Stepping outside the box

We have had very sketchy internet service, thus the reason I have not blogged but one time. Welcome to Honduras! On Sunday we went to the Valley of the Angels for shopping and lunch. We left there and headed to Mi Esperanza to hear about the work Lori does there and meet up with the final group to arrive from Little Rock. It was good to see my friends Jason and Renada! I met them my first year here and Renada was one of my roommates. She and Jason were married just a month ago and are now rooming with about three other old married couples in one room with bunk beds! Again, welcome to Honduras!

We went from Mi Esperanza to an inner city church downtown called Breaking Chains. It was started by a young woman named Amber Foster about 8 years ago. She is doing an amazing work there. It is housed in an old mansion - you would never know from the outside. Once you enter the doors it is a huge old house with a courtyard in the middle. It is in terrible shape but now that she has the funding she has actually purchased it and a new roof has been put on. She feeds homeless children and teens at least three days a week and has church on Sunday. There are three families that live there and the homeless can come in at night to sleep. We worshipped with them and then fed them pizza.

Afterward, we went to the home of another missionary who works with Breaking Chains named David Logue. He hosted our entire group in his home (120 people!) and it was catered by Taco Loco. They serve amazing food and the portions are enough for 3 people. I love their guacamole!!! While we were waiting for them to cook our dinner on his patio, we had out devo.

Yesterday my dear brother, Steve Castleman, led a house build. I was not there but heard he did an amazing job...I think Amy helped quite a bit! Just kidding! They had a challenge as it took them two hours to tear down the existing structure. The crew was small as well so needless to say they were completely exhausted last night. There was also a VBS, ceiling work at Breaking Chains, and concrete work and playing with children at Jovenese Children's Home. I went to the Children's Home because that is where a boy named Dennis lives. My friend from Oklahoma, Gail Blaylock, met him three years ago and has been trying to get help for him since. He is going blind and needs some surgery. Several of us were left at the children's home to feed lunch, help clean and play with the children while the rest of the group went further up the mountain to do concrete work. The plan was to swap at lunchtime. They never came back - which made me a little uneasy as the only people at the Children's Home were two young women from Lipscomb doing a summer internship and they had only been there a few days. None of us speak Spanish and they knew some. Around 4:00 the rest of our crew returned. The bus had gotten stuck in mud when they got to the place they were pouring concrete and it didn't make sense to swap after they spent a lot of time getting the bus out. A tractor and a car finally had to pull it out. I felt so bad because my friend Gail and her husband, John, did not get to spend any time with Dennis. If only I had known, they could have gotten off the bus first and stayed instead of me. Gail got to spend about 5 minutes with him before we had to head back to Villa Gracia because it was over an hour long drive. I sat with her and we talked about him and other things. Her family is leaving tomorrow and I will miss her so much. We have become dear friends.

There is a man on the trip named Hannibal. He is from South Carolina and did not know any of us. He is so nice and very big and strong. Last night, he was talking about working with our girls from Homewood and he said they amaze him. Not only can they work circles around him but they talk the entire time!! He said from now on he will tell people "I worked like a girl" when he has worked hard! Our kids continue to surprise and amaze me with their servant hearts, great attitudes and incredible work ethic! They do not complain about little inconveniences and teach us (their parents) life lessons.

I titled this post stepping outside the box because I do not usually go to "play with the children" - it is what I do 9 months out of the year so in the summer I need a break from that. However, I colored, played football and tried to entertain them the best I could yesterday. I was rewarded by many good-bye hugs. I am blessed to be a mother. I will not ever grow tired of being one and love my girl so much and cherish her hugs.

I am off now to see what today holds. I know this - God is with me.