Today David and I had the privilege of teaching the children at church! Since Courtney and Hines have returned to the states, and because Darwin had a soccer game there was a slight change in the normal line up for church at the homeless ministry. Amber preached, this left it up to me and David to think up a quick little lesson for Sunday School. We decided to continue to talk to the kids about love (my favorite topic). We asked the kids to draw on a piece of paper what love meant to them. We also cut hearts out of coffee filters and had them color them. We then sprayed the coffee filters with a little water to make the colors look like tie-dye. We had around 20 kids with us this evening and the majority of them were quite hyper! One child in particular stood out to me tonight. His name is Noey and I hadn't seen him at Amber's building before. He was extremely sweet and well behaved and was very motivated when it came to drawing his interpretation of love. He drew Jesus surrounded by hearts and he took his time to make sure everything was just right! It was simply adorable. After Sunday School had finished it was time to eat! Noey sat next to me and as he ate he kept offering me food from his bowl. It hit me that this little boy who may not have eaten yet that day was more concerned about making sure his new friends had food than he was about his own apetite. After realizing this I spent the rest of the night playing with Noey and making sure I got as many smiles out of him as I could! However, this did not include letting him win at arm wrestling, I beat him every time. I hope to see this little guy come to the homeless ministry more often so I can get to know him better! After dinner it was time to run! As usual I had a child with me, instead of Jonathan I had his brother Arol run with me. Arol was more up to the running challenge and fortunately I never had to carry him.
The most memorable image from tonight came from two unexpected members of the homeless shelter. Diana is one of the youngest children at the shelter and is usually acting like any 5 year old girl does. Running around, screaming, and causing chaos. Melvin is one of the most caring people I have ever met, and even though he has never seen my face he made an attempt to get to know me today. He is blind and also has recently injured his leg quite badly. Melvin was walking into church and between the loud noises of all the people and all of the people running around he couldn't find a place to sit. I was on the other side of the room and was about to go help him when I saw Diana walk towards him. She reached up, grabbed Melvin's hand and led him to a seat. These images of Honduras will never cease to amaze me.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Saturday, August 27, 2011
More Fun With The Homeless Ministry
They last few days have been filled with awesome activities at school and with the people at the homeless ministry! On Friday I attended my first Honduran field trip! The majority of the school (pre-K through 6th grade) went to the Air Museum. It was really interesting to hear and see and learn a good deal about some of the history of the country. They had planes dating back all the way to the 1930's and explained a little about some of the wars the have participated in. The field trip was great other than one of my students pushing another child down in the plane we got to go in. This was only a big issue because the plane was on a slant the child rolled and I mean rolled down the length of the plane. Needless to say that was the last field trip my student will be attending this year. Next week is exam week at school so we spent the rest of the day Friday working on our long division so they are prepared for their first exam, Math! After a little one on one tutoring with some of the students who were struggling I am confident they will all do great on their exam!
Friday evening we were back to training with the awesome people from the homeless people. There is going to be a 5k that we will be participating in sometime in early November and we have decided to run 3-4 times a week to train. This Friday little Jonathan, pictured with me below, decided we wanted to run the entire time. The first two days of training he only did half. Unfortunately he was not quite ready to be running the whole time so he spent a good deal of time on my shoulders. This slowed me down a little and the people at all the street shops really enjoyed seeing this gringo running through the streets at night, covered in sweat, with a child on his shoulders. We didn't give up and finished just a little ways behind everyone else! This week a new child has joined the family at Breaking Chains. His name is Herman and he is determined to talk to me even though my Spanish is still awful. He just doesn't seem to understand that I barely understand him. But he is really good at hand motions and has taught me a lot over the past few days. He is definitely an awesome kid!
Today we went to Baxter to play soccer with the kids and teens from the homeless ministry. The ride there was interesting to say the least. We had 11 people consisting of me and 10 Hondurans riding in the bed of David's truck. Of course five minutes into the car ride it decided to rain and we all enjoyed the ride anyway. When we arrived the rain had stopped but not for long. Right after we started playing we were part of a good hour long downpour! This didn't stop anyone of the kids from having an awesome time! I played goalie and they were all impressed every time I made a save. As long as I am here they will always be surprised when I do anything athletic. The people at the homeless ministry are definitely growing on me. They are all so loving and are always so excited whenever me and David arrive! I definitely look forward to every visit and activity that we have with these amazing people!
Friday evening we were back to training with the awesome people from the homeless people. There is going to be a 5k that we will be participating in sometime in early November and we have decided to run 3-4 times a week to train. This Friday little Jonathan, pictured with me below, decided we wanted to run the entire time. The first two days of training he only did half. Unfortunately he was not quite ready to be running the whole time so he spent a good deal of time on my shoulders. This slowed me down a little and the people at all the street shops really enjoyed seeing this gringo running through the streets at night, covered in sweat, with a child on his shoulders. We didn't give up and finished just a little ways behind everyone else! This week a new child has joined the family at Breaking Chains. His name is Herman and he is determined to talk to me even though my Spanish is still awful. He just doesn't seem to understand that I barely understand him. But he is really good at hand motions and has taught me a lot over the past few days. He is definitely an awesome kid!
Today we went to Baxter to play soccer with the kids and teens from the homeless ministry. The ride there was interesting to say the least. We had 11 people consisting of me and 10 Hondurans riding in the bed of David's truck. Of course five minutes into the car ride it decided to rain and we all enjoyed the ride anyway. When we arrived the rain had stopped but not for long. Right after we started playing we were part of a good hour long downpour! This didn't stop anyone of the kids from having an awesome time! I played goalie and they were all impressed every time I made a save. As long as I am here they will always be surprised when I do anything athletic. The people at the homeless ministry are definitely growing on me. They are all so loving and are always so excited whenever me and David arrive! I definitely look forward to every visit and activity that we have with these amazing people!
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Running Through the Streets
The last few days have flown by but they have been some of my favorite days here! We are starting to train for a 5k with the people from Amber's homeless ministry and EVERYONE is participating! We started Monday and will be training every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evening after we feed. We run in the streets and it is probably quite a sight to see when a couple gringos and about 20-30 homeless people ranging in age from 6-70 come running your way. The cops seem to give us the best looks of confusion. We are starting out slow and Amber has a training regiment set up so I'm sure it will be getting more and more challenging as we continue. She has support in the states for fundraisers of people running their own 5k the same day we will be running down here!!!
Today as we ran I was towards the back because I was holding hands and running with our youngest runner Jonathan who just celebrated his birthday! (Amber made cupcakes!!!) He refused to keep his shoes tied so we stopped every couple minutes to put his shoes back on putting is farther and farther behind. However, the entire time I would put my money on Jonathan having the largest smile on his out of the entire group! He is definitely one of the sweetest little guys I've meet down here and I really enjoy getting to spend time with him four days out of the week! He always greets me and David with biggest hugs and smiles you could imagine!
Running in the streets also gives me a great time to reflect on the short time I've been here so far. I've realized how much I've already changed and how far I still have to go. Today I though a lot about my communication with the people here in Honduras. I realized why people learn a language so fast when the move to another country. Yes part of it is because you are surrounded by it. But I think the biggest reason is people yearn to communicate better with the people they care about. That is exactly what I'm going through. I am learning as much as I can because I can't wait to have more in depth conversations with the people at the homeless shelter as well as the countless number of people I have yet to meet that I'm sure I'll want to talk to. Luckily the wonderful teachers I work with at Interamerican are working with me everyday on my Spanish skills and everyday I am getting better.
I'm not used to going to bed every night so excited for the next day that I struggle to fall asleep. Everyday down here I am excited to wake up and start. Thank you all again for your support!
Today as we ran I was towards the back because I was holding hands and running with our youngest runner Jonathan who just celebrated his birthday! (Amber made cupcakes!!!) He refused to keep his shoes tied so we stopped every couple minutes to put his shoes back on putting is farther and farther behind. However, the entire time I would put my money on Jonathan having the largest smile on his out of the entire group! He is definitely one of the sweetest little guys I've meet down here and I really enjoy getting to spend time with him four days out of the week! He always greets me and David with biggest hugs and smiles you could imagine!
Running in the streets also gives me a great time to reflect on the short time I've been here so far. I've realized how much I've already changed and how far I still have to go. Today I though a lot about my communication with the people here in Honduras. I realized why people learn a language so fast when the move to another country. Yes part of it is because you are surrounded by it. But I think the biggest reason is people yearn to communicate better with the people they care about. That is exactly what I'm going through. I am learning as much as I can because I can't wait to have more in depth conversations with the people at the homeless shelter as well as the countless number of people I have yet to meet that I'm sure I'll want to talk to. Luckily the wonderful teachers I work with at Interamerican are working with me everyday on my Spanish skills and everyday I am getting better.
I'm not used to going to bed every night so excited for the next day that I struggle to fall asleep. Everyday down here I am excited to wake up and start. Thank you all again for your support!
Monday, August 22, 2011
First Day Teaching
Today I finally got to teach and the 4th grade kids at Interamerican were more excited than I was! We have exams next week so we spent half the day reviewing for their tests. Math is definitely tough for them it takes a lot of drilling and repetition but after today they seemed to finally grasp long division. The afternoon we dedicated entirely to preparation for Wednesday's Spelling Bee that will have all the school's 4th, 5th, and 6th graders in it. This means my class is already at a disadvantage being the 10 youngest participants. However I like our chances because I've never seen 10 kids more excited about spelling. Literally jumping out of their seats just to have a chance to be the first one to spell "awkward." I can already tell I am going to love this experience and I am praying that it will last a long time because I'm already learning so much from these kids!
I had lunch duty today and what that means is make sure the kids don't kill each other as they run around for 30 minutes since they already ate their lunches during recess. (it seems really backwards doesn't it?) As I sat there all the kids not in my class would stop in their steps when they saw me. At first I though it was probably because I was the new teacher but then I realized the obvious answer. I am the only white person in the entire building. It was really humbling. I've never been in a situation where I was alone like that yet every time after they stopped they would come up and talk to me to show off their english skills! Everyday before school the teachers meet up to pray. Today they started to pray in Spanish, looked at me, smiled, and changed to English. I honestly could have cried right then and there. Every one from the students to the teachers to the bus drivers have been more than accommodating and more than excited about my arrival at the school. Feeling this welcome makes me realize that I'm going to love waking up every morning more than I ever have before.
I had lunch duty today and what that means is make sure the kids don't kill each other as they run around for 30 minutes since they already ate their lunches during recess. (it seems really backwards doesn't it?) As I sat there all the kids not in my class would stop in their steps when they saw me. At first I though it was probably because I was the new teacher but then I realized the obvious answer. I am the only white person in the entire building. It was really humbling. I've never been in a situation where I was alone like that yet every time after they stopped they would come up and talk to me to show off their english skills! Everyday before school the teachers meet up to pray. Today they started to pray in Spanish, looked at me, smiled, and changed to English. I honestly could have cried right then and there. Every one from the students to the teachers to the bus drivers have been more than accommodating and more than excited about my arrival at the school. Feeling this welcome makes me realize that I'm going to love waking up every morning more than I ever have before.
Friday, August 19, 2011
A Very Special House
Today we build a house!!! The house is for a 20yr old and his family, including a child! We had the privalage of working with a small group that had not experienced the awesomeness of the build before. The were very enthused and very excited for the opportunity to be a part of something so important. I was also excited because since I've been sick I knew I would not be of much help today when it came to work. We set out for the build around 7 and Mark had already dug the four holes we needed to get started! Unfortunately the terrain to get to the house was a little rough but we had some very impressive Hondurans with us who more than handled brining all the wood. (and even I carried a couple pieced from the insistance of Jonny) The house went up extremely fast because as usual we had a good deal of help from the neighbor kids! I managed to continually hand off my hammer and nail to play with the kids and my spanish is improving so I even managed a little conversation or two while I was at it. One kid in particular stands out in my mind. I believe his name was Josue and he was quite the little thief. Within five minutes of our arrival he managed to take my limon frio gatorade, my favorite flavor. I knew he took it and I would have gladly given it to him had he asked. He then was pretty mischievous throughout the day, at one point David even told him to get out of the house. We noticed him pocketing some screws and told him to give them back as well. This kind of behavior isn't out of the ordinary but what struck me the most is when we finished and prayed for the house. He made his way to me and sat on my lap and held my hands as we prayed. Little moments when we see the good side of people are truly awesome sights. It is also awesome to see God provide a house for someone so deserving! Mark said something really awesome today that I guess I hadn't really thought about before. A house to you and me is the same as a house to someone living in poverty. Even though a house to us is large and a house for them is small. Imagine a group of people you may have never met showed up on a plot of land you just bought and put up the house you and your family need. They didn't charge you for it, they didn't ask for any favors in return, they just built because God had provided them with the ability, tools, and materials to do so. It is Awesome.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Casa
If you know me you know that the one thing that might get me out of bed if I'm sick is the promise of going to play with some awesome kids! I hadn't left my bedroom/bathroom since Monday, so when I heard we would be heading to see the Casa kids I decided to take my chances and head out. The purpose of our trip was for Jenn Hines to say goodbye to the kids she has fallen in love with over her many months her in the country and it was awesome watching her interact with the kids, Cindy and little Josue especially! When we arrived Fernando grabbed me instantly because he wanted to show me his many tricks on the trampoline. I'll try to post some of the videos later because they are pretty impressive! After explaining why I wasn't going to be jumping on a trampoline anytime soon he decided our best plan for the afternoon was drawing pictures of ice cream cones. I'm not sure why, but I must say I draw a mean triple scoop ice cream cone. It took the combined efforts of a few of the kids but they got me to go play soccer but sadly after about five minutes I was done for. This was the third time I've been with the Casa kids and each time you interact with them you get more and more attached to them. They are truly amazing kids!
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Sick Away From Home
Sorry I haven't written the past few days but I haven't really had much to write about. Sunday night I started feeling ill and by Monday afternoon I was done for. Luckily before I got to sick I was able to go to school! I will be teaching at Interamerican which is associated with the Nashville School. I will be a long term sub for 4th grade while the current teacher has her baby. They are on a different school schedule then in the US so they finish up school on November 20th. I'm not sure what I will be doing after that but like most things on Honduras I guess I'll just have to wait and see. I will have 10 students and after meeting them I can't wait to start teaching! The school's spanish teacher told me that while I am there her goal is to teach me as much as she can. I am very excited about that, free language classes! I'm still feeling a little sick but hopefully later on today I'll feel well enough to venture out to Casa with David and Hines.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
A New Home, and a New Job
Yesterday we built a house! In case you haven't seen it yet. Watching me attempt to build houses is very comical. During our missions trip earlier this summer I spent more time trying to escape the build site to play with kids then I spent actually building. However, this was not the case yesterday. We were helping Mark Connell with the build and it was in quite an interesting location. To get to the build site you had to climb a very steep set of stairs that were made out of old tires. Once you got to the build site the first thing you would notice would be the lack of space. We literally had exactly the right amount of space to build a house in so we had to be careful not to fall on the roof below us. After getting the four posts of the house lined up, the hardest part, the house went up quickly! Mark's wife Lori also came to help us build! They are a pretty awesome couple doing some amazing things down here in Honduras!
One thing I have noticed down here is that when someone sees something good happening it is hard for people not to come on over and help. As we were finishing up the final wall I noticed that my height would be an issue in reaching the last few nails. All the bricks were being used to help others climb higher and I knew I would have to figure something out rather quickly. A young boy had been watching us from up the hill. He had just been sitting with his dog investigating just exactly what it was we were doing. I decided since Honduran kids love sitting on shoulders this would kill two birds with one stone. I had Jenn Hines ask him if he would come over and help us finish and we rushed down the hill to assist us. I picked him up, put him on my shoulders, and got to work!
In other news I found out today that I will be teaching 4th grade at Nashville School here in Tegucigalpa! I'm very excited and can't wait to get to work on Monday morning!
One thing I have noticed down here is that when someone sees something good happening it is hard for people not to come on over and help. As we were finishing up the final wall I noticed that my height would be an issue in reaching the last few nails. All the bricks were being used to help others climb higher and I knew I would have to figure something out rather quickly. A young boy had been watching us from up the hill. He had just been sitting with his dog investigating just exactly what it was we were doing. I decided since Honduran kids love sitting on shoulders this would kill two birds with one stone. I had Jenn Hines ask him if he would come over and help us finish and we rushed down the hill to assist us. I picked him up, put him on my shoulders, and got to work!
In other news I found out today that I will be teaching 4th grade at Nashville School here in Tegucigalpa! I'm very excited and can't wait to get to work on Monday morning!
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Street Ball... Pun Intended
Today we had the privilege of playing soccer with the boys who stay at Amber's shelter! I love soccer and I love Honduras so this was definitely an equation for a successful Thursday afternoon. After hanging out at the homeless ministry for a little while and getting to know some of the people there better, we headed out to play soccer. The field, like many here in Honduras, is concrete. This is a little different from what I'm accustomed to back in the states. We shot around for a little bit and then picked teams. I'm not sure why but they decided to pick me second which was probably going to hurt our teams chances of victory. Even though I'm far from good they didn't hold that against me throughout the game. The one thing I noticed while playing is that they were always smiling. If you didn't know it you would never guess what these kids have gone through but I doesn't prevent them from enjoying the little things like soccer with their friends. After a little break we got back to playing and they literally had to pull me back onto the field because I was enjoying the break from physical activity just a little too much. We played a little longer before calling it a day and heading back to the homeless ministry. Amber's shelter is definitely one of my favorite places here. There is never a dull moment and you always see some amazing smiling faces!
A Night at the Homeless Ministry
After a long day of travel I got to relax in a pool for a little bit but then it was off to the city. David, Hines, and I went to the homeless ministry which is run by an amazing woman named Amber. A large group from North Carolina was there and they were quite energetic! Running around, playing soccer, and even doing a little dancing with the people of the homeless shelter. I was pretty tired from my long day of travel so I sat back and watched the going-ons of the place. I hadn't really gotten a chance to do much watching and learning when I was down here earlier in the summer because I was constantly doing something. Watching the people there was pretty awesome! I was also lucky enough to talk to one of the guys there who spoke english (even though at first I couldn't tell hehehe) He was carrying around his birth certificate which David could tell confused me. He explained that in Honduras anyone under the age of 18 must carry around their birth certificate or they will be put in jail for the night by the police. Once you turn 18 you get your ID and then you must have that on your person or you spend a night in jail.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Thank You
I am getting really close... like really really close to embarking on my adventure. I will be sending out letters to continue my fundraising but I also want everyone who reads my blog to know they can help! My cost of living each month will exceed the amount I am making from my work at the school... (by a good deal). I am relying on YOU to help me! There is a link here on my blog that allows you to donate directly to my paypal account. Any donation is appreciated and will be used to help the children in Honduras. I will be updating everyone on exactly what their donation is doing and how it is helping the people of Honduras! If you have questions beyond this about donations such as a place to mail a check or the exact use of your donation please email me at cbryant518@gmail.com
Thank you all so much for your support, donations, thoughts, and most importantly your prayers!
Thank you all so much for your support, donations, thoughts, and most importantly your prayers!
Friday, August 5, 2011
I'll know my name as its called again
It's werid, I had months to prepare myself for my week long missions trip. However, I only have a couple days to prepare myself for this awesome adventure. I know I am ready though. My bags might not be packed. I might not have any idea what I'll be doing exactly. And if you have traveled with me you know my hatred for being alone in a line. Having said those things I am not afraid though. I am not afraid because EVERYTHING fell into place in a matter of 48 hours to allow me to do this. Everything from a former employee returning to Best Buy to help me leave to a wonderful place to stay in Honduras. God truly does great things and sometimes he can do them in the blink of an eye. I guess this is what they call a leap of faith...
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
New Adventure
I just booked my ticket! I am headed back to Honduras and for an entire school year! I will be working at Nashville School in Tegucigalpa! I will have more details once I get down there next Wednesday so stay on the lookout for more updates. Thank you all for the support so far it means the world to me knowing that so many people are in support of what I'll be doing!
Monday, August 1, 2011
Honduras Missions Trip
The Gift Honduras Gave Me
I am back home now and all I can think about is hopping on a plane and going back to Honduras. The experience was only a week but it has changed me forever. The people I met, the relationships I built, and the kids of Honduras that I fell in love with. All in all it was probably one of the best weeks of my life and I just hope all the memories stay as vivid as they are right now. If you know me you know that kids are my passion. I am going to be a teacher and getting the chance to be with kids all week was amazing. Whether it was hanging out with the brothers all day or just playing with some kids in some random village in the mountains it was all just so awesome that words can’t even begin to describe how much I loved it.
I can’t wait to go back and when I do I hope it is for a more extended period of time so I can get to know the country and its people even more. I fell in love with the country and its people in just one weeks time so I can not wait to see what a longer trip can do. I miss the boys already and I can’t wait to see them again soon. I can’t thank them enough for what they taught me.
A Mountain of a Day
Today was an up and down battle emotionally for our team here in Honduras. Our first stop of the day was to the special needs orphanage. When we arrived we were told some devastating news. The girl Ashley had been telling me about all week, Izzy, had became ill and had passed away. Even though I had never met this girl I knew she had to be absolutely amazing from just listening to Ashley talk about her with such love and admiration. While at the orphanage all of us had some great experiences with the children. Their smiles and laughter are some of the most amazing things here in Honduras. The boys spent the night again last night so they were with us all day again!
After the first orphanage we went to the Dump. The Dump here in Tegucigalpa you have to see to believe. Hundreds of people live, and I do mean live in the dump. Our goal today was to feed some of them. As you drive towards the dump the scenery goes from sad to heartbreaking as you see men, women, and children in conditions you never thought possible. As we drove in we had to have people guard the food on the back of the truck so that it was not taken. When we got to a crowded spot we had the kids stay in the van as we got out to great the masses. The man in charge of the feeding is Mark Tindel. He works at Casa de Esperanza and at least once a week comes to the dump to feed. We passed out beans, rice, tortillas, and water to the people at the dump. Mike and I were in charge of passing out the water and it went fast. I got down to just one pouch and my goal was simple, give the last bit of water we had to a child. Two people came towards me, a man with a machete, and a little girl with a smile. I don’t even have to tell you who ended up with that water.
After leaving the dump we went to the Mother Theresa Orphanage. This place had some amazing kids. Daniel quickly made a new friend who wouldn’t part from his shadow. And his name was Daniel too! Steve also connected with a child, Kenny. They were inseparable all afternoon! One of the nuns there pointed out a small girl, Jacqueline who was shying away from our group. She was such a sweet little girl! The nun told me that when I leave the little girl would cry. But it didn’t take that long because as soon as anyone but me touched her she started bawling. Luckily Hines was there to help me calm her down. Side note, she also covered me in warm strawberry milk.
Our busy day continued when we went to the Jesus statue at one of the highest points of the city. From there we got to see a storm roll in and the view was breath taking. We then had to run back to the car to beat the storm and luckily we all made it back before the storm came.
Our final trip of the day was to KFC where we took the kids from Casa de Esperanza for dinner. Those kids are quite possibly the most energetic children I’ve ever associated with. The KFC has a soccer field in it so Daniel and I got to play some soccer with the kids! There were some sad goodbyes as we left KFC though.
In closing please keep Ashley in your prayers tonight as well as anyone else whose life was changed through Izzy.
One More House & Mario
Today we got up bright and early to build another house! And by bright and early I mean Mario woke me up at 5:55 by saying “Corey… GET UP” The boys stayed over last night and they can be a handful but they are awesome. We arrived at the build site with the wood already unloaded (by Mike, Daniel, and I) which means we were ahead of schedule! The brothers as usual were all about helping us build the house by doing whatever they could do help, even if sometimes that just meant running and giggling. We finished the house early even though we faced a lot of difficulties. I was so proud of our team as no matter what happened they continued to work hard and didn’t let these issues get in the way of providing for a family in need. The family we build the house for was so very gracious. The look in their eyes when the gazed upon their new house was all the satisfaction we needed!
During the building of the house Mario, one of the middle brothers, was by my side helping me for most of the day. He hasn’t said much to me so far on the trip but today he was extremely chatty! Mario’s story is a long one and to see him thrive is awesome. Whenever we have been around kids his age he is the center of attention and is always sharing with the other kids. Its amazing to see someone that has less that me give without even batting an eye. He is inspirational. On our ride home Mario, Marveen, and I sat in the back of the bus. Marveen was passed out after a few minutes but Mario and I were talking, singing, and dancing the whole way back. He is an awesome kid and I am so very thankful that I got to know him a little better today! Everyday down here has been a great gift and the things I have learned I will not soon forget. The boys are staying the night again so its time to get them ready for bed. Tomorrow we are going to the special needs orphanage, the dump, and taking some great kids out for dinner.. this all means that tomorrow will be my favorite day of the trip!
The Brothers and The Hospital Today was all about the kids so naturally I loved it! We started the day by going to the hospital here in The city to visit the kids and give then stuffed animals. I was in the verge of tears the entire time. The first child we stopped to talk with had traveled four hours and was exhausted. He was very weak but still managed a smile from something as simple as a beanie baby. The next child was being treated for cancer and his mothers optimism touched me. The love for her child was simply amazing and she had no doubt he would win his battle.
After the hospital it was off to the boys house to clean. As usual they were all about helping! Marveen even got on the roof to scrub the windows! The kids amaze me more and more everyday with their laughter and smiles even when they are facing difficult situations. And tonight they are all over for a sleepover! Music was all over the place today! I wore my favorite shirt, my “swim for your life shirt”! And while heading to the homeless shelter the song “bad day” came on and it made me think… it made me think that even on my worst days its not even comparable to some of the days the people here face. I dont think I’ll ever have a bad day anymore now that I know what a real bad day is. A bad day is not a flat tire or a long day at work. A bad day is not being able to feed your children, a bad day is not having a bed to sleep in. A bad day is the feeling that no one cares. Now that I know what a bad day is I try to best to help those who truly have bad days. And the day of music ended with a dance party to Katy Perry and Taylor Swift on the ride home! Ill end the post with a quote I saw on the wall of the homeless shelter that is stuck in my head. “There is no fear in love” :)
Stuck in the Mud & Valley of the Angels
Yesterday we spent all day up at a farm in the mountains! The reason we spent all day was because all our vehicles got stuck at least once. The farm we were working on has some amazing plans! They would like to employ people from the dump to work on the farm as well as donate a majority of the food they grow to those who need it most in Honduras! As usual my favorite part of the day was playing with the kids! They are truly amazing! They seem to love to work just as much as they love to play. After a few hours of work it was time to get the vehicles out. I was so proud of our team, even though it was storming and we had been out in The sun all day no one quit.
Then today it was off to the Nashville school which is a bilingual school near the valley of the angels. We built bookshelves and picnic tables for the school! After that we got to enjoy some awesome honduran food! Working at the school today was especially enjoyable for me since I will one day be a teacher! Yet again the boys joined us to help and Marveen was especially ready to work today as he helped me and Daniel build a table and then shared some of his favorite foods with me! Out of all the brothers I’ve spent the most time with Marveen, he is quite an amazing kid! He has a better work ethic than I do and I’m pretty sure he is better with a hammer than me too. He has also been trying to teach me some spanish but its not going great. He also loves helping me find places to buy Coca Cola but thats probably because he knows I’m gonna be buying him stuff too! Its relationships like this that make me know without any doubt that I’ll be back here… for as long as I possibly can be! I love these kids.
Today was my favorite day but I’m sure I’ll say that everyday! We started out by going to church with the brothers. After that it was out to lunch where Mike and I played soccer with the brothers in the playplace! The brothers we’ve been spending time with are six of the most amazing souls I’ve ever been with. Their smiles and their laughter are intoxicating. To see them have so much joy after all they’ve been through is truly inspirational! After lunch we ended up in a village in the mountains where the rain was coming down. The soccer field was empty when we arrived but soon Mike and I had quite the game going with some kids from the village. I had more fun playing soccer in the rain, on a rocky field, and with total strangers then I’ve ever had before! It was amazing. The children of Honduras continue to change me and it is beautiful!
"All I Have"
I believe thats what went through the heads of the Hondurans whose house we torn down then rebuilt in a matter of hours… They were the most gracious people I have ever meet , our act of kindness brought the mother to tears. My favorite part of the day was playing with the neighbourhood children once we had the house built! What amazed me the most was the willingness of the community to help countless children, neighbors and even our driver spent their day hard at work to improve the lives of an amazing family. Yet again another amazing day in Honduras!
Up… thats all he had to say to me. One word from the youngest child at casa de esperanza that started to make me think. Today my life changed and it only took an afternoon. One afternoon with the most amazing kids ive ever met. All it took was us taking time to play with them and the smiles never stopped. Josu (probably spelled wrong) spent the afternoon on my shoulders singing and dancing and the whole time smiling, they were all smiling and it warmed my heart like nothing ever has before :)
So close...
So its finally here and I can’t wait… a life changing experience just days away. Its all I can think about. I know it will be everything I want it to be and more. I already wish that I’ll be there longer. I can’t wait to give all I can to people who really need it. If possible I’ll be posting my adventures here. I hope you will all take the time to read and check up on me. Thank you all for your support!
I am back home now and all I can think about is hopping on a plane and going back to Honduras. The experience was only a week but it has changed me forever. The people I met, the relationships I built, and the kids of Honduras that I fell in love with. All in all it was probably one of the best weeks of my life and I just hope all the memories stay as vivid as they are right now. If you know me you know that kids are my passion. I am going to be a teacher and getting the chance to be with kids all week was amazing. Whether it was hanging out with the brothers all day or just playing with some kids in some random village in the mountains it was all just so awesome that words can’t even begin to describe how much I loved it.
I can’t wait to go back and when I do I hope it is for a more extended period of time so I can get to know the country and its people even more. I fell in love with the country and its people in just one weeks time so I can not wait to see what a longer trip can do. I miss the boys already and I can’t wait to see them again soon. I can’t thank them enough for what they taught me.
A Mountain of a Day
Today was an up and down battle emotionally for our team here in Honduras. Our first stop of the day was to the special needs orphanage. When we arrived we were told some devastating news. The girl Ashley had been telling me about all week, Izzy, had became ill and had passed away. Even though I had never met this girl I knew she had to be absolutely amazing from just listening to Ashley talk about her with such love and admiration. While at the orphanage all of us had some great experiences with the children. Their smiles and laughter are some of the most amazing things here in Honduras. The boys spent the night again last night so they were with us all day again!
After the first orphanage we went to the Dump. The Dump here in Tegucigalpa you have to see to believe. Hundreds of people live, and I do mean live in the dump. Our goal today was to feed some of them. As you drive towards the dump the scenery goes from sad to heartbreaking as you see men, women, and children in conditions you never thought possible. As we drove in we had to have people guard the food on the back of the truck so that it was not taken. When we got to a crowded spot we had the kids stay in the van as we got out to great the masses. The man in charge of the feeding is Mark Tindel. He works at Casa de Esperanza and at least once a week comes to the dump to feed. We passed out beans, rice, tortillas, and water to the people at the dump. Mike and I were in charge of passing out the water and it went fast. I got down to just one pouch and my goal was simple, give the last bit of water we had to a child. Two people came towards me, a man with a machete, and a little girl with a smile. I don’t even have to tell you who ended up with that water.
After leaving the dump we went to the Mother Theresa Orphanage. This place had some amazing kids. Daniel quickly made a new friend who wouldn’t part from his shadow. And his name was Daniel too! Steve also connected with a child, Kenny. They were inseparable all afternoon! One of the nuns there pointed out a small girl, Jacqueline who was shying away from our group. She was such a sweet little girl! The nun told me that when I leave the little girl would cry. But it didn’t take that long because as soon as anyone but me touched her she started bawling. Luckily Hines was there to help me calm her down. Side note, she also covered me in warm strawberry milk.
Our busy day continued when we went to the Jesus statue at one of the highest points of the city. From there we got to see a storm roll in and the view was breath taking. We then had to run back to the car to beat the storm and luckily we all made it back before the storm came.
Our final trip of the day was to KFC where we took the kids from Casa de Esperanza for dinner. Those kids are quite possibly the most energetic children I’ve ever associated with. The KFC has a soccer field in it so Daniel and I got to play some soccer with the kids! There were some sad goodbyes as we left KFC though.
In closing please keep Ashley in your prayers tonight as well as anyone else whose life was changed through Izzy.
One More House & Mario
Today we got up bright and early to build another house! And by bright and early I mean Mario woke me up at 5:55 by saying “Corey… GET UP” The boys stayed over last night and they can be a handful but they are awesome. We arrived at the build site with the wood already unloaded (by Mike, Daniel, and I) which means we were ahead of schedule! The brothers as usual were all about helping us build the house by doing whatever they could do help, even if sometimes that just meant running and giggling. We finished the house early even though we faced a lot of difficulties. I was so proud of our team as no matter what happened they continued to work hard and didn’t let these issues get in the way of providing for a family in need. The family we build the house for was so very gracious. The look in their eyes when the gazed upon their new house was all the satisfaction we needed!
During the building of the house Mario, one of the middle brothers, was by my side helping me for most of the day. He hasn’t said much to me so far on the trip but today he was extremely chatty! Mario’s story is a long one and to see him thrive is awesome. Whenever we have been around kids his age he is the center of attention and is always sharing with the other kids. Its amazing to see someone that has less that me give without even batting an eye. He is inspirational. On our ride home Mario, Marveen, and I sat in the back of the bus. Marveen was passed out after a few minutes but Mario and I were talking, singing, and dancing the whole way back. He is an awesome kid and I am so very thankful that I got to know him a little better today! Everyday down here has been a great gift and the things I have learned I will not soon forget. The boys are staying the night again so its time to get them ready for bed. Tomorrow we are going to the special needs orphanage, the dump, and taking some great kids out for dinner.. this all means that tomorrow will be my favorite day of the trip!
The Brothers and The Hospital Today was all about the kids so naturally I loved it! We started the day by going to the hospital here in The city to visit the kids and give then stuffed animals. I was in the verge of tears the entire time. The first child we stopped to talk with had traveled four hours and was exhausted. He was very weak but still managed a smile from something as simple as a beanie baby. The next child was being treated for cancer and his mothers optimism touched me. The love for her child was simply amazing and she had no doubt he would win his battle.
After the hospital it was off to the boys house to clean. As usual they were all about helping! Marveen even got on the roof to scrub the windows! The kids amaze me more and more everyday with their laughter and smiles even when they are facing difficult situations. And tonight they are all over for a sleepover! Music was all over the place today! I wore my favorite shirt, my “swim for your life shirt”! And while heading to the homeless shelter the song “bad day” came on and it made me think… it made me think that even on my worst days its not even comparable to some of the days the people here face. I dont think I’ll ever have a bad day anymore now that I know what a real bad day is. A bad day is not a flat tire or a long day at work. A bad day is not being able to feed your children, a bad day is not having a bed to sleep in. A bad day is the feeling that no one cares. Now that I know what a bad day is I try to best to help those who truly have bad days. And the day of music ended with a dance party to Katy Perry and Taylor Swift on the ride home! Ill end the post with a quote I saw on the wall of the homeless shelter that is stuck in my head. “There is no fear in love” :)
Stuck in the Mud & Valley of the Angels
Yesterday we spent all day up at a farm in the mountains! The reason we spent all day was because all our vehicles got stuck at least once. The farm we were working on has some amazing plans! They would like to employ people from the dump to work on the farm as well as donate a majority of the food they grow to those who need it most in Honduras! As usual my favorite part of the day was playing with the kids! They are truly amazing! They seem to love to work just as much as they love to play. After a few hours of work it was time to get the vehicles out. I was so proud of our team, even though it was storming and we had been out in The sun all day no one quit.
Then today it was off to the Nashville school which is a bilingual school near the valley of the angels. We built bookshelves and picnic tables for the school! After that we got to enjoy some awesome honduran food! Working at the school today was especially enjoyable for me since I will one day be a teacher! Yet again the boys joined us to help and Marveen was especially ready to work today as he helped me and Daniel build a table and then shared some of his favorite foods with me! Out of all the brothers I’ve spent the most time with Marveen, he is quite an amazing kid! He has a better work ethic than I do and I’m pretty sure he is better with a hammer than me too. He has also been trying to teach me some spanish but its not going great. He also loves helping me find places to buy Coca Cola but thats probably because he knows I’m gonna be buying him stuff too! Its relationships like this that make me know without any doubt that I’ll be back here… for as long as I possibly can be! I love these kids.
Today was my favorite day but I’m sure I’ll say that everyday! We started out by going to church with the brothers. After that it was out to lunch where Mike and I played soccer with the brothers in the playplace! The brothers we’ve been spending time with are six of the most amazing souls I’ve ever been with. Their smiles and their laughter are intoxicating. To see them have so much joy after all they’ve been through is truly inspirational! After lunch we ended up in a village in the mountains where the rain was coming down. The soccer field was empty when we arrived but soon Mike and I had quite the game going with some kids from the village. I had more fun playing soccer in the rain, on a rocky field, and with total strangers then I’ve ever had before! It was amazing. The children of Honduras continue to change me and it is beautiful!
"All I Have"
I believe thats what went through the heads of the Hondurans whose house we torn down then rebuilt in a matter of hours… They were the most gracious people I have ever meet , our act of kindness brought the mother to tears. My favorite part of the day was playing with the neighbourhood children once we had the house built! What amazed me the most was the willingness of the community to help countless children, neighbors and even our driver spent their day hard at work to improve the lives of an amazing family. Yet again another amazing day in Honduras!
Up… thats all he had to say to me. One word from the youngest child at casa de esperanza that started to make me think. Today my life changed and it only took an afternoon. One afternoon with the most amazing kids ive ever met. All it took was us taking time to play with them and the smiles never stopped. Josu (probably spelled wrong) spent the afternoon on my shoulders singing and dancing and the whole time smiling, they were all smiling and it warmed my heart like nothing ever has before :)
So close...
So its finally here and I can’t wait… a life changing experience just days away. Its all I can think about. I know it will be everything I want it to be and more. I already wish that I’ll be there longer. I can’t wait to give all I can to people who really need it. If possible I’ll be posting my adventures here. I hope you will all take the time to read and check up on me. Thank you all for your support!
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