Honduras

“Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.”  (Psalm 27:10)

The Orphanage at Sunrise

Several weeks ago I (Elizabeth) had the privilege of going to Orphanage Emmanuel  in Guaimaca, Honduras with the Union University GO Trip program (and the best team EVER!). Words can’t really describe how wonderful and humbling the experience was. I’ve spent the past few weeks trying to process everything. This was my first international mission trip, so I tried not to have expectations before going, since I knew the experience would be different than my overactive imagination. My one hope going into the trip was that I would somehow reflect the love of Jesus to the kids and the workers there. I wanted to be a blessing, but instead I came away blessed.

The Lord has blessed Orphanage Emmanuel. For the first time, I truly understand that when we participate in missions, we are not simply bringing the good news of the gospel to others. We are joining the Lord in the work he is already doing in that place. No matter what task our team worked on, we knew it was of service to the Lord himself. Our activities included: pouring concrete, welding, fixing engines, planting vegetables, laying bricks, sewing curtains, milking cows, cleaning the barn, and, of course, spending time with the children. By being there, our team more than doubled Orphanage Emmanuel’s staff (of about about 20).

Orphanage Emmanuel is the home to about 600 kids. Most of them are not orphans by definition but all of them have either been taken away from their families by the state, or their parents have abandoned them. Most have endured physical or sexual abuse. As David Martinez (who started the orphanage with his wife, Lydia) told us, these kids have no natural reason to be joyful. It is by the grace of God that they can thrive and be normal, happy children.

Honduras is an impoverished nation, and this was evident to us during the drive between the airport in the captial city of Tegucigalpa and the smaller, rural town of Guaimaca. Trash and filth is everywhere and people live on top of each other. I never saw a finished road (surviving the bus ride was an adventure!). The family structure in Honduras is practically nonexistent; this is why children live out on the streets, sniffing glue so they don’t go to bed hungry. Other children who have been abandoned try to provide for their even younger siblings. Thus, the cycle of poverty continues.

At Orphanage Emmanuel, the children get clothes, shoes, their own bed, three meals a day, an education (through high school- the Honduran government only requires through the 6^th grade!), and most importantly, they learn about the love of Jesus! Every morning before breakfast, they sing worship songs and participate in a Bible study. There is a beautiful chapel where Wednesday night and Sunday morning worship services take place. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons, they participate in a longer Bible study. These children are living examples of God’s grace and redemption.

Many of the girls on our team became close to some of the preteen and teenage girls. Like most girls that age anywhere in the world, they like to pass notes! I had the privilege of being able to translate the notes (since they were in Spanish) so the girls on our team could respond. These notes were full of encouragement and reassurance that God has a plan for each of our lives and that accepting His love and sacrifice is the most important thing we can do in this life. We were all touched and challenged by their faith. I look forward to singing praises to the Lord alongside them one day in heaven!

Our daily schedule was: get up, go to circle, eat breakfast, do work, eat lunch, do work, hang out with the kids, eat dinner, hear a testimony, do team time, and go to bed. One of the highlights of my day was to hear the testimonies of the staff. I loved hearing about how God called them to Emmanuel and continually provides for their needs. Everything at Emmanuel: the land, the buildings, the staff, the children, the animals, the plants, have been provided by the Lord. We heard story after story of God’s provision of people and resources at just the right time. The faith that the workers live by challenges me. It gave me a new perspective on what I call “mine.”

The trip took place in what would seem, from a worldly perspective, a terrible time. Spring Break is in the busiest part of the semester. The week after the trip had so many important activities happening in our office, and, being the detail oriented person that I am, before the trip, I was stressing out! However, to the Lord, it was the perfect time for him to get me away from “my own world” with my daily worries, email and phone, and go to a place where I had to rely on him for strength and purpose. I am learning to rely on him for the details of my life. 

Last Thursday, our team got together for a reunion at my house! It was so wonderful to be together again! As we shared what the Lord taught us during and after the trip, I was overwhelmed at God's faithfulness! Before going on the trip, we prayed for unity and that the Lord would do a work in our hearts! It is so obvious that He has! 

Worship

I had fun giving rides! The children just kept piling in.

They were curious about my necklace!

Farm girl! Preparing the cows to be milked!

Sharing a laugh!

Our Team!

Here is the link to a youtube video that Leslie Roberts made of our trip if you want to see more!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNpOQ6S-A0I&feature=youtu.be