Kids

I love kids…

(I guess if one is going to be a teacher, he/she should love children—though I must admit I endured my share of sadistically mean teachers causing me to what had compelled them to spend their lives with children.)

I love children because they make me laugh. My niece was hilarious as a kid (and even moreso as an adult). When I was a teacher, there were myriad occasions when a student blurted out something so incredibly funny (usually unintended) that I laughed to the point of tears!

I miss that.

I love children for they are often the best teachers. During my years of teaching I believe that I learned as much from the kids as they learned from me. When reminiscing about students, I invariably remember something about each that I enjoyed or how my life was made better simply by having this child in a class (though I know God brought some into my life just to test my patience—like the year I taught Devin—an extremely gassy 8th grader—whose emissions made our eyes water and had the other students begging me to evacuate the classroom).

Over the years, I have thought back on the many children I have had the opportunity to teach (or know such as church children and friends' kids) and I have sometimes wondered why God brought a particular child into my life—but I know there is a reason—for nothing—absolutely nothing (right down to each name listed on my class roster)—is by chance.

So it is with my sponsored children. Even though "I chose" the children (Kimberly, Eskarleth, and José)—I know there is a reason that God directed our paths to cross.

Immediately upon meeting Eskarleth, I knew one reason why God brought us together. She is very much like I was as a child—in fact both she and José are.

Energetic—

Pushes the boundaries—

Stubborn—

If told, “No” she replies, “Sí” …if told, “Sí,” she replies, “No.”

I will enjoy getting to know these two as they grow.

Kimberly, on the other hand, is the opposite of what I was as a child—quiet, somewhat shy. But when she told me that she loves school and wants to be a teacher when she grows up, it wasn't difficult to figure out one reason God brought her into my life. Who better to encourage her in her educational pursuits than someone who has taught? (I was very impressed with her report card for there was NO grade lower than a 98 and most of the grades were 100.) Oh, but she did show a little feisty side as she informed me (through an interpreter), “You must learn Spanish for I want to talk to YOU—not an interpreter!” Ha! Maybe she is more like me than I initially thought!

Each of these children has blessed me already in the short time that I have known them…if you feel so led, I would so appreciate if you would pray for Kimberly, Eskarleth, and José.

The following pictures were taken May 21, 2009, San Pedro Sula, Honduras.

We met at a water park, and spent the first part of he day floating down the lazy river.

José loved playing on the stairs.
Eskarleth
The girls (L to R): Eskarleth's project director, Eskarleth's grandmother, Eskarleth, Anita, Kimberly's little sister, Kimberly, Kimberly's mom, Kimberly's project director.
Eskarleth, Anita, Kimberly, Kimberly's new friend, Kimberly's sister, Pam
The SLIDE. Kimberly's mother would not go on it.

So Kimberly and I went—about 15 times!

Ice cream!

My plan was just to dip him into the pool afterwards.

Sweet Kimberly

José acting silly.
José smiling for a nice picture.

Eskarleth crawled under the table to see me.

Eskarleth being told it was time to go home. Can you guess what she is saying?

Eskarleth was crying (and I did get a little misty eyed).

Prayer requests and MORE Honduras

Three prayer requests today:

Swine flu!

Just received word that 4 of the 6 projects our group visited in Honduras have been closed because of H1N1. The projects are scheduled to reopen 1 July. Please pray for the children and the projects during this time.

(On my side of the world, Q*atar health officials confirmed its first two cases of the H1N1 virus. There must be some hysteria for I have just received the following text from Q*tel, the Q*atari government Supreme Council of Information and Communication Technology licensed telecommunication service: The Supreme Council of Health denies the occurrence of H1N1 case in a restaurant, and calls for getting information from the right sources.)

Second, KCBI’s Days of Compassion are June 17-18. Please pray that God will bless this campaign and that children will be sponsored. (Check out Compassion’s site by clicking the button on the right of my page.)

Finally, earlier this week, a friend of mine requested prayer for his 17-year-old son who was scheduled to undergo major back surgery to fuse 7 vertebrae in the thoracic region of his spine and insert two titanium rods in his spine. I just received word that the surgery was stopped mid-procedure for Christopher lost feeling in his legs. He has gained some sensation in the legs but no movement as yet. The next two days are critical. Please pray for Chris.

AND...

I have added more Honduras pictures. You may check them out here!

Happy Birthday LJ!

I was so happy to be Stateside for LJ’s first birthday celebration. I so love this boy and did not want to miss this. He loved his truck.

After a couple hours of festivities, he was ready to go home.

Several times during the party my mind wandered to Kim, Eskarleth, and José. When I think of them, it is not with a sense of guilt for it is useless to feel guilty over something one cannot control (i.e. where one is born).

When I think of them, I am usually overcome with two extremely strong emotions/feelings: thankfulness that I was born in the United States of America and determination to do what I can to make their lives better.

Honduras...another home visit

80% of Hondurans live below the poverty level—

50% live in extreme poverty.

Unlike the homes in our earlier visits (extreme poverty), our final visit was to a family that lives in an area where most homes are constructed of cinder blocks and have cement floors.

This is the home of the family we visited.

I snapped this picture from the open window. This is the view of their neighbor's home.

The small house had two rooms. A small living room (with a small sofa and wooden bench for seating) and a bedroom which sleeps six (the parents and four children). The green wall is the bedroom wall.

This family has the luxury of an older television and stereo system.

The little girl of the family standing outside the bedroom door.

The mother and three of her four children. The father works at a produce market.

The home does not have indoor running water. There is a cement sink with water spicket outside the home.

We were able to get a glimpse into their daily lives and even had an opportunity to “help” prepare a meal. Of course for those who know me, know that I am not comfortable in a kitchen—any kitchen—so the extent of my help was husking a couple ears of corn. (I cannot even imagine what they must face preparing a meal during the rainy season!)

Food is cooked over an open fire.

The ever present fowl!

View from the backdoor.

Another view from the back door. The children were chasing chicks.

The kids were not only totally adorable, but also HILARIOUS!

For some reason they could not understand why I refused to hold their cute fuzzy chicks (no really—I barely escaped swine flu—do you really think I want to chance it with bird flu???)

or the little puppies (What? Get nipped by the angry mother and have to endure rabies protocol in Honduras????).

When we heard the universal sound of childhood summer happiness (the ice cream man), we treated all the kids in the neighborhood to a cone (at 5 lempiras each—approximately 25cents—it was well worth every penny to see their smiles). However, our refusal to eat this delectable treat made them question our sanity—what type of people were we? We disliked downy chicks, cuddly puppies, and ice cream on a sweltering day! (Our guide strongly suggested that we not eat the ice cream.)

He is smiling on the inside. :)

Buddies!

After ice cream some of the neighborhood kids gathered inside.
This little girl even sang a song for us.

It was time for us to head back to the project.

Beautiful flowers camouflage
A not so beautiful home.

I took this only because I could not believe the number of wires!