My perspective: I got in late from a night out celebrating Thomas’s, one of our team leaders, birthday at Applebee’s. I wake up feeling groggy. I had a restless night of sleep because of the loud trucks passing by on the nearby highway. My back aches from sleeping on the thin sleeping pad in my tent. I make my way to the 3-stall restroom that isn’t quite crowded with B-squad yet. I brush my teeth and wait an hour for breakfast to be served. My thoughts wander to things that are going on within the squad, conversations that need to happen, and what decisions need to be made throughout the day.
His perspective: He was awake late into the night robbing people. He had a restless night of sleep because he had to be aware of his surroundings the entire night; gang drive-bys and teenagers being jumped are all too common where he lives. His back aches from sleeping on the street, his nose has adjusted to the stench of the garbage can that he calls home. The restroom he uses is a concrete wall. He doesn’t own a toothbrush, in fact he hasn’t brushed his teeth in years. His thoughts wander to how he will eat that day, whether he will have to rob more people or dig through the garbage can. His thoughts wander to where he will score his next high and whether he will ever be strong enough to gain sobriety.
The vision behind Tony’s ministry is to bring teenagers out of Los Pinos, one of the most dangerous communities in Tegucigalpa, and into rehabilitation and discipleship programs. I’ve been blessed to build relationships with several of the teenagers while we’ve been living in Honduras. Some days have been filled with heavy disappointment, while other days have been filled with victory. It’s been a hard month. A month full of joy and hurt, laughter and tears, anger and frustration.
I’ve laughed until it hurt with Luiz, Herman, Carlos, Fernando, and Ariel, and also cried when some of their decisions have broken my heartBut, it’s been a month full of life. Each day has been a new adventure. A journey into the heart of the Father.
The beginning of my relationship with these teenagers began at the mall. One night, Mike, Kelly, and I volunteered to “chaperone” 11 kids from Los Pinos at the mall. Now, I’m not exactly sure what we were thinking because most parents in America wouldn’t even take 11 well-behaved kids to the mall, more less 11 kids straight from the streets. The original plan for the night was to take the kids to a movie…we figured that sitting in a theatre for a few hours would be the best way to entertain them for the evening. But, the movie started later than we had intended so we ended up going to Wendy’s, buying ice cream from Wal-Mart, and hanging out in the parking lot for a little while. It was definitely a night that stretched my patience, but it was so much fun!
My favorite memory (I would never tell the kids this) from the night was them seeing a wishing well and being completely confused. Their eyes lit up, they ran around the well scooping up money, and splashed each other with water. It was absolutely ridiculous. We were definitely the people that got the stares of “these people need to keep their kids under control”. They just didn’t understand why money would be in the water at a mall…they assumed it had been left for others so there was free reign on who could take it. I tried to stifle a smile while asking each of them to empty their pockets and put the money back. Classic!
These teenagers have taken the first step to having a better life. They have made a commitment to refrain from huffing paint, are living with Tony, and have been attending church with us all month. Specifically, Luiz, Arial, and Herman, are in dire need of a good education; they have lived in the slums with absentee mothers and fathers for most of their lives, which means their education has not been a high priority. These teenagers are smart…I know from my experience working in Hearne when kids actually WANT to improve their lives. They are hungry for change and ready to work hard for it. Tony is hopeful that they will begin attending a private Christian school in January.
It was difficult for me to say good-bye to the people of Honduras yesterday. I’ve truly grown to love them and am so excited to see how the Lord continues to work in the lives of those that I met. The hardest thing about the World Race is continuously pouring your heart out when you aren’t sure if God will ever call you back to those that you meet again. Whether or not I ever return to Honduras, the people I met changed my life; God used them to break my heart…again.
Please pray for the ministry that we partnered with in Hondruas, “Don’t Miss the Opportunity.” The only thing that stands in the way of these teenagers receiving a Christian education is finances. Please prayerfully consider sponsoring one of them; it’s an incredible opportunity to pave the way for their future.
Ariel
Fernando
Herman
Luiz
Carlos
