I Got a Letter from Honduras!

If you've read my blog from the beginning you'll know that partly what started me blogging was my desire to share my Sponsored Child from Mission of Mercy. (However, now it's morphed into all sorts of subjects) Last summer I turned 50 and wanted to do something to monumentaly mark the event. My plan was to sit on a tropical beach and celebrate reaching the 1/2 century mark while being waited on by handsome cabana boys. Well, God had other plans and lead me to sign up for a mission trip, even though I didn't know a single person going on this trip. I was out of my comfort zone but in the end had the most AWESOME adventure. I met life long friends and forever changed my outlook on life. I've got an awesome life and I need to be thankful for it, enjoy it, share it, and praise God for it. Below is our first walk into "the projects". The little ditch/trough on the right is an open sewer. The people in the projects were grateful to be living in the city...with amenities with included the sewer, SOME running water (a spigot outside) and electricity (one lone light bulb hanging from the ceiling). Yet, they were happy and satisfied. My little girl in Honduras is named Iris. She was 6 when I met her and this year she's going to school for the first time. The Mission of Mercy monies sent monthly cover her medical costs, at least one meal a day provided at the project, biblical teachings, tutoring assistance, playtime equipment, school supplies and school uniform. Below is the description I got of Iris when I picked her to be "my child".

This picture of Iris was the first one I saw and she just tugged at my heartstrings. Don't you just want to scoop her up and hug her!?!

Our team was awesome. There were 80 people in total on the trip and we were divided up and sent to four different projects. The young adults not wearing orange tee-shirts were our interpreters and they were so fun. I amazed myself remembering a lot of Spanish from my 7th and 8th grade Spanish classes.

Teaching the children praise and worship songs was a fun time and the boys liked singing for us and including the hand/dance motions.
On the last day of our visit, I took many pictures of Iris and me. She (and the other girls) like to "strike a pose". She's wearing proudly the cross necklace we made together during art.

One more hug and goodbye.... and whew...it was HOT there....my face was beet red! LOL!

So, perhaps now you can understand why I get so excited to receive a letter and updated picture of Iris. I feel like I left a part of me in Honduras and I love to hear how well she's doing. Below is a tiny section of the letter (and translation) that she sent me.

And here's a sweet little picture she drew for me!

And LOOK how she's grown! Isn't she precious? I'm SO glad to see that she has on nice shoes that fit. So many of the children wear shoes that are too little or are falling apart. She looks a little pensive in this picture but I bet if I were there to hug and tickle her...you'd see that BIG smile again!?!!? I'm planning on writing to her tonight and hopefully I'll hear back from her soon.