Honduran for Just a Moment

What Does Your Measuring Stick Look Like?

2010-10-29T05:41:00.000-07:00

    Whether it be monetary wealth, wealth of intelligence and knowledge, wealth of friends and family or wealth in leisure, abundance is our measuring stick for success. It's a cycle that never ends, sucking in everyone and everything along its path. As a part of today's society, everyone of us longs to be successful and every time we think we've reached success, someone else trumps us, putting us back into the race to fight some more only to be disappointed all over again. We are aware of the consequences of our actions and the likelihood that we will never be the best or the most of anything, but we continue on through the blood, sweat and tears.
    Why then is it so hard for us to give up? Why is it so unpopular to sit back, relax, let it go and measure our success by other standards?
    In the Christian life we are asked to think in the opposite direction. Christ directs us to go against the grain, to not conform to the ways of the world and to not adapt to their ways of thinking, all of which seem to point towards a hopeless cause. But it doesn't have to be if our goals are based on other foundations. Success is not abundance in the way that the world refers to it, but an unseen heavenly abundance. When we break out of the worldly cycle, we focus less on ourselves and our achievements and more on Christ and the blessings that we receive from Him, to no credit of our own.
    Why then is this seemingly 'easy' plan so difficult to follow? Because as we take a hold of this concept and force our way through the crowd, with every step we are confronted and challenged, told to turn around and go with the flow. But if we turn our eyes upon the one who knows what success truly is, we will get through all of the pushing, shoving and suggesting of others and end up on the other side with something that is immeasurable.
    A values centered life, in a world that is constantly measuring us, is one founded on Jesus Christ.

Community

2010-10-18T10:32:00.000-07:00

An ideal community would be just that: a community. A place where people help each other stand up instead of pushing them down to get ahead; a place where people work together instead of against each other; a place where people realize that the consequences of their actions not only effect them, but those around them as well; a place where people know their neighbor’s name; and a place where there is always someone to rely on. No, an ideal community is not like Pleasantville, one of wary perfection, because in perfection there is no room for growth. An ideal community is one of hardship and triumph, happiness and sadness, and selfless service.

In an ideal community, people would be conscientious of the world around them, aware of the suffering and pain going in far away places, not allowing themselves to just stand by and let the world turn. Life wouldn’t have to be so hard; it could be cushioned by the reliability of the family and friends around us. Instead of hoarding our monetary and intellectual wealth we would share it in whatever form suits each particular situation. We would invest our time into teaching the poor how to escape from their current realities and how to create new ones; and orphaned children would be feed both food and knowledge and be given the opportunity to be wanted and loved.

The existence of such a community would be based not upon the increasing individualism of our reality today, but upon the simplicity of a world without disruptive media. Morals and values would be upheld and played out in every day life and selfless service would not come out of obligation, but out of want and desire to help their fellow neighbor.

Churches and community centers would be a main focus. In these centers, soup kitchens would be organized, homeless would be housed, abandoned children would be cared for and counseling would be offered for those wanting to be heard. Different community service projects would always be on schedule, as well as classes on how to organize your finances, find and keep a job, and other life skills.

Such centers do exist today, but are in low attendance. In an ideal community, this would be the center of the community, the home base for neighborhood barbeques and town hall meetings, linking each member of the community into the web of diverse individuals.

This sense of community would not be exclusive, but inclusive, with its members yearning to spread their knowledge and care. It would be regular practice for these community centers to become a mobile community that would not only focus on its local members but also on potential members of other worlds; giving them the opportunity to experience a sense of belonging within their local communities.

Everyone would be of unique importance, with no one overlooked or forgotten. Absences would be noticed, because of each individual’s role in the community; in hardships, an individual would know that they are not alone and would have others to turn to; family units would be pertinent, the birthplace of morals, values and service; and religion would be a part of daily life.

A community like this may seem life a far stretch compared to the world we live in today, but it wouldn’t have to be if we focused more on the sharing message of Christ instead of our individual motives. Fortunately many of the aspects of this community do exist, but apparently not simultaneously. But that is not to say that we can’t continue to do our part in moving forward towards such a community: a place where poverty can be overcome with the power of community and selflessness.

Where Art Thou Satisfaction?

2010-08-30T13:21:00.000-07:00

What does it mean to be satisfied?
What do you base your satisfaction on?

Think about this:
What would happen to our personal levels of "satisfaction" if we were to stop focusing on only ourselves and what we want, and started focusing on others, putting others before ourselves and serving our family and friends around us?!

Try it.

Eres Bella

2010-05-28T11:05:00.000-07:00

Dear Friend,
I can't say I know how you feel.
I can't say I understand.
I can't tell you it will be better,
But in the storm, I promise to hold your hand.
Broken is what you are, I can't do anything to fix that.
Pain is ever present, I can't make it go away.
All the love in the world can't make time go back
But you're still loved - You're beautiful anyways!
I don't know where to go from here.
I don't know what to say.
I wish you knew that I love you,
and that your beauty still remains.
Damaged is what you may feel, but He can mend the soul.
Hurt is in your heart, but He can make you whole.
All the love in the world is nothing compared to His.
His arms are open wide.
My friend, you are beautiful
I just wanted to let you know.
Don't let the world tell you differently
For the blame is not yours to tow.
Let Jesus carry your heavy heart,
I'll be right here by your side.
Call me whenever you need me,
It doesn't matter, day or night.

Te quiero mucho, aunque no lo sabes y por eso me duele pensar en tu dolor. La unica cosa que se hacer es orar a Jesús nuestro y es lo que estoy haciendo, fervientemente. En sus ojos é en los míos, por siempre sos bella, no importa las circunstancias. No lo dejes cambiarte... segui confiando en Dios. Con mucho cariño, te quiero, te quiero, te quiero.

With all my love,
Mandy

48 x too much = ???

2009-12-22T21:43:00.000-08:00

48... that's a comfortable number to fit in the little bus. 7 seats on each side, roughly two to a seat, sounds about right, we should be good.
Tonight is a special night. We are picking up kids and their families (those that want to go) to go to the church for the final program of F.L.A.G. Camp. It's a night where all of the kids, who have been going to camp all week long, have the chance to share what they have learned with their family and friends; a very big witnessing opportunity.
As the sky grows dark, we noisily rumble up the mountain, coming up over the hill, 10 sparkling eyes, contently following the bus as it squeaks to a stop. O Good! I'm glad that this family came. I wonder if any other families will come?
We continue on, picking up this kid here and that kid there. Before long, I turn around and a small crowd has gathered by now in the bus. Nothing too serious, we'll be fine, maybe a little squished...
Two kids turn into four, small families, become larger. The bus is filling, quickly. Will we all fit?
It's gotten to the point now, I think we might have to start turning people away... would Jesus turn people away?... should I just get out and walk?... I'm one person, it's not going to make that much of difference.
We finally arrive at the bottom of the mountain. Not physically being able to turn around, I have to rely on the mirror to see the sea of people standing, sitting and squatting behind me. All of us awkwardly invading the personal space of another.
At the church, I step off of the bus, hot, sticky, drenched in my sweat and that of others. I want to see just how many people we got on this bus.
1 honduran, two hondurans, three hondurans, four...
five hondurans, six hondurans, seven hondurans, more!...
We counted for a number of minutes. I like math, but this was nothing to be solved by an equation, it was pure magic: 116 sweaty people stepped off of that small bus meant for 48!!
On the return trip we took a normal, long bus. Even in the big bus we were packed, people standing in the aisles, definitely still invading the personal bubbles of their neighbors.
On our way back up the mountain, I stood at the front of the bus in awe, shock and unbelief, not quite understanding how we had managed to fit all of these people on the first, much smaller bus!
Discussing it later we could only come to one conclusion: Heavenly Intervention!
I don't know if the bus suddenly became elastic or we all got magically skinnier, or neither of the two, but there was a definite hand of power.
Whether God touched each and every one of those 116 hearts in the church that night, only He knows, but His presence was without a doubt revealed and His power once again un-measureable!

Agape Feast Feeds Thousands

2009-11-06T22:00:00.000-08:00

This week was the last week of school. Everything was hectic as usual, with chores to be done, food to be made and most importantly, exams to be studied for. With all of the chaos surrounding us, I came up with the idea of an Agape Feast. It seemed to be a good way to bring not only the crazy week to an end, but also the school year and of course, a peaceful way of bringing in the Sabbath.
It had been in preparation all week, different ideas churning in my head, trying to figure out the best way to attack the situation. After a interesting week, a couple shopping trips to San Pedro and a lot of time spent in the kitchen, it was time! The food was ready with a full on spread of breads, fruits, vegetables, crackers and spreads. It was exciting, something a new experience to share with my Honduran family. Everything was perfect, nothing missing. Even the tables were set up just the way I wanted!
On Friday nights it is the schedule to have vespers first with dinner following. The song service for vespers was great, the participation excellent, everything was going as planned!
While the short devotion was being given, without notice, they started coming. First one, two... that's not too bad, it's ok.... three, four, five... a little more than I would like, but no worries... six, seven, eight... hmmm we're going to have to change something... nine, ten... yikes... eleven, twelve! Twelve visitors, twelve people uncounted for. Twelve extra people that I had to figure out how to feed. In preparing for our special Agape Feast, it had never occurred to me that guests might come. Because the food was so special and more expensive than normal, an exact amount had been bought and prepared, there was no way we could feed 12 extra people!
Vespers ended and I quickly went into the kitchen, coldly calculating my next move. I started sending out trays of food, telling the kids to put one of each on each plate, starting with the guests, each time looking at the tray and knowing good and well that there was no way there was enough for 70 some people.
Then a miracle started happening! One by one the kids started coming back, but instead of telling me they had run out, they diligently reported that there were extras! I couldn't believe my eyes, I was in shock. While sitting in vespers I had counted and recounted that food, it was impossible!
In the end there was plenty to eat, so much so that there seemed to be an epidemic of fullness throughout the entire hogar after the meal was done. To say the least, the feast was a big hit and a lot was gained from experiencing it.
Reflecting on it later I realized that this was my version of the well-known two fish, five loaves story. God had created a miracle right before my very eyes! Who was I that I should deserve such an honor? So maybe the Agape Feast didn't feed thousands, not even hundereds, but the fact that a miracle took place is what's most important, the most incredible part about the whole night!
That's the second time this week that God has personally come down and worked in the kitchen with us! He sure must like to cook! haha
What's on the week next week God?...

Where did the fire come from?

2009-11-02T21:44:00.000-08:00

One of my daily tasks is to prepare breakfast every morning. Last Friday morning, I was going through my usual, drowsy routine of getting up before light had broken to make the trek to the kitchen. Everything was going on as usual:
unlock front door - √
turn on eating area light - √
turn on kitchen light - √
unlock refrigerator door - √
bring food out of refrigerator - √
light stove -....
As I went to light the stove, there were no matches to be found. I look high and low, in the nooks and in the crannies, over and under, left and right = nothing! I looked in the storage room behind the kitchen, in the bakery, in the storage area again, in the kitchen... still nothing. What was I to do, I needed matches?! Normally such a thing would seem like such an emergency, but with such a tight schedule it was important that food for these 45 kids was ready on time, if the food wasn't ready on time, then the whole groove of the morning would be thrown off. I walked outside again, trying to figure out what it was that I was going to do. I said a quick prayer that God would help me find some matches and headed back into the kitchen again. As I looked up, a small, yellow flicker caught my eye. It was fire! But where was it coming from? The stove! But I hadn't turned on the stove, let alone lit it! I was quickly able to make up for time lost and like every morning, the food was warmly awaiting the kids as they entered the cafeteria.
Who turned the stove on? Where did the fire come from?... what do you think?
I cooked with God this morning :)

In the Hood...

2009-11-02T21:43:00.000-08:00

Mystery Woman

2009-07-21T07:25:00.000-07:00

"Your mom's here."

The words bounced up and down in my head, he looked back at me with a confused look on his face, wondering if I'd heard the same thing he had just heard.

His facial expression spoke for him.

"Your mom is here."

He quickly jumped down from the truck trying to organize his thoughts, my mind was racing, thinking surely this was a mistake.

I quickly got down from the truck as well, I was not about to let my kid walk up to some stranger who was professing to be his mother. Not wanting to smother, I stayed a good distance behind, but low and behold, it was her.

If you couldn't tell from anything else, it was in her sharp, cutting eyes... I know those eyes... they're just like his.

A woman he had never met before, claiming to be his mother, touching him, hugging him: that was my job, who was she to come in and interrupt his life after so many years. Do I attack or do I stay back?

Minutes seemed like hours, waiting for her to leave; she leaves: what now? Do I act normal, do I ask questions?

Cautiously walking into his room, I wait for him to call, his eye catches mine. Nervous not quite sure what to do, I turn to leave only to hear the precious words: "Mandy, come!"

I go to where he is, trying to read him, but he won't let me in, afraid that this stranger, this mystery woman has forever changed my little buddy, he speaks...

He's confused, not sure whether or not to be happy, sad, excited, mad, shy, talkative.... he doesn't know... and I don't either.

It will take some time. I want to save him, save him from his thoughts, but this is something that he has to do on his own.

Do I hate this unknown female? No

Do I like her? No

Should I? I'm not sure.... I have to wait and see, see where the mind of this little boy takes it all. How will this all turn out? I don't know.

Am I scared? yes, but for him or for me, I'm not sure.

The only thing to do: pray and pray some more, assuring him all the way, that no matter what happens, I will always be here and I will always love him, and always support him. I will never abandon him.

I hope he understands...

Luna

2009-04-19T22:17:00.001-07:00

The light of the moon glistens in the tears rolling down her cheeks as she looks back, wondering when she will ever come to see her home again. The fear in her eyes is sharp and striking, but she valiantly keeps moving forward, gently placing each foot on the ground, with each step taking her farther away from where she wants to be. It takes all of the strength within her to keep her from running back to the comfort of what she knows, but there's no going back. The car door slams shut and like the switch of a button, her whole world vanishes before her, abandoning her in the dark: alone, scared and lost. If she keeps her eyes open and focused and doesn't turn from what she's learned, I know He will carry her through. She need not have fear of what lies in front of her because the Lord Jesus Christ is with her, He loves her, He will never leave her alone.

Stop.

Things are so much easier said than done. Is it really that easy to let things go and trust to make it out okay in the end? Can you just give it up and let your burdens rest on the shoulders of someone else?

Yes.

With faith it is possible. although it might not be easy, it is attainable. She's starting a new phase in her life, physically and mentally farther from anywhere she's ever been or anything she's ever done. With much prayer and faith, she will adapt. She will learn, she will grow and she will achieve, because this is where God has lead her. With more bravery and faith than I can understand, her presence in my life has taught me gratitude. Accepting wholeheartedly the blessings from a Father who cares and only asks for our love in return. Choosing to move forward and use the gifts we receive, whether it takes us out of our comfort zone or not. Are you comfortable yet?

(ps- Mommy y Daddy, gracias por todo me han dado, ahora yo entiendo un poquito mejor los bendiciones he recibido de ustedes.)

Sun-kissed

2009-04-09T07:16:00.001-07:00

Deep, dark eyes sparkling in the afternoon sun, freckles gently dusting his nose, looking in his eyes, he seems to be screaming out for help. As if his heart is breaking in two and he doesn't know why. Everyday is a journey for him, fighting the world around him, trying to allow the good to shine through. The emotional scars taunting him daily, constantly reminding him of where he was and what he could be. The spiritual battle going on inside of him is fierce, it's difficult for him to choose the right way to go. Everyday he decides who he wants to be. Waking up, it is hard to know what challenges he will encounter. He's sweet, he's vicious, he's sincere, he's sarcastic, he's kind-hearted, he's insulting, he's warming, he's malicious... unbeknownst to him, I am continually praying for him. For many of the kids that surround me, everyday is a battle, much different from the one you and I know. With emotional baggage weighing them down, some of them wondering why they weren't 'good enough' for their parents to love them, others wondering why did their parents have to die, why couldn't another kid's parents have died. The other night I was putting the boys to bed, we were joking around and having fun as usual, when all of the sudden I heard the sound of a fist pounding someone's body, quickly followed by the sound of someone crying. As I ran over to see what was going on, I yanked the one boy from on top of the other and began to interrogate him as to why he was hitting. He pushed and pulled, trying to free himself from my grip but I wouldn't let him go. Finally he gave up and I stood there with my arm wrapped around him, my hand laying over his heart, feeling it stomp at a racing pace against his chest. We stood there in silence, my mind searching for the answer as to what could have possibly set him off. I asked him again 'Why were you hitting him?' He pulled away and ran to his bed, his breathe steady, but hard. I left the room, still in thought over what had just happened. I've seen these boys fight before, but this time it had been different, it was something deeper. I have yet to find out just what went wrong. But thinking about the other night reminds me of a different kind of love that you learn while living here. The kind that allows you to stay when you want to walk away the most, the kind that holds on even when you don't want it to. The kind of love that no matter how heavy the weight gets that you are carrying on your shoulders, it is always there to help share the load.

Message Bean

2009-03-15T09:34:00.001-07:00

My plant...

Incredible

2009-03-15T08:40:00.001-07:00

Since I last wrote, much has happened. We've started the new school year, added another volunteer to our list, made some interesting decisions, had some good days, and some bad days. Yesterday, Sabbath, was a really good day! Really good! A group from Andrews is working in a place about an hour and 1/2 from here so yesterday Sherin, Onilzon, Ioana and I went to a town called Peña Blanca to visit them. The entire day was really relaxed and very much how a Sabbath day should be. It was just such a good day, I can't fully explain it! These are the kinds of days that make me feel like I could stay here forever... After church we went and saw another Adventist orphanage and ate lunch there and got to spend sometime with our friends from Andrews. On our way back home we stopped by Lake Yojoa. It was the perfect day. The wind brushing my face, the water smoothly rocking the pier, the sun gentling warming my skin. How amazing, the creation of God, imagine what Heaven will be like! I can't do it justice to try to describe it. I just wanted to share how amazing He truly is. I couldn't have asked for a better way to breathe some fresh air, to rejuvente my sense, to make me come alive once again, to prepare myself for another week of teaching and working. As the sun slowly sank below the horizon, my heart was content and I felt renewed, rested and prepared to continue on with the work God has set out for me. This week, try to open your eyes to the things He has created for us all around, allow His creation to speak to you, I think you'll be amazed at how much He's trying to say to you.

I am teaching english again, but this school year only in the elementary school and this time around I'm teaching by myself. Some aspects of the job are easier and better, but others are still difficult. I'm learning and growing, every morning praying to God, telling Him I have no idea why I'm here or why He has sent me to do this, but I know He has put me here for a reason, I ask Him to use me how only He can.
Thank you again for taking the time to read this. God Bless!! :)
--
I've thrown myself headlong into your arms; I'm celebrating your
rescue. I'm singing at the top of my lungs, I'm so full of answered
prayers. - Psalm 13:5-6

Cambia Tu Vida

2009-01-25T21:12:00.000-08:00

Last Sabbath evening, January 17th, finished the evangelistic series "Cambia Tu Vida", Change Your Life. The 8 volunteers here at the hogar, have been planning this since mid-September. It was an eight night series starting on the 10th of January. This was a full-blown evangelistic series, not just some meetings. We wanted to something different than had ever been done in this area before, and that we did! We had t-shirts made, went door-to-door, put up posters all over town, announced/advertised on the radio and t.v. and even set up a website (www.cambiavida.com). Every night, there was a full children's program that taught the topic for that night in a more kid-friendly way. The program was broadcast live on both the internet (audio and video) and the radio; was shown on the main t.v. station every night and played on two other main radio stations in town.

Besides the actual program running every night, we also had 3 buses transporting people for free to and from the meetings. The featured speaker was none other than: Vlady Daddy, with song service, theme song, special music, question and answer time, crowd interaction, a short video segment and Emcees.

Planning an evangelistic series involves a lot more details than we had originally thought, but in the end we all learned so much, about ourselves, about each other and of course about our Almighty Creator! It ended up being pretty awesome and we were proud of how well it went for none of us having ever done before. But in the end we couldn't forgive who gave us the original idea in the first place and who led us through the whole process, nothing would have been possible without Him.

Not as many people ended up coming as we had hoped, but we know that the Holy Spirit sent the people there who were supposed to be there, and we were told that an estimated 2,500 people were watching and listening in their homes. The whole thing went really well. By the 8th night we were all exhausted, but it was well worth it! Thank you for your prayers :)

Christmas/New Years/my birthday were all really good, really good :D I would even go so far as to say that this was my most favorite Christmas ever! and New Years and my birthday aren't far behind that. I loved all three days... there were soooooo good! I wouldn't mind spending another Christmas or two here...

Very surprisingly, my mom and sister paid a surprise visit the week before my birthday, it was soo weird! haha but I'm glad that they could come, it was really nice!

The new school year is fast approaching (Feb) and new job assignments will be given soon. When I find out, I'll let you know.

I'll try not to let is be so long next time before I write another blog... I'm just getting lazier!.. but in the meanwhile, I hope you enjoy the pictures! Email me sometime :)

Much Love, MC

Que Tal?

2008-12-05T15:19:00.000-08:00

Not very much has happened in the past month or so. School ended the first week of November, the school years here are kind of opposite of ours in the states. Here, school is in session from February thru November. It's been really nice not having to make lesson plans.
As a result of NO SCHOOL (!!!) I've gotten to spend more time with the kids here at the hogar and I think I've decided that maybe they might like me. They ended up having a small Thanksgiving dinner here for us, so that was nice. I ate a lot of mashed papas, I had to make up for the lack of turkey! We decorated for Christmas the other day, that was fun. Christmas is going to be different, I've never not been home/with my family for Christmas... it will be really different, but I think it's an experience I need to have, something to help me gain a new perspective.
During break, I'm still having to teach english two days a week, then on the other two days of the week I teach choir. It's actually kind of exciting! I think it was 2 weeks ago now that we had our first performance and it was so good!! They did so well, I was so proud of them. Right before, I was a little nervous, I have to be honest, I was really nervous about looking bad in front of the people at the church, but then I decided that I didn't care what they thought about me and I gave it up to God, I had to remind myself that the kids were singing for His praise and glory only, not for their praise and definitely not for the praise of their director, mwa, and then it ended up turning out really good! I just couldn't help but smile. That's a lesson that God has been teaching me lately, in order to get something, I have to let it go. I have to be willing to give it up and in the end He'll decide what's best for me and when it should happen. I am constantly reminded that I don't control things, He does! It's a good thing He does, other wise this world would be in chaos!
We're also well on our way to planning the evangelistic series that I told you about. So please continue to pray for us as we continue along with that.
Happy Holidays and God Bless!
xoxo
C

En Serio?!

2008-10-23T20:03:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: Mandy no longer has lice (I actually haven't had it in a long time, I found out I had it on a tuesday or something and on Thursday when I had someone check, it was gone!). No need to worry, Mandy is still alive and well, a little disturbed, but ok.
Honduras is good. It's been cooling down lately. We're in rainy season now so there has been a lot of that going on lately. Actually we found out that this is the most rain they've had since Hurricane Mitch which hit them 10 years ago in 1998, so in other words there's been a heck of a lot of rain! The main bridge going into the capital, Tegucigalpa, which is like 3 0r 4 hours from here, was actually run over (or however you say it) by water and 4,000 people have died so far from drowning. In other parts of the country there are floods as high as 2 or 3 feet. It's pretty serious. Pray for them, who ever knew rain could do so much damage.

Ok next topic of discussion, we, the volunteers, have officially decided that we would like to put on a evangelistic series here in Santa Barbara. Now this will not just be your ordinary evangelistic series, we're putting a lot into it. We are planning it for late January/early February for right before school starts (the school year here is Feb-Nov). It is going to be eight days long Saturday night to Saturday night. The program will consist of a short sermon, singing, special music and other such things. We will also be providing transportation to and form the place where we are having it in hopes that more people might come. There will be a children's program as well so that people can bring their kids. We are also hoping to have some kind of snacks to pass out every night as well. It doesn't stop there: we are wanting to advertise on the radio, the local television station and by passing out fliers. We are also wanting to broadcast the programs on the radio and/or t.v. Big goals, we know, but we know that nothing's too big for God and we feel that He has big plans for this. The kids, volunteers, and staff members here at the hogar will be involved in all of this as well. Ok, now you ready for the catch? - We need two things: fervent prayer as we go through the planning process and you guessed it = $. In the next week or so we are all going to be making/sending short videos back to our churches to ask them to help us raise the money for this. This is a way that you too can get involved!

I am now praying that God gives me something to do that causes me to think, stress out a little bit, gain/use some skill, work hard on, initiate, stretch my ideas and most of all point to His work within me.

hmmm... that's it for now. Thank you once again for reading :)

Mandy (Taco Bell deprived in Honduras)

JIMMENY CRICKET!

2008-10-14T22:13:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I am actually going to say this on an international level (the internet) but I feel that you (my readers) would be interested to know, that for the first time in my life, today, Tuesday, October 14, 2008 at approximately 5:45 pm discovered that I Amanda A Corea have/had lice....AAAAHHHHH eeewwwww, gross, gross, gross (please take note of the picture)... Okay okay, no more talking about it anymore, I can't think about it, I'm too disgusted. I never thought I would utter those words..EVER! Please just know, that all of the "Mandy never bathes" jokes can stop right now, because I do...everyday! I wash my hair everyday... which you're not supposed to do because it's bad for your hair, but I do anyways...!!!! They only found like 5 or so little ones but still.... when they found those little stinkers, I started telling everyone goodbye because I was dying. I told them I might as well go into seclusion because I was so dirty and unworthy of anyone's presence (and my roommate thinks I'm dramatic! psh!).

So back to the whole bathing thing: I do wash my hair, it's because all of the sweet little chilens' rub their heads up on mine all the time because they love me so much ;) No really though, they do rub their heads against mine.

*sigh* ok well now that I've gotten that disturbing news break out of the way, another small piece of interestingness: I learned how to make pupusas!!! Yay!!! (for those of you who are unaware of what a pupusa is - look it up!) Gente, do you know what that means? I am officially a true Salvadoran!! YAY!!!

Ok... that's all for now...tata... :)

Not About Me

2008-10-01T15:23:00.000-07:00

So I've realized that pretty much every blog has been about me, granted I am the one in the foreign country but, this year is not about me, it's about Him and them, Him being God and them being the people that God chooses to touch through me.... or am I wrong, is this whole thing about me and my spiritual, personal growth? I think it's both. You always hear people say, I went into the mission field thinking I was helping people and they ended up teaching me so much more than I ever could have taught them: this is true, I've experienced it before. But at the same time as a part of my personal ministry and work for Christ I have chosen to come here to Honduras, b/c I want to do something for someone else for once, I don't want it to be about me, I want to completely submit to doing God's work in serving others completely and wholly, not partially or with ulterior motives. I want Him to work in me and through me... wait that makes it about me then doesn't it?!
At the hogar here, we have a grand total of 42 kids (I think). We used to have 43, but a girl left this past Monday. She is the first one to leave since I been here and much to my dismay, I do not think that she will be the last. This time it was ok because I haven't been here long enough to have really built up any deep personal relationships with the kids yet, but I know that as time goes on, kids leaving will not be an easy thing to deal with. It's different here, than in the States where most of the time if someone has no skills they can kind of get by. When a kid/teenager leaves there are so many factors to worry about: Have you taught them everything they need to know in order to survive out there on their own? Will they be smart enough to not get caught up in anything that they shouldn't be doing? Where will they end up in life and how will they get there? With the schooling that they have or haven't had, will they be able to provide for themselves? And most importantly, how do they view God and where He fits into their lives? Life here is HARD!

Among the 42 kids here their ages range from 8 to 19, including three or four older ones that grew up here and either haven't left because they aren't mentally capable of being on their own, or because they have yet to find a job, so they still live here and work/help out here.

Not all, but most of the kids that are here are here for one of four reasons: 1- they are true orphans, meaning that they have no family and were found on the street; 2- their parent(s) abandoned them because they simply didn't want them; 3- their parents brought them here or abandoned them because they were not physically/financially (money, in jail...) able to provide for their children; 4- the home situation was not a good one: abuse, not eating, parents wanting to use/sell their children for different things (food, clothes, drugs, etc.), children running away, etc.

At this point there are some kids that I know better than others, but I can very quickly see myself getting attached to each and every one of them, the older and younger ones. Besides some weekends, for the most part life isn't that boring here. When it's time to work, all of us, children, adults and volunteers alike, work hard. But we can also have so much fun :) They make me laugh, which I love and when in doubt I can always someone to accompany me.

Also included in our large family, there are 6 adults that work here, live here, and run the hogar, plus the 10 volunteers that are here.

Ok, well, I think this is enough for now. Thank you so much for your emails and prayers, they are greatly apprecitated!!

Until later.... Mandy :)

It's been awhile

2008-09-05T20:20:00.000-07:00

*sigh*

Life in Honduras is tiring... but that's a good thing. At the end of each day, when the sun has set, I feel as though I have completed another step in accomplishing the tasks that God has given me. It's a nice feeling to have, a feeling of purpose and direction!

When I really think about it and analyze where I'm at and what I'm doing at this point in my life, it's kind of cool to know that I'm doing something that I have been called to do, I'm working for something and towards a reachable goal. The only life goal I've ever had was to graduate from college with a degree, but once I hit high school that goal seemed too far off for me to feel that I was actually getting somewhere. This is different because I know that with everyday comes new ideas, new challenges, new lessons to learn, new feelings and new people.

After a brief appearance in the US last week due to a death in the family, I returned to Honduras last Monday rejuvenated and ready to take on the world. Since the last time I blogged, 7 other volunteers have arrived and we are still expecting one more this coming Monday. Our volunteer family consists of 2 German girls and 2 German guys, a young married couple from Southern, another girl from Southern University, myself and my roommate from Andrews, and another guy from Chicago. Everyone seems nice and we have all been getting along so far (knock on wood!).

Since, for the most part, we are all here now, our job titles have been decided and I am now the official english teacher at the elementary school for 1st-6th grade and for 10th and 11th grades at the high school. I must admit I am not super excited about this, I had really wanted to be in charge of the little boys: wake them up, put them to bed, eat with them, etc. I like them, their fun! But alas, God has other plans for me. That's usually how it works, I get the absolute last thing that I wanted so that God can teach me some kind of lesson from it! ahh... Looking at the glass half full, I will get to take care of the little boys on the weekends, so I'm happy for that.

In an attempt to stop myself from rambling on, I shall end this blog, but please take note of the address change in my previous blog.

Thank you for reading :) Please pray for me and my fellow student missionaries often!

Later gators...

My Addy...

2008-08-13T20:07:00.000-07:00

I finally found out what the address is here...

Amanda Corea

Reach Intl. Hogar de Ninos

APDO 20

Santa Barbara, HONDURAS

That's it, hopefully it will work! I shall be patiently awaiting your letters and gifts ;) haha

I'm Here!

2008-08-13T13:36:00.000-07:00

I am now in Honduras. Actually, I've been here since the 3rd, but I've been fairly busy and haven't had many Internet opportunities (i.e. it's slow and I don't have the patience!), so this is my first official post.

So far it's been a slight roller coaster, not a big roller coaster, more like a kiddie coaster. Some days I think that this is going to be fun, some days I just don't want to do this anymore, and some days I'm too exhausted to function properly. As in any situation some days are good and some are bad. Let me start from the beginning:

When I very first arrived I suddenly had this overwhelming feeling and immediately wanted to change my mind. I have been here 3 or 4 times before and it's always fun and games when you are here visiting with a group, but as a "staff" member/volunteer, it's completely different. I realized that living here and working here means that I can't depend on my dad to translate for me forever, I actually have to try to learn Spanish! WHAT!? For some reason I hadn't thought of these aspects before hand. Anyhow, I knew the only way to start was to dive straight in. That first night I moved into my room had to remind myself that this would be a different experience than what I was used to having here, but that's ok.

Before I left, I was asked the same question over and over again, "What are going to be doing? Are you going to be teaching English?". My reflex response was always, "Ha, No! I'll do whatever they need me to do, but I won't teach English." Guess what... God couldn't be sending a stronger message to me! Haha the guy has a serious sense of humor... it's ridiculous. Not only am I teaching English, but I am teaching english at two schools to 8 grade levels. When I found this out in the beginning I kinda freaked out a little. I went to the high school, colegio, for 2 days and shadowed a teacher to get familiar with the schedule and then I went to the elementary school, escuela, and shadowed there for a day. I felt really strongly that I was not capable of teaching English and especially because I can't even speak their language, so how can I explain things to them. I was really overwhelmed, I can't explain to you how much I DIDN'T want to do this! There was just NO way. I had to let it out, so I complained, whined and expressed my feelings to my dad, just saying that I couldn't do this. When I finished I miraculously felt some what better and thought that teaching might be fun.

So my schedule is now as follows: Monday-Thursday I teach english at the escuela from 7:15 to 12:30 or so. On Wednesday afternoons I go to the colegio and have class from 12:20-2:30 and on Fridays I'm at the colegio all day. Then every afternoon I help both the little kids and the big kids with their homework until 4:30 or 5. The director would also like me to teach and put together a choir at the colegio. In the beginning I wasn't willing to do this, but I'm starting to warm up to the idea. But I won't start the choir until I get better accuatinted with my routine. It will be after school probably a couple times a week. I'm trying to come up with ideas for songs, so if you have any let me know.

My days start early I wake up anywhere between 5-5:30: exercise, have devotions, take a shower, get dressed and go to worship at 6:00. Around 6:15 we have breakfast, afterwards I help clean up, come back to my room finish putting deodorant on or whatever and then it's off to school.

Teaching and having to be organized with lesson plans it a little bit out of my territory, but there's always room to grow and learn right?! Just please pray for me that I have the discipline to actually plan my classes correctly and not treat them like i did my homework assignments, with MAJOR procrastination (if you have any creative ideas on how I can make my English classes fun please let me know because I'm wracking my brain)!!! My friends in the group that I came with and my dad leave tomorrow, so once they leave, my full regular routine begins!

Ok, this is pretty long, my posts won't be this long normally. *sigh* I'm so tired!

Keep me posted on happenings at home!

Ta ta for now!

Mandy

PS - I shall be posting my address soon.