Anita

This past week and a half I have had the chance...no the privilege to meet Karen's mother Anita. She has impressed and wowed me in so many ways in those short few days. She has offered words of wisdom and strength that only a momma of much wisdom can give. So often she utters a simple sentence that triggers much deep thinking on my part. Well this morning was not exception. As we were sitting together on the porch watching morning come into its fullest Anita was sharing her sad thoughts of going home to the cold weather and busyness of life. She then uttered this simple sentence, "here we don't have to worry about what day or time it is we just exist." She is so right. So quickly she put into words what I had been feeling since the moment I arrived. Most days I have no idea day of the week let alone what the date is. However, it is refreshing. As Americans we have gotten caught up in the fast pace world in which we live. We have learned to rely on the fast food chains, Internet shopping, and other conveniences of life to give us the time we need to do the other things that consume our lives. We constantly are checking our watches to make sure we are right on time or are following the schedules that we set for our days. However, somewhere in those busy days we lose track of what matters and the important things seem to slip away. We forget to slow down and appreciate the world around us and those that are in our world. Here things are different and it is REFRESHING! You can sit with a person and talk about the things that are on your heart for hours without worrying that you are getting behind schedule. You can go to bed at nigh without having your mind be full of the things that you have to accomplish tomorrow or that you forgot to do today. We merely exist and in that mere existence we are able to remember who granted us that existence. See it isn't until we take a step back out of our busy lives that we realize just how tiring that life can be. It takes a small step back to remind us that we were not created for that lifestyle. God didn't create us to follow busy schedules and to stress about the endless to do list we have created. He created us as simple beings. He created us to be relational.

My Kiddos

All 10 of my kiddos...each special in their own way.




Little Francisco could possibly have the cutest pouty face in the world. It is hard to punish a face like that!


Little Katty gives some of the best kisses and has a giggle that could melt any heart. She is obsessed with gum and will attempt to take yours from your mouth if you will let her.



Mario is a rotten one for sure but you have to admit that he has good taste in shirts!:) No I didn't bring that for him either.


Little Monica loves baby dolls but no matter how many new ones she gets this one remains her favorite.


At 9 Yovani is our oldest. He plays the role of big brother well and is so mature...however sometimes that temper likes to come out and then you might as well get out of his way. Oh and yes that is a tank top I am wearing.


Marjuri is such a loving little one but sure can wail when she wants to. She loves to be thrown in the air and caught.



Marvin is such a good little one as well but can be quite a handful. He likes to act all tough but he has one of the sweetest hearts of any of the kids. He is the first to check on them if they are hurt or help when it is needed.


Fernando is the only boy that isn't part of the original 5 brothers. However, he has found his way into my heart. He likes to sing while laying in bed getting ready to go to sleep and is slowly coming out of his shell a little more.


At 1 Antonio is our youngest. He is our dancer and our most spoiled. He definitely guards his kisses.:)


Cindy is our most troubled child and definitely are hardest to handle. However, when she decides to be sweet you get to glimpse a little girl with such a sweet heart.

Open Arms

Being here gives me the priviledge to watch these kids grow. With that comes the chance to watch them like all parents watch their kids. I get to see them experience things for the first time, overcome struggles, and learn new things. Yesterday, I had one of those opportunites. The kids were playing outside and doing what kids do best...have fun. As I sat there I could see little Fernando attempting to ride a bike. Up until now he has stuck to the little bikes with training wheels. He usually isn't brave and is content to stick to what he knows. However, as I watched he tried again and again to get onto that bike. So I went to him and helped him up onto the bike and in my broken spanish gave him some helpful hints. Then like any good parent I gripped the back of the seat with one hand and the handle bars with the other and began to run with the bike keeping it steady but allowing his little legs to pedal and propel us forward. Then when I was certain he was as steady as I could get him I would let go. However, as I let go I didn't just stand and watch how far he would get...I ran along beside him with open arms ready to catch him if he fell. Oh and fall he did many times. Sometimes I was able to prevent his collision with the earths surface and other times I was only able to watch as he went crashing down. In those times I would pick him up, dust him off, give him a hug, and put him back on his bike so he could try again. Teaching a child to ride a bike is the simplest of actions but for a kid who is unsure and scared having someone there means the world. It was then that it hit me...that is what these kids need. They need someone to share the little moments with them. They need someone to be there with open arms to catch them when they fall. As this realization sunk in I realized that this is exactly what God does for us. He walks beside us with one hand on the seat and one hand on the handle bars and guides us. He holds us up. Then when he is certain that we are steady he lets go and lets us attempt to do it for ourselves. However, He doesn't just stand back and watch he walks along side us with open arms ready to catch us when we fall. At times we fall into Him and are rescued while other times we fall the opposite direction and we go crashing down. It is in these moments that He picks us up, dusts us off, and holds us in His arms. Then like any good parent he puts us back on the bike and makes us try again. I sat in awe at how a simple action like teaching a kid to ride a bike could open my eyes to the fact that my Heavenly Father is doing the same simple action. And I definitely need Him to be doing it because I like Fernando have not mastered staying up on the bike. I often fall and it is the arms that rescue me every time. I am thankful that He is there running along side me and I rest in that calm assurance. Little Fernando never completely mastered riding that bike but in the days to come I know he will. He gets better and goes farther with each time. He learns so much with each fall. Just as you and I learn from our own crashes. One of these days Fernando will be able to pedal a lot longer and farther than I can run and I will be unable to follow him with open arms. However, we can never out run God and that is an amazing promise.

the battle of good and evil

I have connected with these kids in ways that I can not describe with words. I have come to love them so much in the 2 weeks I have been there. I hurt when they hurt and I long to take away the pains of their past. I can see the demons fighting within them. Sometimes if I step back I can see the battle of good and evil that is going on for the lives of each of them and I am honor to be playing a part in that process. I'm honored to be used as one of God's weapons in the fight. Every day I think..."I can't do this" but it is then that I hear God say "but I can!" God is bigger than Honduras. He is bigger than the things these kids have been through. AND He is most certainly bigger than me.

Yes I caved

So I've never been one to do things because everyone else does it but I did indeed follow the crowd and got this blog cite. It helped though that I'm getting class credit to start an account and update it from time to time. I mean it is a fairly painless way to get points in a class and I'm guessing that some day down the road I'll look back and be glad I had a spot to put my thoughts. I hope that by sharing those thoughts on here will give everyone a chance to connect a little better with what I am doing and learn more about the awesome God I am serving. Since it is partly for a grade at least you all know it will be updated frequently. Enjoy.