Final Thoughts on Honduras

These past two months have been, to say the least, a whirlwind for me.

I've gone to Honduras.

I've left a job.

I've started two new jobs.

I haven't really had too much time to decompress and reflect much about what is going on in my life. I've just been constantly moving since I returned back to the "real world", after coming back from Honduras.

As my post have come to an end, I want to share a few more things with you.

Before you go on a trip with Compassion, they send you this amazing book of everything you could possibly need to know before, during, and after your trip. Included in this book is a daily journal, complete with writing prompts. One of these writing prompts was, "Lord, please don't let me forget..." While this prompt was only on day one, I chose to grab onto it and use it everyday. Each day, there were things I want to make sure I didn't forget. I want to share some of these with you now. And yes, I know you've seen all these photos before, but it'll be a good summary. :)

Lord, please don't let me forget:

The faces of the beautiful children. The bright eyes. The big smiles. The big hugs. The laughter that surpassed any language barriers there were. The reckless abandon of innocent children playing, feeling safe in their surroundings, despite all of the new (white) faces. I don't want to forget that.

The conditions these families live in. The poorest of the poor living in homes made of tin sheets and cardboard boxes dug out of the trash heaps. The homes that are surrounded with barbed wire as the only protection from the outside. The more "well-to-do" families that have 1-2 room homes made with concrete blocks and tin roofs. The homes with shady electrical wiring and no running water. The people who are so grateful to have such a "good home" to live in with their family. I don't want to forget those homes. I want to forever be grateful for the blessings I have. 

 Worshiping with these people. The people that have absolutely nothing, by way of possessions, loving God with their whole lives. The people that scrape money together to buy food for their family, putting money in the offering plate at church without hesitation. To the people who live in this community, God is truly everything. God is hope and hope is everything.

And of course, I do not want to forget the day I spent with my beautiful sponsored child, Celeste. A girl wedged between childhood and young adulthood. A girl who was, in moment, playful and innocent, and in another moment so serious and grown up, holding long, important conversations. I know the next time I see Celeste, she will no longer be a child. I want to remember her beautiful smile, the twinkle in her eyes, the moments she was a child, and the moments she showed signs of becoming a young woman. She will be 12 years old soon. Those lovely "in-between" years. It's going to be fun! 

I know that my adventures in Honduras are not finished. I'm excited to see how God uses me there again in the future.