Dos Portillos, Day 2

This is from yesterday -- sorry it's so late!  Today's re-cap will be posted tomorrow morning! 

There’s a lot going on in Honduras.  Physically here as well as within our hearts.

In Dos Portillos it was the second day of Vacation Bible School and construction.  Our welcome this morning  was much warmer and more personal than yesterday, with greetings by name instead of a general ‘Hola,’ and hugs instead of handshakes.

At the school the students learned the parable of Jesus feeding the 5,000 using a boy’s lunch of 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread through a skit performed by the older students.  All of us in the school were amazed at just how attentive the children were throughout the morning.  Their attention did not waiver in the slightest.

The construction teams continued to work on cement floors and latrines.  The Hondurans are eager to help and are incredibly hardworking.  They welcome us into their homes, offering coffee, kool-aid, and cokes, with eyes of joy and anticipation, thinking about how their lives will change as a result of what’s being built in their homes. 

I have loved listening to the stories everyone shares about their days.  And not only the stories, but the emotions that accompany them. 

Joy is so obviously visible when a man can tell a story about how much fun it was to throw a ball with a child and swing him through the air.  Or when the first bubbles are blown, causing laughter and screaming as children chase the bubbles. 

Compassion is undeniable in the eyes of the person who wants to help a mother learn that her child needs medical attention.  Or when a member of the community shows concern for the students who are excelling, but need assistance furthering their education.   

Amazement as we hear about just how strong the women are at the the construction sites.  Or when we talk about the fact that our group is made up of 16 people, all in different stages of life, and most of us without even a slight connection to anyone else on the trip, but how deep and intimate our friendships have already become.

I’ve mentioned it before, and will say it many more times, but the people in this group are incredible.  We haven’t ridden in the truck, eaten a meal, or sat on the porch without someone encouraging another person in the group, exactly as 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says to “Encourage one another and build each other up.”  To be honest, I’ve never experienced a group quite like this.  From expressing how hard someone is working or humbly leading others, to sharing scripture in tough situations, the support and encouragement from the other members of the group is constant. 

What’s even more amazing, is that the people in the communities have told us that they notice how loving we are – not only to them, but to each other as well.  1 John 4:10 tells us that the world will know who the children of God are because they do what is right and love their brothers [Paraphrase].   It’s crazy to think that one of the ways that we can share Christ, even when we don’t speak the same language, is by loving and encouraging each other.  At times on this trip I’ve been frustrated because of the language barrier.  I’ve thought that even my best attempt at communicating and building relationships is still not enough, but to hear that the Honduran’s observations of our group’s interactions with each other have made an impact is amazingly encouraging.  It makes me even more grateful for the people in our group and the time we’re sharing in Honduras.