Honduras-Morning #3
Good morning everyone! Everyone should be getting up here in the next few minutes to start getting ready for our third day of work at the CTC and Casitas Kennedy Orphanage. Yesterday went very well. We went to a different location for the school during the morning time and got to spend time in the 1st and 2nd grade classes, sharing with them the story of Noah and the Ark and how God loved Noah and protected Noah and how He loves us and wants to protect us as well. The kids at the school are so awesome, they open up to you so quickly and it’s amazing how attached you can become to them as well. We had the chance to bring a guitar yesterday and sing some songs for them in English but also sing some children’s songs for them in Spanish. They absolutely loved this, during their recess time we brought the guitar back out and within a minute or two we had a huge group just sitting and watching. We are going back to the same school today but will be working with 3rd and 4th graders. Pray for us as we begin working with these older children that the message of Christ would be able to be communicated to them clearly and without confusion and that the hope that Christ brings will resonate in their hearts and minds and they would desire to have a relationship with Him.
Our afternoons are always much more challenging than our mornings for a variety of reasons, but it was awesome for me to see yesterday how much my group of boys immediately gravitated back to us when they saw we were back again to spend more time with them. The smiles on their faces when they saw us walk back in the door were just incredible. It continues to amaze me how even the most simple things that we continually take for granted back in America are the things that makes these children’s day. Just the opportunity to hold a marker in your hand and to write your name or draw a house or a tree leaves them smiling ear to ear. We made maracas yesterday and they were so happy to have something they could hold in their hand and just play with, no matter how simple and not fancy or ornate it was.We have so much to learn from these kids. They truly are thankful for what they have been given and greatly appreciate it because they have so little. God has blessed us with so much oftentimes we forget the source of our blessings and become to expect those things and lose the attitude of thankfulness and gratitude we ought to have knowing God is the ultimate supplier of everything we have. The innocence of children often teaches the most valuable of lessons.
After our craft and Bible study we got the chance to do what these boys love to do more than anything in the world: play soccer. We pulled our soccer ball out of our backpack and their eyes just lit up. We walked down to their soccer court and you could immediately tell this was what these kids were made to do. Even the smallest kid looked like he had been kicking a soccer ball around since he was able to walk. Needless to say we Americans were a little outmatched, but seeing the smiles on their faces when they scored a goal and we celebrated with them was absolutely priceless.
I wish we were able to take pictures at the orphanage to show everyone, but unfortunately, government regulations prohibit us from doing so. If you have looked at the pictures on Facebook, all of those come from our time in the mornings at the CTC schools. Once again, I want to thank everyone for their prayers. Our devotion time last night was from Colossians 1:9-14 and I told our group the privilege we have that so many people are continually lifting us up by name and asking God to bless us with the strength and endurance needed to carry out His mission this week. We feel like progress is being made in the building of relationships at the orphanage and if we had a specific prayer for today that those relationships would continue to be strengthened and that the love of the Father would pour forth from us in such a passionate way that these children would not only seen a group of students and adults that care for them, but also a Heavenly Father who loves them so much and desires to have a relationship with them. We are expecting God to do just that today in a great and mighty way that only He can.
I better get downstairs and get some breakfast before we head out. Jeremy has notified me that we have fresh pineapple this morning, which is my absolute favorite! Thanks again for reading and for your continued prayer and support. Talk to you soon!
-John
