Day 4: Mountain Top House Build (Tito Morales)

So today we built a house for a lady who was in much need of it. Her home before was the size of a small guest room in the U.S. it housed her two children and it had a small kitchen in it. We built her new house four times as big that was an addition to her house. The house was just the right size too to make it a place to sell tortillas.  So we built a house and provided a way for her to make an income.

Getting the material to build the house was difficult because she lived by the side of a hill so getting the 4X4 and 2x4 was a smoker. We all learned new skills and where able to become faster at it. The girls learned to use as chainsaw and became faster at hammering stuff.

After the house was built we said a prayer in English that I translated and the look on Elba’s face was priceless. She said to me that she was extremely thankful and just had a smile that she could not take off her face the entire time, she mentioned how we where an answer to her prayer and she could not thank us enough for traveling so far just for her. She made us lunch, which was very generous because considering she only had four chickens and prepared one for us.

The whole team is just amazed at the power of God. We are so thankful for the people that made the trip possible because every little bit is being used for the right reasons and its changing peoples lives. Like Mark said “you don't have to feed a 100 just one and it will give that person hope in the world”.  

Day 3: The Children of Monoloa (By Kristin Kelley)

Today our group trekked slightly outside the city to a community called Monaloa. Our purpose: relieve the cooks that prepare food for neighborhood children at the local church for a day and love on children. We immediately got to work peeling green bananas, carrots and sweet potatoes, chopping celery and cilantro and making tortillas. We’ve definitely got some new recipes to bring back home . :) It’s such a cool thing because funds from the church support this work that allow them to hire local women to prepare a meal for almost 100 or more children each day.

After an hour or so, almost everything went into a soup for later, and members of our group trickled down to the local soccer “field,” which was more of a dirt area with goals set up. Tito and Vince somehow started a game of ultimate Frisbee with a Nerf football, while us girls tended to important matters like painting fingernails. Many spontaneous games of hide ‘n seek also sprung up, but mostly without rules like no base and no way to “get tagged out.”

Soon it was time for lunch, and bunches of children lined up outside the door to wash their hands and wait to be admitted to the church building where tables were set up for lunch. One by one they filed in, sat down and were served soup. More than 80 children had a filling meal…perhaps the only real meal they would have that day. 

 

Afterward we spent a few hours washing dishes and playing with the children from the community.  I have such a new respect for the four ladies who prepare this meal and wash those dishes five days a week.  It’s hard work….and soapy, slippery and hot.

After what seemed like hours of washing dishes, we decided to bust out the skits and children’s songs we had spent weeks practicing, and we took a little stroll around the neighborhood inviting kiddos to our “play.”

That’s when I met Angel. Angelito—my little adorable 6-year-old. He clung to me for the next 2 hours, and I don’t think I put him down but once. His sweetness poured over, and I fell in love. He kept repeating the English he overheard, and we made up a song that only had the lyrics “Thank you, you’re welcome.” I learned he had a twin brother who was developmentally challenged, and we picked him up along the way on our walk. David and Angel were the sweetest pair of little boys I’ve met in a while. I just wanted to love on them all day.

David and Angel

After we put on our super professional skit and sang any and every kids’ song we could think of, we packed up and headed out. What a scene leaving those children—and an eye-opening experience for much of our group.

When we “digested” the day as a group later, we ended up singing “Lord be There for Me,” but changing the words to be “Lord be There for Them,” referring to the children in Monoloa. From a view atop the highest mountain in the city, looking down on the dark streets dotted with lights below, it was hard to imagine the poverty we had seen that the darkness hides so well. However, now we’ve seen what lies beneath the darkness: a sweet Angel and hundreds more children like him--something we can never forget. 

Day 2: Trabajo Duro (By Brooke Wright)

Yesterday we went to a homeless shelter, where anyone could come just as they are. The goal as I understood it, was to get the people off the streets, which are really dangerous at night.  There were families and other individuals that lived in very tight quarters; some of the rooms didn’t even have a roof.  It was a very new experience to me, a little overwhelming, but very very humbling.  

As for the work we did…. wow! I have never been so exhausted after a day’s work.  First we had to dig out these rocks and prepare the place where we were going to place the cement that we also made. It was very challenging mentally, emotionally and definitely physically! Blisters, scraps, and cuts were not uncommon and we survived just fine. We had the privilege of experiencing what it would be like to work as a common man in Honduras. We worked for about eight hours and at the end of the day if we were getting paid, it would only amount to five to ten dollars!!! Can you imagine that???? We were told minimum wage was about two dollars a day. One amazing thing was to see how everyone helped everyone. While we were working, some of the homeless people who lived there also came and worked along side us. I remember carrying this bucket of rocks on top of my shoulders and as I was turning the corner, I was struggling and a young boy came and took it right off my shoulders. Every time he saw me coming around the corner he would help. I was so thankful; the people I came to be a blessing to blessed me that day. 

 Although yesterday was a good day, today was the best day so far!!! We went to a little village and what I saw there will be imprinted on my heart forever. I know this isn’t my day to write about, but I just have to say that those children are so precious and language did not get in the way. They welcomed and loved us and it was such a good feeling to just love them back. And through all this I learned that it didn’t matter if they were dirty or smelly or was sick or had lice or anything else because in their face was the eyes of Jesus and all of a sudden nothing mattered but just spending time with them. I could talk and share a lot about this day, like how hard it was to leave the children that hung onto my waist the entire day and how awesome it was to serve the children and give the employees a break, but I will have to leave the rest to another blogger. Thank you for your time!

Day 1: Initial Images (By Tim Tidwell)

Operation Honduras is underway!  Less than 24 hours ago, we left the post-Christmas comforts of the US for Tegucigalpa, Honduras.  It is a beautiful country!  The mountains make for an amazing landscape.  Before we even landed, we were able to appreciate the hilly terrain, and we were exposed to our first glimpse of Honduran homes, which dotted the hillside in a cluttered manner.  After our first genuine Honduran meal, we went straight to work, packing dry goods for 120 families in need.  We will have the pleasure of delivering those packages later in the week.  We also had our first experience with local traffic, which I would describe as unregulated.  Kudos to team member Scott Jones, who successfully (and aggressively) guided us through rush hour traffic last night in our rental van.  And, by the way, the potholes here make those in Atlanta look like nothing at all.

Two things really strike me as I digest my initial images from Honduras.  First, this is a country that is still struggling to recover from a hurricane that struck approximately 12 years ago.  It is suggested that the hurricane (Mitch was it’s name, I believe) set the country back by 20 years in terms of infrastructure.  On top of that, we rode through a hillside area that was particularly hard-struck by that storm, and to see the conditions that people live in there today was an eye-opener for me.  What really stuck out though was that people were just going about their daily lives, watching their kids, doing dishes, etc. , even amidst what appeared to be terrible living conditions.  It really put some faces on the worldwide poverty epidemic that I hear so much about but have personally struggled to begin to grasp.

Today we’re off to a homeless shelter, and I’ll leave that story to our next reporter.  Hasta entonces!   

What Will Those Crazy Kids Be Doing?

So here we are, down to the last day before our departure to Tegucigalpa! We'll be (hopefully) blogging "live" every day from Honduras, so you can follow our progress. Just to give you an overview of what we'll be doing each day, check out the below schedule.

Please keep us in prayer! And remember to check out the Honduras Project website: http://thehondurasproject.org/.

Wednesday, December 28

Pick-up and pack bulk food for 120 families

Check-in/dinner/orientation

Thursday, December 29

Work @ Breaking Chains Homeless Building

Visit Mi Esperanza

Friday, December 30

Work @ Mololoa Comedor (help cook and serve nearly 150 children)

Work @ Mololoa Guarderia (Day Care Ctr.)

Warehouse to separate and pack clothing to give away

Saturday, December 31

Build House

Sunday, January 1

Church @ Breaking Chains

Serve dinner to homeless

Monday, January 2

Serve lunch @ city dump

Deliver packed food

Tuesday, January 3

Visit 21 de Octubre orphanage for boys

Visit Casitas Kennedy orphanage

Meet the Team: Scott Jones

Name: Scott Jones

Hometown: Woodstock, GA

Number of Years @ NACofC: I was born into North Atlanta but left during my 5th grade and came back during my 8th grade year.
Years as a "Young Adult": I've been in the Young adults for almost 4 years now.

Times Visited Honduras:  I've never visited by I’ve had many relatives go there.

Previous Mission Trips: Houston TX, Cozumel Mexico, Kiev Ukraine, 3 times to Almaty Kazakhstan

What are you most looking forward to about this trip? My Aunt started a physical therapy in Honduras about 7 years ago and many of my family has been there to see her friends and what she's done. I'm really excited about this trip because the work will be varied so we will be building a house one day and helping out pass out food to the homeless another. I'm really excited about our team, there are some people who have never been on a mission trip, and this one in particular I feel will be a great one to experience for the first time.

Prayer Request: I look forward to what our Lord will do while we spend our time there!!!

Meet the Team: Jessica Navarro

Name: Jessica Navarro

Hometown: Elizabeth, New Jersey

Number of Years @ NACofC:1

Years as a "Young Adult": Undetermined

Times Visited Honduras: 0

Previous Mission Trips: none

 
What are you most looking forward to about this trip? I'm looking forward to seeing God's work in Honduras, as well as the change that this experience will have in my life. I'm also hoping that, through God, we might be able to make a difference in the lives of the people we meet.

 Prayer Request: For a safe trip and the opportunity to create relationships with the people we encounter in Tegucigalpa.  

Meet the Team: Brooke Wright

Hometown: Stockbridge, GA

Number of Years @ NACofC: Nearly two years

Years as a "Young Adult": Nearly two years

Times Visited Honduras: 0

Previous Mission Trips: 1

What are you most looking forward to about this trip? I have seen how God has provided prior to this trip and I look forward to seeing how He will continue to provide for us and the people we are serving while we are in Honduras. I know the LORD will be glorified through our efforts.
Prayer Request: Pray that we will be the hands and feet of Jesus and make a difference for God's kingdom and that we are safe in the hands of God.

Meet the Team: Tito Morales

Name: Tito A. Morales

Hometown: Marietta, GA

Number of Years @ NACofC: 1

Years as a "Young Adult": TBD

Times Visited Honduras: 0

Previous Mission Trips: none

What are you most looking forward to about this trip? Meeting new people and spreading God's love, by physically being there and showing helping them by building, and sharing the word with them.

Prayer Request: Prayer for safety and greater understanding of what is means to do God's will.

Meet the Team: Danielle Evans

Name: Danielle Evans

Hometown: Harleysville, PA

Number of Years @ NACofC: 3.5 years

Years as a "Young Adult": a lady never divulges that information

Times Visited Honduras: none

Previous Mission Trips: two summers in Prague as a student, 8 years in Prague as a full-time missionary

What are you most looking forward to about this trip? I'm looking forward to seeing God working in settings that I am unfamiliar with and how he is going to change me and mold me on the journey to be more like him.

Prayer Request: That we will be open to how the Lord is challenging and growing us and that we can take that fire back to the Young Adults ministry where it can inspire others.

Honduras For the Holidays

Think about the week between Christmas and New Years.  It’s normally a time of taking down the Christmas tree (if you’re that proactive), returning or exchanging gifts, or even planning for a New Year’s celebration.

For eight of us in the Young Adult ministry (Danielle Evans, Kristin Kelley, Jessica Navarro, Brooke Wright, Vince Barker, Scott Jones, Tito Morales, and me), the week between Christmas and New Years will be marked by what promises to be a life-changing experience.  We are departing Atlanta on December 28th for a one-week mission trip in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

Yes, that’s right…Honduras.  We each felt a calling to do some kingdom work outside of the United States, and we were ultimately led to the country of Honduras.  For some of us (like me), this is our first time to do mission work outside the US, but for others, this trip is just the latest in a long line of international mission opportunities.  There’s no shortage of work to do while we’re there.  We will be joining forces with a local missionary and helping him build houses, work with kids at local orphanages, and feeding people who live and work in the city dump.  It’s a bit overwhelming to think about, but then again, so is most of the work God calls us to do.  There’s something about doing things that we can’t do on our own that really brings us back to God and our ultimate need for Him. 

Each of us feels extremely blessed to have this opportunity to go and share the hope that we have in Jesus Christ, and we cannot wait to see just how God is going to use us in the lives of people in Honduras.  Stay tuned…we’ll be sharing all of those details with you when we return.  Until then, we solicit your prayers, that we may be poured out as a love offering for those in a foreign land.   

(post by Tim Tidwell)

Meet the Team: Vince Barker

Name: Vince Barker

Hometown: Mansfield, TX

Number of Years @ NACofC: 2.5

Years as a "Young Adult": 7

Times Visited Honduras: 0

Previous Mission Trips: Massena, NY; Biddeford, ME

What are you most looking forward to about this trip? Serving people in a foreign country and having the opportunity to share God's story in an environment that is very different from what I am accustomed to.

Prayer Request: My prayer request is that God will continue to prepare our mission team to fully engage with the people in Honduras, and that we will have the courage and boldness to take advantage of the opportunities that God provides to share His Word and show love to the Honduran people.

Meet the Team: Tim Tidwell

Name: Tim Tidwell

Hometown: Alexander City, AL

Number of Years @ NACofC: 11

Years as a "Young Adult": undetermined

Times Visited Honduras: zero

Previous Mission Trips: inner-city work in Miami, FL

What are you most looking forward to about this trip? Having God open my eyes to the needs of others, as well as being able to share the love and hope that I have found in Jesus. 

 Prayer Request: That God would remove the "me" focus (i.e. my first time out of the country, my first time in a third-world setting, my fears of landing at the Tegucigalpa airport, etc.) and replace it with a hunger to join Him in whatever He has in store for us during our week in Honduras.

Meet the Team: Kristin Kelley

Name: Kristin Kelley

Hometown: Birmingham, Alabama

Number of Years @ NACofC: 1.5

Years as a "Young Adult": undetermined

Times Visited Honduras: 2

Previous Mission Trips: Ft. Worth, Texas; Catacamas, Honduras and Chichicastenango, Guatemala

What are you most looking forward to about this trip? Encouraging the Christians we encounter in Tegucigalpa and getting a brief glimpse into the lives of people who don't have much hope

Prayer Request: For meaningful connections with the people living in the dump

Introduction

Welcome to the North Atlanta Young Adults' Honduras Mission trip blog!

Our team of eight is headed to Tegucigalpa, the capital city of Honduras, for a weeklong work trip with the Honduras Project.

We'll be building a house, visiting an orphanage and ministering to people living in the city dump. We'll provide more details as we know them.

Praise God that we've just recently raised 100% of the needed funds!  We'd appreciate your prayers for our team as we prepare for departure in just over a month.