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5:00 am
The hospital experience, yesterday, did not leave us stunned for long. Right after lunch, heads spinning or not, smiles lit up our faces and arms were opened wide to greet the children with the Milk Project.
The Children’s Team rallied a third time to lead in songs, the interactive bible story and the craft picture frame. Directly pouring back into running, playing, and active children was just what we needed to pull us out of the dazed state of being from the hospital trip.
The Milk Project began as a ministry to the poverty stricken children that lived near His Eyes. It started out by giving them a glass of milk two or three days a week on their way home from school. Because this was often their first source of nourishment for the day, the project grew into a heartier snack. Then over time as the mission grew and more resources were available a bible story or more activities were done with the children in addition to the snack.
Yesterday, the children may have been on the receiving end, but they in turn blessed us. The Milk Project was also our last act of service for the mission trip. Since there was no urgency to get to another service assignment, the team lingered outside with the kids. Apparently many of the kids were in no hurry as well and the afternoon became a spontaneous time of play. They even taught us a few games. The afternoon became a wonderful exclamation point to the end of magnificent mission trip.
9:00 pm
It was a jammed pack week of one ministry project after the other. Today, our last day here, was reserved for play! Felipe, Oscar and Jana have turned out to be wonderful missionary host. Valerie, Felipe’s wife did not get to spend much time with us as she is the head doctor for the eye clinic. The missionaries have translated for us, coached us, consoled us, instructed us, exchanged currency for us, transported us, kept us safe, and today they became our tour guides.
We traveled all over Honduras. First stop, the Jesus statue located at the top of one of the mountains in a national park. The statue overlooks Teguc and provided a beautiful panoramic view of the city.
Then we went down the mountain and headed through other mountains to get to a quaint little town where first we had lunch. The charming restaurant looked like a picture out of a magazine. All you could eat, papusas, prepared for us on an open wood burning grill. With bellies full, it was off to do some shopping.
While most of the team was on a hunt for the perfect souvenir, I had something else on my mind. Even though we had feasted on Honduran food all week long and possibly gained weight rather than lost it, we had not had any local desserts. I asked Jana to take us to a place where we could sample some Honduran sweets!
Jana knew just where to take us, Café Americana in the town square. The town square looked like it could have been the setting for any number of movies with multi bright colored store fronts, blue ceramic tile fountain in the center and a number of other interesting activities happening all around.
The Café was fabulouso with its myriad of choices! Jana interpreted, giving me prices and ingredients. The price was right and eight desserts later, the Camp family had their sampling party. Dulce De Leche galletas and Empanada De Pina’s were our favorites cookies!
A hacky sack for Silas, Gringas Love Hondruans T-shirt for Sydney and a couple of wood carved crosses for me and the Camps shopping extravaganza was complete.
If we weren’t stuffed enough, we headed back to Teguc for dinner at El Patio for the best steak in the country. We were served an assortment of Honduran sides before the steak arrived. I only recognized the plantains, but tried everything. I regretted trying to fill up before the steak arrived as I don’t eat much meat. However, the steak melted in my mouth. Put a fork in me and call me done!
What a wonderful way to end the mission trip. I have never been on a foreign mission trip where I felt I was this privy to experience so much of the culture. It has been an honor, a blessing and overall an incredible trip.
Thankful to God for:
His Eyes and their wonderful multi-faceted ministry in Honduras and the privilege of serving with them.
Once again – I am grateful for the safe travel.
Jana, her willingness to hang with us today.
The experience of a life time for Sydney and Silas and all the families that have been a part this week.
Dulce De Leche galletas (imagine to shortbread cookies rolled in powdered sugar with a carmel filling sandwiched between them) & Empanadas De Pina! (a light buttery cream cheese type pastry stuffed with a pineapple filling)
I cannot believe we go home tomorrow. Help us God to bring this week into our everyday life back home. Help us to somehow communicate our experience in such a way that others will be compelled to be your hands and feet and to go be your witnesses like Jesus asked… “telling people about Me everywhere–in Jerusalem and throughout Judea in Samaria and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8, NLT
Everything we did, every rock dug up, every bag filled with dirt, every smile smiled, hug hugged and beanie baby given. Everything we did we did it in the name of Jesus.
“This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other… We love each other because he first loved us.” I John 4:10-11, 19, NLT