Hard Times
This week we experienced some tough times in Honduras. On Sunday we prepared and delivered spaghetti to the city dump of Tegucigalpa. The moment our eyes began to see the trash was the same moment the smell seeped in through the school bus windows and found our noses. If you can imagine smelling your kitchen garbage can on its worst day, and then multiply it by a thousand, you would only be at a fraction of the intensity that we were immersed in. But this wasn’t the reason it was a hard day. The smell actually seemed futile compared to the devastation that set in when we saw all the people rummaging through the trash, desperately seeking recyclables to earn money. Families. Children. Pregnant Mothers. Elderly. Babies. An approximate 2000 families in Tegucigalpa find their income from digging through the trash, and a lot of them live in the garbage as well. It was overwhelming to see so many people hurting at one time. Even the birds and cows that surrounded the trash were desperate to find food in the debris. We were able to pray with several of the families and offer them the love of Jesus, something that is truly priceless. We even started a little dance party and had a great time. Overall, I am glad we went because it was very humbling and necessary. Please pray for the people that live in Tegucigalpa.
On Monday night, the grandmother of several of the children we are staying with passed away. I think she was around 64 years old. For many of the kids, she was a mother figure. Even those that aren’t directly related saw her as a mother because they all see each other as family. When the children found out, they were devastated. They were crying uncontrollably and I wasn’t sure how to help them except for offering hugs and comfort. Please keep them in your prayers and ask God to give them peace and guidance in this situation.
I also want to lift up my squad in prayer. There are a few of us who have lost loved ones at home while we have been in Honduras. Losing someone when you are at home is tragic enough, but here it is harder to connect to family and friends. Please ask The Lord to give us all peace and comfort.
On another note, next week we are going to the beach for some team bonding and fun time, which will be great for Tony’s kids and for us all to relax and prepare for our next month in El Salvador. Pray all goes well! I am also not yet fully funded for the race. If God leads you to give to my race, the information is located here on the blog under “support me.”
