So I wrote this blog at the end of month 2 with the intention of posting it once I got settled in El Salvador (month 3). Well, El Salvador was what I refer to as the “black pit of despair”. It in NO WAY had anything to do with my ministry or my host but it was personally one of the hardest months of my entire life and maybe by month 12 I’ll be able to talk about it on here. Since I wasn’t actually living that month but I was merely surviving I never got around to posting this blog. But, now that I am well out of the pit and living in the light, I thought I would post this blog from Honduras. So, here it is:
As you know from my last blog our ministry this month is with mentally disabled adults that live at an orphanage called Hogar de Angeles (House of Angels). When we first arrived I was really struggling to with being around the residents. If you want to know more check out my previous post.
Fast forward…. It is our last week here in Honduras and our last few days of ministry. I was talking with one of my best friends recently and she asked me how ministry was going and she asked if it would be hard to leave. Honestly, ministry has been going GREAT and it will be extremely hard to leave. I explained to her that at first all I could see was the differences between the residents and I. Their mannerisms, gestures, ticks, and speech were all so different from what I was used to that it blinded me. But now that I have spent a month getting to know these people and loving on them, my perspective is totally different. I first and foremost see them as PEOPLE. It’s so simple yet so mind blowing all at the same time. Sammy is first my sweet friend Sammy and my friend Sammy has some physical and mental limitations. But when I look at him that ‘s not all I see. That’s not even the first thing I see anymore.
So since it is all squad month all 36 of us are serving at the orphanage. There are 6 teams and 6 houses so each team is assigned a house. I might be a little biased but I would have to say that hands down Ahava has the best house. Our house is an all guys house. The men in our house have grown on me so much. They are all so sweet and so different in their own way. So, I am going to take the time to tell you about the amazing men I have had the honor of laughing, dancing, hanging out with, and most of all serving for the last month.
Sammy
I will start with Sammy because I mentioned him earlier. Sammy is the sweetest. No matter the day when you ask him how he is you’re gonna get a prompt “Bien” Sammy enjoys playing with a ball and being encouraged. He is very resilient. When doing his physical therapy he experiences pain but every time he hears someone say “You can do is Sammy” he takes a few more steps. Sammy calls me “Tia” which is what the residents call their caretakers and it warms my heart every time he says it.
Juan
Juan was very quit when we first arrived and I was afraid that he wouldn’t connect with us at all as the month went on. But over time Juan has come more and more out of his shell. When we arrive in the morning and when we leave in the afternoon he reaches out to us and holds our hands. Juan LOVES MUSIC! Any time music is playing whether is it is a dance party or just a song playing in the background of a commercial on tv, Juan gets the biggest smile and laughs and laughs and claps and is the happiest person you’ve ever seen.
Ines
Ines is the oldest guy in our house and no lie for the first maybe 2 weeks we were there he was literally laid out on the front porch asleep. Then all of a sudden one day he just woke up. Now Ines gives high fives and hugs and dances and plays ball. Based on how active he is today it’s insane to think of how he used to be when we first arrived. Don’t get me wrong it still takes some convincing sometimes to get Ines to want to leave the house. And there are still times when we are all hanging out at the basketball courts playing music and games and having fun and I look up and Ines is halfway back to the house already. There are times when he taps out but that’s okay I appreciate how lively he is when he is around. I have some many fond memories playing “golf” (he hits a soccer ball around the house with an oversized golf club) with him.
Franklin
One thing I learned very quickly is that Franklin knows EVERYTHING! He knows who everyone is where everyone is supposed to what belongs to who. Literally if you need to know anything ask Franklin because I guarantee you he knows. The only thing is Franklin doesn’t really talk. He makes noises but doesn’t really form words. Franklin was the first resident to really impact me. Franklin is wheelchair bound. So he is immobile and can’t speak but his mind is clear and sharp. The hears and sees and completely understands everything he just can’t respond. I think that if that were me I would be so frustrated with my situation that I would be angry and bitter. But angry and bitter are two words that have probably never been used to describe Franklin. Instead he is so happy and full of joy and always laughing and excited about life! Spending just 10 minutes with Franklin will make you reevaluate what’s important in life and cause you to re-center yourself and remember to chose joy.
Ivon
Oh Ivon! I don’t even know where to begin! Maybe I’m not supposed to have a favorite so lets just say that if I was to be forced into picking a fave it would be Ivon. He is this sassy little man. Sometimes Ivon doesn’t want to be bothered with us. But more often than not especially as the month went on Ivon gave us a smile and his signature thumbs up when we arrived in the morning. If you ask him to Ivon will dance with you in a group but he also a bit of a loner sometimes. He goes outside on the porch and pours all his blocks out on the ground and then puts them one by one back into the bucket. When he’s done he pours them out again and starts over. Oh! And when Ivon laughs its he BEST THING EVER! His entire face erupts into this canvas of lines and wrinkles and his laugh is so deep and genuine.
Santos
So the first day we got there we were given a tour of the house. Santos was alone in his room underneath a blanket. We were told that Santos never leaves his room and hardly ever even comes out from under his blanket. For the first 2 and half weeks we never saw Santos as we expected. We heard a noise or two come from his room every now and then. I went in his room a couple of times and said “Hola”. He never responded but the last couple of times he wasn’t under his blanket. Then one day we arrived at ministry and there was a guy sitting on the porch. My teammates and I stopped and looked at each other. I said “who is that?” None of us were really sure so we said Hola and went inside the house. A few minutes later the tia brought him inside and he sat down on the couch. She said this is Santos. WE WERE LIT!!!! Santos had finally come out of his room we felt like we had witnessed a miracle! He hung out with us all day. The next day when we arrived Santos wasn’t in sight but when he heard our voices came running out of his room and sat down with us. Santos went with us to dance parties on the basketball court and in the salon. The first day he went out Pita seemed a little nervous she kept giving us all these instructions but Kyndal wasn’t with us that day and none of the rest of us speak a lot of Spanish so we didn’t fully understand what she was saying but we took him out and hoped for the best. And it was great. There were still moments when Santos got overwhelmed and we walked him away from the crowd until he gathered himself and then he returned to the activities at hand. Santos taught me the power of showing kindness to someone even when they don’t respond. By the end of our time there we saw Santos laughing which is a long way from being huddled under a blanket alone in his room.
There were more guys at our house that we didn’t get to see a whole lot of either because there were well enough to work on the property or because they weren’t allowed out.
Samuel
I saw Samuel a total of 3 times during the month. The first time was on the first day. Samuel isn’t allowed out of his room because he can be very aggressive. I don’t know what if anything happened in the past but Samuel did not interact with the other residents. Every time I saw Santos I’m not gonna lie I was afraid even when there were bars between us because I didn’t know what he was capable of. But despite my fear I was sure to always speak to him and be as pleasant as possible. I also prayed for Samuel. I prayed that his aggression would cease and that he would find peace. I may not be there to see the harvest of those prayers but that won’t stop me from believing for a miracle from him.
Jose
Jose was the keeper of the gate who let us in every morning. For the longest time I didn’t even know Jose was a resident. I thought he was an employee. Jose is the one person that made me wish I knew more Spanish. I didn’t get to have a ton of conversations with him but when I did I wanted to know more. Jose was so excited when he found out it was my birthday and he gave me the biggest hug.
Moises
Moises is another guy who worked on the property and so he wasn’t at the house with us a whole lot. But I did get to color with him, hang out at the basketball courts, and walk to the park with him. Moises loves to talk. He wants to tell you everything. Most of it I couldn’t understand. That was partially because it was in Spanish, partially because of his stutter, and also partially because it didn’t always make sense but I was glad to listen. My fondest memory of Moises is him playing tag on the basketball court with one of the guys on my squad. He was smiling so big and and his run is the cutest little trot that will make anyone who sees it smile.
Antonio
Antonio the Dapper Don. Antonio was probably the most well dressed resident I saw during my time there. These guys are wearing hand me downs that are not always in the best condition but it was very clear that Antonio took great pride in his clothing and appearance. Even when folding laundry I already know which items belonged to Antonio. His closet was neat and organized. Antonio never wanted to look like less than and I appeared the great pride and care he took in the way the appeared to the world. He worked on he property as well and came by the house on his breaks. He always played shy about dancing but he was always very courteous and helped take care of his house brothers that didn’t function at the same capacity as him.
So those are the guys of my house. Each one of them generates a unique set of fond memories for me and I love that. So these guys all live in a house together and there is 1 woman who cares for them full time. Tia means aunt in Spanish and it is the term used for all the women who care for the residents at Hogar de Angeles. Here is a little bit more about the primary tia of our house.
Pita
Pita has been at Hogar longer than anyone else. She came to work there when she was 14 or 15 and has been there for 30 years. The men in our house done call her tia they call her Mommy. She is basically there mother and they are her children. The level of care she takes is unmatched. All they guys closets are organized with clothes to wear around the house and clothes to wear out. When ever they guys went outside she lotioned them and put cologne on them and fixed their clothes and took such pride in how her children were presented to the world. She is the tiniest little lady but the lifts these guys and helps clean them and cleans the house and cooks their meals and does everything you can think of full time for 30 years. For most parents they care for there children at that level only so many years. Then their children grown up and care for themselves. She is essentially caring for kids that will never grow up. They require as much assistance today as they did 15 years ago and that’s not gonna change. But she takes care of them with so much love. I was so able to see the love of the Father through her. My favorite memory of the entire month was Pita on the porch making tortillas from scratch while dancing and singing and Ines swaying next to her playing his toy ukulele. That was not a part of her job. That she did because Ines, who is years older than her, is her son and she loves him. Pita and her strength blew me away this month.
I know this blog is really long but each one of the people I mentioned above touched me in a unique way and I wanted to honor them all by letting everyone know the impact they had on me. Saying goodbye was very hard but it was a privilege to serve at Hogar de Angeles.
