So we are settled here in Honduras at the base for Heart of Christ, the ministry we have been working with for the month of December. (Actually we have been here since December 2nd, but that’s how it goes with sporadic wifi)! Our hosts are Gracie and Lee Murphree, but most people call them Mami Gracie and Papi Lee. I didn’t think I would, but I do…ayayay. Here are some of the things that have made this month unique:
– Bucket showers!! With rain water!! Every other day!!! (TBH every three days…it’s cold water…hard to get motivated…) We are all about conserving water here…because there is no running water! Need to wash your hands? Just make sure you save your used water for flushing the toilet. We are learning as we go and constantly coming up with better ways to recycle.
– 2 very friendly Rottweilers (unless you are a mountain lion or a human breaking into the property). I was nervous at first (have you heard of any of my animal stories?) But they are incredibly lovable and part of the fam here.
– We were here for Christmas!! There were actually 3 teams from our squad here, and it was amazing! 9 homemade pies….(4 pumpkin, 4 apple and a pecan just for Papi Lee.) Need I say more?!
– We have been helping build a home on the property for the children who live here. We also get to assist teaching them during the day and get tons of play time with them. We leave tomorrow, and don’t even get me started on saying goodbye. The waterfall has already started today.
Most of the ministry that we do happens right here on the compound. There are about 13 children who live here in addition to the occasional girls who stay temporarily. Two of the girls here have cerebral palsy, and I’ve gotten to spend a few days hanging out and helping take care of them. I was nervous to feed them, nervous to interact with them and even surprised that the nurse had me jump right in and help with those things. Taking care of them was out of my comfort zone but felt more natural as time went on, especially as I got to know them. Erica is really moved by music. She will cry during all the slow songs snd laugh through the fast ones. Ivania loves to walk (with some help) and she gets really excited when you drop by to visit her, especially if you are a 6 year-old named Diego.
Today (by now it was 3 weeks ago) was definitely one of the best days I’ve had in a while. I got to work with three other girls on construction for the children’s home, and we had a blast. Mixing and carrying cement is a full body work out, and I’m feeling like we earned our dinner for sure. I am doing a LOT less translating than last month, and it is actually really refreshing. There is less movement from place to place and more of a sense of stability…of just being home in a way.
So this was basically the pace of our month in Honduras…Rotating projects here at the base, traveling to other communities/villages to deliver Christmas presents and share about celebrating Jesus’ birthday, and pressing into what the Lord is speaking to us as we step out of our comfort zones. It has been challenging in a few different ways but definitely worth the process. I’ve seen God show up for me in the difficult aspects of this month, and it has given me encouragement to keep pressing in to what he has down the road. We leave on the 29th for Guatemala! A lot of change is coming for us as a squad, but it is good and we are excited for MONTH 4! Ahh!
Love you all and merry belated Christmas!!
Con mucho cariño, Heather (Gerber)
Our view from the Heart of Christ base.
Dariel loves the uke!
Chillin on the playground.
Ami!
Chelsea breakin out her moves.
General – aka a sweetie but I still don’t wanna get on his bad side.
Alejandro! Aka man of the house.
We got to share Jesus and Christmas gifts with these kids!
A thousand year old tree (so they say) in Talanga.
Look at the construction we’ve been doing on the children’s home! They are hoping to have it finished early next year.
The gals mixin cement!
The part where our bus conveniently broke down at the police checkpoint on the way to Tegucigalpa. We spent many hours doing pretty much this and hanging out with the officers who turned out to be a lot nicer than they let on at first. Praise him!
Michelle, one of the girls who lives at the children’s home.
More pics to come soon!
