Tuesday--Easter Egg Hunt and HOMEMADE CREAM CHEESE!!!

Tuesday, March 16 was Easter Egg hunt day! Easter Egg hunting is not a tradition in Honduras, so we were able to teach an American tradition! We used Resurrection eggs (the bilingual version--which Lifeway produced for the first time this year!!!) to teach the story of the entire Passion week. And then we hid half of the 1,260 eggs at each orphanage.

For Helping Hands, we took the eggs and divided into two sections for the kids under 5 and then the big kids. I did have to remind our team not to hide them TOO WELL for the little ones and not to hide them TOO HIGH for the bigger kids! I think they were as excited about hiding them as the little ones were about hunting for them. We handed each of the kids their personalized Easter basket--There were cool buckets for the boys with their names on them because every little boy needs a good bucket! The girls each got a precious little bunny bag that I am sure will double as a purse for most with their name on it!

At Helping Hands, we told the big kids they could each collect 15 eggs and then they would need to help others find eggs...Alejandro admitted that he was not sure that they would be willing to quit hunting for themselves to help others. I was sitting with the little oness as they opened up their eggs to discover dulce (candy) and choclate! One little girl kept trying to ask me something and I couldn't understand her; finally, I asked one of the translators and she was asking if it was for her and she could eat it! And then she offered a piece to me! Talk about melting your heart!!! That is my experience with one little girl in my lap, but the story repeated itsefl 42 times over as sweet little Honduran arms wrapped around American arms as they looked through their treasures from their eggs. However, one of the coolest thing came as some of our team to came tell me that the big kids had hunted their eggs, done a quick count when they got to 15 and started running around to find eggs and take them to their friends baskets! These kids really funciton as a family. Helping Hands is committed to keeping families together, literally. As a matter of fact, they originally were only going to take younger kids, but the first time a little four year old girl was brought who had siblings in the system as well, they took their first ten year old! And to see the older kids come up and hug on their siblings is precious!!

We had lunch--pastel perro...translation dog pies. After letting the kids think that it might actually be dog meat, the Hondurans confessed that it is really just beef in a fried corn tortilla, similar to empenada and VERY YUMMY! We then finished our time at Helping Hands by giving them shirts that matched ours and taking a group photo...then we made the hugs and said the good byes. And that was hard. It was a quiet bus ride as we pulled away, our hearts full but heavy. And many were already saying they were coming back.

We spent an all-too-short time at New Life. I had the carton of the Resurrection Eggs in my hands, waiting to teach. It was so much fun to see the little ones who remembered from last time as they recognized what the eggs meant! And then as we went through the story, they were all trying to guess what item was in the next egg as we told the story of the Passion Week. Then the egg hunt! The excitement as they stood at the gate was palpable! Such sweet simple delight and anticipation for children who have already known much pain in their short little lives!
The candy was again quickly devoured and they were on to tricks with the mini yo-yos and other trinket items!

When we got ready to go, many of the kids began to pull away--which was hard for the team to process at first. But as we considered that these kids have teams coming and going on a regular basis, they are forced to endure many good-byes...something that is a continual challenge and a reminder of their own challenging situations. Others clung to legs and asked us not to go. One girl, Karen, had told us on Sunday..."Don't say good-bye, say see you later." The idea of good-bye was too much for her. And that was heart-wrenching! Then there were the funny ones who would say, "I'm a gringo! I get on the bus too!"

We waved as we drove until we drove out of sight, and again, there were more than a few tears
as the bus headed back up to the main road. There is something that happens as you deposit a piece of your heart at these places...a part that you know you won't get back, a part that makes you smile and a part that breaks your heart.


Well...and then there was dinner! We were treated to a FEAST! I have begged the students not to compare their mother's cooking to Helen's every meal!!!! We had lamb, duck, and chicken...all freshly slaughtered from their home that morning....and then we had an AMAZING dessert...which became more amazing when we found out that Helen had made the cream cheese from scratch...from the milk that had come from their cow that morning!!! This in addition to the HOMEMADE FROM SCRATCH hamburger buns we had eaten a few days before. And the HOMEMADE FROM SCRATCH cinnamon rolls we ate the morning before. WOW! WoW! WOW!

And then there were the divine connections that God made all along the way...the pastors on the plane, and then our new friend Gracie...ask your kids about this amazing American woman fighting for justice for Honduran women and children. This was especially meaningful to the seniors who have recently developed a passion for those trapped in human trafficing...due to the sensitive nature of these issues, I am not going to blog specifics, but would be happy to share more in person. However, I can say that we were amazed as almost all of the scriptures she shared were scriptures we had focused on in our devotion times this week. We kept all looking at each other and marveling at what God was confirming in our hearts.

As we left to head back to our hotel, our hearts were amazed at what God has spoken. I definitely have had more time to absorb this--meaning you got the info and my take on it!

God is so good! And we were so grateful that He chose to use us in His purposes for the kindgom.

kw for H10

Monday

Well, I was able to post daily for the beginning of the trip, but as things wound up, I found it more difficult...plus, I often was unwilling to pull myself away from just "hanging" with the H10 Team in order to blog!

After a great long night of sleep in Texas, I will work to update in retrospect...

Monday was a good day...we spent our morning at Helping Hands...we decorated foam photo frames with the kids, then I took pics and printed them off on our portable photo printer (one of the best missions investments I have ever made!). When we first began, I told the team, don't let the kids just pull stickers off and stick them on their clothes...have them put them on the frames! However, when I watched two little boys with foam stickers covering their arms from shoulders to risks--all of my structure went out the window! (LCCS students were cheering all over the world at this moment! ;))...they were the cutest little boys having what Mrs. Deckert calls "bubba time"...they giggled and pointed and rearranged stickers all over each other! We found it harder to leave that day than the last, and in our minds we were already calculating that Tuesday would be our last day with them. What sweetness to be a vessel for God to pour out His love! And when you are pouring out His love, you can't help but have it splash all over you!!!

We spent the early part of the evening at Manuelito again...the kids taught their line dances and decorated baseball hats with them. I took the 4 junior girls and we set off with Alejandro to find shoes for the 42 kids at Helping Hands...now, I realize that Talanga does not carry the same shoe selection as say, the Lake Worth Wal-Mart....but oh my! We dug through 5 different shoe stores trying to find new tennis shoes for each of the kids. The girls were such troopers! We finally found all but the last 3 pair and the Machados said they would find those in the coming weekend. The last thing we did at Manuelito on Monday night was to hand out glow necklaces--and they were such a hit! It was great fun to look out the window as we drove off and see the "bouncing necklaces" as the children headed to their dorms for the night! And another reminder of the light of God's love that we are so desperate to share!

kw for H10

Sunday--WOW! WOW!

What a great day! I am just going to give you some "teasers" because the team will have so much they want to share!

Our morning time at New Life was great as we presented our Sunday school lessons...we broke into 4 groups and taught 4 of the names of God to the kids as they rotated through each group. We really sought to find the lessons that would speak to the lives of these kids. As they taught the names and their meanings to the kids, it was really cool to hear the sweet little voices repeating, "Jehovah Jireh, Dios es mi providor."

The team will tell you that the first lesson for each group was the hardest...when is it not hard (in any country, in any language) to get 5 years old to sit still and listen???? :) Although it was stretching, they did an amazing job! And of course then as we ran and played after our church time, there was much laughter and fun!! We also had some hard moments...one of the little boys at the orphanage who has never had any contact with his family had some friends of the family show up to try to see him. The other children at the orphanage began to talk (as kids do) telling this little boy that his mom was coming to get him. The idea that he would once again have to endure the idea of abandonment was heart-wrenching. Continue to pray for these children as they learn to really trust God as their Provider, their Banner, their Peace, and that He is always with them.

Yesterday evening we presented our "program" at Manuelita--Coach ReEtta's choreography is now international as the dances we have learned at Homecoming and Formal, as well as one by the dance team, were performed to the delight of the teenagers. We were able to convince a few of them to learn the line dance! An LCCS tradition!!!!

Our devotional time last night was amazing...we really experienced the preciousness of God's presence...and we know that the truths of Isaiah 61:1-4 were true for us. And that's all I can say about that for now!

Today is a busy day at Helping Hands and Manuelita...and tomorrow is our Easter Egg Hunt (at Helping Hands and New Life). Thank you for your continued prayers for us as we see God move here in Honduras. There are not enough words to express the joy in my heart at seeing the Lord move in us and among us.

With hearts for the nations, with hands touching the faces of sweet children, with our feet in Honduras, we send our love.........

KW for the H10 team

Saturday at the Medical Clinic

Yesterday was a busy, busy day! At the medical clinic, we were able to see over 100 patients! The highest patient total previously was 62! The team served in the pharmacia filling prescriptions of vitamins, cough syrup, allergy meds...almost all over the counter meds that the people do not have access to. Another group of students entertained the children (and their parents :)) as they waited. There were songs, bubbles, balloon animals, and musical chairs.

I think we sang every children's song ever sung in an American children's church, as well as every worship song with motions every sung in a LCCS chapel or at summer youth camp! Then we discovered that they REALLY liked musical chairs!!! Josh and Hunter alternated playing the guitar as the kids raced around the chairs! The parents were definitely entertained. At one point, we were singing simple praise and worship songs in English, and the scripture that says, "He inhabits the praises of His people," kept rolling across my mind. Even though the people didn't know the meaning of the words, God's presence as the Holy Spirit was washing over them. We prayed that this would be good seed in their hearts and that God would woo them to Himself. WHAT A BLESSING!!!

This morning we are preparing to head to New Life Children's Home to lead the morning church service. We will teaching on the names of God...

• Jehovah Jireh--God is our provider




• Jehovah Nissi--God is our banner




• Jehovah Shama--God is with us




• Jehovah Shalom--God is our peace

As we sought the Lord as to what we should teach, these were the principles that we believe the Lord wants to impart to the kids. Please pray for these truths to sink into the hearts of these children as we teach.

We will head to Manuelito this afternoon where we will present our skits, our songs, our line dances, and our testimonies. Please pray for God to use us as lights and to break through the language barrier. These will be the older children (more teenagers), who have most spent time living on the streets. There are deep wounds for these kids, and we are asking God to be a salve to their wounds and to continue the healing process.

God is faithfully filling us up each morning as we pour out through the day! Thank you for your prayers! We feel them!

With much love from Honduras,

KW for the H10 team

Busy Days! Short Nights!

My heart is full this morning!!! The days have been muy caliente (translation--HOT!) with temperatures above 100 the last several days, so we are going through bottled water by the gallons and gallons and gallons! Our sleep was short last night after a very busy day. But we are ready for the upcoming tasks of our Saturday!

We spent Friday morning with several tasks:

• filling 1,260 Easter eggs with candy and trinkets for our upcoming Easter egg hunts--Tuesday at Helping Hands and New Life Children's Home.




• cooking approximately 20 pounds of dry spaghetti to serve over 120 people






filling bags of a week's worth groceries for 30 families---




serving the meals to the families

The afternoon saw us on the bus weaving down the mountain road to Jalaca. For the students returning to New Life, there was a bit of trepidation as to how we would be received, and would they remember us. The questions were soon answered as the bus pulled up along the fence and the kids cheered and ran to let us in the gate. One of the most precious moments were as the children said to us, "Remember when you ______." They were able to communicate in big detail what we had done before--from the chalk drawing during our Bible lessons to the Easter egg hunts. And for those who arrived at New Life for the first time, they quickly found a buddy who needed a hug and a lap to sit in.

Last night in our devotions as the kids recounted their "high and low" moments and their gold stars---others who they saw serving in exceptional ways through out their day. It is a precious thing when they recognize the attributes of other!

This morning we are headed to Las Quebradas for our medical clinic today. We will provide "entertainment" for the children as they wait for the doctor... burbujas (bubbles), canciones (songs), and bombas (balloons). We are hoping for an early evening (the leaders are really hoping for an early evening) to bed.

Thank you for your continued prayers--they are felt...we are being filled up by the Lord each day as we pour out. What an awesome cycle! We are depositing parts of our hearts across the country of Honduras.

From the uttermost parts of the earth,

KW for the H10 Team

Day 2--First Day at the Orphanages

Thursday was a great day as we found ourselves suddenly immersed in the Honduran culture. The sight, the smells, the sounds were new and amazing for many...and for some were sweet reminders of trips past! And all through the day we saw the "fingerprints" of God! And what precious moments for us as leaders as we watched the guys swing the little ones in the air again and again and the girls rarely had an empty lap! Much love has been poured into these young men and women on the team, and they were good vessels (more like AMAZING vessels!) to pour out God's love on the children we saw yesterday.

We have been very blessed by our new Canadian friends who have provided us with wonderful meals and sweet fellowship! We have also been very blessed to be able to eat with the kdis at the orphanages...at Helping Hands we had pollo con arroz (chicken and rice with fresh cilantro and vegetables--wow!) and at Proyecto Manuelito we had fried plantains, yummy avocados, and other Honduran specialties. Great cultural experiences!

The verse we focused on was Isaiah 55:10 that says God provides seed for the sower and bread for the eater. We asked God to give us seed to sow into the lives of the kids and we ask Him to help us see the bread (HIMSELF as our daily bread) that He provides to nourish us. I believe He did that as the students testified last night in our devotion time of the things God is teaching them.

Today is our food brigade. We will serve a meal to approximately 30 families (100-150 people) of Talanga and provide them with a bag of dry goods (rice, flour, beans, salt, oatmeal) that will feed them for about a week. This afternoon we will spend time at New Life Children's Home in Jalaca (our trip in March 2008). Pray today for divine appointments. Pray for sweet connections with the kids. Pray for continued health and protection.

Our hearts are full in Honduras! Thank you for your prayers.

KW for H10 team

Day 1 Arrival

We made it! After leaving DFW at 7 am (arriving at the airport at 5:20!!!!), we arrived safely in Tegucigalpa a little after noon. AND-- ALL our luggage arrived with us! This may be a first in my trips to Honduras. After lunch and an hour ride to Talanga, we have settled into our hotel. We had a short walk around Talanga to acquaint ourselves with the sights (and smells) of Honduras. Our eyes have already been opened to the extreme poverty of the area as we made our trek in...shanty homes built out of little more than corrugated metal, leftover wooden pallets, and whatever cardboard they can scavenge.

We have had a lovely dinner with our new Canadian friends at their home outside of Talanga. We will soon head back to the hotel in Talanga for our first night of devotion. Pray that God gives us each specific revelation tomorrow. We are praying for eyes to see and ears to hear God's direction in the day.

Tomorrow morning starts early as we head to breakfast at 7!!! We will spend the day at two of the orphanages, Helping Hands and Proyecto Manuelita. Thank you for your prayers!

Our feet are in Honduras and our hearts are for the nations,

KW

H10

Honduras Mission Trip 2010

Tomorrow morning at 5:20 a.m., 18 students and 3 adults will meet at the airport to embark on the LCCS 2010 Mission Trip! We will be working with Alejandro and Amanda Alvey Machado of Elevate Ministries. Amanda is a graduate of LCCS (class of 2004). She and Alejandro live in Talanga (a small town about an hour outside of the capital city of Tegucigalpa).

Our primary work will be with 3 orphanages in the area...Helping Hands, Manuelita, and New Life (New Life is the orphanage that LCCS served at on our mission trip in March 2008). Our focus comes out of the LCCS scripture for the year, Romans 12:9-10...to love others with genuine affection. Our desire is that God will use us as vessels to pour out His love on the children--a total of almost 100 kids, the next generation to impact the world! We will also do an Easter egg hunt at two of the orphanages as we use this as an opportunity to teach the story of the Passion Week and the power of the resurrection of Jesus!!!

Please pray for protection as we travel and move about in Honduras. The political and civil unrest is all but gone; however, we will be in a foregin country!
Please pray for good health for us!
Please pray for open hearts, open eyes, and open ears that we would see, hear, and experience all that God has for us on this trip.
Please pray for discernment and wisdom for myself and the other two leaders.
Please pray that God would move in mighty ways that change us eternally--that we would never be the same...I am not interested in creating a mission trip "spiritual high" in these kids, but in seeing a desire to serve others develop and that our hearts are changed by the power of the Holy Spirit.

I look forward to sharing all of the amazing things that God does in us and through us!

For the nations,
Kristen Whitbeck