Emma's Thoughts

Well we are stuck here in Costa Rica waiting for our flight.  So the trip was awesome!!!  We were able to see how local Hondurans live and really help them.  We painted houses and rooms at the orphanage, put in 2 septic systems and drywall.  Plus worked our muscles and carried tons of sand, gravel, and concrete blocks.  The sports camp went great and we were able to connect with a lot of the kids even though they don't all know english.  I was able to get in touch with some kids that I met last year and it was really good to see them again.  Leaving the orphanage was hard this morning but glad we had a chance to say good bye this morning.  God was definitely moving in Roatan and we had baptisms this morning which was awesome.  It was so cool to see how God used us to touch other people and they were touching us too with out knowing it. I already miss Roatan so much and I didn't even get home yet. Thank you for all your prayers and love!!!

Flight Update

Our flight delay has improved. We are looking at under a 2 hour delay. If things hold up we should be landing on American soil around 3:30 am eastern time.

San Jose, Costa Rica

Our flight has been delayed at least 3 hours and will not be taking off until 10:00pm local (midnight in PA)

Tegucigalpa Airport

We have arrived in Tegucigalpa. The flight was good and we are currently minutes from boarding our flight for San Jose, Costa Rica.

Last Day

 The pictures are from the last day at the children's home playing with the kids and saying our goodbyes, the other picture is of half of the group waiting at the Roatan airport for our flight.

 

We are in the Roatan airport waiting for our flight to Tegucigalpa. Everybody is through security and waiting at the gate. 

Please pray for a safe, quick and uneventful travel. 

Saturday Night

 The above picture is the group doing the distribution in the Corazol village

The picture below is of the group with the kids at the children's home, some still in their ostrich positions. 

 The above picture is of the group listening to Yourgin share some of his life stories.

Our time is coming to an end here in Honduras. Today was a great last full day. We spent the morning taking it slow and taking time to reflect and journal about the last several days. After that time the group separate and organized some of the items that were donated to be distributed to the people of Honduras. During that time I took a few of the team members and went to a family friend's house (Gardina, Debra, and Nora and their kids house) that are Honduran to inquire if they would be willing to translate and to hang out with them for a while. It was a great visit.
We had a good lunch and then went to Corazol (The location of the 1st group's sports camp last year) to distribute the items and pray with the families in their homes. This was a highlight for most of the team members, was to go into their homes and visit and pray with them.
After this time, we said goodbye to our translator and had Yourgin stay with us for another hour sharing some of his life story with the group and he and Emily led the group in some worship songs. He is an amazing man, and everybody left the impromptu meeting very encouraged.
After we said our goodbyes to Yourgin we left to spend our last night eating dinner and loving on the kids at the children's home. After dinner there was over 25 minutes of straight laughter as the group was having 'ostrich races' (when a kid is on the shoulders of somebody else) and they were running in circles. It was amazing to just have an entire room laughing for that long, just laughing at simple fun. 

The group is beginning their packing for departure tomorrow. We will be leaving for the airport at 11:00am. We will see everybody soon.

Jarrod's Thoughts

Hey everybody,

Just wanted to pipe in and give my two cents on the trip here. It's been a really fun and awesome journey this past week plus. At the beginning, I didn't even know over half of the kids' names that were going on the trip, and now I feel like I've connected with most of them in some way shape or form. I was really blessed on this trip, getting to help facilitate with Todd and lead the kids and watch them grow closer to the Lord in some very unique and awesome ways. From doing construction, hauling sand and concrete, painting, playing soccer and sports with kids, and reaching out to the orphans and widows, it has truly been a "complete" trip. I've been on a few very impactful missions trips, but never have I been so tired by the end of one as I am with this one, because we accomplished so much while we were here. All of the kids worked very hard and got a lot done.

Specifically, I wanted to highlight today (our last day here). We got to go to an area of the island that we hadn't gone to yet, and give out clothes, hygiene, and other supplies with Yourgin (Todd's main contact here in Honduras), and pray and minister over the people. Probably the most impactful moment of the trip for me was when we went to the island's main dump, and ministered to the absolute poorest families that live here in Roatan. They have nothing, and they literally pick through the dump every day for a living. We got to bless them with clothes and lots of other supplies and it almost brought tears to my eyes. After we prayed over them and blessed them, they told us to wait. They went back into a field and brought out these huge canes.... of sugar! They had nothing to give, so they went and got us what they could, and brought us back this amazing sugar cane that we all got to try for the first time and enjoy! It was such an INCREDIBLE blessing, and I was so honored that through our blessing them, they blessed us!

Todd shared something tonight that really rings true: When you bless someone with something money can't buy, they'll give you something money can buy.

Tomorrow we head out, but not before our last, possibly most exciting part of the trip yet: We're baptizing some of the kids in the ocean at dawn. Talk about a life changing experience!

Kristi's Thoughts

    Today was our last day of work and the sports camp.  Some finished painting up at the orphanage, while others carried buckets of sand for the first part of the morning and the rest was spent putting up dry wall at a house in Flower's Bay.  In the afternoon we went shopping at West End.  After lunch the group went to our final day of the sports camp. It was bitter sweet because my team finally won a game, but it was sad to say goodbye to all our new friends.  We ended the day by eating dinner at the orphanage, playing with the kids, and devotion.
     When I first thought about going on this trip (which was three hours before everyone met at the church) it was more of my sister, Paige, and I just joking around about the idea.  Then we started thinking about how amazing it would be if I could actually go, since we had gone together last year also.  With a lot of help from Mr. Brown and the cooperation of the airlines I was given the opportunity and took it.  At the beginning I wasn't so sure on my decision, but the first day we walked up to the orphanage and saw the kids again I knew this trip was worth coming.  Being here a second time has made me able to really understand why we are all here.  Not that I didn't the first year, but I didn't focus as much on the new experiences and excitement as I tried to on the work, helping people, and forming relationships.  I am very thankful that I was able to join the team here and get to know all of them.  It's really sad to think our adventure is ending soon. Thank you for all of your support and prayers!

Friday Morning

Today we are hopefully finishing up all of the construction. If we have any loose ends, we will finish those Saturday morning. This is a picture of the group before we enjoyed a night out at Half Moon Bay.

It is a little overcast today, hopefully the rain will hold off so we can finish the painting.
Thank you for the thoughts and prayers.

Thursday Night

Things are continuing to move along and going well. The construction aspect moved onto another house in Flowers Bay and continue to make great progress. The painting at the Orphanage is almost completed. The team enjoyed a night out to eat dinner at Half Moon Bay and the food was great. My apologies for such a short update, everybody is very tired, it is late and we are going to bed. Please continue to pray for the group to finish strong.

Wednesday Night

Things are moving along well as we head into the home stretch. It seems like the entire team would like to have an extended stay and not leave Sunday. Don't worry, everyone will be coming home on Sunday.
The above pictures are from the painting that is occurring at the children's home. The painting is coming along but has taken more paint then expected due to the previous colors and the markings that were on the walls prior to painting.
We have held our devotions on a dock in the water a few nights and the stars are amazing without all of the light pollution that occurs in the USA.

Megan's Thoughts

Today was the third day of work at Concepcion's home, painting at the orphanage, and the sports camp. This morning the group was split up between Concepcion's home and the orphanage, and I was at the orphanage. Instead of painting, Orsy had a few or us clean out an extra room in the school. There were a handful of girls and Roy and Kaleb up in the classroom. Orsy had asked for a few people to go over into the other room to help with something else and the boys had gone. About a half an hour later, after myself and the other girls had been moving a huge pile of lumber we went to check on the boys. They had been assigned to organizing the books in the library...while sitting in chairs. They did do a fabulous job though! At one point a few of the boys from the home had helped us also. The group at the construction sites hauled sand all morning to two different sites. After we were all done we did the typical lunch break, people napped and wrote some care cards. I also had an awesome one-on-one with Emily. At around 2:15 we headed to the sports camp and began going around gathering kids. Emily and I had found a few girls and we formed a soccer team. Once it was our turn to go on the field we looked at who we were playing, five huge guys... Emily whispered to one of the guys to let us score one goal and we ended up scoring two! It was so great to meet more Hondurans and talk with them. After, we then went to the orphanage for dinner and to hang out with the kids. Thank God for super American pizza tonight for dinner! The only downfall today was when Amanda stole Cindy right from in front of me. Hayden is totally connecting with Sandy, Connor with Cindy, Matt with Norlan, and many others, but connections are definitely being made!

Personally, God is speaking to me in so many ways I had never expected. During the meetings we had practiced hearing God's voice and I have also done that during the trip. Others on the team are also having spiritual movements and exploring their relationships with God. We all are hoping for support when we come back home to continue our spiritual journeys. Please continue praying for our team! I miss you all, Mom, Dad, Phil, Kate and Erin! And Mom, thanks for not giving me my muddy buddies when you dropped me off at the airport...but good thing I brought my sunscreen! I can't wait to see what else God has planned for us for the rest of the week!

Tuesday Night

The sports camp has grown in population, as more kids and teens hear about the camp, more and more are coming out.

The top picture is of Connor sharing his testimony to about half of the people in attendance at the sports camp.
The middle picture is of some of the group members playing a competitive game of Honduras vs USA with some local people on the field at the orphanage. The Honduran team won 4-3.
The bottom picture is of part of the team at dinner eating the Iguana. It was good, tasted like beef and rather chewy.

mekalah's thoughts

Today, was another work day. Some of us painted boys rooms in the orphanage, another group went to La Colonia and finished painting and the septic system.The sports camp started at 3 and has been pretty successful so far. There's a lot of kids, but most of them don't speak english at all, so communication is difficult. Todd invited two translators, Gardenia and Nora to join us and aid in connecting with the kids. They also asked some of the kids to climb up trees and get us all fruit to try. We got to try Guava and coconut water. We also played volleyball with a member of the National Honduras volleyball team, John.

My experience so far has been amazing. It's beautiful here. It is very easy to connect with the people of Honduras and the children. Nothing has been too much of a stretch for me yet. The group I've been working with is painting rooms in the orphanage, which I have done on previous missions trips so I'm hoping to be taken out of my comfort zone in the remaining days and really be stretched in my spiritual walk. I'm excited for the rest of the week :)

Tuesday Morning Update

Today has started out busy like yesterday. 1/2 of the group is at the children's home painting their kids rooms the other 1/2 is working in La Colonia Village with the painting, septic, and installing a bathroom. The top picture is Coby working with the guys installing the block for the septic. The middle is of Paige, Roy and Joe getting the walls ready for the bathroom after Matt was working on the plumbing and holes for the pipes. The bottom picture is Hailey posing with what we are having for dinner tonight, Iguana.

Things are going well we are having lunch and a brief rest time before we are going out for the sports camp and then back to the children's home to love on the kids. Please keep the prayers coming.

Paige's Thoughts

Today we were carrying buckets filled with sand up a mountain to a house that we're building a septic system in. We're all tired after doing this a couple of times. But then I realize the people living there are walking the mountain carrying their groceries and children up it every single day. Next I start thinking about living without a septic system, running water, or even electricity. While doing this we see a woman washing clothes outside in a bucket. I'm thinking, how would I live without a washing machine? Then I'm thinking, some of the houses we're walking past are the size of my bathroom.The past four days of being in Roatan have been the best experience I've ever had. Seeing the pour conditions these people are living in have made me appreciate everything in my life. It has made me realize how much I really do take for granted. You would think the people here would be miserable but really everyone I've met has been so friendly and welcoming. I've realized I need to appreciate things more and I've also realized how greatly God has truly blessed me with the things in my life. I feel like just in these four short days my relationship with God has grown so much stronger and I look forward to all of the things he has planned for me and everyone else on this trip.

Today was our first day building the septic systems, painting the house, and painting the children's rooms at the orphanage. We did all of this until about noon and then we came back to the house for lunch. Around 2:00 we went back to the Colonia to start our first day of sports camp.We split up the little kids and older kids and we played soccer and other games with them. We all had a lot of fun meeting new people and testing out some of the Spanish that we knew. With the little kids we told a bible lesson based on truth and gave them each some cookies. Around 5:30 we packed up and drove back home to go to dinner over at the orphanage. We had another amazing meal over there and got to play with all of the kids which is always the best part of the day. We stayed later at the orphanage tonight to watch them do their devotions and it was fun watching them sing songs and teach a lesson to each other. We're all excited to do it all over again tomorrow! I'll see you all in 6 days! Love you Mom :)

Love,
Paige

Tonight we attended a Spanish Church service. It was pretty interesting. The people that were attending the service did not hold back anything while they were worshiping God. It was a neat thing to be a part of, a different culture worship but a freeing worship.
Everybody is healthy and doing well. We start bright and early Monday morning working and serving the people in the village.

We went scuba diving and did a little shopping so far today. All of the Spanish churches meet in the evening because it is too hot during the day. This gave us time to enjoy the other things of Roatan (Diving, shopping and smoothies).

We are getting ready to go to the children' home for dinner and then off to a church service this evening. We are trying to rest up because we start bright and early Monday morning with the construction labor and sports camp all week.

Thank you for your prayers and support.

Matt's thoughts

Hola, Como estas?  That's all you need to know to get conversation started after that natives look at you and laugh.  Guess I should have listened more in spanish class.  Everyone here is loving the environment even though it's hot and we aren't used to it.  We went to the orphanage for the first time last night to eat some spicy chicken quesidillas and played with the little kids who whooped us in some soccer.  Other members of the team that are here for the first time got a taste of the young talent on the island and what they are in for at the sports camp.  We went to the church that we will be attending tomorrow and to the village where we are going to be installing a septic system.  The culture here is so different but everyone is friendly and loving but has a little road rage.  Can't wait for what the rest of the week has in store great things are going to be happening.  Adios amigos, miss and love you Mom Dad and Bryan see you soon.  P.S. Mom thanks for the hug and kiss. 

Saturday June 16

Megan and Emily arrived today safe and sound and are eager to begin the work. We spent this morning at La Colonia a village in Roatan that is very much in poverty. We got a look at where the sports camp will be held as well as the homes that we will be working on. Our mason expert Darren got a good look at the septic hole that we will be laying block in and installing the toilet and plumbing.
We spent the afternoon with a little more relaxation on West Bay beach swimming and snorkeling. The team is still a little tired and is adjusting well to the heat.
The picture posted here is of the home that we will be installing a bathroom, septic and painting in La Colonia.

We had a good meal at the orphanage tonight. We are interacting with the kids at the orphanage and loving on them.

We have arrived in Roatan, Honduras. These pictures were of the team waiting for a slight delay in San Salvador. No explanation given, moved to a couple of gates because they kept switching, they are operating on Latin American time, which is - whenever it gets done. But we have arrives safe and sound. We are resting and relaxing now and getting ready to go to the children's home for the first time tonight for dinner  and meeting the kids.

We have arrived safe and all of the luggage has made it. We are doing well and resting this afternoon recovering from the flight and adjusting to the climate.