Well, to think that Month 4 is half over is absolutely surreal. The World Race is zooming by- yet it feels like an eternity since I’ve been home…this is the mystery of World Race time haha. Our next stop will be Guatemala, and then on to the other side of the world!
This month, we are working with special needs children at a ministry called Heart of Christ. My heart has shattered into a million pieces and melted all over the place. God has used the children at Heart of Christ to completely undo me. There’s about 18 of them- all of them are special needs and/or the product of rape and incest. Each of them have a unique, heart wrenching story and all of them have so much love, so much hope. I see Jesus in their faces. So much of Him is in their eyes. It astounds me. Their purity of hearts, their joy, their laughter. This place is a treasure on earth, home to the most beautiful jewels.
Honduras is a country ravaged by abuse, abandonment and murder (its the murder capital of the WORLD). Heart of Christ and its founders, Lee and Gracie Murphree, are a beacon of light in the darkness. I have heard the stories of the children who live here, and honestly, its brutal. Hearing Gracie talk about their stories on day 2 absolutely broke me. Basically, all of them were physically and sexually abused…some of their lives have been threatened and they’ve been rescued from a life that really wasn’t much of a life at all. Now they’ve been given a second chance in a safe place where they can experience love and security and peace- many times for the first time in their lives. Gracie works with the Honduran police force to rescue victims of violence and abuse. She’s been called to murder scenes and has been a first responder for rape victims as well as an activist and legal advocate to combat the corruption of some of the leaders in Honduras and the violence that many women in this country suffer.
Now that I’ve given you a glimpse of the ministry and the work it does, let me give you a glimpse into my every day life this month. My team and I alternate days with the children and on construction (Gracie and Lee are building a school behind the dorms we live in). We wake up at about 6:30am for breakfast with the kiddos. Then, we work with the children…or go shovel dirt because we are helping with the foundation of the school. Since the kids don’t have their school building yet, they are in different stations in one room or on the back porch. We currently help take care of three babies- Jafeth, who is almost 1; Aimee, who is 6 months; and our newest addition as of this last week, Dulce Milagros (not even a week old). Jafeth was dropped off almost a month ago- supposed to be for only 48 hours. Aimee’s mother used to live here, but she has a lot of problems and was unfit to stay here for the safety of Aimee and everyone who lives here, so now Aimee is in the care of Gracie and Lee. And sweet Dulce… she was dropped off at our gate one night last week. Gracie had left to run an errand, and our team was having team time when one of the young mothers came to our room and told us there was a baby at the gate. We walked out to the front, and the Honduran police were there with a baby in their arms- a baby not even 12 hours old, who had been abandoned by her mother and was in danger of starving and freezing to death. We took her and the bag they gave us, immediately fed her a bottle and gathered around to pray for her. This week, our team has been taking turns caring for her in the evenings. So basically, she’s become our team baby. 🙂 And on Thursday, her little brother was dropped off here after their mother had been thrown in jail for abandoning her newborn baby. This week has been very emotional… from the baby’s sudden arrival to hearing her toddler brother cry for his mommy, its heart wrenching. My team and I are just trying to make the most of this time here by giving as much love to these children as we possibly can.
So, the two girls who have completely captivated my heart. Their names are Erica and Ivanna. Erica is 12; Ivanna is 8. Ivanna was rescued 3 years ago. Weighing only 12 pounds, she was not expected to make it through the night. Ivanna had been severely malnourished and abused. The most heartbreaking thing is that these two girls both have cerebral palsy…they can’t do anything by themselves and require 24/7 care. Being able to care for them- just holding them, smiling, talking to them and playing with their hair- is the absolute highlight of my day. When I walk into the room in the mornings, they both light up with smiles and start squealing with excitement. It completely melts me every time. Spending time with them has awakened a passion I’ve had all my life; to care for special needs children. I don’t know what this will look like in my future, but I know I have a heart for them and a very strong desire to help them.
Some other things I love about being here: seeing the sunrise and the sunset over the mountain every day, Maria’s ten minute hugs, Alejandro’s sweet spirit, the squeals and hugs from all the kids, the great food, and my team and our movie nights. Some things that are challenging: the water shortage, bucket showers, construction in the sun, the massive roaches that are the size of my hand. The roaches freak me out, man. They make roaches at home look like baby gnats. I think this may cure my fear once and for all haha. Basically thats it. I love being here, I love these kids. I am going to be completely heartbroken to leave them at the end of this month. Heart of Christ will always have a special place in my heart. It would be so awesome to have the opportunity to come back and visit some day. At the very least, I will be keeping up with them online. Oh! And one other potentially exciting thing: 3 of the boys are possibly going to be adopted by someone who lives in Fairhope, Alabama. If this happens, I would love to see them again.
Okay… this is long enough. If you even read the whole thing- THANK YOU! 🙂
To my supporters- I can’t thank you enough for the monetary and spiritual support you have given me. Being on the World Race would not be possible at ALL without both of those necessary components (this is a very challenging and worthwhile adventure). Thanks for hearing the Lord, believing in me, and joining me on this journey to share Jesus’ love in the ways He enables me to- all over the world. I love you.
And if you haven’t donated but would like to, I’m still about $4,000 short of being full funded and could definitely use the support! Just click the link on this blog to add to my total goal of $16,252. Thank you so much!
Til next time…
