What Love Is.

 Before I came on this mission, I connected with a neighbor of mine over a weekly devotion that she asked me to be part of.  The title of the devotion is What Love is. By Kelly Minter.  The devotion is written about Johns letters in the Bible and his gospel.  The devotion has been something that I personally have gotten a lot of peace from with the struggles I have had in my own life.  The study talks about how this is how we know what love is:  Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.  1 John  3:16. The letters define love in the person of Jesus and call us to love like he loved.  

Our theme for the week in our teams devotions is Do every thing in Love.  I said in my speech to the audience on ground breaking day, “What better way to show our love, than to feed the bodies and souls of the children here in Honduras”.  Working together this week on this project has created friendships and bonds that can’t be broken.  The local Hondurans coming to help with the project, the local contractor working to build the feeding center, the Honduran team working with us on the mission this week and our North American team, have all become brothers and sisters in Christ in an unbreakable and amazing way.  It was important for our team to remember that the mission is not necessarily about the the “project” but the people we meet along the way.  We have had so much love and laughter this week that my heart is bursting.  I have so much gratitude for this great team and my anxiety of leading my first international mission has been washed away by the love and grace and gratitude of everyone we spend our days with.  The team has made my job so easy and I am so very thankful for them.  I could not ask for a better team to go along with me on this journey.  

Today was a busy day and the team is exhausted but happy.  Part of the group spent the day digging ditches again in hot humid conditions, not complaining at all.  They are genuinely happy to be in those ditches digging the foundation for the building that will feed the children of Tocoa.  Mid morning, two team members went with a translator to the feeding center in Ceibita to help prepare the food and serve the children of Ceibita.  They learned a lot about what they do there and why we are doing what we are doing in Tocoa.  I stopped by later on to meet with a little girl who is having some health issues due to lack of nutrition.  The Hearts and Hands team in Illinois asked me to bring her vitamins to help with her nutrition deficiencies and talk to her about how and when to take them.  I believe her brother also has the same issue. He is 1 years old.  In February, I will be joining the Illinois team again on their medical mission and we will be bring an orthopedic doctor to help with the diagnosis and possible treatments for the children.  

After our time in Ceibita we stopped by the store that we had ordered bulk groceries and supplies from for our home visits this week.  We took all of the goods back to the special needs school in Tocoa to help bag up gifts for each family that we plan to visit this week.  We are planning on making 30 visits in the next two days.  The rest of the afternoon was finishing up with construction for the day and getting things ready for tomorrow.  

The team cleaned up back at the hotel and walked to dinner at the local restaurant we eat at.  We ended our day with a great devotion and discussion with song.  

Love this team, and all their passion for the mission.  

My heart is full

Blessings!  

Supplies for the home visits

Team in the trenches! 

Doing what I love the most - holding babies!

Ashley - working on putting the oven back together 

This was solid ground when we arrived on Monday!  Now its taking shape to be the foundation for the feeding center 

Corner footings

Mateo working on the oven 

More supplies for home visits

Purchasing supplies for the home visits

Donations to the special needs school 

I fell in love with this little girl. Her name is Valery.  She has what we believe to be rickets.  Her legs are bowed and we are hoping to be able to help her in February with the medical mission.  Her 1 year old brother is likely in the same situation.  This little girl gave me the best hugs.  She literally snuggled in and would not let go.  I think she took a piece of my heart today.  

More pictures of some of the team in the trenches

Love Honduras.  It’s a beautiful country 

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