Greetings earthlings,
We are reporting from day 4 here in Tegucigalpa. Yesterday we started at Piccacho, otherwise known as the Jesus Statue. There we saw an amazing view of the city and and got the chance to pray over all the people of Teguc. The statue was a good physical embodiment of the fact that God is looking over this city, but He doesn't just look from above as the statue does, He works in every life on a personal level.
After lunch in the beautiful gardens surrounding the statue we headed for the house we will be working on this week. The house is in a "dump community" and is home to many kids that attend AFE and their families. When we reached the jobiste we split into two teams- one to shovel and move gravel and one to paint the interior of an existing house that had been built by an AFE team in the past. The home was a short walk through the neighborhood called the Good Samaritan Neighborhood - a walk up a steep, steep hill just down the road from the dump/AFE... the neighborhood consists of small wooden homes/shacks joined together by narrow and uneven rock roads - poverty everywhere you look - overlooking one of the most beautiful mountain vistas you can imagine. Community in this neighborhood was everywhere - people sitting together outside their homes, kids running everywhere! The family that lived in the house we painted had a number of kids running around, all of whom were related in some way if not immediate family and most of whom attend AFE.
When we walked into the house to find the rooms we were to paint we saw two pig pens directly across from the bedrooms and one of the littlest sons, Daniel, was standing completely naked right by the pig pen! Definitely not something we'd ever seen before, but there have been a lot of firsts here. Even though the house seemed really dirty according to what we're used to the family was so happy and so grateful that we were there.
While we were painting the house was filled with the sounds of children squealing and laughing as they climbed all over our team... such was an awesome atmosphere. The children were so joyful both at the worksite where we are building the home and where we were painting. Even before we even learned each others names, they would give you the biggest hug you'd ever had, and start to play and dance with you. Their childlike enthusiasm helped empower us and made us more excited for the week to come and the relationships we would build with them.
It was an amazing day and we can't wait for the rest of the week!:)
Love,
Becca and Avery
TJM...I am praying for you, the team and the people of Honduras that you are privileged to serve. Seeing all of the families in the dump had to have been difficult. Thank God, the school sounds wonderful! I know you are loving working on the house and playing with the kids! Can't wait to hear all about it. Lots of love, Mom
ReplyDeleteshout out to jessica florac-your dad thinks all that painting experience will be very helpful when you arrive home.lexi thanks you for the dress, but she is looking forward to raiding your closet (before you take all your good stuff to isu). And your macbook case arrived. love you!
ReplyDeleteThe trip sounds amazing!! We love hearing all of the updates!
ReplyDeleteHere's what's been going on from our end:
Dan had a great time in Chicago and is headed to the Brewers game tonight with Dad. The Gungor concert last night was a blast--but we really missed all of you there. We got to meet Michael and Lisa and tried to convince them to come to Madison sometime soon (but who knows if it actually worked...) Hershey misses his mom but he'll make it :) Oh and I watered the blueberries yesterday at the farm, so hopefully they'll still be alive when you get back...
We love you and miss you tons <3 Keep up the good work!!
Jenna (and Dan)
Lief and Pwince,
ReplyDeleteSounds like the team is doing some amazing things- It's so exciting to read about! God is using each and every individual to contribute their unique gifts to his work in Honduras. I'll be praying!
Lauren Mau