Our
team met up with another team from a church in Richwood, Ohio and we all got
along very well. They are an amazing group of people and we plan on going up to
visit them when they share pictures and stories of the trip with their church
sometime this fall.
The trip involved more physical labor than we originally thought, I’m honestly amazed at what I was capable of doing…but now the jig is up and I suppose mom will want me to help her more in the yard. We painted a number of buildings, spread gravel between the buildings to avoid dirt washing away in the rain (believe it or not, I was one of two girls on the gravel team with the guys), we toured two schools run by Lifeline Christian Missions and distributed candy to the students. We also led a Vacation Bible School for the students at schools in Ocotillo and Gonzales that included a lesson (taught by yours truly en español), games, and a craft). I was also able to help lead several worship songs in Spanish with other teammates. We led separate men & women’s Bible studies at Gonzales as well as distributed baby layettes to new moms in Gonzales. We also spent time with the girls who live at the Omoa girls’ home. At Omoa we were able to paint, hang curtains and sand/repair lockers as well as throw a beach-themed “Christmas in June” party for the girls. We also got to take the girls on their big outing of the year to Wonderland Water Park followed by dinner at Pizza Hut. We all had an amazing time! Several of us (myself included) decided to sponsor children in the Ocotillo school.
The trip involved more physical labor than we originally thought, I’m honestly amazed at what I was capable of doing…but now the jig is up and I suppose mom will want me to help her more in the yard. We painted a number of buildings, spread gravel between the buildings to avoid dirt washing away in the rain (believe it or not, I was one of two girls on the gravel team with the guys), we toured two schools run by Lifeline Christian Missions and distributed candy to the students. We also led a Vacation Bible School for the students at schools in Ocotillo and Gonzales that included a lesson (taught by yours truly en español), games, and a craft). I was also able to help lead several worship songs in Spanish with other teammates. We led separate men & women’s Bible studies at Gonzales as well as distributed baby layettes to new moms in Gonzales. We also spent time with the girls who live at the Omoa girls’ home. At Omoa we were able to paint, hang curtains and sand/repair lockers as well as throw a beach-themed “Christmas in June” party for the girls. We also got to take the girls on their big outing of the year to Wonderland Water Park followed by dinner at Pizza Hut. We all had an amazing time! Several of us (myself included) decided to sponsor children in the Ocotillo school.
I
am sponsoring a seven year old girl named Daniela Alejandra. Although she is
incredibly shy but I learned that she loves the color purple, penguins,
princesses, rice and beans, and reading. I am looking forward to sending her
letters and gifts throughout the year…I’ve actually already cleaned Joseph Beth
out of what few Spanish children’s books they had.
I
did so many great things in Honduras and I was able to step out of my comfort
zone quite a bit. I also gained a sense of peace regarding all the current
uncertainty in life. I realized that I need to trust God and remember that he
has a timeline for my life. Things I worry about like finding a job and a
relationship will happen whenever they are supposed to happen.
I
started planning my return trip a few days before we left Honduras--haha! While
I don’t know whether or not Southland will return to Honduras next year, I plan
on staying in contact with the Richwood Church of Christ so that I can return
with my teammates in 2013 (provided the Mayans were wrong about that whole
calendar thing). My plan is to save a little money each month so that I am
prepared to finance the trip myself if necessary.
There
were a number of basic items they distribute to the people of Honduras that had
never crossed my mind to save. I wanted to provide everyone with a list of
these items. If you happen to remember it throughout the year, please set some
of these items aside and I’ll be happy to take them with me when I return next
summer.
-
Toiletry items: Finally, a use for all those tiny bottles of hotel shampoo, conditioner and soap that we all have lying around, taking up space. Toothbrushes and mini tubes of toothpaste were also useful.
- Toys: If you’re like me, sometimes you order a Happy Meal and find yourself with a toy you don’t need (or maybe you do, I’m not here to judge). We handed out toys like this in little goody bags at VBS and church services. Larger toys are accepted as well, but the Happy Meal toys don’t cost you anything extra.
- Books: I don’t know why you might have children’s books in Spanish, but if you do…bring it on.
- Children/Baby Clothes/Shoes: All sizes, boys and girls
- Baby Layette Items: Cloth diapers, diaper pins, small toiletry items for mom and baby, stuffed animal/toy for baby, onesies, and any bag that could be used as a diaper bag (we even had some reusable Kroger bags).
It was truly amazing to see the work that God is doing in Honduras and it was incredibly humbling to be a part of it. It has been one of the most fantastic experiences in my life thus far and I thank you all for helping make it possible!
Love, Erin
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