Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Let me paint a picture for you. Around 4:00 p.m. I was laying in my hammock hanging between
two shaded trees talking to my teammate Cassie, listening to live Honduran
music blaring from some house nearby the farm, and laughing at a cow or two moo
here and there. I had a revelation. This is my life and I am really in
Honduras. It was one of those moments when you just step back and realize you
aren’t living a dream. It was the first time I really slowed down enough to
meditate on what all has gone on the past day or so.
Monday morning, myself along with Alex, Cassie, Lindsay,
Jake, Allan, Dexter, Phil, and three boys from Los Pinos whom Tony mentors,
Josue (14), Louis (13), Cristo (15) made the trek to Los Pinos. On our walk
from the farm to the bus stop down the road, a neighbor in El Horno drove by to
stop and give us a ride. All eleven of us pile in the back of a small two-door
truck, whom already has five passengers inside, and make the bumpy ride down
the street. Note: any short drive is much longer when you have that much weight
in a vehicle and are driving on bumpy, winding, dirt roads. After only having
known these boys for a few days, you wouldn’t believe the mutual closeness
present between us. They were like little men protecting us, directing us, and
taking care of us in every way throughout the day. Josue shared a seat with me
all the way to Los Pinos and at one point fell asleep on my shoulder. It is so
touching to see them let their guards down when they live such tough lives, are
forced to be so strong, and are ultimately “street kids”.
We finally arrived in Los Pinos, which was the first time
for most of us, and I didn’t know what to think. The community is literally a
“city on a hill”. We walked up winding roads that soon turned into dirt
mountains, which the houses are built upon. The difficulty of walking up to the
boys’ houses was ten times more difficult than the volcano we hiked in
Guatemala last week, or any mountain I have ever hiked for that matter. Keep in
mind, the people of Los Pinos do this numerous times, daily. We made it to the
top and arrived at Louis’ home where he lives with his grandmother. I have
never seen a more beautiful view. Standing in the other boys’
home, which I can’t even describe to you, I cried. It was heartbreaking to see
it for my own eyes. By this time the remaining five girls and Tony had met us
in Los Pinos. Along with them and all the children we met at the fiesta last
week, the twenty-five of us shared peanut butter sandwiches in a home smaller than
a dorm room, which is only held together by three walls and a tarp. We then
hiked over to the school, which has been closed by the government and is
abandoned. We split up and prayed over every corner of that place. With onlookers
around, fourteen “Gringos” (North Americans) and Honduran children prayed to
reclaim it in God’s name and that it would be a pinnacle for good in this
community. Tony’s ultimate goal is to turn this into a community center, where
programs for the community will be held. It was such a moving experience in
which the Holy Spirit was definitely present. After praying, we fellowshipped
with children in the community until we had to literally pry ourselves away
from them to leave.
Tuesday, myself along with a few other girls stayed in El
Horno to teach English at the school. Although I am technically a teacher, I
had anxiety over doing this due to the language barrier. However, the Lord
makes a way and the hour went so smoothly. All things truly are possible
through Him. Afterwards, I walked around the community for the first time.
Everyone is so inviting and hungry for whatever it is they “think” we have.
Ultimately they want to learn English, but we hope to teach them/show them so
much more.
I am sorry for such long updates, but I really want to
communicate my heart right now. My heart is so connected to these boys and
their families already and I want to do my best to allow you to experience this
connection. The degree to which Tony is being used by God, and how we are also a
part of that calling is so powerful and only possible through God. I will
introduce each of the boys more as time goes on and their specific situations
as well.
