Bom Bom

I was up early today and was reflecting on the concept of abundance. It is such a relative term and depends entirely on the lens through which you view your life and the life of others. That lens is ground on the mill of values. What are the values that bring your life into focus? The children at SBV, by our standards in the US, have very little. To an uninvolved observer, one might say they have little to nothing. They wear used clothes, take only cold showers, they have very little to call their own, their diet is nutritious but limited, they don't go on vacation and rarely have outings. No one in their right mind would say they live lives of abundance. But, spend one day with them and a different lens brings clarity to their lives and to your own. Look past the mended, mismatched clothes and see children who love one another abundantly. Children who clamor for "bom bom" (chewing gum) but always make sure that everyone around them, including the caretakers, have a piece. Children who know first hand the value of a safe home, absence of violence, 3 meals a day plus meriando (afternoon snack), the privilege of schooling, the warmth of a hug and the comfort of a smile. Children who unconsciously look out for each other - wiping the nose of a tiny child, keeping a too small boy from climbing a tree, walking hand in hand, sharing everything with each other because that is simply what they do - no need to exhort them to share. Children who remind me to give a child two bom boms tomorrow because he didn't get one today. Children who live in the tangible expression of the love and power of the Risen Lord. Abundant lives? You bet. My prayer is that we would all live such abundant lives. More on this later...

We have been driving around with the crutches for the man on the road but had not seen him for several days. We were so disappointed yesterday on our way home from SBV when we didn't see him - our last chance. Jose, our driver, went above and beyond the call of duty trying to find the man. He asked several people who all knew who he was talking about but no one had seen him. We tried one more time, going the opposite way of Flor, to retrace our route, certain that we would see him in the morning. We failed. He wasn't there. Wheeler suggested that we give the crutches to Suzy who drives that route often. Such a disappointment.

Is it possible to be in a heart breaking and heart warming situation simultaneously? This morning we went to Flor because it was the SBV kids' visiting day with their families. They load all the kids, except the teens who have visiting day on Wednesday, on the bus and take them to the school. Visiting day is every other month. Their families meet them there for a morning of reunion. Tables were set up on the soccer field so each family unit could be together. I walked in just as a father caught sight of his toddler son. The father's face lit up as he shouted with joy and scooped the child up in his arms. The children climbed the stairs to see who was there to visit with them. I was able to meet many of the families and learned who the siblings are. Some I knew but others I had never connected as hermano o hermana. (brother or sister.) For example, I had no idea that Dunia, Yessenia, and Fernando were siblings.

So I went from table to table taking family pictures. I will have them printed and send down with the next person headed this way. The families brought small picnics and some brought gifts. Most of them seemed very happy to be together. Two obvious exceptions were Evelyn and Yonibel. Evelyn looked miserable and Yonibel grudgingly shoved a card he made at his mother and then turned away. She thrust a little bag of food in his hand which he immediately gave to someone else. Janet and Bonnie noticed one woman holding her toddler son. It was a heart rending scene. She had brought nothing to eat or play with. He sat sadly on her lap as she stared miserably off into space. Bonnie and Janet rushed down to our van and got their lunches for them. Suddenly, the mother's face changed completely as a look of joy and relief washed over her. Amazing what a peanut butter and jelly sandwich can do. Not to mention the loving sacrifice of lunch by Janet and Bonnie. They truly were the church today.

9 of the children had no visitors at all. Some appeared unruffled by this and others were devastated. Dunia, Christopher, Yessenia and Yonibel (whose mother left immediately) were really upset.There is a YWAM (Youth with a Mission) missionary who works with the children some. She always takes the children with no visitors on an outing. We had to coax Dunia and Yonibel to come with us. Yessenia refused. We joined the group today and had a blast! There are some universal truths in the world and one is that every kid loves Burger King, especially one with a big play structure in it! We tumbled out of the van and into BK. The kids went directly to the playroom, which we had to ourselves. Hunter, Meagan and I conveniently couldn't read the rule in Spanish that said only children 12 and under allowed in the play structure. We had so much fun but we all agreed that the twisty slide was too twisty for us. (I nearly threw up!) We played tag and generally charged around laughing, hooting and hollering. We ordered the HN equivalent to a happy meal for 39 lemps each. As soon as we got the meals, the children scrambled out of the play structure and sat down to eat. I offered to get them all an icecream cone (9 lemps each - about 50 cents) but noooo they wanted chocolate sundaes. (Who wouldn't?) 18 chocolate sundaes coming up! I noticed that Dunia hadn't eaten her hamburger. I asked her why. "Es para Fernando. El es enferma." She was saving it for her little brother, Fernando, who was home sick in SBV. Her drink? "Para Yessenia." She was saving her drink for Yessenia. All she ate of her lunch were the fries so she could share with her siblings who didn't come. Gina saved her hamburger for Seidy, also sick at SBV. Imagine that. These children go to Burger King as a major treat maybe once every two months and they save the most substantial part of their meal for someone else. These are the children who have "nothing" -- nothing but abundance in love for one another. Dunia and Yonibel left the restaurant laughing and smiling. Quite a change from the trip over. Thanks be to God.

As we were loading the kids into the van, Jose the driver became quite excited. Hunter and Janet looked up to see what was going on. He found the man we had been looking for! We were really far from the his normal route but, lo and behold, just as we were leaving for good, there he was! Alleluia! Hunter took the crutches over to him and showed him how to use them while Janet snapped pictures. (I, of course, missed the whole thing. I was rounding up children in BK.) Hunter said that he had no idea what to do with the crutches until H demonstrated their use. It was an unexpected gift to find him after we had given up. (Is there a lesson there?)

We dropped the kids off at El Cordero and said our final goodbyes. I absolutely hate that.

We headed up to the mountains to see the huge Jesus statue overlooking Teguci. It is in a beautiful park and we had a very nice, relaxing time. Great views of the city, lovely gardens, and even a shop. (I didn't buy a thing...only cuz I had no money with me.)

Back to Erika's for another great dinner - pepian (a type of squash that is delish) barbeque chicken, rice, and rice krispie treats! YUM. Then the traditional packing party with yards of bubblewrap and counting people and suitcases and weighing and all that stuff.

So, this is it. Tomorrow we get on the plane to come home...and plan the next trip to Honduras.

Thanks so much for following along with us and for joining us in prayer for the children and for Honduras. Now, go in peace to love and serve the Lord. THANKS BE TO GOD!