More from Honduras

Hola! We are here! We're in Honduras! I think Donna already posted that, but I just wanted to reiterate that we did in fact survive our travel day and we are here, safe! Thank you, Lord!



I'm going to break down this blog into a few parts to tell you about the last few days. We'll start with Saturday...(side note: I apologize for the delay in updates, but the "rainy season" has hindered our internet access a bit...also, it has caused us to drive through torrential rain runoff in an old school bus, calm down, we're okay!)



Saturday was our travel day and most of us had been awake since early morning Friday, so by the time I went to sleep on Saturday night, I had been awake for something like 39 hours, and I'm pretty sure that was the case with most. It was well worth it though. When we arrived in Honduras we were picked up from the airport and immediately wisked away to Good Shepard Children's Home, which is an amazing home for children. We were greeted at the gate by armed gaurds, which was a bit of a shock for me, but they let us pass and the fun began! The guys with us, especially those who had visited before, were so excited and ready to play soccer with the kids, and the kids were equally ready to play! Those of us who did not want to play were busy coloring, making bracelets and playing other games with the children. We were not able to stay at Good Shepard long due to our travel day agenda and we loaded back onto the bus, said "adios" to our new (and old) friends and headed off to Villa Gracia, our home for the week.

Villa Gracia was more than I could have expected, considering the homes I saw on the way up the mountain, it truly is a haven; safe and beautiful. We ate a wonderful meal, received a quick orientation, had a group devotional and WENT TO SLEEP! I have never slept so soundly in my life...(until Sunday night! ha!)



Sunday morning started with an amazing breakfast at 7:30am, followed by a group devotional, and then church at Los Pinos. The church service was primarily in Spanish and we were blessed to have Nathan and Janet translate some of the service for us. It was beautiful to have the mixed Spanish/English congregation and it was evident that we were all there praising the same God. After the service we had an opportunity to play with the children from the congregation and community for a while and then we headed to our first worksites of the trip. We split into two groups for three projects. Some of us headed to a house near the church building where we built a complete roof. The second project was digging into the hillside to create a foundation bed below a house that was beginning to slide. The dirt was very sand but was mixed with garbage, clothes, and other waste (if you know what I mean). All of this had to be carried in buckets up steep steps (we were on a mountainside). Side note: also mixed into the dirt was a GIANT tarantula...yep...tarantula. Third project was to start the corner posts for a new house. However, it was located down a muddy trail, one hundred feet below the nearest walkway. All of the material had to be carried down the steep slope. I cannot begin to tell you the hardwork that the team put into these projects. We were absolutely exhausted; the travel day exhaustion turned out to be light in comparison. But it was all worth it and it was evident that God was providing strength that we did not have on our own. Second side note: at the same site as the tarantula, I overheard some little girls yelling, "serpiente! serpiente!" and let me tell you, even to those of us who don't speak or understand a lot of Spanish, THAT translates! However, it was just a tiny baby snake, so all was well.

The projects were so rewarding and the people we were helping were so grateful and adamant that God had sent us as a miracle. They are all affiliated with the Iglesia de Cristo of Los Pinos (the Church of Christ in Los Pinos) and have been recommended for help by the Preacher who has been helping as at almost every site. The faith of these people is incredible and has touched my heart profoundly. They have so little and we have so much and yet their faith far surpasses mine; it's truly amazing.

Please know that the we have done so much and met so many amazing people and played with children who are loving and sweet and absolutely filthy and I'm sorry that this is somewhat lacking in detail, it would take weeks to give every wonderful detail and we are exhausted! Please take time to sit with us when we get back and look at our pictures and I'm sure we will all want to share the intimate details of the ways and specific people and children and experiences that have profoundly touched our hearts.

Tonight, however, we are going to sleep! ;) Love to all, tomorrow we will write about today's experience, we'll probably always be behind...lo siento!