Day 1 - Saturday: Travel day to Honduras!
What do you do when a Microsoft glitch grounds all major airlines 24 hours in advance of your parish mission trip? Duh! You pray!
And when your 7:00 am flight to Houston is delayed so much that you will miss the only United connection to Honduras available for 4 days because of yesterday’s groundings, you check your bags, print your boarding pass and pray harder.
We were surprised when other group members couldn’t check-in, apparently they didn’t disregard the big yellow warning triangles threatening to strand them in Houston on their own dime. So when everyone was considering returning home for the day and regrouping, it did not seem like such a bad idea.
Grace had tears in her eyes as we were seconds away from “calling it” for the day, maybe until Wednesday and perhaps not being able to make the trek to Honduras at all this year. Then something happened that we’ve never seen before and between the group of us, we’ve flown a lot of miles. A flight that had been delayed by 2.5 hours was put back on the board as ON TIME. It was literally a miracle in real time.
Was it a coincidence that there were two groups of mission groups praying? The United Airlines gate agents did not think so as they hugged our necks and hurried to help everyone else check their bags.
There were more challenges and mini-miracles, like the flight from Houston to Honduras also being delayed long enough for everyone to make it without a max cardio workout getting from terminal E to C.
God provided today for this merry band of missionaries dressed in blue. Multiple churches, multiple generations and multiple cultures were joined together with a shared desire to share His love with the children of the Lamb Institute in Honduras. We came within a breath of having to cancel but He opened a door, helped United Airlines find a crew and got us in the air; closer to Him and closer to His work.
We have landed in Honduras. Thanks be to God. For the Kids.
Day 2: Sunday - Church, Hot Dogs, and so much fun!
Today, after a very long day of travel Saturday and early evening with a simple dinner and Compline, we awoke and had delicious Honduran coffee, fellowship with other missionaries from South Carolina, ate a simple breakfast and headed to church at the Children’s Center.
We were thrilled to see Amanda Scott, a full time missionary now at the Lamb Institute who greeted her fellow St. Davidian’s so warmly.
We shared an amazing bi-lingual church service with Christians aged 1 to 70+. We sang and worshiped together and shared our burdens and laid them at Lamb’s amazing prayer wall.
Next we had a hot dog lunch with the entire school population. The children love mayo on their hot dogs! Who knew?
We then played soccer, volleyball, water balloons and did face painting. Missionary Meghan was quite the star!
What a day! We are so thankful that we have 5 more days to serve all the special children served at the Lamb Institute.
Thanks be to God!
Gracias a Dios!
Day 3: Monday - Elbow Grease & Joy
Today we got to work! After an amazing tour of the children’s quarters of the babies, young girls and boys, medium boys and girls and then the big boys and girls, we also got to see the gates of Jesus, a very special home for disabled orphans who will never leave the care of the Lamb Institute. Gracias al Dias!
We also toured their new sustainable farm where they are attempting to offset costs, producing much needed food on their land.
Then we broke into 2 teams: farmers and painters and got to work. The farmers built mounds of dirt for planting under the guidance of Jacob who is now working part time who has trained a local Honduran to run Lamb’s growing farm.
The painters went to the little boys cabin and prepped and painted their main room from green to blue, accomplishing a great amount of coverage in a short time, if we do say so proudly. First we wrote a positive affirmation of love under our new coat of paint. St. David’s Loves Lamb! 2024
After lunch we went to tour Joy Academy, the school at the bottom of the hill that the children attend now open to the surrounding community. Since opening to the community, Joy, Bi-Lingual Christian Academy has doubled its attendance from 40 to 81. It is both the Christian component and the bi-lingual curriculum that is attractive to local parents. After touring the school and participating with their Monday devotionals, we were able to provide them with an Ice Cream Social which we provided and served.
What a “Joy”ful way to end the day!
Day 4: Tuesday - Paint, Farm, Lunch, Recess!!
Tuesday was more of the same in terms of work projects for the Georgia and South Carolina crew of missionaries after celebrating missionary Tripp Jamison’s 15th birthday with an authentic piñata!
The farmers weeded the onion patch and planted crops while Pastor Will was trusted with heavy machinery - a gas powered weed whacker that he could be heard operating throughout the campus.
Artist Megan Jamison led the painters in a Noah’s Ark theme in the littlest boys main room.
We were ready for lunch when a catered Honduran feast was served today to replace yesterday’s ham sandwiches and peanut butter and jelly. Yum!!
Then we got to shop for Lamb made crafts of which the profits after paying for supplies go to a savings account for the children, 10% to the church to teach them about tithing.
Then back to work for a bit before we returned to the play area to have some play time with the children who are beginning to greet us with smiles that recognize us and they seek out Tripp, Brady, Lucy, Nora and others. Here’s a few cute kiddo pics from our play date.
Then we returned to Casa Lamb for dinner and a discussion with Lamb founder and priest Suzy McCall.
We are regularly going to bed at 9 pm and rising before 7 am to start our day. Tomorrow is not a rinse and repeat day, so stay tuned.
Prayers are appreciated.
Day 5: Wednesday - Roses and Thorns in God's Garden
Today’s was a day of mixed activities, awakening early to get to Lamb’s school in the inner city of Tegucigalpa. We were cautioned against taking photos and advised to proceed quickly from the bus to the school as the area can be dangerous.
Once inside, we were able to witness the children from Pre-k through 11th grade (graduation year) do their devotionals and then tour the school.
This was a very rewarding experience. These children who have very little, prayed for us and expressed their gratitude for our work when it is us who are grateful to them for their efforts to get to school daily, study hard, stay away from gangs and love Jesus.
We saw where St. David’s dug out part of the hill under the school years ago to create more room for a play area. We saw the day care and the building across the street that will triple the capacity of the day care. God is at work at this school. Just as we saw Sunday where St. David’s dug and dug for water for Lamb years ago. It is special to see our lasting contributions over the years.
We then had an authentic Honduran lunch of taquitos and pupusas on our way to the Valley of the Angels for sightseeing and souvenirs.
We also stopped at a pewter shop and purchased beautiful crosses on stained Honduran wood, some of which might be available in next year’s silent auction; spoiler alert!
Finally, we returned back to Casa Lamb for dinner and Compline beautifully led by Grace.
Here is a look at our ladies bunk room where we sleep which is clean and comfortable but definitely not fancy.
We also nightly share our roses, thorns and buds (things that we are looking forward to tomorrow) from the day. For most of us our roses are always some version of experiencing time with the children. Most thorns are the bus rides and traffic. We are all always excited for what God will reveal to us the next day.
Thanks Be To God, Again!
Gracias Al Dios, Tambien!
Day 6: Thursday - The Fruit of the Lamb’s Work
On Thursday we got to see the fruit of our work, the fruit of the Lamb Institute’s work, the fruit of all who support Lamb and most of all, the fruit of the Lamb’s work, in several ways.
The painters began to see the little boys’ home shine under new paint and fresh murals on the walls. The tias (caretakers) were so impressed with the outer room that they asked for more decorations in the children’s sleeping area.
The farmers planted radishes and cleared grass to enable more room for future planting.
Rains came and they had to seek shelter but luckily it stopped in time for recess and our most anticipated time of the day; our chance to show our love to the children through games and play.
After returning to Casa Lamb where we stay in Tegucigalpa, we had dinner with students from Lamb’s transition program that prepares young adults, usually attending university or working after high school graduation for independent living. These young adults are truly the fruit of God’s labor through Lamb and all who support Lamb.
They ate dinner with us, played games, shared devotional time and inspired us with their efforts to continue to stay involved and connected to Lamb and the Lamb.
We are eager to finish our work tomorrow and prepare to journey home. But I don’t think any of us are prepared to say goodbye to these sweet children or write our final blog. There are no words to express what this week has meant to us, surely none to adequately summarize it.
More tomorrow, until then;
Gracias Al Dios para los ninos todos.
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