Today was the day that many people looked forward to.  Remodeling day.  Hammering.  Sanding.  Painting.  And spreading lots of love with the children and neighbors who watched us perform the work.

Now I have to be careful to use the word us.  Apparently,  word did spread from the wall I tried to build in the Dominican Republic on my last mission trip to Honduras (the wall the locals had to rebuild later that night), so our Mission of Mercy leader Mitch had a “special assignment” for me – to visit all the sites and take pictures there.  Umm… I guess that would be an act of mercy for the projects.

Seriously, our whole team went out to four different projects today in various parts of the city.  We have divided our group of 73 into four colors – Blue, Orange, Red and Green.  Susan, Brent and I traveled to all four with the local leader of Mission of Mercy here – Tony.  These were all four projects where none of the teams had been doing VBS. 

Our first stop was with the Blue team.   Our translator told me that this area of town was very rough and an area that we would not want to be in at night.  The area did not smell great and up above our heads in the sky were vultures circling around.   Inside of this otherwise dark area, was a lighthouse -  A Mission of Mercy Project.  The blue team’s job was to pull nails off the walls, sand the walls, fill the holes and repaint them.  They eagerly did this and it wasn’t too long before the blue team became the green team as green dust covered many of them.   Outside were neighbors including small children watching what was happening in their neighborhood.   They seemed to be filled with excitement with the good work that was happening.  Paige, Nikki and Nikki’s daughter Kayla from our KSBJ team were there.

The next stop was with the Orange team.  The project they were in was very nice.  Their job was to sand and refinish doors and paint rails.   LaRanda and Danice from our KSBJ staff were there painting, cleaning and doing whatever else they could do to make the project better.  One of the team members Jose from Houston is actually a carpenter back home so this was nothing new to him.  The tutors at this project told us that if the children didn’t have a project like this to come to, that they would be in gangs.

It was off to see my team.  The Red Team.  They were helping in a project in downtown Tegucigalpa.  Trudy, Sara and Michelle were there helping scrape walls while others including our translator Miguel was busy installing a roof.  Trudy told me that the morning there started off with a little excitement. When they began to work in the one room a live mouse started running around them!  If that weren’t enough - after the mouse, they saw a bunch of roaches!  But since we have bigger roaches in Texas, they could handle it!  Power saws, wood and paint and the crew was busy helping and the director of the project was so very grateful.  A couple of the women on the Red team were very skilled in carpentry.  I was very impressed.  These ladies knew what they were doing.

Our last stop was the home of Brent and Robin’s team. The Green Team.   While a couple of men who were very drunk wondered nearby, the team painted the upstairs of the project.  They did a really good job.  At this project, Susan was able to hook up with Anderson, the little boy that she sponsors.  You can read more about that in Susan’s blog. 

Besides doing remodeling and construction, several of the team members also had the opportunity today to – just like Susan - meet with the child the sponsor.    Many of them brought gifts to give their child.   I can’t really describe the emotion when you meet in the child’s home and see the conditions they live in.  Michelle was able to be a part of one those visits today.  She said that the family had nothing, but that the child had such joy.

We spent time today talking with the Green team about that.  How these kids have so little – from our eyes, but that they are so joyful.  Yet, our children who have so much stuff seem to never be content with what we they have.   Children here play in the street, talk with each other and develop deep relationships.  The children who have come on this trip are seeing that first hand.  I am glad that my kids are here and I hope that you too can let your child experience missions – whether that be home missions in Houston or in a country like Honduras.  You don’t have to say anything. They will see it for themselves.

Tonight we are going to all talk about our experiences from our time here.  I know that will be such a rich experience.  Tomorrow we begin our journey back home.  We will leave here in the late morning and drive to San Pedro Sula where we will get a good night’s rest before we fly back on Wednesday.  Thank you for your prayers.

One of translators, Pamela, told us that the children here are so hungry for love, that when you give them even a little, they give a lot back.  We have seen that on this trip.  God is love and we have met that love here in Honduras.  Last night after our time of worship and praise, members of our team – as they felt lead –shared stories of what God has already done through them during this trip.   It was simply amazing.  Life changing stories already.  And to think that we have only been here for four days!

Today we went to church.  It is a church that works with one of the Mission of Mercy projects.  Several of our team members have never been to a church outside the US, so it was especially a treat for them to see people from a different part of the world praise God.  And the Hondurans did!  They sing with passion.  They sing with joy.  Even though many of our team does not speak Spanish, we still found a common bond with them and experienced a God who is alive in Honduras.  We worshipped Him today.  We saw Him in the eyes of the people we met.  They were so grateful we were here and once again, they gave back to us so much more than we gave to them.  After the worship time, they passed around cold bottled water for us to drink.  People with so little giving so much.

After church we took some more windy roads up to the Village of Angeles where we ate our lunch and did some shopping at the village.   They gave us so much food at the restaurant that we all got doggie bags and took our excess food to the village where we gave the food to poor hungry people.  That was Mitch’s idea to do that.  Mission of Mercy isn’t just a name of a ministry, it is how Mitch and the team live.  They are always looking for ways to share with those in need.

The road to the village on the mountain was a little exciting for US drivers.  The roads are well paved, but our bus drivers must think that they have NASCAR numbers painted on the side.  With steep drop offs along the long climb, the ride was another adventure. On the way back Trudy, Sara and others who get motion sickness all sat near the front so they could see and not get as sick.   With the help of Bonine (thanks to LaRanda and Mitch), the stomachs were just fine and everyone made it back without incident

Tomorrow we head off to do some construction and painting at the projects.   I know that a lot of men prefer that, but this is not one of my strongest areas.  I pray that whatever I try to construct stays there.  The group that traveled with me to the Dominican Republic a couple of years ago know how great I am in building walls. Hopefully, that word hasn’t spread here to Honduras.

Today was tough.  Several of our team members have gotten “travel sickness” including two of the KSBJ staff.  Mission of Mercy has been great to help them out.  Nothing has been real serious – just the normal things that happen when you have stomach sickness.  Because we wanted them to get better, we left those members who were sick behind today as we traveled out to the projects for our final day of VBS.

But that is not why it was hard.

We had a great day with the children.  At our project we had over 100 children come out.  After singing with them, Kim Kossie, filling in for our teacher who was sick, quickly put together a play where we acted out the life and miracles of Jesus.  At the end of the play Kim lead them in a salvation prayer.  Kim made sure that this was for people who never have asked Jesus in their heart before.  15 children stood to receive Christ.  Wow!  15 lives were changed and I believe when they go back to their homes, they are going to share the good news.  That is what usually happens.  The children receive Christ first and then they bring their families to church where they also receive Christ.

We also took time today to give the children’s shoes.  Many of you were so gracious in giving us shoes and we selected children whom we knew needed them.  They were so appreciative. It was like Christmas for them.   It was so neat to kneel down and put the shoes on the children’s feet.  You should have seen the smile on their faces.  Thank you.

Then we had a blast playing with the children.  Crafts, games, Frisbee, taking pictures of them.  One of our team members, Renee brought a printer and printed pictures for the children to have.  They loved it. 

Then they stopped all the festivities, because they wanted to do something special.  They formed a circle around us and the children all prayed for us.  Then they presented us all with gifts from Honduras and performed music just for us.  It was so special.

But they came the hardest part of all.  Our three day VBS was over and it was time to say good-bye.  We had a bundle of gifts to give them.   The lined up and patiently waited to get their items.  After they received their gift, the tears started flowing.  We just wanted to hug them one more time.  We have become so attached to them and it was hard to leave them behind.   I am thankful through sponsorships that although we are leaving them, many of you are sponsoring them and will continue those very important relationships. 

The bus ride bus to the hotel was tough.  As we boarded the bus and were leaving, we saw one of the little girls we had helped waving goodbye to us and then brushing away the tears from her eyes.  That is an image we won’t forget.

Tomorrow we go to church at one of the Mission of Mercy projects.

I am so glad to get to finally sit down and share some of what we have been experiencing in Honduras.  The days have passed so quickly.  I guess time flies when you are surrounded by love and joy and doing work that is so much fun. 

We have spent these first few days in VBS in our projects around the city.  My project is Azul (blue) and even now as I sit to type this the children are sitting at table and standing around me …there is a constant presence of children here-beautiful, loving, needy children.  The hugs have been strong, long and frequent.

These children are the blessed ones, they have sponsors and so they are a part of the project here.  They come and are fed,   clothed, educated and loved.  Oh, they are so very loved.  The women who are here with the children all of the time are like mommas to these kids…they bandage boo-boos, they settle disagreements and they hug, as Kankelfritz would say – these ladies give full on big momma hugs!  I love it!  That’s inside this place, outside where the kids without sponsors  are it’s very different.

NO DOORS, HOW SAFE ARE THEY?
Yesterday we went to the neighborhood where one of the new projects has just gone in.  The area is the poorest   I’ve seen.  The streets are all dirt, deep ruts and holes from all of the rains and very difficult to walk.  Twice we had to walk down a very steep path that was covered in trash and rock, slipping and falling as we went and realizing that the people who live there are negotiating that path everyday just to get a place where they can find help.  As we walked along the road there were small ditches dug along either side and in them –running sewage.  I didn’t have to look down to know that’s what it was, my nose told me as soon as we stepped from our car.  Houses were made of what they could find.  Some were made of tin, others of cement  blocks(those were the wealthier homes) some were made of sticks.  The roof of the home is tin – no nails so they put old tires or bricks on them to hold them down in the wind and rain. The dogs and chickens walk in and out like the children..no doors just a sheet over the opening and windows are cut into the walls but there is no curtain or screen – it’s open to all of the weather and bugs. I wondered, how safe are they at night with no doors to close out  those wishing them harm?

Inside the family is proud of what they have, they have swept the dirt floor and have all of their pots and pans hanging neatly on the wall…a small boy stands on the porch with a rolled tortilla in his hand and crumbs on his face as his grandmother finishes the wash and hangs it on the bushes and fence to dry in the sun.

A WORLD AWAY…
It is a world away from Houston.  But the families want the same things for their children that you or I want for ours.  They want them to be safe.  They want them to be fed.  They want them to grow up healthy and to be able to become lawyers and doctors and architects, and computer programmers. With the help of Mission of Mercy Sponsors they have little hope to get these things for their children.  They work hard, but there is little work to be had and with an 80 percent unemployment rate in their country, they have little chance to find work soon.  But I have seen what sponsorships can do for the families here.

STONE BY STONE….
I have seen the sponsorship change the entire community.  Mission of Mercy built a road to one project and as they built it they got the help of the people living there.  Men old and young began to carry big stones and wheelbarrows full of mud and mortar…Grandmothers even carried the heavy stones down the steep stairs to the road … stone by stone they built a new road to their neighborhood.  Stone by stone they build self esteem for themselves.  Stone by stone they built up a skill that would help them become masons in other areas and projects.  Stone by stone they began to find hope, pride and a sense of what God would do for them through these people who loved them enough to come from America to give them this road to a brighter future.

A dollar a day sounds like so little to us and is so very much for them.  Please consider sponsoring these children…they are now so very precious to me and they have always been so very precious to God.  The Bible tells us that true religion is to care for the widows and orphans….these children are the modern  orphans…and we are the ones to care for them.  A dollar a day, please consider sponsoring a child. 

We miss you.  I will write more later. Via ConDios, mis amigas e amigos
Susan O’

The kids are great and the more you are around them, the closer you get to them and the closer they get to you.  I can’t tell you how many children came up to me today, grabbed my hand and just wanted to be with me.  When you gently squeeze these children, love comes up.  I thought I came here to give them the Love of God, but it seems they are doing more ministering to me.

I also went on a home visit today with one of our listeners who sponsors a child here.  We walked up the side of a mountain to an even more rundown impoverished area to this child’s home.  We learned that the girl’s father had recently died and mom was out working selling clothes trying to provide for her small family.   A picture of her daddy was next to the girls kindergarten diploma.  The little girl – Jennifer – was simply a bundle of joy.  Our listener – Amy with her daughter – Ashley – brought a bundle of gifts for the family including coloring books, a soccer ball and a Bible.  Amy’s heart couldn’t help but break into tears as she lovingly talked with the little girl.

Trudy and I each sponsor children. We are believers in ministries such as Mission of Mercy that are really making a difference.  Being here, we get to see the results of the money that many of you give to sponsor children. We are here to report that the programs are working.  Children are being loved, they are being given the gospel and neighborhoods are changing for the good.   Sara and Michelle are having a great time with the children.  And the children are taking them in as part of their family.  

Today we acted out the story of the birth of Christ for the children.  Kim Kossie told the story and Trudy and I were Mary and Joseph.  Tristen, Debbie’s grandson played the part of Caesar Augustus.  The children really took in the story and we gave them Spanish Memory Scripture cards to color as their activity.  The children here are so well behaved.  They listen well.  Tomorrow is our final day of VBS with them – and boy, do we have a lot of surprises for them.  I will tell you about them tomorrow.

What a great day.  We just got back from a full day of VBS.   The children were great.  I know that a lot of lives were impacted today because we are here.

Because we had such a large number of listeners come with us, we divided up into four teams.  My team was the Red team and we went to Project #10 for Mission of Mercy.  In all of these projects, Mission of Mercy teams up with a local church or ministry in partnership to reach out to the children.  Having an ongoing  local presence is a key to the project’s success.  Mitch from Mission of Mercy told us that wherever they put these projects they seem the community turn around.  Bars close. Crime goes down.  And church attendance goes up.  There is just something powerful that happens when you reach out to children. And these kids become powerful witnesses to their mom and dad (if they are living).  Many parents come to church and to Christ because of reaching out to these children.We had two separate groups of children come today.  We had about 25 in the morning session and about 125 in the second session.   In both sessions we taught them about the Bible.  Today we focused on the promises of God through the story of Noah and the Ark.  I was really impressed how the children answered the questions we asked them after story time.  They got it!  After story and craft time, it was play time.  So many kids.  So much fun.  So much joy with them.  It was great.

Today was also a great day for my family.  Michelle (13) commented that even though these kids don’t have much material items, that they are still very happy.  And that they were nice and friendly.  Michelle said she wouldn’t mind moving here to help these kids! Sara (19) said that she can testify first hands the needs of the children are real and that they need sponsors.   The conditions are unlivable and that she can how what is happening through Mission of Mercy makes a difference.  Trudy was back to herself today – fully rested and had a great time with the children.  My wife is such a great mom and she did a great job loving on the children.  For all of three of my girls, the days was such a great reward.  They worked really hard in putting together the pieces for today’s craft.  And it all came together.  The smile on the children’s face made it all worthwhile.

Tomorrow.  More VBS. 

This morning 73 of us left Houston a day long trip to Tegulcigalpa, Honduras.  If you have ever traveled internationally, then you know the key word is flexibility.  After two plane rides, a delay in Miami due to weather, and a very long bus ride from the airport to the hotel we safely made it - 19 hours after we left Houston.

Our theme for this trip leaving a legacy. We talked as a family where we wanted to spend our summer vacation and my two daughters  (my oldest, Darcy is now married)said they wanted to go on the KSBJ mission trip.  Wow.  What a great thing to say and I was all for it.   Sara, our middle daughter had gone with me before on a trip to Quito, Ecuador, but for Michelle who is 13 this is her first trip.   I didn’t go on my first trip until I was 40 so I am a little jealous - in a good way - that they are getting to do this at such a young age.  I really believe that God will use this trip to impact all of us.

And you know what?  They made today a lot more enjoyable.   With all the delays, windy roads and crazy driving, the girls provided a lot of laughter.  It is great to travel with them and with such a great group of listeners.  For this week we will really all be a family.  A family of 73!

My wife, Trudy, didn’t especially enjoy the windy bus ride.  Too many narrow turns for her stomach.  But as a mom, she enjoys having our girls with us.  Tomorrow is our first day of VBS.  Trudy, Sara and Michelle have been very busy getting the crafts together.  Tomorrow we begin our work.               
 

What people say to adoptive parents…

Is it ok to discipline other kids?

You remember Logan The Sky Angel Cowboy.  Well God gave him quite the voice change!  When he first called we didn’t recognize him.  By the way, Logan has a new website you should check it out…  

Click here to listen to Logan’s voice change…