such a time as this and trust He is in control even when I cannot see.

Fist Day

Today the boys met me at my "casita" at 9. The all came in with their notebooks and pens and were ready to learn. It was so fun to see there faces light up as they were excited to show me their past work and were eager to learn something new. It's interesting when you don't fully understand a language how you pick up on other things such as body language and emotions.

They all sat down at the table and Jose asked me where he could find some tape. I showed him and he went around the table putting a piece on the table in font of each of the kids so that they could right their name on it. Then when everyone had their name he asked if we could pray. This kid comes from a rough background and has been to countless foster homes and now he is initiating prayer?! God is at work here and I feel so blessed to be able to see the fruits of what he is doing. I am overwhelmed with the blessings of working with these kids. They have so much love to give and so much grace with me, I feel I am learning more from them than I am teaching, which I knew was to be expected :)

However kids will be kids and throughout the day situations  arose and we would have to talk about it. It has been a stretching experience because consistency is important and I am trying to learn how Lisa does things with them, what is culturally acceptable and what is appropriate for each age. Its going to be an experiment on finding out what works and what doesn't.

After doing some school work for a little while we went to the beach which is only a short distance from the house...less than a five minute walk. There the boys enjoyed the ocean and I enjoyed watching them as they would do flips into the water, dive into the waves without a care in the world.

Tonight we had bible study at church which is also less than a 5 minute walk. I was surprised that the boys sat through the 2 hour service. They sang the songs  (some of them with their loudest voice) and looked at their bibles, trying to find the passages the pastor was talking about.

Overall as you can tell today was great. I had some obstacles but nothing that was completely overwhelming. I spent the rest of my evening making tomorrows schedule for the boys, which was fun. I am quickly learning that they do much better with a little structure. It wouldn't be as hard if there were one or two but it is tricky when you have 6 kids doing different things and they all want your help.

I'm absorbing information like crazy and feel like a sponge that can't absorb enough water, whether its learning the correct word in Spanish or the best way to deal with a kid that isn't listening.

Tomorrow i will learn more and so will they. I think its a little easier to be patient with them when I am learning also. Its an adventure we will continue to go on together.

Hasta Pranto.

Traveling

Jan 21st, 2013

After my last plane landed, I was very excited when I finally found Lisa and two of the boys who had all been waiting at the airport to meet me in La Ceiba. I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to make it to La Ceiba that evening because my plane was delayed because the whether was bad. About 2 hours later it opened again and I was finally able to take the short 15 minute flight. When I got there Melvin and Jose, the two boys who have been with Lisa the longest, took my bags for me and we were off. We went to the mall first so that I could eat dinner and later  traveled back to the house which was about an hour away. Lisa and the boys live in a small town called Balfate and she has a guest house which is located on the same piece of property. 

My new home for 3 months is perfect. Before I went to be that night Jose came to the house to give me some sort of ice cream. It was very delicious. He also wanted to make sure that I knew how to lock my door so that no one could come in. I thought it was very kind that he wanted to make sure that I was safe. That night I slept so well because I was very tired from all my traveling.

It's hard to believe that in less than 6 hours I will be on a plane headed to Honduras. The roller coster of emotions is sometimes hard to describe. It has been an amazing and wonderful weekend in Southern California with Brandon and some of  his extended family and friends. I have been blessed by every family we have been with this weekend. 

God is already showing me some of the fingerprints of his working by the way things have worked out this weekend. As some of you know I was trying to raise some money for the foster boys I will be working with for a computer that they could use. I wasn't able to raise quite enough money but on the way down to Southern California God had a surprise planned. 

I got a call from my mom saying that I had received some more support and that one of the supporters said that they had a computer that they could donate. I thought "This is so cool. How am I going to make this work? I'm in Southern California, the computer is in Northern California and there is only a short window of time to get it overnighted before I leave." God had a better idea. I call the couple that was donating the computer and sure enough they were also going to be in Southern California this weekend!!! And... they were only going to be less than 1/2 an hour from where we were! So not only did the support come in for the supplies for the boys schooling and money for their school uniforms but they will also be receiving a new computer. God is so good.

This weekend has been a time of celebration, enjoyment and anticipation. I have been doing my best to live in each moment and appreciate it for what it is. Life is funny sometimes. I have been asking myself...how do you live in the balance? This is something and am learning and there will be more on that note coming soon....