The Boys - Part 3: Mario

Mario

Mario.  Where to begin.  Mario is all over the place.  Especially after a little bit of sugar.  Really, seriously the kid should not be ingesting sugar.  However, that is all beside the point.  Mario is ornery.  He is great at getting in trouble and with his cute smile equally as good at getting out of trouble.  He tends to keep that behavior at home though.  In school he is a model student.  Honor Roll student.  His Spanish teacher recently told me that, "Mario is a born leader."  Maybe she was giving him a compliment or maybe just saying he really enjoys bossing people around.  I can see it being taken either way.

Mario is very good at taking the temperature of a room.  He knows when it is time to play and when it is time to help someone through a rough day with a hug.  He cares for all of us here in the house.  Always willing to tell a quick joke or just be there when someone needs it.  His heart is just about as big as you will find in a 13 year old his size.  Yea that's right folks, Mario is officially a teenager!  Now we have five of those in the house!

Mario loves music.  Especially music in English.  He is constantly singing even if he isn't quite sure about the lyrics.  He also loves reading.  He has read a few chapter books this year including the first two book of the Chronicles of Narnia.  He is hoping to read a few more during our upcoming break from school.  He also recently made his debut on the school's soccer team playing defense. 

We love our Mario and love watching him grow into what we are sure will be a great man.

The Boys - Part 2: Francisco

Francisco

The brothers are certainly all very individual.  They all have their little quirks that make them unique.  However, Francisco stands out.  He is very different from his brothers.  He has a logic and reasoning to him that is far beyond his 11 years.  He thinks things through all the way before he acts.  He rationalizes his different actions and reactions like no other child I have ever seen.  Really all this is to say I'm impressed every single day by this guy.  He is so much more than that cute face we see at first.

I guess the best word I can use to describe Francisco is honest.  It's a hard thing to prove to people.  Especially when you are in third grade.  I'm gonna tell you a little story that amazes me to this day.  A story that brought Francisco and I together and helped seal the bond that we have.  A few months back the boys were doing their exams at school.  Francisco needed to learn the multiplication tables but was having trouble with the 7's and 8's.  We would practice for hours after school but still he struggled.  I mean come on those are the toughest ones!  Well the day of the exam came and went.  His teacher told me he got 30/30 a perfect score!  I was so proud!  All that hard work had paid off.  When we got home we started studying for the next days exams but there was something wrong with Francisco.  He just wasn't his normal upbeat self.  I had it in my head I was gonna talk with him after we finished studying but he had the same idea brewing in his head I guess because before we even finished he stopped me and asked to talk.  He looked me square in my eyes and said "I cheated on my exam today, Corey...."  I wasn't sure what to say at first.  No one had caught him cheating, no one asked him if he did, and no one suspected he did.  However, here he was admitting to something.  It took me a second to gather my thoughts and I said, "Well buddy, why are you telling me?"  Without skipping a beat he spouted off how horrible he felt for cheating, how he knew it was wrong, and how he desperately wanted to fix it.  I told him the only way to fix it was to be honest.  The next day he headed in to school and admitted to the teacher what he had done.  She was just as confused as I was to hear this child, yea a kid, telling the truth so openly.  Feeling so bad about what he had done.

When we got home from school that day we had a long talk including some big old tears.  I told him how proud I was of him for doing the right thing.  I am always proud of our boys.  Always.  I love the relationship Francis and I have.  I love that he is able to come to me with anything.  Knowing he will even tell me when he cheats on a test shows me that.  Francisco has improved academically a lot this year.  The honest way.  Hard work and determination.  This little speed bump did't stop him.  He recently was selected for the school's soccer team and played in his first game.  I am so happy to be helping coach the boys because seeing them on the field using all that energy is pretty awesome.  In his first game he played every second and did a great job.  The coach on the other team even came up to me after the game to say how impressed he was with Francisco's enthusiasm on the field.

The Boys - Part 1: Antonio

Okay well I've gotta start off by saying "I'm sorry." Yea it has been over a year since my last blog, 370 days to be exact. I've gotta thank Amber Foster for getting it in my head and heart that I should bring my blog back to life. Speaking of life mine revolves around some really special boys. Over the past year they've changed from being the boys to well no other way to say it but "My Boys." (And Carlo's and David's of course) This last year has been full and I mean FULL of ups and downs. Luckily Our God has given way more ups than downs. The boys have been on the Honor Roll for every grading period this year and have been model students. I can't begin to tell you how often I get to hear from teachers and staff how amazing these boys are. Each time I hear something I can't help but grin ear to ear with pride at how much they have grown.

 Let's start with the little guy, Jairo Antonio. That's not a typo. His legal name is Jairo. Hard to imagine after being called Antonio for so long. My mom calls him her "Little Man." It is literally impossible not to love him. His smile is so big it actually overtakes his face and causes everyone around him to smile as well. I've been so impressed by how he has grown in the classroom. Last year at this time he was just learning how to read. Now he is reading every chance he gets and is one of the top students in his class. This is in large part due to two amazing ladies at my school that have been great teachers for my mom's "Little Man." Thanks Ms. Claudia and Ms. Fanny so much for all you have done for him over this past year. We know that without these awesome women he would not be the student he currently is in the classroom. Being the youngest in the house isn't always easy, but Antonio does not let that stop him from doing everything that his big brothers are doing. He is always outside playing soccer with the kids that are twice, well maybe three times, his size. His intensity in the classroom definitely spills over to the soccer field.

 Recently we had a parade at school to celebrate Honduras Independence Day. Antonio and his classmates were athletes carrying different flags and just having a good time in general. As my class and parents walked a little ways behind him one of my parents pulled me aside to comment on how this little boy in Second Grade was having more fun than anyone else at the parade. She showed me a picture she had taken, and of course it was Antonio's giant grin showing up on her screen. Just goes to show how he brings joy to just about every activity he is a part of.

We love our "Little Man" a lot. When things seem a little down around the house he is always there to bring a smile to our faces. I can't imagine my life without Jairo Antonio, he most certainly is a blessing.

Teacher's Day 2013

Today is Teacher's Day here in Honduras. Yea thats right an entire day for Mr. Corey! Well I guess it is for all the teachers but you are here reading this blog so yea an entire day for Mr. Corey. The best part of Teacher's Day you ask, well of course the day off school! I've now had three different groups of students. This year by far the most, 30 in total now. The most staggering statistic is how many of them are boys in that number... 23. Yea not a typo, 23 boys. So as you can imagine my classroom is many things. The list includes never clean, always pretty smelly, decorated in mostly sports stuff, always loud, and of course avoided by all other teachers. That being said I've NEVER enjoyed going to work so much before. I love these kids. They are so smart and everyday just want to learn more. I haven't had one let alone 30 kids before so excited to learn new things. I literally have 30-60 hands depending on how excited they are raised trying to answer questions at all times. Even if I didn't ask a question. By Sunday nights I miss them and am completely okay with going to bed early just to start my Monday with them. I read somewhere that hugs have huge health benefits and help improve your mood, I can certainly attest to that being true. My students are the definition of "huggers" this year and I seem to have a line forming each day before they leave to tell me goodbye. This year has taught me that God has me exactly where I need to be right now because I couldn't imagine a better group of kids to spend so much time with each day. Needless to say I'm gonna miss these kids like crazy when the school year ends in less than two months.

My Life

I sat here trying to put a title on this blog post for a good week. Couldn't think of one that fully explained and expressed how I feel about what I've written below. Sorry it took so long to post. Probably anyone who is reading this already knows what it going on in my life. From my facebook posts and a newsletter I've kinda made it clear what has happened. Five kids have moved into our house. Most of you probably know their names and faces already actually. Antonio, Francisco, Mario, Marvin, and Yovani. Five precious kids with a mountain of potential that has not been utilized the past year or more. After many long meetings, discussions, and of course prayer David and I have welcomed these awesome guys into our home. The decision wasn't taken lightly. We talked to trusted friends and tried to think of all the details before the paperwork was drawn up and school was started. You never really expect to see your life change forever in a matter of days but that is what has happened. Long nights of homework and studying have already happened. With many more of the same nights coming our way. I've done the homework/studying game before so that wasn't anything new. At school I've had more long conversations on the staircase to my classroom than I can count. So the talks about behavior and change, well those aren't very new either. What is new is how responsible I am for all these things now. What is new is waking up each morning and getting ready for school with 5 new faces. What is new is the fact that once something like this starts you can't go back. Personal failure now means so much more when these kids' lives are so intertwined with my life. I looked back at some of my first blogs from my mission trip here over two years ago as I wrote this blog. "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, Marvin, and I sat in the back of the bus. Marvin 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!" I feel blessed to be able to look back at my first experiences with these kids. To know that I've felt this way about them from the beginning. That I can be so thankful for their presence in my life. My blog has always had the same background photo on the top. A picture of me with Mario on my shoulders looking out at a beautiful view. I had no idea that day that I had my life sitting up on my shoulders already. That all we had to do was wait for God's perfect timing to put us back together.

I pray I can be exactly what they need. I pray I continue to learn patience. I pray that I take advantage of this opportunity to be prepared for what He has in store for my journey.

A Song

Sometimes I forget to blog because I'm busy, sometimes because I'm lazy, and sometimes I just find myself without words to say. I have had a song in my head for literally weeks. A group from Portsmouth Ohio was here and they played it LOUD on the way out to see the kids (Jonatan, Rosie, and Dayana). I've heard it before but it never struck as much at is did there. The song is "Where I Belong" and the chorus goes "All I know is I'm not home yet, this is now where I belong, take this world and give me Jesus, this is not where I belong." It says a lot and can mean a whole lot in not so many words. I took so much from it that morning as I saw these three little faces that were my life for over a year. I know things might never be the same with them, I might never get to spend the afternoon helping Jonatan with homework while we laugh and talk. Those memories were life for awhile and I never fully appreciated them while I had them. However as I sat and spent time with him that day I was able to really sit and realize that this isn't the end, we all aren't home yet, and we have so much ahead of us. We will both keep walking our paths in life and they will come together again whether or not it is the same as it was before. I love that kid more than I could put to words and that was the reason it took so long to put it into words. Somedays you just don't have words and you just wait until you realize thats okay.

28 students, and then some

We have been at school for three weeks now and the time has flown by! I guess that happens when you have 28 kids (21 boys and 7 girls, yea I know) The kids are very intelligent and are so eager to learn new things! I love 4th Grade and this year promises to be filled with new adventures at school. Not only am I teaching all the 4th Grade classes but I am also teaching 7th Grade Literature and History this year. I was a little apprehensive when the year started but now I really look forward to these classes, even though it does mean I'm spending a lot more time lesson planning! March has started and that means one thing here in Honduras... GROUPS! The gringos are coming and we will be busy! The madness begins Friday and I can't wait! Even though I can only spend weekends and evenings with the groups I sure do love group season (and not only because it means plenty of visits to Didasko!) Building houses has really grown on me and there will be some very memorable builds coming at the end of this month! I can't wait to see friends I haven't seen since last year!

2013: An Update

Hello All, The first month of 2013 has come and gone quicker than I thought possible. I've spent half of it here in Ohio visiting friends and family I haven't seen in over a year and it has been wonderful! This next year I will be back teaching at Interamerican School teaching (a lot of) 4th Graders again! I will also be taking on the challenge of being our very first Literature teacher as I take charge of the 7th Grade Literature class! I can't wait to get back in the classroom for these awesome challenges of education. David and I have been expanding our home to some awesome teenagers in need of direction this past year and God seems to be pushing us in a direction where this will become our ministry focus. Carlos graduated this past year and is now enrolled in a four year college program! Cristian is continuing his educational program to attain his high school degree as well as continuing his work at a local mechanic's shop. Saul is continuing his bilingual education at the Nashville School this year and will graduate from 6th Grade this spring! Cristian's younger brother, Henry, is in need of a place to live in the city that will help him continue his education to become a teacher, and that place seems pretty obvious to us, our house! We are also beginning to work, again, with Eduardo the middle brother of Saul and Carlos, as he tries to turn his life around and go back to school. As we begin to outreach to more and more teenagers our cost of living will increase with each teen. Paying for education costs, transportation, food, and of course some fun family activities as rewards for these amazing young men. David and I are looking for individuals and groups that are willing to partner with us on a monthly or one time basis to help us meet these costs and continue to help these inspiring young men. If you are interested in helping we are looking for 30 individuals or groups that feel called to help us at $15 dollars a month (or more). Above these needs we are also always in need of prayer and guidance as we work everyday in a city filled with crime, drugs, and violence. Donations can be made to the Melbourne Church of Christ located at 810 Hollywood Blvd. West Melbourne, FL 32904 with the name David Logue in the memo line. If you are interested in helping please let David and I know as we continue to rework our budget for this year and the future. Thank you all for your love and support over the past year and half and your continued support in the future. In Him, Corey Bryant

New Year, New Adventures

The holiday season is winding down and I will be heading home soon for some rest and relaxation that feels much needed. I haven't been home since last January and I am really looking forward to seeing my family and spending time with friends. We rang in the New Year in Honduras with a bang, literally, lots and lots and lots of fireworks all over the city. We also have a house full of willing hands here to serve until the 11th and they have been quite busy. Today they worked on their second house and continued work at Breaking Chains Homeless Ministry. The coming days will see us feeding at the dump, having a clothes giveaway, visiting children's homes, and also building at least one more house. It has been a blessing to see two groups of relative strangers get together and already accomplish so much work here in Honduras and I am sure the following days will see so more great things happen. Half of this group is full of some of my best friends and it has been so great to have them here around the holidays. We have also added a new member to our household, Captain Jakob. He is a Husky puppy who has been pretty sick, but thanks to some great puppy-sitting by Carlos and Saul he is doing much better. This next year promises to be extremely exciting. Full of new opportunities and adventures. I already can not wait to be back in February to hit the ground running on some of the amazing things that will happen this year in Honduras!

My Students

I have spent the past 10 months with the same 18 kids. My students. They were the constant this year for me. When I was missing my family and friends, or if it was dealing with the deaths of some of our teenagers, or missing the Ochoa kids, my students were always there. They kept me busy, they tried my patience, they kept me together when I was at my breaking point. I don't think they will ever fully understand how much they taught me this year and how important they are to me. When the year started my goal for our class was to be a team. Seems simple enough, work together. Well put together 18 kids from totally different backgrounds and upbringings and that is a tall order. We worked hard though. When we started the kids wouldn't each lunch together or play on the field together. When the year ended I had 18 kids that were inseparable and would defend each other through thick and thin. I had students who could all do a pretty good Mr. Corey impersonation also. My students will always have a special place in my heart and I wanted to give them something for them to understand how awesome they are. I'm a poor missionary so buying them all Playstations was out of the question. So instead I wrote them all a personal letter. I told them each about their strengths and how they have grown and learned over the past year. I told them each how proud I am of them and how they each have so much potential to make a difference in the broken country. Yesterday was report card day at school and each parent that came to talk to me could not stop talking about how much their child loved and cherished that letter. Needless to say I cried a few times. These 18 kids will always be "my students." I can't wait to watch them grow and have an impact on the world around them. I will be there to help them along if they need help from Mr. Corey.

Our Kids

As you probably know my role with Breaking Chains is mostly entirely with the kids. That being said as you know most of the kids are part of one family. Recently the kids have been living with Michael, this is due to some unfortunate events that transpired with their mother, Belkis. The kids had been doing great with Michael and I have been able to spend even more time with them. As if I didn't love these kids enough already, this just strengthened it. We were hoping that this situation would become permamnent, unfortunately on Friday afternoon the kids were taken to IHNFA (child services). The condition of the place they are in currently is far from ideal, but they have a roof over their head which is important. We didn't get to say goodbye, and we are not entirely sure what happens from here on out. We go Monday to speak about what we can do, please pray with us as we face the unknown. Pray for our kids as much as you can, they need everyone they can to be on their team. Pray for Michael, Amber, Courtney, David, and I as we feel the unimaginable pain of separation from our kids. Pray for me Tuesday morning as I go to school for the first time this year without being able to see the sweet faces of my kids and not being able to watch Jonatan and Arol play at recess without a care in the world. The pain I am feeling is impossible to describe, everywhere I look I see their faces, and it destroys me. I know God is in control but please pray that my faith doesn't waiver in this, one of the strongest storms I have every faced....

Didasko Water Park

You know how the saying goes "If you can't take the kids to the water park, take the water park to the kids!" Maybe I made that up but it sounds good. This past weekend David and I packed up a giant inflatable from the garage and headed out for an adventurous day. We were going to celebrate a belated Children's Day with the kids. We were accompanied by my friend Lilian who was on her first trip out to Didasko. The kids knew we were coming but didn't know what we were bringing with us. We showed up unloaded the car and started filling up the inflatable. The kids were in awe. They saw this giant toy full with a pool, sprinkler and not one but TWO slides! It took about ten minutes to get one of them to jump in because they were just so amazed. After the first kid jumped on there was no stopping them. All of the little kids were having a blast. Some of the older kids like Bryan and Diana were hesitant at first, acting "too cool" to be part of such childish games. However that was soon forgotten as all of the kids were playing together. It was awesome to see the kids enjoy the day with each other without fighting or getting bored. It was non stop enjoyment for three hours. Even two really big kids joined the fun (David and I). We have some great pictures from the day and hopefully we can go back soon!

So you are telling me it's September already?!

Wow, didn't think I would have to say it again, but again I'm saying sorry it's been over a month. Can't tell you how busy the last few months have been, and when I finally have some relaxing time... boom asleep. Some amazing things are happening here in Honduras and I'll be keeping you all posted in the coming weeks and months what my future will look like here. Let me tell you I am beyond excited about what is in store! Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers as my ministry in the country evolves into something truly amazing. Now back to what has been going on here. We had our last few groups come through and even had a new group stay with us here at the house, it was their first time in Honduras and they had a great time with medical clinics, and of course a trip out to Didasko! Plus they were pretty great cooks, so they are welcome back anytime. They left some food, medicine, clothes, and toys for us to bring back to the kids. This past weekend we had time so we headed out to deliver some much appreciated supplies. It was also the week of Juan Pablo's birthday so I brought him a new watch and a bunch of candy, he was beyond excited! David and I spent the afternoon playing with the kids and having a great time! Here is Juan Pablo the birthday boy!

This past month has also seen some amazing moments in school. We had our first ever "Camp Day"! We went to a national park and played games and competed in races all day! This included the teachers, I was sore for days. It was great to get out there with my students and compete, the green team put up quite a fight. Sadly we finished 4th, out of four teams.... I was so encouraged however watching Arol and Escarlen participate and see all their classmates cheering them on! I love watching them with their friends and teachers, they truly love their new school! Speaking of Arol and Escarlen, grade cards were this week. Arol, yet again, is on the Honor Roll! We are so proud of him and all of the hard work he has put in this year! Escarlen saw her grades take a little dip in the third partial, but with hard work and extra studying, improved in almost all of her classes! Jonatan has been doing his work very fast and unfortunately for him that means he was doing his work with many mistakes. He was kept off of the Honor Roll so that his teacher can help reinforce the lesson that we need to take our team and complete assignments in the correct way.

I don't think we won this one....

Preparing for the next intense battle with my lineup card Yesterday at school we celebrated Children's Day or in Spanish Dia del Nino. This basically means kids get to play and eat candy all day, so that is exactly what we did at school, I behaved the same as the kids, and then went home with a headache. Dayana was able to attend the events yesterday at school! She behaved perfectly all day, you heard me right, she behaved perfectly all day! We are so proud of her and pray that she continues to improve so that we will see her back at school full-time this coming year.

My Class on Children's Day

Again sorry for the delay, but I hope you enjoy keeping tabs on me. I ask you to keep me in your prayers as I continue my work here in Honduras. Pray for patience and guidance with the coming adventures. Thank you all for your support both financially and spiritually!

My First Honduran Birthday

Last year for my birthday I was thinking about moving to Honduras. I celebrated my birthday with some friends at King's Island amusement park! I had a great time, one of my favorite birthdays. Just about two weeks after I packed my bags and ended up in Honduras. This past Sunday was my very first Honduran birthday. Everyone here had been asking me what I wanted to do and really I had no idea. Finally, David asked "you want to go to Didasko don't you?" Well of course. So my birthday started out pretty awesome, no power. So I took a cold shower in the pila (meaning I just poured cold water over my head) Then we went to take Cristian to school. After that it was out towards Didasko for a lunch of chinese food and paddle boat riding. Yes, thats right, paddle boat riding. There is a Chinese restaurant that has a man made lake out front with paddle boats, so of course we had to spend the five dollars and take a paddle around the lake. After that out to one of my favorite places, Didasko Children's Home. It is hard to imagine me ever being in a position to say that what I wanted for my birthday was to go play with 20 some kids. Honestly, I couldn't have imagined a better birthday. The chorus of "Cor" when I got out of the truck and spend a few hours talking and playing with some of my favorite kids was just what I needed. After Didasko it was off to church at Breaking Chains. I was thrilled when during worship time Leopoldo, one of the street kids I haven't seen in a long time, walked through the door! After church we talked and played and it was great to see him after such a long time of not knowing where he was. Then after church, sushi! I love sushi so this was quite a treat for ol' Mr. Corey! Then it was back home to skype with my family, I was tired so I was only able to chat for a little while before it was time to go to bed. It was probably my best birthday I can remember!

Minor, David, and Juan Pablo I love these boys!

I picture with the birthday boy!

Leopoldo and I at church!

Normita likes to play with my hair :)

Always More Kids....

I always talk about the kids I love out at Casa and Didasko, but right now my place isn't out in those places. My place is on the Primera Avenida at Breaking Chains and I have plenty of interactions with the children of the surrounding area. I guess sometimes these interactions get shuffled away in my head. I always go to those children's homes when we have groups, so they stick out in my head more as being different and noteworthy. Recently however I am spending more and more time conversing with the "Street Kids" of our community. One of these kids just recently came back into our Breaking Chains community. Leopolodo, I remember from church when I first moved here almost a year ago. I remembered speaking to him a little bit as we sat on the fountain one day. Well this last Sunday and Monday he came back to visit but is still just as reluctant to discuss his living and family situation but that doesn't stop his big smile from overtaking my heart on sight. He is a sweet kid and I look forward to doing what I can to improve his current situation on the streets. Oh Noey... Literally the cutest kid I have ever come across. I see him at least once a week as he comes regularly to the building with his father and older brother. Noey is young, and unfortunately the other day I saw him huffing glue as we took a group out to shop in the market, seeing such a young child using drugs is heart wrenching, especially when they are screaming your name from across the street. Noey has a family, and I know they care about him, I just hope and pray that they begin to take a more active role in keeping him occupied during the day to keep him out of trouble. Jonathan a.k.a. Chaka is Miguel and Antonio's little brother. He lives with his mother out in Ciudad Espana but still comes everyday after school on the bus (sometimes over an hour long trip) to visit his brothers and us here at the ministry. He is such a sweet, quiet kid. I haven't really had many interactions with him until recently, but these last few visits he spends the afternoon playing and chatting with me and I have loved that. He obviously has a lot of trouble at home and looks forward everday for a little escape into the city to see his brothers and us gringos here at Breaking Chains. I am so thankful to be an escape for him, but I also pray that I can do more to help him avoid the path his brothers have taken to end up homeless. I am so thankful God has sent me here to Honduras. I am so thankful that I have been able to slowly learn Spanish and begin to interact and love on the people here more and more everyday. The people I have met have, and continue, to change me everyday. The more people I meet the longer the prayer list gets, the more torn my heart becomes, but the more love I am able to spread.

Emerson and Jose de la Cruz

Last Sunday our Breaking Chains team suffered and unexpected loss as two of our teenagers were killed. We spent the past week with the street community as we mourned their passing. Only 14 years old. An entire life filled with violence and abuse. A kid who only wants to be loved. A sweet kid with a hard shell. Emerson. I love Emerson. He is very soft spoken, but most of the time had a big hug ready for me. The last couple months have been very hard for Emerson. Demons from his past resurfacing to cause more pain for him. However, the past few days he had seemed to be doing better. Just a few days ago we were building a house in the most beautiful place I have ever been to. We finished the four walls and were taking a break. Emerson and I sat looking at the view for a little while. Just leaning on each other and talking about how beautiful the view was and how we would both like to live here one day. We also talked a little about soccer because he had a game the next day he was very excited about playing in. This is how I will remember Emerson. I will remember him looking out into the distance and seeing nothing but God's beauty. I will remember him with my arm around him knowing that he knew how much myself and the rest of our team loved him. I will remember him as a 14 year old kid, forever young. Emerson is with our Lord now. He is in a place where the violence and pain of the streets can no longer hurt him. He is in a place where he is embraced in God's unfailing and everlasting love, and because of this I am at peace.

Jose just wanted to be loved. He was one of the sweetest souls I have ever met. He lived a hard life of violence and neglect, but when he found God and are ministry he slowly made strides to change. I can't tell you how many late nights we had with Jose talking about giving up his addictions. Finally something stuck and the last few weeks with him he was clean and more lovable than ever. If you have interacted with our ministry you will remember Jose, he lost half of his arm to gang violence a few years ago and has been disabled ever since. He never let this set him back and always tried, and accomplished, anything he could do with his limitations. One of the lasting memories I will have of Jose will be the stories told by everyone who witnessed him show God's love this past week at a special needs orphanage. To see the pictures and him giving back the love he has been shown brings tears to my eyes. I love these two boys. Let them be a reminder to us all that the world we live in has violence and pain, but there is also hope and love. Let them show us that with God's love changes can happen. We will remember them as children of God, who just needed someone to teach them what God's love really is. Please as always keep our team and our kids in your prayers as we continue to show the love of Christ in our day to day ministry with the street community in Tegucigalpa.

My Favorite Place

Didasko. I can't exactly place why it is my favorite place, but I just absolutely love visiting the kids out there. I have only been to Didasko a few times but all my visits have left a lasting impression on my heart. With each visit I feel more and more of my heart being left behind with the kids out there. This past week I had the privilege of visiting Didasko with my friends from home. Needless to say I couldn't stop talking about going all week. I knew it would be the highlight of my week, and give me a little rejuvenation that I really needed. When the day of the visit arrived I was antsy all day. Our first stop was out to the farm and after that we would head over to Didasko. No offense to Donnie and the farm, but I was ready to leave as soon as possible. As our bus approached the orphanage I was standing at the door ready to be the first one out of the bus, and I was. I got off the bus and was soon greeted by Juan Pablo with a big hug and an enthusiastic "COR!" I love this kid. He is so sweet and funny and I just love the time we get to spend together. Juan Pablo and I walked around and I introduced him to all my friends. After we met all my friends we sat down to talk and he asked to see my phone. He asked to see it not to play a game or take a picture, but to write me a note. It translated to english as "From Pablo, I love you a lot, with all of my heart. For Corey" Obviously he took a big chunk of my heart at that moment. The rest of the night was committed to watching a movie with all of the kids. I sat with Juan Pablo and his brother Maynor. The both loved the movie, and the popcorn. As we began to say our goodbyes the questions from some of the kids turned to the time of my next visit. I hope my next visit is soon, because I can feel my heart being tugged by the kids out at Didasko!

Me and some of the kids at Didasko!

Juan Pablo and I!

A Big Build

Build Day. If you have been in Honduras with me you have probably said or heard a joke about me and a build site. It just is not usually my cup of tea, but I am getting better, I promise. If faced with the decision of visiting an orphanage or building a house I will 9 times out of 10 choose the orphanage. This doesn't mean I don't participate in builds, but I can safely admit I don't do the most work at any of the sites. This past week when the team was here though I did more work than usual. It is probably because I knew how many kids would be living in this house. There would be more people than you could count with your fingers living in this house and the kids were all over the place, all day long! It was awesome to see all my friends from home serving so willing for this family and I couldn't help but join in on the fun. Seeing my best friend get up on the roof and work was pretty awesome. The whole morning and afternoon was filled with nothing but hard work, and the occasional break to go play with the kids of course. As the day began to wind down and the house was completed we all gathered inside with the family to pray over and bless the house. Mark Connell, who is the #1 Corey at a build site joke teller, walked in looked at me and told me since I actually did some work this build that I should be the one to say the blessing over the house. Luckily I didn't have to say it in Spanish. As God used me to bless this house I felt so grateful to be able to be the hands, feet, and voice of Him at all times. I realized how blessed I am to have the opportunity to bless others so frequently. As I finished the blessing the new home owner stood before us with her grand-daughter in hand, surrounded by her many kids, and grand kids. The first words out of her mouth was to thank God for this amazing blessing.

The team hard at work!

Some of the kids who just got a new house!

The team and the family!

A Day at Casa with Fernando

Every time there is a group here my favorite days are the days we get to visit Children's Homes. I have now been to a few of them a good many times and have fallen in love with some of the kids there. When a group comes and visits Casa I look forward to spending time with Fernando while we are there.

During this group's visit I was able to be part of a very special day for Fernando! We arrived at Casa early so that we could attend church with the kids. We sat and waited for the kids to walk in and they all strolled in dressed to impress. Fernando saw me and made a b-line in my direction and sat next to me and Caity, who was ecstatic to sit next to SiSi all morning. The service was enjoyed by all but not understood by all, being that it was entirely in Spanish. After church we headed towards the orphanage to take a look around and give the newcomers a tour of the grounds. As we approached I saw Fernando excitedly running back and forth from one house to another always with a handful of his clothes and a HUGE smile on his face. After we got a tour from Terri we were able to spend a little time with the kids before lunch. Fernando was extremely excited to show me and tell me his good news, he has a new room! He moved to the other room for a couple of different reasons and the result seems to be all positive for everyone involved. As the kids settled down for lunch we headed to Cafe El Gringo to enjoy a delicious lunch prepared by Byron and his workers. Yet again I ate way too much food but loved it all!

After lunch it was back to Casa for an afternoon of playing leading up to a hamburger cookout for us and the kids. Most of my afternoon was filled with soccer which of course I loved!

Then of course being as it is now rainy season our afternoon of fun got interrupted. The rain started coming down and we all headed inside to the main house. The group did a great job of improvising on this turn of events by dancing and singing with the kids. I kept looking around wondering where Fernando went when he showed up at the door wet and out of breath. Of course he was at the house with his room in it! He showed up to ask me to come play with him and the kids at the other house who were at the moment gringoless. We ran over in the rain and spent the rest of the afternoon checking out his new room and playing catch in the living room there! The night concluded with some delicious hamburgers that the kids and gringos both enjoyed!