This is a story of redemption. A story that makes this whole trip worth it. Let me introduce to you two Honduran boys:
Ariel: age 14
Ariel lives with a very large family whose father just left from his alcoholism and mother who works and doesn’t make enough to even feed her kids 2 meals a day. (1 meal = plain corn tortillas with a little salt)
and Fernando: age 12
Fernando is a very small 12 year old and had to fight in order to stay alive and earn respect.
Both of these boys lived on the streets in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. They lived in the roughest, dirtiest, and most gang prevalent part of the city (Los Pinos). They had to live EVERY day not knowing whether they were going to live or die.
Our contact Tony hosts these boys at his house every day in order to try and make a small difference in their lives. He has taken them in and fed them, given them a place to sleep, and even pays them an allowance for doing chores. This is the kind of example we all should learn from; that focusing on the relationships with the boys and loving on them is the key. Not the projects, not painting churches, not building a house; that comes second.
The other night we got invited to go to a live play of The Passion of the Christ after our day of projects. We had brought along Ariel and Fernando with us for the day and invited them with us to the play. It was powerful, and even though it was in Spanish and I didn’t understand most of it, God’s presence was at work.
After the play, the speaker asked if anyone who had not accepted Jesus into their hearts that they could that night and to go up to the front so he could pray for them.
Ariel AND Fernando both shot up and went to the front of the church. My heart was so overwhelmed! I bowed my head extended my arm and prayed for them. A tear dropped from my face as I realized what had just happened. THEY ACCEPTED CHRIST! I was overwhelmed with emotion that I just wanted to jump and scream with excitement. I walked up to the boys and hugged them and told them ‘hermano‘ (brother).
As I walked out of the church with Fernando on my back my heart was full! I could feel the difference in these boys in the 5 minutes after accepting Christ. Their smiles were different, the way they held themselves and walked was different; they will never be the same.
The following morning, I asked Tony if he had heard what had happened and he said, “Yes! They told me ALL about it!”
God is working in this place! Our God is not sleeping. He is alive and active! Even in the most dangerous community, in the most dangerous country in the world, in the most dark place in the world, GOD IS HERE!
Pray for Fernando and Ariel. Pray that they continue to seek our God, to learn what it means to have a personal relationship with the Holy Spirit. Thank God for all He has done in this country and lets look forward to what else He has in store for Honduras.
