Compassion Trip - Day 2 (Part 2)

While Scott rested, I got in touch with Wally, a friend of Brian Kamstra, who has offered to show us around Comayagua. Specifically he offered to bring us out to La Canada, a community on the other side of Comayagua where Brian Kamstra works. 

The community of La Canada began when the Canadian government set up 50 homes for victims of Hurricane Mitch. Since then, the people have formed a community. Brian has worked here for a number of years, building a church and most recently a school. We got involved around that time and helped with some financing for the building. Although Brian has done a great job keeping us informed on the progress of the work, it is still nothing compared to seeing it in person.

Wally was to pick us up in the lobby at 4:30 pm. He had to borrow a vehicle to get down the road to La Canada which has been severely damaged because of the recent rains. Potholes are horrendous and we were lucky to have a 4x4 vehicle. On our way, we stopped at the home of Pastor Jose who so graciously came along to give us the tour.

For years Pastor Jose mentored and worked with Pastor Marlin (of Del Nance) so we were in good company.

Besides bumpy, the drive to La Canada was pretty flat. It is on the opposite side of Comayagua as our center in Del Nance. 

As we arrived, it was already getting dark but we were warmly welcomed by the local children who ran to give us hugs! It was very sweet to see them utilize the space around the church and school and know it was a blessing to them and their families.

Pastor Jose led us on a tour and showed us each of the classrooms and the apartment. The building is beautiful! I was very impressed with the craftsmanship as well as the site planning that went into place at this location.

They have a beautiful vision for the children of La Canada and hope to over a bilingual education to all which typically is only offered to higher-end private school students. Many people question the idea, but I agree when Pastor Jose says that these children (not from the city) have the same potential as their counterparts and a great way to change a community is through education. 

After our tour, we took photos and Scott lifted kids in the air. It was cute how they all lined up to take a turn. Soon a little girl took me by the hand and started leading me away. I questioned her in my broken Spanish and I understood she wanted to play. It didn't take long to understand she wanted to play duck duck goose. So, we rounded up a crowd and started to play Pato, Pato, Ganso. Even I took a turn and had so much fun... we laughed together and again I realized that two things don't need translation... love and fun.

It was quite dark as we made our way back to Comayagua. We were getting very tired so we decided on a quick supper at Pizza Hut. 

Wally needed to return the truck he had borrowed while we went in to order. Since Wally served as translator, we had to limp by with Pastor Jose's little English and my little Spanish. But we made it! 

Wally arrived just as our food was being brought out. After dinner, we made plans for tomorrow and headed back to our hotel. It was a very rewarding visit. I'm so glad to have had the chance to see La Canada first hand.

Compassion Trip - Day 2

The alarm clock didn't need to go off, I was too excited. So 5:00 am I was up and sorting through our bags of gifts to organize and prep gifts for our first 30 kids. I tried to be quiet but Scott quickly woke up so we did the project together.

We met our translators in the hotel lobby at 8:00 am. Pastor Marlon from Cerro del Nance (the Compassion project) met us for breakfast so he could lead the way up the mountain. It was a great opportunity to get to know more about Marlin, his family, and the work they are doing in the community.

Then we headed up the mountain. When we arrived, the children were all gathered in the temple waiting for us. They had formed two lines and waved flags as we walked between them. They cheered, I cried.

Then they gave us a few minutes to share a few words. We introduced ourselves, told them that we were very excited to meet them in person and thanked their parents for coming. There was more and I know it sounded good, but its all a big blur. Honestly, it was an overwhelming (in a good way) kind of day.

The children then took the stage and performed a song, all wearing frog hats (adorable!). Each round got faster and faster and they got louder and louder. It was very sweet.

Next a mother stood up to share a few words. It was a tearful and heartfelt moment.

Next we took some time to meet each child. They came up to us while we sat on stage, gave a hug, presented us with a Honduran flag, and then posed for a picture. It was very sweet.

During our hug, one little guy whispered in my ear "you are so beautiful to me"... it was very sweet. When we finished the pic, I gave him a kiss on the cheek and he swooned just a bit. (Melt my heart).

Another little one came running over and jumped into our arms with a powerful hug.

Some shared their frog hats with us, some were shy to approach on their own. It was amazing to see the little and unique personalities come out. Something the pictures just couldn't communicate.

Next we headed outside for a piñata. I got the first swing, followed by Scott and then the children starting with the smallest. Each kiddo got a turn and finally they received their prize. We made sure everyone had a handful before moving back indoors.

Next the pastor took us on a tour of the complex... the school, the medical center, the dining room, offices, etc. It was fun to see in person the buildings we've seen in pictures for years at our church. Remembrance through Hands in Mission has been serving Honduras for more years than I can remember.

After the tour, we played with the kids for a bit. We enjoyed the parachute and balls we had brought and then stepped outside to enjoy the breeze while we kicked some balls around with a few straggling boys.

Next we handed out our gifts to the children as they ate their lunches. Then we enjoyed some chicken soup as well. We spent the time with the Director from another Compassion site where we sponsor just one child. He had brought Angel and his brother up to Del Nance for the day so we enjoyed hearing more about the work he is doing in town.

After lunch, we passed out hugs and good-byes and shared a few more touching conversations with moms of our kiddos. The tears in her eyes only proved that the love a mother has for her child is spoken in a universal language.

We drove back down the crazy bumpy road to return to our hotel but made a quick stop at the grocery store to stock up on bottled water. When we got back to our rooms we both were pretty quiet. There was just so much to digest and try to process.

It wasn't long before I heard Scott snoring on the bed beside me. The day, although short, was very overwhelming and I think we both needed a nap.

Compassion Trip - Day 1

So it was a late night (12:30 to be exact) as we wrapped up things around the house and finished packing. We also spent some final moments with our house guests from Life Action and shared a few last laughs before we left.

But the bigger problem was the 3:30 am alarm that woke us from a deep sleep (Ugh)

Honestly though, there is so much excitement about this trip that we both perked up pretty well. We arrived the the airport on time and everything with luggage and security went smoothly. We boarded the plane a few minutes before 6:00 am and settled into our seats with a blanket. I have to say, its the first time ever that I've slept through the take-off! It was bumpy getting out of GR as a rain storm had covered the area but soon enough we leveled out and enjoyed a smooth flight to Atlanta, mostly asleep.

We had a fairly short layover in Atlanta so by the time we used a bathroom, took the train and walked to our new gate, they were already boarding. We both picked out a movie and got plugged in for the 3 hr leg of our trip. Around 10:00 am they served us ravioli that was amazing. I filled out our customs form and we soon prepared for landing. We took lots of photos as we flew over Honduras. The approach into Tegucigalpa brings you low to the buildings and then you kind of drop down into a hole. Its actually rated one of the 3 most dangerous landings in the world... so you know, Scott was glued to the window!

We got off the plan and through customs in no time... seriously we waited maybe 6 minutes in line. Our bags were the first off the carousel so we walked right out of the airport in record time (thanks God)

A man in the airport helped us with the bags so we led him out to find our Compassion host. As we walked through the crowd we didn't see her before finding ourselves on the outside curb. So Scott stayed with our bags while I did another pass through the airport lobby. A woman approached and greeted me with a hug. Ah, you must be Scarleth. She introduced her two companions, Ravvy and Noemi. All three would serve as our hosts and translators for the extent of our trip.

We went out to find Scott, our helper and the bags and walked to the car.After we loaded up, we stopped at a gas station for something to drink. Keep in mind its only 12 noon here but we've already been up for 9 hours.

Tegucigalpa is the capitol of Honduras and sits in a hole, so to speak, with tall mountains all around. We drove up on city streets that otherwise reminded me of crowded switch-backs from the western states back home. In the hour drive we saw a number of different terrains... amazing views, farm land, US army base, forests with tall pines, mountains with rocky cliffs, etc. The country is beautiful.

We arrived at our hotel a little after 2:00 pm. We tried to check in but had some difficulty. Hotel Santa Maria had a reservation for us but not for our three translators. Apparently they had accidentally reserved a room at another hotel several blocks away. So they left us to get settled and headed for the other hotel.

This hotel is considered a four-star lodging but not necessarily using the US scale. The biggest difficulty is that there are no English-speaking hotel staff and our translators are blocks away. No matter, its a place to sleep and we are fine!

Scott and I did a quick walk around the hotel and rested by the pool while we waited for our friends to return for lunch. We took them to a nicer restaurant just down the street who claims to have the "best steaks in Honduras".



We shared a great meal and had a chance to get to know one another better.

• Scarleth has several adult children, one still at home. Her husband passed away 17 years ago. 
• Noemi has a beautiful daughter (early 20s) 
• Ravvy is in his 20s and single. He lives at home with his parents and is always smiling. (The other two are constantly looking for a wife for him... LOL) 

All of them are extremely proud of the work Compassion does and enjoys serving the ministry this way.

After our meal, Scott and I sat by the pool to enjoy the breeze and the quiet of the afternoon. The temps are in the mid-70s and very comfortable. I totally fell asleep in the pool lounge chair, listening to my book so when I scared myself awake, I suggested we head back to the room as it was now 4:00 pm. (Hey don't tease, that's 6:00 pm back home). As there are no chairs in our room, Scott and I both settled in on a bed. Within moments Scott was asleep... good thing to because he had been dealing with bad sinus pressure and a headache most of the afternoon.

I flipped through channels most of the evening. There are 90+ available but only 2-3 will have an English-speaking movie at any given time. And the next time through, those same channels will be in Spanish. It was frustrating and I never did find something to watch.

I fell asleep somewhere around 7 pm. Scott struggled with his migraine until around midnight when we got his meds and we both slept the rest of the night.

Compassion Trip - The Plan

Tomorrow we will head out on a great adventure.  We will fly to Honduras to visit the children we have sponsored through Compassion International.  The organization has been wonderful to work with and we feel so blessed to be able to meet all of them in one quick trip.  Its just Scott and I travelling this time, although we do hope for many future visits when the kids would be able to join us.  

 I think (er, I hope) all the plans are in place for our travels. By not renting a car, we are relying on various people to help us along the way... translators, rides, etc. Although we typically have every detail of our travel planned, we are going into this trip with a sense that we are not in control... and trust that God will take care of all of those questions in His time.

Somehow we managed to pack up 150 lbs of gifts and goodies for our kids into three bags. Somehow we managed to pack light enough that Scott and I only needed one shared bag for our things!

In the last week, people have asked me about our trip and here are some of the things I've shared.

• I feel some unknown about the new places we will visit, the new people we will meet and the new (or unusual) foods we might eat 
• I am nervous about those awkward social moments living in a country where you don't speak the language and waiting for translation. (Three year olds have short attention spans) 
• I am concerned that we will have to divide our time up between them all and fear that we won't have enough time with any of them to make it worth their while 
• I am curious how the week will go for our kiddos back home. They are all settled in at the Breen's for a 5-night sleepover but we've just come off a three week stint of houseguests and they are worn. 

But the thing that's caused me the most thought, the thing I have been most private in sharing, is how do we prepare emotionally for what lies ahead?

• I dream of being able to put a face (not just a photo) with the letters I've received and to whom I've written. 
• I am eager to play futbol or read a book to even one of those darlings. 
• I cannot wait to hug those precious souls for which we've prayed and help them understand the depth of our love and that of their Heavenly Father. 
• I hope that in our short time together, we can create a memory that will forge a special bond for years to come. 
• And what about when its time to leave... how do you say good-bye after such a powerful but brief encounter? 

So many things are flooding our minds. Yet we know that God is in this and has gone before us to prepare the way.

Day 8 - With Autism

As I mentioned, today was the first time that Sammy flew all day without me by her side.  I realize that I was near... but this is truly a remarkable accomplishment.  Its sometimes easy to take these things for granted or to chalk it up as age-appropriate, but in the deepest corners of my heart, I am inspired by the strength, the perseverance and the determination it has taken her to accomplish this!

Here are the reflections I posted on Facebook...

Its only when you finally conquer something, when you are able to overcome a previous struggle that you truly appreciate how far you've come.  

For those who have prayed for us, prepared with us, read social stories with us, practiced with us, packed special gifts with us and strategized how to successfully conquer a plane ride... I thought you'd like to know, our girl has done it!  

Yet one more goal to mark off the list. Feeling super proud. (PS I love this photo for so many reasons)

Day 8

Its bittersweet this morning.  I am excited to get back home, but hate to leave this beautiful place.  We will always remember the memories we've made here.

We ate some breakfast and finished packing.  Our ride picked us up right on time and we had a quick trip to the airport.

Once we arrived at the airport we circled up to pray for our day.  It was a pretty cool way to finish up our stay in Mexico.

Check in and security went smoothly and it wasn't long before we were standing in line at Starbucks, waiting for our flight.  Over the next hour, as we waited, the airport lost power at least 3 times.  I'm not sure what caused it or how they repaired it each time... but it was certainly a first for us all!  I have a really funny story about what happens when you are in an airport bathroom when the power goes out (it is crazy-dark) but would prefer not to put it in writing (so I can deny it later).

The power outage caused a slight delay in our departure but the pilot seemed confident that we could make up the time in the air.  I got to sit with Tyler this time so we watched A Dog's Purpose together and enjoyed our beverages.

Customs, Immigration, and Security all went smoothly in Atlanta.  We stopped at Chick-Fil-A for supper and then headed to our gate.  

Before boarding, our plane was taken out of service so we had to move to another gate and aircraft.  Again, we departed a little late but made it up in the air.  This time I sat with Scott and realized that I hadn't flown with Sammy all day... this was a first!  

We arrived in GR as scheduled and like always, it was a smooth transition to grab our bags and get to the parking garage.  

What a day!  What a trip!  Its good to be home.

Day 7

Waking up to an alarm on vacation seemed a little wrong, but our driver would be here at 8:00 am to pick us up and we had a lot to prep.  We scurried around the condo packing for a full day without knowing for sure what was in store.  From my conversation yesterday with Mike, I knew that we had lots of options.  He threw out things like snorkel, beach, grill, turtles, dolphins, and even more but we all knew it was too much to do in a single day... right?

It took maybe 25 minutes to arrive at the marina.  We met Mike who speaks pretty good English and Oscar our captain who does not.  We boarded a pretty simple 30+ ft fishing boat and headed out to sea.  The water was beautiful shades of turquoise and blue and we all enjoyed the fresh air on the ride.  We headed west toward Isla Mujeres (a small island of the coast of Cancun).  When the explorers first discovered the island, they only found women and children because the men were all on the mainland working... hence the name Women Island.  The boat ride only lasted about 25  minutes but the time flew by as Mike offered fresh fruit and drinks.

As we approached the island, Oscar cut the engines near a small lighthouse.  Mike told us it was time to snorkel so we all quickly applied sun screen and got on our goggles and flippers.  Into the water we go!  Oscar led us on a tour of this amazing reef that followed a good distance eventually ending at the lighthouse.  Apparently this area gets quite busy later in the day but we were completely alone.  

We went along at our own pace and stopped to point out new discoveries.  We saw lots of fish, even some barracuda.  At one point Oscar brought our finger down to touch the coral and as we approached, an animal quickly shot back inside and out of sight.  (You know the ones, you've seen on the Discovery Channel)  Sammy made it almost 2/3 of the distance before she decided to quit.  We were constantly swimming and the current was pretty strong in some areas so I wasn't too surprised when she announced she was finished.  The two of us swam back to the boat, that Mike had repositioned for us.  As soon as we boarded, we were immediately greeted with more snacks and drinks to wash the salt out of our mouths.

As we rested and started to dry off, Mike asked if JC was my father or father-in-law.  I paused only a brief moment and replied, "Actually neither, but they are good people who love our kids and treat us like family." 

"Ahh," he replied with a slow pause...  "It is a treasure, no?"  As I sat in the boat watching the rest of our party finish their snorkel, I reflected on that gift... the treasure that our relationship has become.  My heart is full.

After we all were back on board, Oscar drove us to a dock on the island.  Mike explained that they needed to do some shopping for lunch and that he would rent 2 golf carts for us to take out and explore.  He gave us a few suggestions on where to go and sent us on our way.

This turned out to be a very neat experience... driving through the city, seeing the local residences and businesses.  We made a few stops for photos and ended up on the very southern end of the island.  Its the highest point with beautiful rocky cliffs and a bunch of iguanas!

We navigated the traffic and returned the golf carts about an hour later.  Mike still needed time to gas up so Mary and I took the kids down the beach to swim.  When they were ready, we reboarded and took a quick ride around to the northern tip of the island.  Here we anchored off shore for some time swimming.

The water was AMAZING!  It was beautiful and clear and had incredible buoyancy... we floated with ease and enjoyed a nice rest in the ocean.  At one point, Mike suggested we take the kids for a quick walk to a shallow area to feed the fish.  Oscar led Scott and the kids and I as we headed ashore.  

Oscar knew exactly where to go and when we arrived, we had the entire place to ourselves again.  He opened a package of crackers and crushed them in the water.  Instantly, hundreds of fish (4-12inches long) swarmed around us... swimming in between us and through our legs.  Tyler immediately turned on his video camera and we took turns using the goggles under water.  Because the water was so clear, you could see just as plainly from above so we all had a great view!

When we got back to the boat, we found Mary and JC still relaxing in the surf.  We grabbed some drinks and joined them.    

It was then that Sammy realized our boat was named Samanta, so naturally we took a pic!

The best part of this day is that Mike was so incredibly accommodating.  He was always ready with snacks, drinks, etc.  He had lots of ideas of things to do, but the timeline was always at our pace.  We LOVED it!

When we were done floating, we boarded the boat again and headed around to the south-west shore for our next stop.  Mike and Oscar took their groceries to shore... in the back kitchen to prepare our lunch while we explored the docks.  We saw lots of goodies here.  The salesman even taught the kids how play the conch shells.

Then we took the opportunity to hold a shark.  Sammy opted for the baby but Tyler took on the adult. So proud of both kiddos and their courage to try something new.

It didn't take long before Mike and Oscar were ready to serve our lunch.  We found a spot to sit and were greeted by this...  

It was WAY more food than we could dream of eating, but we made a good dent.  We reboarded our boat and moved a little further south to a animal rehabilitation center.  Here we saw a dolphin that was rescued just 12 days prior.  They are still assessing whether or not the animal will be released back into the wild.    

The rest of the center focused on sea turtles.  In various tanks, we saw turtles of all sizes and colors.  Sammy even had the opportunity to touch... thanks to Mr Mike.

At this point, we decided to head back to the main land.  As the port came into view, I reflected on the incredible day, God's incredible creation all around, and the incredible people in our lives. 

As we loaded back into the van for our return home, we all looked a little worn, a little red, but the smiles on our faces said it all... it was a great day!  I couldn't believe it, but we had literally experienced EVERYTHING that Mike had first mentioned.  It was a full day but what a way to end our trip.  

As we discussed our options for dinner, we all decided that staying in would be best.  So we ordered pizza for delivery.  As we waited for the driver to arrive, we hit the gift shop and let the kids pick out a souvenir.  

After we ate, we took a first crack at packing and then headed to bed.