Day Five

Today was a fairly relaxed day. We started out the day getting up and driving to Santa Ana, Honduras to the Casa de Esperanza. Casa was the orphanage that Ashley used to live at and so we got to go see her old stomping grounds. When we got there, we took close to 100 boxes to the church on the campus and organized the clothes for a store that we are going to be doing on Saturday. It was amazing all the clothing that was donated that we are going to be able to provide to the people in Santa Ana. After we got the clothes all sorted (with some interesting dress up in the midst), we went to a nice restaurante in Santa Anna and got to just sit as a group and enjoy some genuine Honduran food. After lunch, we went back to the orphanage and played with some kids who were there for a dental clinic that was being conducted at the clinic on the orphange's campus. The clinic was being run by a number of dentists from the States who came down on the same flight as us from Houston to Honduras. They were doing some amazing things for all the children who probably only get to see a dentist when these clinics happen.

It was next that we got to play with all the children from Casa de Esperanza. We grilled some hot dogs and got to eat and play with all of them. It was amazing for me to see all of these kids now two years older than the last time I saw them. Even though it was two years ago I was last here, it felt like I had just left those kids. It was amazing to me how much I could remember about all the kids who were here two years ago. Everytime I get to see these chidren it makes it harder and harder for me to leave this place. Even though it was two years ago many of them still remembered me and it was awesome that Fito, one of the boys that I wanted to take home with me last time, still remembered me and called me his "Amigo." It was also nice to be at the orphanage because all the kids are able to speak at least some English so between our week Spanish and their week English we were able to talk to each other.

This place will never cease to amaze me in how quickly it grows on me and how in love I am with the people of this country. Everyday I spend here makes me want to be here more. We all ask that you continue to pray for us and that we may be a great witness of the love of Christ to the people here. We also ask that you pray for us to continue to be moved and that we might become enlightened to the world around us. Thank you all for our prayers.

Alan