vamos a Honduras! Part 3

Thanks for joining me one last time today as I finish sharing about our Honduran adventure! You can see my posts about our arrival and construction project here, and my post about ministering to people here.

Today I just wanted to finish up and share about our last day in Honduras. It was our "off" day and we took the time to do a little tourist shopping at a local pottery place.

After that we headed to a children's center. We had hoped to spend more time here during the week but the government is in the process of shutting down the centers all across the country. These centers serve as a sort of daycare for the poorest of the poor and many of the kids are the product of rape. The workers at the center provide the kids with clean clothes, a bath, and 1 meal a day. We had lunch with them and spent some time playing. (At this point we were totally wiped out by a long ride in the back of the truck in the searing sun and some of the group was sickly, including Justin who ended up going back to the hotel early)

Last but not least we took a trip to the market. It is an experience everyone should have .. you can buy anything there!

Our last night was spent in worship through song, gifts, devotional time, and just generally being together with our group, the Rubio's, and some other Honduran friends.

As I reflect on the week I am once again, as I always am with this type of trip, struck by the drastic differences in culture and social norms that our American minds simply can't understand. It seems to be a juxtaposition between "modern" and "old" in terms of how most Honduran's live and to us, as Americans, a conflict of priorities. And, as always, I am overwhelmed at the need. The need for clean water, for schooling past 6th grade (that's all the government will provide), for proper shelter, for proper food and nutrition, for a stable income, for shoes. I am also deeply saddened to know that with proper medical care and access to resources that Jose could be so much further along.

And I think that everyone should experience this on some level. Take your teenager and go an international trip - see it for yourself. It will change you, it will break for heart for what breaks the heart of Jesus.

Thanks for letting me share with you.