It’s been two weeks into our ministry in Honduras, and the sights that we see daily still pull on our heartstrings. These kids come to Esperanza’s house daily for food. For some kids, this may be their only meal for the day. For some of them, they arrive too sick or too lethargic to eat, or they don’t arrive at all. Pink eye runs rampant through the community, and many are unable to afford antibiotic eye drops.
A few kids don’t verbally communicate. They respond with head motions when it comes to questions about food or drink, but no other communication otherwise—just a blank stare with uncertainty in their eyes. Is this a result from malnutrition? Or from fear? It’s hard to say.
The kids scratch and scratch—their extremities from all the mosquito bites, their heads from all the lice. If you look closely, you can see their scalp squirming with all the insect movement.
It is, however, encouraging to see how well the older kids care for their younger siblings. They bring them daily to Esperanza’s house, assist them with eating if needed, and always take food home for the siblings who were unable to attend the morning meal.
In reality, these kids are the blessed ones in the community. They have a sponsor who pays for their daily meal; they receive basic healthcare and education (sponsored through Hands for Honduras).
There are many of the children in the community who don’t have these basic needs.
Last Wednesday and Thursday, we saw those kids. They came to the church with their parents, who filled out applications for Compassion International. The kids came in their best clothes—for some, it was hard seeing their appearance and knowing that it was the best they had. These kids were placed into better clothes and had a comb run through their hair. They stood in front of a wall to get a picture taken.
The process for picture-taking was very specific. Each child needed at least 4 “good” pictures that met all the guidelines. For the younger ones and the fearful ones, this was a frightening and frustrating process for all.
Our team tried to comfort those kids—which may or may not have worked. This little boy refused to get his picture taken; he refused to look at my camera or smile, and his mother was extremely upset.
…until he got to play with the camera…
Then he was all sorts of smiles!!
The parents looked exhausted and frustrated. Some had severe pink eye. Due to the lack of education, they don’t know that it spreads easily and they don’t know how to prevent it. Many of the parents looked malnourished or sick. I watched one mother pull a worm from a small wound on her daughter’s cheek!!! That precious little girl was most likely infested with worms, and there was nothing her family knew to do.
These kids will now wait as long as it takes to find a sponsor; they wait in anticipation so they can join the kids at Esperanza’s house to receive a daily meal, basic healthcare and basic education. But until then, they have a church they can go to that will love them, encourage them and provide hope for them!!
And until we leave, we will continue to be a light for these kids and love them as much as possible!! Let me tell you, we’ve already seen a HUGE improvement in some of them–but that’s another story!!
