Day 7 ~ Shelter

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Well, our last full day in Honduras was a busy one. Today was a full on build day. We spent our day in a community just over the hill from the Tegucigalpa dump. We split into three teams and set out to build three homes today. Due to the large number of mission teams in the area this week, we had a long wait for lumber. One house was started on time and the other two had to wait for hours to begin. We had lots of time to paint nails and bowl with stones and empty gatorade bottles. Many times, the existing house had to be torn down to rebuild it Ours was one of those. This house was made of particle board, cardboard signs, and palettes, We literally ripped the sides of the house down with our hands and it was completely gone in about 45 minutes. Their new home (16' x 16') took 3 hours to build.
It was beautiful and they were so very proud. Two couples share this home. A few minutes after we left the neighborhood, it poured the rain. How awesome to know that these people will sleep in a warm, dry home tonight. So cool.
We met up with the Los Pinos church tonight at El Picacho, referred to as the Jesus statue. It is an amazingly huge statue lit up on the top of a mountain overlooking the city of Tegucigalpa. We worshiped with the Hondurans, singing along in Spanish and in English. This worship service is a favorite to many of our team. It wrapped up our week perfectly.
A huge THANK YOU to Jen and David who opened their gorgeous home and understand that the home God gave them comes with the understanding that it will be shared, (with 40 some people!) The work that you're doing here is huge, honorable, and life changing. THANK YOU to Sandra and all of her cutie helpers who fed us most delicious meals all week long. They have gone above and beyond by washing clothes for us and taking such sweet care of anyone left behind due to sickness. THANK YOU to Matty K, Garrett, Jen, Colby, and Brianna for preparing for us to come and serve and dealing with so many of the details needed seen to before we got here. THANK YOU to Nathan and Melissa for doing the exhausting job of translating for 40 or so people for 7 days. You were all such a blessing to us and were all such a sweet part of our week together. THANK YOU and WE LOVE YOU!!!
A couple of weeks ago I heard something in a sermon that has stuck with me. "God's will will be done no matter what. It's our decision whether we want to be a part of it." Thank God that so many wanted to be part of his will being done this week. Please, friends, remember the people of Honduras in your prayers. They are a precious people and our God is working here.
Goodnight!!!

Day 6 ~ Clothing and Feeding

Hi Friends! We started out our day with the instructions to pack a full backpack. We were told we would be gone all day and it was true! Early in the morning we split into two teams.

Team one was returning to community that we distributed food in yesterday. The house being fixed was on a very steep hillside. They reinforced the wall and dug a trench to keep the water and mud from running in. Steps were cut out of the hillside to make it easier for the family to get up to their home. Finally, a bunk bed built by Kestner and Garrett was brought in to make some space on the floor. We are returning tomorrow to take them a mattress. Two less babies sleeping on the floor. :-)

Team two visited the hospital. This particular hospital is, let's say, not for the rich. They have separate units, however many children share a room. We split into 5 teams with at least one spanish speaking member and were set loose to visit. Our group was stopped immediately by a woman telling us she was a Christian. She wanted us to pray with her about her grandchild was in need of a surgery.

I know the cancer ward, the maternity ward, the burn unit, and the ER were all visited. We were given the opportunity to smile to, hold the hand of, rub the cheek of, pray with, sit with, and hug, many, many, sick children and healthy parents with broken hearts. Most times while we held their hands and prayed with them in English, they were simultaneously praying in Spanish.

Next we headed up to a school in Valle de Angeles to do a clothes distribution and to make a soccer field for the school children. The road up there was VERY rough and narrow and our busses wouldn't make it. Some rode in a truck and some of us walked up. When the first of our team arrived at the top of the hill, the children were just getting out of school. They were chanting and cheering because they were so excited. We were the first team to come here for something other than feeding them. The clothes were set up in a room in huge piles. They were to form a line and 5 at a time given 12 minutes for 20 limps ($1), and were allowed 20 items. We would help them hold their items while they frantically searched for items. We helped many children get to choose for the first time items that they would LIKE to wear. So special. Extra special was helping little boys shopping for their little brothers.


While half of us were doing the "yard sale", the other half were working on a piece of land that the kids like to try to play soccer on. It had a nice size hill that needed leveled out before we could add the goal posts that we brought along. The tools available were post hole diggers, spud bars, and several hammers, as our shovels were still being used on the house site. The field is done and goal posts are up and the kids that helped had visible pride in the project that they worked so hard on.

We had 1 hour to speed race through the shopping village in the Valle de Angeles. We are, as it turns out, seriously good speed shoppers. We had a blast and we're bringing you home some goodies, well, some of you. :-)

We enjoyed a wonderful dinner at Las Tejas.

We left here and fed at the homeless shelter in downtown Tegucigalpa. A young precious girl named Amber has made a life here providing for the hurting, hungry, and homeless of this town. They are fed 3 hot meals a week here. The smell of....I don't even know what, was coming off of these poor people. Many have turned to smelling fumes of some sort to take away their hunger pains. God is working wonders through Amber who not only feeds them but provides shelter when they are sober and love always. Please keep her ministry in your prayers as it is one that reaches so very many people here.

We're tuckered out but VERY blessed by what God has done though us and with us today. Our last full day is tomorrow. We'll be building 3 houses in the dump community if all goes well with getting wood. Please remember us in your prayers. Goodnight!!!

Day 5 ~ Emotions

Today was spent experiencing heart-rending scenes of surreal poverty, but also sharing and receiving the joy that service brings.



We started out the day returning to the community where we passed out food bags yesterday. We ran out of bags before we could get one to each family, so we had promised to come back. As we descended down the trail, familiar faces started to appear. There were games of hacky-sack, nails were painted, toys and stuffed animals were given out.


We also spent some time talking with Mothers in need of new houses. One house was comprised of a concrete block wall from another house that simply had a structure of wooden frame and tin attached. We are always amazed at how these sweet people can take whatever they have at hand and make it work, but in this case, the tin was all recycled from other houses, and had many holes for rain to poor through. Another remarkable thing about this community is the fact that last year their small church house was rebuilt. It was obviously the pride of the community and they were excited to open it up and show it to us. These mothers and families had chosen to ask for a new place to worship before new homes for themselves.




Next we went into the Tegucigalpa dump to serve lunch. It's so hard to try to describe with words or even pictures what it's like in that place. Swarming hordes of vultures, flies, cows, dogs, people, trucks, and bulldozers shock your senses as you drive in. We got off the bus, and several of our team passed out a meal of beans and tortillas, while the rest of us took bags of pure water and handed them out. We shook hands, played ball, and did our best to bring the love of God. After we got back on the bus, it was pretty obvious that we as a team needed to take some time and process what we'd just experienced. We sang in the echo of the basilica, and then talked about how the dump impacted each of us. Some described it as Hell on earth, and wondered at how these people have the courage to continue living there. We were encouraged by Jen as she told the story of Hagar when she was pregnant with Ishmael and she'd been kicked out of Abraham's camp by Sarah. God took care of Hagar's needs and Hagar named that place Beer Lahai Roi, saying "You are the God that sees me." God sees those people's struggle and we did too. We know that other teams like ours will continue to return to remind them of that.


Our afternoon was spent walking in the community of Los Pinos and carrying food bags to the families there. Los Pinos is a place that we've returned to many times over the years, and there were many happy reunions! After handing out our bags, we gathered with the people in the Iglesia courtyard to share popcorn and cotton candy.

In the evening we enjoyed a delicious meal from Taco Loco, then crepes belga from La Creparia! Our team is seriously committed to serving the people of Honduras in the name of Jesus. Almost as serious is the commitment that some of our team members have to playing soccer, which was proved as more than 15 went to play indoor soccer at 11:00 PM! No broken noses or busted lips this year, so it was a definite success.

P.S. forgot to mention that we spent part of our afternoon yesterday touring the campus of the wonderful Mi Esperanza ministry. Mi Esperanza operates under the assumption that if you put tools in the hands of women to enable them to care for their children's needs, then those children will be healthy, happy and educated, and that's a powerful way to affect change in Honduras. Mi Esperanza teaches computer and business skills, sewing and beautician classes, and also provides micro-loans so that graduates can start their own businesses. They support the ministry with a shop stocked with purses, skirts, dresses and other things produced by the students. So our team had a blast shopping with purpose!

Day 4 ~ Worship

Our team worshipped this morning in Santa Ana, a beautiful tiny town with quiet streets and some very beautiful gardens. Our service was held in a small building with concrete floors, metal chairs, and puppies running in and out every few minutes. Definitely not the kind of church service we are used to, which made it all the sweeter. Worshiping beside these people was so cool. Matt Bortell led us in English worship songs. The Honduran children singing the name "JESUS" at the top of their lungs when we sang "Firm Foundation" was a highlight for many of us. Someone is obviously teaching his name in this place. There was a song leader for the Spanish speaking as well. We had a guy translate the lesson for us, a very good one on wisdom. At one point, we were all singing the same song, at the same time, in our own language, to the same God. Amazing.
After church we went to an orphanage called Casa de Esperanza, or House of Hope. The kids were so excited play with us. They had all been in worship service with us that morning. All of the little boys were given Matchbox cars, which they played with all day. The girls got stuffed animals and were really sweet in their sharing. For lunch, we had a pizza party with them. We even got to look around in their little shop, where several of us laid down some cash.
:-) Jen showed some of us that had never been there around. She explained a little about how things work here. WE heard a few of the childrens' stories and I can't really even express how much these kids need and deserve the love, attention, and support that they get here. We would love for you to take some time to look at their web site, www.cdehonduras.org.
We had a bit of down time this afternoon and many of us napped! YAY! Then we put those big bags of food to good use. We went to a very depressed neighborhood and passed these bags out to the families. I have posted a couple of pictures to TRY to convey the devastation here. They don't do it justice. In order to keep order, we walked to the bottom of the long hill that was crammed with homes. We started at the bottom and worked our way back to the top. We gave them food, a Bible, and told them "God Bless You". There was a little boy, very little, whose house we passed at the top. He ran through the crowd till he got to the base of the hill and was speaking desperately to Lacey. "My daddy has ulcers on the bottoms of his feet. He can't work, he can barely walk. Please can we have some food." We had passed his house. He thought he was forgotten. Too many are. Ugh. Bless his daddy, whom we met. Bless his heart for caring for his family. We're returning tomorrow because many saw us but we ran out of food. We'll spend time with them tomorrow, sitting on their door steps and holding their children.
Please keep us in your prayers. Tomorrow we will do one of two feedings at the dump. We are all having a wonderful time and LOVE spending so much time together in Jen's beautiful home. Love from Honduras to home!

Day 3 ~ Visiting

What a beautiful day here today. It was packed full of time with kids. We spent the majority of our day loving on children who need time with people who show them that someone cares.
This morning we headed out to Good Shepherd. This is an orphanage up on the most beautiful mountain. The owners teach these children how to care for all of their own needs. They farm, wash their own clothes and take care of the animals. There is a different feeling here. The kids are very well cared for and seem happy. That is definitely not to say that they didn't eat up our attention. They ran to the bus to greet us and get to spend some time with us. The girls were pretty much immediately getting their nails painted and their hair done. They were very patient and graciously accepted anything that we wanted to share with them. On the other side of the field there was a massive soccer game. The kids had such a blast and even got to play in jerseys that we were able to share with them.
This afternoon was a bit different. We went to an orphanage that is a boys home. The boys here are basically jailed. They are kept behind bars because if they were not, a life of gangs,drugs, and murder is almost impossible to escape. We were told that last year this visit was just so heartbreaking and desperate. This year was a little better. The owners have added fencing in the back so that the boys are finally allowed to be outdoors some. There is a large wall on the outside, within the fence. Nathan, a Honduran friend and artist, kindly drew a mural on this wall to add some variety to what they see. Our job today was to paint the mural. It is very good. The colors are pictures were bold and beautiful and the message even more so. "Jesus is Everywhere." The boys were invited to help us paint and they very much enjoyed this. They were calm and peaceful even for just a few minutes.
Meanwhile, several of our guys were making another long term difference. They brought lumber and spent 2 or so hours teaching some boys how to build a table and stools. These were needed for the home anyway but those boys LOVED learning to do something with their hands that produced something so awesome. Our guys were so patient and kind with them.
This evening we returned for some delicious dinner and then moved immediately out to the garage to begin the job of making food bags. The process is really something to see. Rice, beans, salt, coffee, chicken bouillon, lard, tomato paste, spaghetti, sugar, and flour are bagged up and an assembly line is made to add the items into a large sack. Sometime this week our team will go into the mountains to deliver these amazing bags of food to families that have no idea where their next meal will come from. We will hand them their food and we will hand them a Bible. That is where their next meal will come from, from their God who is working hard through this team this week.
Lane and Luke are doing better. Thanks for the prayers.

Day 2 ~ Build Day #1

We're not wasting any time here in Honduras. Today was our first build day. The Nashville School in The Valle de Angeles was in need of some classrooms. That was our single job for the day. The project was one 16x16 room for the kindergarteners. The other was 32x16 for the high school students. It was huge undertaking and a learning experience for many of our team that have never had the chance to build a Honduran house. It didn't come easily however. The day was long (8 a.m to 8 p.m.), and wasn't without incident. Although he's fine now, a hammer fell from a roof beam onto Luke Davis' head. He has a pretty nasty cut and did pass out but his mom is taking good care of him. :-) A pretty huge storm came through as clean up was beginning. The job is almost finished. Just a few finishing touches.
The kids were amazing here. There were about 200 students there for their last day of school. We took the popcorn maker and the cotton candy machine. This is a bilingual school and the kids are encouraged to use their English with us. They were very mannerly and were so thankful and excited to get some gifts and some time to play with our team. Tomorrow, when I can track down the right cords, I'll post some pictures of them.
We knew going into today that building these rooms would benefit the children for years to come. We were aware that the director of the school, Miss Valerie, would be so grateful. What we didn't expect was how showing up would affect, Cesar. Cesar is one of the owners of the school. He was aware that we were coming but had forgotten. When he pulled up to the school, he was stunned at how many of us there were. He was humbled and embarrassed by the fact that he had nothing to offer all these people. He didn't have food or money to offer our team. He was told that there was NO expectation from us at all. We were doing it because we love our God and want to help the school that helps so many. Cesar, who apparently shows little to no emotion, broke down in tears. He asked, "what would make someone care enough to come out here and do this without pay?" Miss Valerie shared Jesus with Cesar today.
Please keep a couple of specific things in your prayers for us. Obviously, Luke's head. We want him to heal quickly and not have any trouble with it tomorrow. Also, my 11 year old, Lane, came down with strep throat yesterday as we were landing in Tegucigalpa. He is quite sick. We stayed home all day today. He really wants to work alongside the rest of our team. Please ask God to heal him quickly, too.
Thank you!
Goodnight!

Love Out Loud ~ Day 1 ~2011

Dearest friends and family,

My name is Jenny Bortell. This is my first time in Honduras, my first mission trip. I'm here with my husband and 3 kids. My daughter, Lacey and I will be putting together some blogs for you all at home to share in our daily experiences. So, on that note:

We are HERE and we are safe. Our traveling day was just wonderful. We had no problems at all. Everyone arrived when and where expected, we were on time, our flights were perfect, our luggage arrived, in other words, God was working in every detail. Jen and her interns have given us a welcome above all others. We have such a beautiful and comfortable place to base our week and to renew ourselves.

We visited Casitas Kennedy today. It's an state run orphanage that is the first stop for all orphans needing to go through processing. These sweet kids need some loving and we were there to shower them with it! There was popcorn, cotton candy, and of course, some soccer.

Tomorrow, we will fill you in on some more details but tonight, some sleep is on the menu. Thank you all for your prayers and you support getting us here. We will hit the ground running tomorrow at 7 a.m. to build some classrooms for some very special students. :-)

Goodnight!

Day 8- Saturday 12- KNOW & BELIEVE

Hello Friends and Family,

This is Donna. First off, thank you to Andrew for the blogging this week. He did a great job of conveying our week to those of you who followed along with our journey. Please be aware that your money, your prayers, and your love make you an integral part of this team and we come to Honduras representing Our God and Our Jesus with your strength in Him. Thank you.

Secondly, thank you for all of your prayers. I am thankful to report that it wasn't the Honduran water that took me down on Friday, but it was a nasty virus that lasted for about 12-16 hours. Yuck. The virus had been travelling through the other mission team at Villa Gracia and only infiltrated into ours by taking down Joe early in the week and me on Friday. It was miserable while it lasted but after my fever broke late Friday night, I was all better, just exhausted. Thank you for your prayers and concern. I am certain God worked this to His glory reminding each of us that He is Lord and reigned in the work done on Friday, using our sweet Anna as His vessel. She stepped up and honored Him with her leadership, and we give glory to God for His work through her and the team on Friday.

Saturday morning we slept in a little and had breakfast at 7:45. After loading our luggage onto the bus- half as much as we brought with us because we left the rest on the mountain as shoe and clothing donations- we sat on the "deck" under the tree and had our final team devo. Our Theme this year is KNOW & BELIEVE, and so in the midst of our worship, we wrote out on card stock what we know and believe after this week of God's service in Honduras. Below is what God has revealed to our team as written on our devo cards:

I KNOW that God provides for us even in the worst situations. I BELIEVE that with God all things are Possible.

I KNOW that God answers prayers BIG and small. I BELIEVE God is good.

I KNOW I have sisters and brothers all over the Globe!That makes me happy. I BELIEVE in the HOPE of Jesus!

I KNOW the God of my heart is the God of the dump and He is FAITHFUL, regardless of what my human eyes can see. I BELIEVE Jesus will come again and make all things right.

I KNOW that injustice is everywhere; both here and around the world, BUT I BELIEVE that God will lift those people from that curse... whether here or upon His return.

I KNOW a little faith goes a long way! I BELIEVE He rains many blessings in Honduras.

I KNOW Jesus is all we need. I BELIEVE in the power of prayer.

I KNOW Roy is all that is man- Our team is awesome. I BELIEVE God takes you just how you are and uses you.

I KNOW that only GOD is GOD- that there is joy & peace in serving Him- it is a delight to serve Him together. I BELIEVE we can do far more than we think we can- in His strength.

I KNOW God is good! I BELIEVE He is here.

I KNOW that everywhere I may go in the world that I have a family made 1 in Christ. I BELIEVE that through God, nothing is impossible.

I KNOW that many still need God. I BELIEVE that God uses a few to change the world and give God to many

I KNOW I need to learn Spanish- so I can share the words to give birth to faith. I BELIEVE hearts have been opened of those in Honduras & those returning to the States.

I KNOW that poverty is real. I BELIEVE God is mighty to save.

I KNOW God has created & can see the big picture. I BELIEVE He has a plan.

I KNOW God is healer. I BELIEVE He uses His people to bring the healing.

I KNOW that through God all things are possible. I BELIEVE prayer is one of the most important parts of being a Jesus follower.

I KNOW God is love. I BELIEVE loving is the best way to show them God.

I KNOW that this country has forever changed me, my heart, my life, my faith. I BELIEVE that we make a difference, one person at a time.

I KNOW God loves all of us- Hondurans and Americans. I BELIEVE God has a plan & a hope and a future for all of us.

I KNOW in times of great change & growth, satan attacks are very often. I BELIEVE if God is assisting with the change then the result was His plan and the attacks strengthen us.

I KNOW God is with us always- Jesus is with us no matter how bad things may get. I BELIEVE we all have a purpose- God sent us here for a reason.

I KNOW that God blesses those who bless others. I BELIEVE that we have been richly blessed this week.

I KNOW my God is alive and active. I BELIEVE He works through us to be one.

I KNOW Christians are humans too. I BELIEVE that hard work makes you stronger even when you're tired.

I KNOW that this week we have done God's will and people in Honduras have seen how good God is. I BELIEVE that people have been touched this week by the work that we have done. We brought them hope, happiness, smiles, food, encouragement, and a roof over their heads that brings honor and glory to God.

I KNOW God lives in me. I BELIEVE we can make a difference.

I KNOW He is alive in all of us. I BELIEVE all can be done in the Lord.

I KNOW I climbed the wall faster than Carlos. I BELIEVE that God wants me to be here.

I KNOW God is amazing. I BELIEVE that we have forever changed the hearts of these people.

I KNOW God has plans to PROSPER all people, to give EVERYONE Hope and a future (Jer. 29:11). I BELIEVE it is a blessing to be a blessing.

I KNOW that God is with me wherever I go. I BELIEVE we can make a difference in Honduras.

I KNOW that this is what God has called me to do, serving His people. I know that God will continue to show love and mercy here. I BELIEVE God is faithful.

I KNOW people need hope. I BELIEVE God is the only hope.

I KNOW that my God is bigger than I am- more than I can imagine- capable of more than I give Him credit. I BELIEVE He can work miracles.


God, we give you all glory and praise and honor... You are worthy of it all. Continue the work you began in us in Honduras and the work you began among the friends and "family" that we now have in Honduras that you called us to serve in the name of Jesus. May we all KNOW that you are the LORD our God and may we all BELIEVE in Jesus that we all may have life, now and later, and may we share that hope and that power with the world. Through the powerful name of Jesus, we boldly, and gratefully pray. Thank you, Father.

Day 7 - Friday 11

Countdown is over. Today is the last day. Today is our last chance to build for these people, and what better place to build than the dump. The dump was the most shocking thing we have seen; these people live in a place you wouldn't want to drive by because of the smell. A place you wouldn't want to walk through because of the filth. What better place to build and establish stability. They truly need.
Our day started with news that Donna was sick. Donna is sick! What can we do? Is everything canceled? No, Anna to the rescue. We have two group leaders for a reason. You've heard the expression “When you mess with fire, you're going to get burned.” Well, in Honduras, “When you mess with the water, you are going to get sick.” Donna was down for the day, but the show must go on. The mission must be completed. These people living in the dump must see Jesus today.
We left for the dump early in the day. We also repacked all of the food bags (about 300 of them) into the bus. We were going to do a food distribution in the dump community. Once the bus was ready, it was back to the place I will never forget. Back to the place that will forever remind me of how blessed I am. We are going back to the dump.
The dump community we were building in was off to the side of the dump. It was separated from the hills of trash by a hill of grass. That barrier really kept the smell out, which was awesome. I don't think I could have taken that smell for a whole day. It really is debilitating. We were building two houses today within two hundred feet of each other. It was nice to be close to everyone today. Usually, the groups are so spread out that we never see each other. Today was different. Today was a group effort to accomplish something special.
There were two sites: a mud site and a rock site. I got the rock site, and, let me tell you, I definitely got the best site. The mud site was nasty. It was a pool of mud and filth. The posts dug for the houses itself were sitting in pools of tepid water. Each site progressed well, though. Through the obstacles, we finished them in record time and without incident. We did, however, experience our first day of rain. It did hold off until we were almost done with the second house, though. God is amazing, and he has given us the best week of weather imaginable. The rain could have prevented us from finishing today, but God held it off for us. God is faithful and God is kind.
With both houses being completed, we were ready for the food distribution. It was a different experience because it was raining. We were forced to give the food out of the back of the bus. We returned to the bus after the build to see a line of 100 to 125 people – all waiting for their food. They knew why we were here. They knew we would give them food. Through the rain, we handed out as much food as possible. Each family received at least one food bag. When that was done, we headed back to the mission house. Commence operation “Get Me Out Of These Wet Clothes.”
Dinner today was a treat. We went to Jen's house (the missionary we've been working with all week) and ate Taco Loco. This is the coolest business I can imagine. You plan a party. You hire Taco Loco to come to your house and prepare their food. They bring their own stove and food. You watch as they get ready to rock your taste buds. They make a platter for each person. Each bite is better than the last. I had to sit down because my knees were getting weak. I needed resuscitated because my pallet was in shock. I loved it.
Now that the week is over, I totally enjoyed myself. The trip was worth it. The trip was needed. It was my first mission trip, so there were many things I needed to learn. I feel like I needed to see these things. God brought me here to show me I am not alone in this world. There are billions of people in this world that need Christ and are screaming for his peace. There are millions of people in Honduras that need Christ and are yearning for his forgiveness. I needed to see that. God is bigger than I am. God is bigger than my problems. God is bigger than my bad days and bigger than my addictions. God is massive, and he is capable of so much goodness.
Thank you goes out to all the members of the GC team. Thank you for working hard and giving of yourself. Thank you for taking time of your schedules to give to people in need. Honduras is not the same because you came and sacrificed. People in Honduras will never forget the things we have done for them. They will never forget the love and care that we showed them. Children will grow up remembering how we treated them and loved on them. They will remember our example for forever. Many kids need us. They need to see that they aren't alone. They are forgotten. They are completely abandoned. Someone, even if it is a stranger, cares for them. Cares for them so much they would give of themselves for them. Cares so much they would sacrifice for them. Thank you for making a difference.
Thank you to God for this opportunity. Thank you to God for pushing me this week past my comfort zone. Thank you to God for putting me somewhere in desperate need of disciples of Christ. Thank you to God for never leaving me when I felt overwhelmed. For never leaving me when I felt in despair or heartbroken. Thank you to God for being with me every step of the way and giving me strength.
God, you are my everything. God, you are worthy of a lot more than a week of my time. You are worthy of my life. Everyday is yours, God. Take from me everything. Strip me from my selfishness and pride. Take all the obsessions and addictions from my life. Leave me with nothing but your love and grace. Help me to remember the things I've seen here in Honduras. Never let me forget your love shown here. I want to live a life more worthy of you. I want to give as much as I receive. I want to be a servant – someone who will wash another's dirty arms and legs. I want to be a giving person – someone who will give of their last possessions. I want to be Christlike – someone who will love and hug the unlovable and the unhuggable.
God, thank you. Thank you for everything. Thank you for my blessings. Thank you for my struggles. Thank you for my ups and my downs. Thank you for this week. Thank you for your Son, most of all. His life is worthy of all of this. His sacrifice begs me to do the same.

Andrew Moore

Day 6 - Thursday 10

Two days left – today is the easy day of the two. Tomorrow will be an all-out building day...today is a laid back shopping day. Are you cheering? It seems like every time someone here says “shopping day,” the girls all cheer. If I know anything, I know ladies love shopping. It is my job, as the male, to hold her stuff. I am getting pretty good at it, actually.
We started the day with two mission-related stops. Our first stop, after sleeping in until 7:45, was to a boys' home. These kids have been rescued from the streets. Some boys aren't too happy to have been rescued. I guess “rescued” is a relative term. We see living on the streets as a bad thing. Scavenging for food as a bad thing. Wearing what others have thrown away as a bad thing. But, if it is all you know, it is hard to pry it away from some of them. We were warned, over and over, that these boys will try and escape. They will say anything to get out.
One of the cool things about this boy's home was they are able to earn money. They all are given some yarn/string and are shown how to make bracelets. These bracelets are sold for fifty cents to a dollar. I know it doesn't sound like much, but this money gives them such a sense of accomplishments. They are making money – maybe a sensation they have never felt before. They can use this money to buy food or drinks. The money is like a debit card for them; they don't deal with cash. They are awarded the money when they need it.
The bracelet selling was crazy. Once it was time to start buying, the swarm of kids was out of control. Every child wanting you to buy their bracelet; it was easy to get lost in the hubbub. For only the cost of fifty cents, it was very hard to say “no.” The smile they got after earning money, any money, was worth it.
The next stop was a senior citizens' home. This was one of the hardest stops for me because almost all of them had dementia. There wasn't much I could do to connect with them. It was very touching to see them and feel that helplessness. The story behind the home is amazing. A dentist saw the need for the home. A dentist, a man who made good money at a respected profession, gave up all he had, bought a building, and began to minister to these elderly people. He saw a city full of homeless elderly people and his heart broke. They could not fend for themselves. They could not protect themselves. They were left alone. Most of the old folks were abandoned by their families because they could not care for them anymore. The only option they thought they had was to drive them downtown and kick them out of the car. Leave them to die. Let the streets take care of their “problem.”
The dentist saw this injustice and opened his home. He takes in elderly people, most of whom have serious problems, and takes care of them. He has given his life to help people in the last stages of life. His story and his mission is incredible. He does something most people would absolutely flee from. He also feeds the homeless of the community lunch every day. He was an inspiration to me. He is an awesome servant of God.
Now comes the shopping portion of the blog. What can I do to get you into this beautiful purse? First, we went to Mi Esperanza. This organization was created to help mothers learn an occupation. It is one thing to hand out food, it is another to teach them how to earn their own food. Mi Esperanza has business classes, computer classes, sewing classes...a little of everything. If a woman is interested, it is free for her to learn a trade that can feed, clothe, and send her children to school. Do you want a purse now?
We then went to a huge Catholic Cathedral for a little worship. This building was nothing short of awe-inspiring. The grandness. The shear volume. The intricate detailing seen all over the building. We all agree that the Catholics have a great grasp of the “holiness” of God. We miss that sometimes. They see him with reverence. They see him as the diety worthy of our fear. I'm not saying we don't do that, but they seem to have a great handle on it. The church itself is a monument, a testament, to how great and awesome he really is.
We spent some time singing and worshiping God. I have never been so moved as when we sang in this building. The acoustics were unbelievable. The sound resonated in such an awesome way. I really wish we could have sang all day – listening to God being praised in this astonishing place.
Our last stop was the Valley of Angels...another shopping place. We had some time to walk around the shops and support the local vendors. It is nice to see local people producing local products. We definitely found some cool stuff. We then ate our one meal on the town. We went to a place called Las Tejas; it was very good. I loved finally eating some local cuisine, and it was awesome. I loved every bite I took, and that was a lot of bites.
God, thank you for a day off from physical labor. Thank you for letting us experience heartbreaking images. Thank you for uncovering social injustices. Help us to see these things and get angry. Help us to see these things and not be OK with them. God, help us to be your hands and feet and fix things when they are broken.
God, I pray a special prayer over our team. We are experiencing heavy illness and the whole of Villa Gracia is being effected by it. It is now reaching into our team and dropping us like flies. God, keep us healthy. Keep us safe from illness. God, take this sickness away and help us to continue in your work here. God, we love you for who you are. Not because you give us gifts. Not because you grant us our wishes. We love you because you are God and you deserve it. You are worthy of all our thoughts and praise. You have unlimited power. You have unimaginable strength. When you say things, they become. God, because you are God, you deserve monument after monument, statue after statue. You deserve my time and my effort. You deserve my all. Help me to give with no hesitation.

Andrew Moore

Day 5 - Wednesday 9

Back to the grind today. Back to what we do best - build. Today was a day to clean up loose ends - we went back to previous spots and finished projects that we had already started. Two groups went to finish the two houses started on Monday, and one group went to finish the repairs that were started on Sunday. Everything thing turned out fine...eventually.

My group was able to return to our initial project from Sunday - the renovation of part of a house. We began this task thinking it was going to be a piece of cake. Let me rephrase that; we began this task thinking it was going to be a piece of mud. We were scared half to death with stories of how muddy this job would be. The name assigned it was “the mud site,” for goodness-sakes. We had now returned to finish what we started. The Mud Site 2: Revenge of the Underlying Rock Layers.

Our job was simple: Finish one wall and complete the other two. Complete the roof. Job...complete. That doesn’t sound so bad, now does it? When we had left the site, we had left quite a mess. This wasn’t a mess we had created, though. The mess was this lady’s livelihood. She collected sand, gravel, stones, you name it. Her collection is apparently how she makes money, selling these objects is how she makes her money. The area we had to work with was full, FULL, of this stuff. One hundred pound bags of sand. Huge rocks. It was full of some heavy and hard to move things. We were able to work around most of it on Sunday, but the task was going to get increasingly more difficult.

When we arrived today, we saw the area had been cleared. Bag after bag, mound after mound had been moved. The sigh of relief had to have been heard from miles away. She told us she had worked and worked to get this area ready for us when we came back. She didn’t even know if we would ever come back! She had faith we would return. Until the other day, we didn’t even know if we could make it back, but she knew.

Another thing that made this site impossible was the amount of shoveling and digging involved. The room we were building was on a slope. The slope was made of stone. “You can’t build a room on a slope,” you say. You’re right; you can’t. That means we had to level it. After working on it on Sunday, it seemed like no progress had been made. We had to do it...again...until it was done. Finally we can get the boards going and raise the walls. What’s a room without walls?

As the roof was being placed, the walls were being finished board by board. Once we ran out of wood (meaning we didn’t get to finish...again), the last step was the open the room with an internal door. That wasn’t the easiest thing I’ve ever seen done. Through the complicated mess, it was finished. She now has a working room that will not flood every time it begins to rain.

One of our tasks today was the find out the story behind the woman we were working for. When we asked her, she told us a story that would make anyone’s heart break for her. She told us she is married. She used to go to church. A couple of years ago, her relationship with her husband took a turn for the worse - he married another woman without divorcing her! Her husband feels no remorse for this; he even lives with both of them. Some time with her, some time with the other. He does nothing to help with raising their kids. He comes and eats her food. He comes and uses her resources. He leaves without so much as one cent or lifting one finger for the little kids. She is forced to do it all and is struggling to keep her head above water.

Knowing these back-stories is so valuable. It puts a face to the work you are doing. It gives motivation. It makes you want to help more and more. I want to give my all for these people who have been wronged. I want to help these kids that get mistreated for no faults of their own. One of her daughters was constantly by our side, both today and Sunday. She was the sweetest girl you could ever meet. Even though our languages kept us from communicating much, her smile said enough. Every time you looked at her, a huge grin would come to her face. She was so sweet and gentle - she was the kind of girl you just can’t help but want to rescue. Rescue her from any pain. Rescue her from any hardships she might have to face. I wanted to save her from a life full of abuse and starvation.

Some of the things she did were astounding. I told you about her writing notes to us on Sunday. It just got better today. She wrote a couple more notes - these notes being much longer than the first ones. They were well written compositions saying such kind things. I couldn’t believe some of the things she said. She praised us for our service. She praised God for bringing us here. She told Brenna that she wished she and Brenna were neighbors, so they could be best friends. She said some truly touching things.

There was one instance that blew me away. I was shown Jesus today by this little girl. My wife had gotten some dirt on her arm. No big deal. Happens all the time. The girl had mentioned it, but, since it was in Spanish, my wife had no idea what had been said. The girl left, and my wife thought nothing of it. Minutes later, the girl returned with a wet cloth and began to wash the dirt from the arm. I’ve never seen Jesus so vividly before. She washed the dirt from my wife’s arm without wanting or needing in return. She placed herself in the position of a servant - only wanting to serve. My wife could do nothing but turn her head and hold back tears. This girl who has nothing, who goes hungry very often, longs to be a servant still. A few minutes later, she brought the cloth back out and helped me wash dirt from my legs. What a beautiful gesture.

From there, we handed out food bags. We walked down the very same street and stopped from house to house giving out free food. The faces on the unsuspecting families were awesome. They were exhilarated to be receiving such a great gift. For no reason, they got enough food to feed their family for two weeks. Once they saw 35-40 people and a big red truck pulling down their street, they all rushed out to see what was going on. My wife also began the ballyhoo which is giving out toys to a group of kids. Once one toy appears, the kids multiply. Word travels faster than the speed of light, and, pretty soon, you can’t keep up. Kids all around you with their hands stretched as high as they can stretch them. Everyone wants something. Everyone wants anything. Living in these conditions, a pen or a pencil is a luxury. Kids are denied schooling all the time because their parents cannot afford to buy them supplies. Things like that blow me away - pens and pencils are a huge deal. Objects in which we place no value are treasures to these people.

After some shower time, we headed to the Jesus Statue for a fellowship with area churches. We provide the meal, pizza and pop, and we share in singing and praying. Looking around me, I saw so many fellow Christians. People from a world away worshipping the same God I worship. How cool is that? When we began to sing, I could see their hearts and feel their words. I don’t know what they said, but praise to my God is music to my ears. I love to know that the world is full of disciples. We are not alone. Everywhere in the world, Jesus is being preached. Everywhere in the world, God is being proclaimed and exulted. God is at work.

God, thank you for the gift of today. Thank you for every great thing that has been given to us. Thank you for safety on the trip so far. Thank you bringing us to the people in Honduras that need us. Thank you for directing our way and speaking through us. I love to see you at work in this country. Through all the bad and scary things we witness here, you are at work. Your glory is shouted from street corners and orphanages. You are the God of this city. You are the Lord of this nation. Help us to show it every day and in every action we make. Help our group to remain focused for our last days. Help us to remember the mission.

God, a special prayer for what you have shown me this week. Thank you for tearing down certain walls that I have put around me. I have always seen you as my God. I have always seen you helping and solving my problems. You are great to me - that isn’t the issue. The issue is You are so much greater than I am. You are so much bigger. You are here in this country. You are in the lives of all the homeless and poor. You are in the lives of the orphans and the single mothers. You are in every whore-house and dump. God, you are not just at work in me. You are everywhere and in everything. Thank you for making that evident to me this week. Help me to share you and your power - keeping for myself is not an option. You are for all. God, thank you for being bigger than I am.

Andrew Moore

Day 4 - Tuesday 8

Today was not the usual. Today required no building what-so-ever. Today was all about visiting those in need of visitation. Building or no, 6:45 was still breakfast time...and the rooster didn’t let up either.

Our first visit was to a free hospital downtown. Although admission and basic treatment is free, more complicated surgeries and extended stays are still rather pricey. Just like the majority of people we deal with in Honduras, this hospital is for the poor and desperate. A lot of the people we talked to traveled hours to get to this free hospital; it was their only hope.

We split into five different groups; each group having its own translator. Our group went to floor two. First stop - the brain injury ward. Having seen just about everything this week, or so I thought, I thought I was ready for this. I thought I could walk in and not be stunned. Our first room was not too bad - we met children ages six to eight that had been admitted with head injuries. One child had been attacked by a dog while he was riding a bike. When he bumped his head, he created a tumor. He has now gone through multiple surgeries with no success. He was up for another surgery today. They were all thrilled to see us and loved the small gifts that we brought. The children’s faces were great - equally as great were the faces of the mothers. Some of the mothers spend all their time with their children, probably getting no visitors and slowly feeling more and more alone. They loved that someone cared enough to come and talk to their sick child.

The next room was where things started to hit hard - the infant portion of the head injury ward. Each child was suffering from some life threatening head injury or abnormality. Most kids were struggling with fluid in the brain. The look of these kids was startling. Their heads were swollen, and the mothers were left helpless. What could a starving, poor mother do for a child with a serious health defect? She was left with no other option than to sit in the free hospital and wait. Each story was full of pain but our message resounded with hope. Each prayer we offered dealt with God’s grace and his healing power. We prayed for miracles. We prayed for healing.

After visiting a couple more rooms, we headed out to the special needs home. This home is for kids who cannot be cared for in shelters or orphanages. They were handicapped in some way, most mentally handicapped. My first thought was how beautiful the facility was. It was a large building with clean and polished architecture. It had plenty of space and many luxuries. After seeing the outside, I, once again, thought I knew what to expect. Upon entering, I was wrong again.

Seeing handicap kids anywhere is heartbreaking. Seeing them struggle with the most basic of functions is horrible. It is hard to watch. But, but, we weren’t there to watch them. We were there interact with them, and show them people still cared for them through their differences. We were there to show love - nothing more. The sadness was short lived because every child forced a smile when some of the toys began to surface. Every child found something they could do. They have joy where others don’t. They find happiness in the simplest of things - that is something I admire in them. Thank God for bringing me to this place and pushing me through my fears. Thank God for me showing me the goodness inside of everyone.

The third stop was definitely the most shocking. The third stop is what everyone talks about when they talk about seeing it all in Honduras. The third stop was feeding at the city dump. Nothing can prepare you for what you see there. I’ve been told many times what happens there, but my jaw hit the bus floor when I saw it. Acre after acre of trash. Miles of people refuse thrown away only to become someone else’s home. People’s leftovers. People’s garbage. Things people can’t stand to keep in their house because of stench and uncleanliness. I watched hundreds of people dig and sit, stand and eat, lay and sleep. I watched hundreds of people run for the bus because they knew we there to feed them. The pushed and shoved to get closer. They formed their own lines (knowing the protocol by now) to get their piece of the meal.

When we left the bus, the smell was overwhelming. Many times I felt myself losing my breath because of the power of the smell. We began to walk around but found ourselves overwhelmed - where do you start? Who do you talk to? What do you say? These people have been living in the city dump - what hope can they have left? I’ve never felt so uncomfortable in a situation in my life. These people have nothing. All they have is what they find in the mounds of trash. Talk about eye-opening.

We watched child fight a buzzard for his meal. We watched handfulls of people leave the line for free food, free and fresh food, to run to a dump-truck emptying it’s load. They have been conditioned to grab opportunity - a dump-truck brings new trash which means new food/clothes/etc. They left the line for pizza to run to a new pile of trash! Poverty has never seen lower depths. Do they need loved? Yes. It is awesome to know that someone is doing it for these people here is Honduras. The state is even building showers for the people of the dump.

The fourth stop of the day was my favorite. Not because of comfort or cleanliness - because I met an angel of a girl who loved to be around us. Her name was Brenda, and she was the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. She was a natural wonder, I tell ‘ya. She lived in a state funded orphanage created to get kids out of unhealthy situations. She was a non-stop smile machine, and she made my day. Thank you, God, for sending us Brenda today. Be with her. Keep her safe.

The end of our day was full of packing food bags. That is something that needs to be experienced to be believed. We over two hundred bags full of rice, beans, spaghetti, lard, sugar, salt, sauce, bullion cubes, flour, and coffee. Our two hundred, plus two hundred from last night, will feed over four hundred families for two weeks. We also packed a Spanish Bible in each bag. These people will be sustained by the love of Christ. They will see first hand what love and forgiveness is like - they can actually taste it!

God, you are amazing. Your grace is unbelievable. Your power is unfathomable. Thank you for giving us chance after chance. Thank you for rescuing us from hopeless situations. Although our problems are different than the ones here in Honduras, they are still there. Although we struggle, you receive us back happily. Thank you for never leaving us alone. God, never leave me.

We pray a special prayer for the kids we met today. Seeing grown-ups struggle is hard - seeing children suffer is sometimes unbearable. God, heal them. Take away their afflictions. If it is possible for them to be made well, we pray that is done. God, provide comfort for all the families faced with dire situations. Grant them patience and understanding to deal with what life throws at them. Help them to see they are never alone. Help them to see that someone is always around who loves them. Someone can redeem them. Someone can give them salvation from a life that sometimes seems to much to take. God, be evident in Honduras.

Andrew Moore

Day 3 - Monday 7

6:45 comes early, let me tell you. 6:45 means breakfast time in Honduras. 6:45 also means time for good food. The food that Via Gracia makes is wonderful. Every meal we eat here (breakfast and dinner) is awesome. I definitely look forward to it - if you can look forward to anything at 6:45.

Today was our first building day which means hard work. When we say building, we mean b-u-i-l-d-i-n-g. From the ground up, the house begins to take shape. It is a very exciting thing to see. We supply the materials. We supply the labor. All we need is the location. That has been a slight cause for concern this year but never enough to stop progress. Today, we broke into three different teams building three different houses. From nothing to something in a few hours - it was awesome to be a part of.

The day started with carrying lumber again, which is the hardest part of the mission trip so far. We carried...and we carried...and we carried. The first four hours of the day were spent carrying and preparing the first site. It required all thirty of us to get the job started. Once the job was underway, our team left to build on another site. Before I move on to our site, there is a cool story that goes with site number 1 and 2.

We had begun moving lumber for site 1 yesterday. We carried it as far as we could go but could go no further because of the high grass. We dropped it, all of it, enough for one whole house, in the middle of this path. The owner of the “soon-to-be new house” was to stay and watch it all night - in Honduras, if something is left unwatched, it is in danger of being stolen. He had to stay and watch. Not only that, he had the chore of clearing a path for us with his machete. Today, when we arrived to unload the second truck full of lumber for the second house, we found the first pile of wood had been moved. It was no longer where we left it - it was now where we needed it to be. We were told quickly that it was the man whose houses we were building. He, in between guarding wood and hacking down grass, moved every piece of wood by himself. By himself. It took 30 of us well over an hour to do it half the way down the hill. His first words today, “I’m sorry I can’t help you any more than that.”

The houses we were building on the first site were for him and his family. He had thirteen people living in his 15x15 home. We were able to provide a Christian brother with room - something he has had none of. While work was being done today, he dug out stairs for our workers, so they wouldn’t fall like he did the day before. His love and generosity is absolutely overwhelming. A man with nothing at all, gives his everything for some strangers. He exerted every ounce of himself to make work easier for us. I came into this trip feeling like I was here to help them because I had it together, and they didn’t. I had money, and they didn’t. I am finding out rapidly that these people are head and shoulders above me in selflessness. Personal comfort means nothing. Exhaustion means nothing. I am over and over again being blown away by generosity from people with nothing to give. Amazing.

Our site was a breeze today. No hang-ups - no set-backs. Other than Joe Spivy being locked in the bathroom for thirty minutes, everything was smooth sailing. Another cool story from today that just has to be told: it was mentioned in our morning devo about kids and their lack of father figures. We were told most, as in 80 to 90 percent, are without a male role model in their lives. If you have the opportunity, be a role model. Show them how to swing a hammer. Pat them on the shoulder. Do something to show them you care for them. My wife prayed for God to put someone into our lives today that we could be mentors for.

From the very moment we loaded the bus in the morning, there was a strange face among us. He was only ten to twelve years old, but no one recognized him. He loaded the bus like any other member of our team, and we set off. After helping in the lumber carrying process I described earlier, he reboarded the bus and came to my site. He spoke no English; he seemed to just want to help.

As the day wore on, he started to show a comfort with me that I hadn’t seen coming. He began to smile at me. He began to tap me as we passed ways. He showed me an ornery side that none of us knew he had...frankly because none of us knew him. I couldn’t communicate with him verbally, but I could in other ways. I knew his name was Mannuel; that was enough. Even later, when we came home for dinner, he sat right beside me. We later found out that his mother works at Via Gracia, where we stay. He asked his mom if he could come to work with her and spend a day with a mission team. He did - he boarded our bus - he joined my team - he attached himself to me. God is amazing.

The last thing we did today was a new feature of our mission trip. We were going to feed the homeless. Homeless life is always a challenge to work with, but, here in Honduras, there are added challenges. We were warned sternly about the dangers associated with going downtown at night. Crime is high. Drug use is high. This wasn’t building a house for a member of the local congregation.

We met up with the founder of the mission, Amber. She ran us through the ground rules, and we were off. We were to complete three different stops with the food that she had prepared and feed up to 100 people. We were told that one thing will stick out - hopelessness.

Through every stop we made, the hopelessness of these people stuck out more and more to me. They were without food. They were without water. They were without home and shelter. The worst part - they were without love. They had no one to run to. No one to ask for help. No one to pick them up when they are at their lowest point and turn them back around. They had no one to love them. It was heartbreaking to watch. How do I interact with a nineteen year old drug addict who’s been living on the street for five years? What can I say to this kid? The most we could do is put our hand on their shoulder and show them we love them. When seemingly no one else in this world cares for them, we do.

The experience of this particular mission was eye opening. Seeing grown people, living a life of a homeless drug addict, hugging our group members and pouring out their soul was nothing short of intense. I praise God that I have hope. If my everything in this world was taken away, I would always have a hope for something better. These people need Christ as much as anyone I’ve ever met. They are no less worthy - they are screaming for it. They need a way out of this hole - Jesus is the way out.

God, thank you so much for being my father. For giving me life. God, thank you for being with me through everything that I experience. Having you with me is a comfort and a source of strength. Whether it is moving crazy heavy boards or meeting Spanish-speaking homeless people, you are always with me. What can I fear if you are with me?

Lord, work through us this week. Speak through us to people who need to hear. Lead us to the ones who you have chosen. God, you are our everything. All my faith is in you. Take all of me, God. Leave nothing for me - take it all. God, help us to serve you tomorrow with all of our hearts. We love you.

Andrew Moore

Day 2 - Sunday 6

On to day two - new day, new challenges. My first cognitive memory of the day was special; I was woken up by something - something I don’t get to hear ever. A rooster. A rooster woke me up. You might be thinking that, “Hey, that sounds pleasant.” Well, you would be half right. I would have been nice had it not been four in the morning. And then again at 4:15. And then again at 4:30; you get the picture. That was certainly an interesting way to get things started today. Believe me, it didn’t ruin a great night of sleep. The team was exhausted from being up for 41 hours straight (give or take a few). I slept very well.

Day two started with, “Now today is a busy day.” I am beginning to believe Donna when she says things like that. For the first time, we were not able to wear nice clothes to church because the work began before and continued immediately follow services. We ate breakfast at 6:45 and packed the bus for a hard day’s work. Today was “Community Repair Day.”

Instead of building homes today (which there was a little of), we worked on improving homes of local church members. On the way to church, we stopped twice to unload wood for work to be done later. The first site was interesting. We were going to fix the wall and roof of a lady’s home...but the home was straight up a steep hill. With nothing like stairs, the climb was treacherous. Carrying a fourteen foot 4x4...the climb was a little more than treacherous. What I saw was awesome - thirty group members formed work line and passed the wood up the steep hill. What would have been a near impossible job for one turned into a little job for thirty. How great teamwork can be!

The second site was even crazier - we formed a work line, but the distance was too great. We were needing to carry enough wood to build a small house 1/5 of a mile (the distance was never measured so that is a guess). The line was saved by the fact that the last half of the path to the house was under four feet of weeds. The wood was taken as far as possible with the intent of finishing the transportation of wood tomorrow.

Finally, we were able to go to church. We attended the South Israel Church of Christ. The congregation was small but very loving. Most of us attended services while a small number of us held a VBS for the kids. The service was great. I have never witnessed anything like it; it was awesome to see brothers and sisters from so far away sharing in the love of Christ. God’s love covered all of that ground. God’s love is the same for them as it is for me. I need to be reminded of that constantly. He doesn’t love me any more than He loves them. I am no more worthy of His grace. God has protected and blessed the small congregation of South Israel. God is working in the church. God is evident to these people.

My favorite part of that church - they are all about helping their community. Every word they spoke was about going out into the city. Every prayer they prayed was about strength and courage to change the people around them. They truly, truly care for the people of Honduras. I admire that about them - in a world of poverty and hopelessness, they stick out and ask what they can do to help.

After church was over, the repairs began. We split into different teams; my team got “the mud job.” With a name like “the mud job,” my expectations were pretty low. The hike to get there was long and steep. Upon arriving and see what we were up against, things got a little hairy. We could see the end product in our minds, but we had to figure out how to get there. Three new walls needed erected and part of the roof needed redone. With close to five hours into the house, we are nearly done. We had to stop short of completion but hope to get back soon to finish the job.

The job felt...great. I loved seeing the woman and how grateful she was for our help. I loved seeing the children’s faces on seeing strangers help with their home. The home they live everyday in. The home that floods every time it rains. Knowing that someone cares enough for them to do this - nothing could be more valuable. Nothing could show Christ’s love to them more than giving of our time - forgetting our comfort and thinking of someone else’s. Christ was there, and Christ was evident.

We were extremely touched by a few of the little girls that lived there. They were quick to show us their appreciation. They were quick to speak to us and share with us. They were thrilled to see people, people they didn’t know, want to spend a little time talking to them. Over and over again - people want to be loved. My wife and Brenna got very close to one of the girls. This girl spent all day with us: talking, drawing, and writing thank you notes. Before we left, she gave out her gifts. Instead of being happy with our gift to her, she wanted to repay the favor. Not having a lot of money or resources, she gave of what she had. She gave two small stuffed animals; maybe animals she keeps close to her heart. Maybe something she cherishes. She gave a lot of thank you notes to us - all with personal messages of how grateful she was. Lastly, she gave one half of a best friend necklace. To someone she just met today, she gave one half of her best friend necklace. Something most people would be slow to give, she gave with no hesitation. Christ was there, and Christ was evident.

God, you are amazing. The world you have created is inspiring. The world I saw from the airplane is indescribable. Thank you for your hand and your willingness to give this world of yours a try. Thank you for creating all of this for us - all of this so we can see and share in your glory. All of this shows us how awesome you really are.

God we especially pray for strength in the days to follow. We pray that we keep our energy up and spirits high. We pray for your hand to hold us and keep us from harm. God, hold us close to you. God, never let me go. Help us to see the need around us. Help us to withhold nothing and give everything. Give all of ourselves for these people who desperately want to feel loved. God, I want to be more like your Son every day. I want to embody true love for the people around me.

Andrew Moore