I’ve been super bad about blogging, sorry! But here’s what we’re doing:
Manual labor..yay! I love the hands on work here.
The ministry here we are working through works with street kids. In an economy where there is a 60% unemployment rate and minimum wage is $0.80, drugs and theft have become a serious issue . Some of the kids who have chosen to live in this ministry now used to be 9 years old, robbing people at knife point and getting high off paint thinner all day. Now they are being raised up as leaders in their communities to motivate a new generation in Honduras. They are being educated and cared after (and even learning English). They have experienced the Grace and Love of the Gospel first hand and are living testimonies for those friends from their past.
As I mentioned we are doing manual labor:
-a TON of work on the ministry property, since this property is only 6 months old and needs a lot of fixing up
-refinished the foundation of Herman’s family’s house, which was being held up by rotting wood
Herman is one of the boys that has found a home in this ministry. He is now leading World Race teams into his community (Los Pinos), one of the most dangerous and impoverished areas of Honduras.
– building Herman’s family an outhouse (picture of their current 'toilet' below)
– beginning a project to build stairs in Los Pinos which will benefit the entire community
Every Friday we spend the day at IHNFA which is a government program which basically takes kids off the streets, keeps them for a few months before letting them go again. The idea is to help get kids off the streets. But the kids DON'T want to be there, and just go right back to their old ways once they are let go. They hit each other and flick each other off and steal our bracelet making string when we aren’t looking….but they want to play and hug and sing and laugh with us. They are just normal kids that have been hardened by the street life here. I can’t imagine growing up as a kid here. One of Herman’s friends was killed a few weeks ago, the police didn’t do anything…it was just another murder.
I wish I could explain the IMPACT that this ministry here is making. My words just aren’t strong enough. If you could see the kids who live in this ministry now and compare them to what life would be like for them with out this place. Every morning I get a hug and a ‘Goodmorning!’ from atleast one of them, they work on homework every night, clean up sometimes just to be nice, and ride bikes around like normal kids.
A former World Racer has moved back after her 11 months and made this ministry her new home. She’s in the adoption process of a little 1yr old girl who’s mom didn’t want her. The little girl’s aunt keeps her instead, but leaves the little girl playing in the dumpsters all day while she rummages through looking for useful things. But not for long, soon she’ll have a home of love and opportunity and no more days at the dumpster.
Anyways, so much is happening here that I can’t fit into one blog. This month has been exactly what I dreamed of when I signed up for the World Race.
(PS. I still need $1500 to make my April 5th deadline in order to move on to Asia! Thanks to all those who have made this experience possible with your support so far!!)
