Honduras: Day 3

I didn't really expect today to be as powerful as yesterday, but I was wrong.
We arrived at Compassion Project No. 283 today and received a warm greeting. The children sang for us and we had an opportunity to hear from a Project Coordinator. A Project Coordinator is responsible for 15 Projects. Each project has an average of 200 children. I can't fathom the magnitude of her job, but she is passionate about reaching children for Jesus.
We served the children a meal and then we were able to bless this church by painting two of their classrooms. We had a ministry moment to pray for the pastor and be a support in some really difficult times. We also learned that there are 19 children in Project 283 that do not have sponsors.
Another woman asked us to pray for her. Her 15 year old son has left home, become involved in drugs and running from people who want to kill him. She has many other needs in her family. She believes in the power of prayer.
At the end of the day we visited another family in their home. This family has 7 children and lives in extreme poverty. When we asked how we could pray for them the wife asked that we pray that her husband would come to know the Lord. It was a moving time together.
Over and over we are reminded that only the hope of Jesus can change the lives of these children and families.
Compassion provides opportunities for children to learn about the hope of Christ and then they take this Hope back home to their families. Only Jesus can satisfy their soul!
Please pray for sponsors for the children in Honduras.

Honduras: Day 1 and 2

Let me begin by saying that I am already a day behind... sorry!
We are here this week with an awesome group of people who are anxious to touch the lives of children and churches through ministry.
Day 1:
After landing and getting checked into our hotel, we went to lunch where we met our Leadership Development Student, Milcian.
Milcian is a 19 year old college student. She is in Compassion's Leadership Development Program. Our church now supports Milcian as she strives to complete her education and then have an impact on the people of her country. She knows and serves the Lord in her local church and was a Compassion child for many years. We all fell in love with her.
We were able to take her shopping for school clothes after lunch. She was so excited when we told her, especially because her suitcase, full of clothes, had been stolen recently.
Day 2:
We started early this morning. We went to Compassion Project #283. What a blessing! We were warmly greeted by the pastor and his wife and the Project Director. There was a sweet spirit in that place. When we arrived we were surprised to find that the child we sponsor (Fernando) was waiting at the entrance for us. We first met Fernando and his mom, Lesley, 2 years ago when we made our first trip to Honduras. He was so excited and it was a long time before he would leave Ed's lap. Angel Padilla and Mildred Ashworth also met their sponsored child. We also met the sponsored children of Steve and Kim Greenwell and Fred and Karen Miller. It was an incredibly special time for all of us. We helped serve lunch to the children, washed dishes, helped shampoo the hair of many children, played soccer and built some shelves for one of the classrooms.
After eating lunch we were able to go into the homes of some of the children. We visited Fernando's home and got to see his mom, Lesley, again. What a sweet reunion we had. Lesley and I bonded almost immediately the first time we met. She is so precious. She loves the Lord and loves her children. We cried together over the recent loss of her dad and I shared with her about my own dad's battle with cancer. We all gathered in their very small, one room home, and prayed for Lesley and for each of her children. My heart was overwhelmed with the poverty but vividly reminded of the reality the Christ brings hope to the darkest places.
There are no words to describe the blessings we received today - the many children we loved on - the prayers prayed on behalf of the work being done by the pastor and church - and the love of many project workers who give of their time to teach the love of Jesus to over 200 children in this one project.
I will post more pictures tomorrow. My camera and I were separated for a day but should be reunited tomorrow.
Please pray for our time here. Pray that God would use us to share His love and joy and that pastors and churches would be encouraged by our visit.