We will primarily be staying and visiting with the kids at Sociedad Amigos de los Niño's orphanage. It is a Catholic orphanage founded and run by Sr. Maria Rosa which houses orphan children newborn to 15 year olds. We will be working on numerous construction projects around the orphanage while also playing and forming lasting bonds with the children. We will also visit with HIV+/AIDS orphans at the Montana de Luz orphanage which is close by. In addition, we will also spend some time at Flor Azul Boys Farm which houses orphan boys ages 6-21 years. The trip is run through my high school alma mater Gilmour Academy. They run trips every March during the students spring break for students and then in July for an alumni trip. We were lucky that we were able to fit onto the student trip in March as we know the summer will be busy so March is perfect timing!
For the first time in my life I witnessed real poverty as we drove to Sociedad. I'm not talking about a guy on the side of the road begging for money, I'm talking about starving children and people with absolutely no help and no one. Their country is not like the US where we have systems set up to help and aid the people. I know the US systems can be broken and have problems, however at least there are systems and places people can go for help, in Honduras there is nothing. It was a grim reality that I did not really expect when I signed up to go the first time. I thought it'd be a fun trip to go on for Spring Break, I had never been out of the country (Canada doesn't count!), and love children so why not go for 9 days? Little did I know my world would be turned upside down and never be the same again. What we witnessed driving to the orphanage was only the beginning. I would consider the children of Sociedad lucky to be there. It is a refuge from the grim outside world where they are not only fed, but educated and receive proper medical care. While no institution can replace the love of a family, physically and mentally these children are cared for at the orphanage run exclusively by donations and built up by mission teams such as our own.
While they are physical and mentally nourished, emotionally these children simply just wanted to be loved. Though many carry the physical and emotional scars of horror story pasts, all these children just wanted was to be held and loved on. I knew going in the physical construction work would be difficult, I was not prepared though for the emotional work. Often times I found myself doing all the rough physically work then playing with the children during the day, but in the evenings our group would come together to reflect and say prayers and many of us would find ourselves in tears. We would keep it together for the children, but when in our group the intensity in the air would be overwhelming at times and we would break down. It was hard to swallow the fact that these children have nothing, yet can yearn to be loved and freely love. I have been blessed with two unconditionally loving parents and a family that stood by me during the good and the bad, the same could not be said for these children. They were dropped off at the orphanage or taken away from their families. These children were here because they were not wanted, but the Christian orphanage and Sr. wanted them. It was hard not to see Jesus in each of them. They are not rich materially, but rich in so many other ways. They are complacent with little yet their joy radiates from their souls.
It was the first time I feel I saw God. Again it is cliche to say "I saw God", but I truly saw Him in them and I got it for the first time. It is hard to explain in written terms, but I felt His presence when I was closest with the orphan children. I felt true hope, true joy, true love and to say it was life changing is an understatetement. I feel my faith was strengthened and my belief instead of being shaken by what I saw, was strengthened by the faith of all the people. Every person and child we encountered had such unshakable faith in the Lord that it hits you hard like a ton of bricks. They have nothing, but they believe and I firmly believe this is what gets them through all the heartache and pain is their faith. I myself had been blessed with so much, yet I had been so unthankful and never felt complacent with what I had materially. Not to say I am no longer materialistic, it is hard in my every day life not to fall into the traps of material things all around us, but I am more aware and my eyes have been opened to what truly matters in life. While there we did construction work and played with the children, but we also brought material donations. The joy and thankfullness the children showed for underwear, dresses, shoes, and shirts was astounding. We did bring some small stuffed animals and toys which brought many smiles, but it was the clothing and shoes that brought the brightest smiles!
There are two boys in general I am more than excited to be reunited with. One of the boys my family sponsors and his name is Luis. He was the first child I truly felt bonded with. He was older, but I felt myself pulled towards the older boys that often times were overlooked for the younger kids. Another one of the older boys was Jose. He was so cute and just soaked up any attention given his way. He was quieter than Luis, but I saw his heart open up on my first trip. On my second trip both boys were elated to see me and both came running with arms wide open to see me. It was amazing that the boys even remembered me, but it only takes a moment to forever have someone in your heart. A well known Christian author David Platt wrote in one of his books “Orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names. They are easier to ignore before you see their faces. It is easier to pretend they are not real before you hold them in your arms. But once you do, everything changes.” I could not agree with Mr. Platt more wholeheartedly for little did I realize the orphan crisis until I was being amongst them!
First trip 2007 - Luis (left) and Jose (right)
First trip 2007 - Jose far left and Luis far right
Second trip 2008 - Luis (left) and Jose (right)
On my first trip Luis had three other siblings Heidy (far right), Ronnie (in red), and Carlos (in blue) at the orphanage with him.
Between my two trips I saw how Luis had grown from a boy into a young man. I am blessed to have been able to keep in touch with Luis through the years through letters and parcels I send him. Recently we recieved a letter he had someone forward to us here in the States who had been there. He included a picture and while he has grown up more, he still looks like the boy I first met 5 years ago! He has been able to be updated with my wedding plans, my family, and things going on in my life and I have been able to hear he is doing well and praying for me. I include him and Jose in my prayers each night, but it is humbling to know he includes me in his prayers! Every time he writes me he is asking when he will see me next, little does he know soon we will be coming!
One of the most touching things about my second trip was that Luis had kept every letter I had sent him inbetween my two trips. I had sent a parcel to him containing a three-ring binder and plastic sheets to keep the letters and pictures I send him. He ran to show it to me when he saw I had come! I had to fight back tears as he pulled out each letter and show it to me so proud. I also saw he was still wearing the same bracelet I had made him the year and a half prior. He told me he wears it every day to remind him of me. It was touching to say the least!
I did not know on my first trip that Jose (farthest right) had three other siblings. On my second trip I was pleasantly surprised to find out not only did he have siblings, but they were there at the orphanage with him! Are they beautiful or what?!?! I was told they came from a terrible situation, but all four were great kids that just seemed happy to be all together!
Can't wait to see my boys again!
