My day gets a thousand times better!
Monday, April 30, 2012
Saturday, April 14, 2012
living.
"Life is too deep for words, so don't try to describe it, just live it."
I do want to share about my latest adventures outside of Honduras- last week during Semana Santa (Holy Week), our hospital was closed because basically all of Central America closes down during this week and heads to the beach. I was able to go a bit more south to Nicaragua and meet up with my dad and our friends (the Buzbee family who I visited a couple of months ago for the wedding of Melissa). It was great to spend time with just my dad as well as catch up with friends- around the pool, in the waves of the Pacific, and in rocking chairs on the back porch at night. Our days and nights there are never without immense amounts of laughter and very encouraging words. I can definitely say I would not be the person that I am (and am becoming) without their friendship.
While there I also visited Casa Havilah (their rescue home for girls) and it was great to see all the house improvements that are happening! The new tiles floors were just getting finished when I was there and it's looking beautiful. The girls that are still there since my last visit about three years ago are getting more and more beautiful, and there are now some new faces as well!
A fun surprise that I was got to be a part of was a celebration day for the boys at Casa Robles (boys' rescue home). Some of them were have trouble in school and behavioral problems, but they received their report cards the day before I left and they all had excellence!!! A lot of hard work and prayer went into this, and this was a sure reason to celebrate. So I was a part of the big celebration to Pizza Hut and the movies to see The Lorax. Our group took up two rows in the movie theater, and it was great to see so many happy faces! :)
Dad and I and Mr. Buzbee also met up with one of the Young Life Nicaragua leaders and it was amazing to see how this ministry is exploding in this country! We are really excited to see how we can partner with them as they grow and expand to other Central American countries and beyond. Dad and I first learned about Young Life in Africa when we were in Ethiopia, and I've been nothing but super impressed with the passionate and excited leaders as they train up strong young men and women of Christ.
After our time in Nica, Dad and I headed up a little north to Sanibel, Florida, where the rest of our family was and also some of my very best friends. The night that we arrived was my dad's 61st birthday, so we got to celebrate in Nica in the morning and then that night in Sanibel! I must say that although there were a lot of GREAT parts about that day, the best part was seeing my sister Emily after TEN MONTHS of separation! I never imagined that I would ever go that long without seeing her, but then again I don't imagine much of what happens to me anymore. Dad and I ended up going straight from the airport to an event of our friends' organization (the rockin' awesome Sanibel Sea School), where Mom and Emily were, so I tried to not make a scene as I hugged Emily and tried to hold back my tears and screams of joy. That week she caught me up on life in Rwanda and I filled her in on life in Honduras. My best friends from Pennsylvania were visiting as well as my best friends from Virginia, so there was lots of catching up to do and of course not enough hours in the day. There were lots of pool days and beach days and wave running and boat riding and bike riding and tennis playing and "soccer" playing (more like violent rugby) and children flying and picture taking and hammock swinging and playing with babies and reality TV show making... it was simply beautiful, but times like these seem to pass before I've had the chance to really take them in.
When our friends left after a full week flew by, my three oldest siblings arrived, bringing with them my seven nieces and nephews! I must say that these precious children are some of the biggest joys in my life. My whole family got to spend a beautiful Easter together and few days of great fun. Much to my own surprise and due to God's grace in our lives, I have to say it was one of if not the best family vacation that I've had yet.
Easter 2012. My family together.
-C. S. Lewis
...So I will leave you with the few simple words that these days have been busy with lots of ups and downs as we seek to care for the children of Honduras in the best way, and I've been more than blessed to be a part of it at this time. Through the happy days as well as the really hard ones, it's comforting to have a solid group of friends who are all about fun but most importantly, God's glory.
I do want to share about my latest adventures outside of Honduras- last week during Semana Santa (Holy Week), our hospital was closed because basically all of Central America closes down during this week and heads to the beach. I was able to go a bit more south to Nicaragua and meet up with my dad and our friends (the Buzbee family who I visited a couple of months ago for the wedding of Melissa). It was great to spend time with just my dad as well as catch up with friends- around the pool, in the waves of the Pacific, and in rocking chairs on the back porch at night. Our days and nights there are never without immense amounts of laughter and very encouraging words. I can definitely say I would not be the person that I am (and am becoming) without their friendship.
While there I also visited Casa Havilah (their rescue home for girls) and it was great to see all the house improvements that are happening! The new tiles floors were just getting finished when I was there and it's looking beautiful. The girls that are still there since my last visit about three years ago are getting more and more beautiful, and there are now some new faces as well!
A fun surprise that I was got to be a part of was a celebration day for the boys at Casa Robles (boys' rescue home). Some of them were have trouble in school and behavioral problems, but they received their report cards the day before I left and they all had excellence!!! A lot of hard work and prayer went into this, and this was a sure reason to celebrate. So I was a part of the big celebration to Pizza Hut and the movies to see The Lorax. Our group took up two rows in the movie theater, and it was great to see so many happy faces! :)
Dad and I and Mr. Buzbee also met up with one of the Young Life Nicaragua leaders and it was amazing to see how this ministry is exploding in this country! We are really excited to see how we can partner with them as they grow and expand to other Central American countries and beyond. Dad and I first learned about Young Life in Africa when we were in Ethiopia, and I've been nothing but super impressed with the passionate and excited leaders as they train up strong young men and women of Christ.
After our time in Nica, Dad and I headed up a little north to Sanibel, Florida, where the rest of our family was and also some of my very best friends. The night that we arrived was my dad's 61st birthday, so we got to celebrate in Nica in the morning and then that night in Sanibel! I must say that although there were a lot of GREAT parts about that day, the best part was seeing my sister Emily after TEN MONTHS of separation! I never imagined that I would ever go that long without seeing her, but then again I don't imagine much of what happens to me anymore. Dad and I ended up going straight from the airport to an event of our friends' organization (the rockin' awesome Sanibel Sea School), where Mom and Emily were, so I tried to not make a scene as I hugged Emily and tried to hold back my tears and screams of joy. That week she caught me up on life in Rwanda and I filled her in on life in Honduras. My best friends from Pennsylvania were visiting as well as my best friends from Virginia, so there was lots of catching up to do and of course not enough hours in the day. There were lots of pool days and beach days and wave running and boat riding and bike riding and tennis playing and "soccer" playing (more like violent rugby) and children flying and picture taking and hammock swinging and playing with babies and reality TV show making... it was simply beautiful, but times like these seem to pass before I've had the chance to really take them in.
When our friends left after a full week flew by, my three oldest siblings arrived, bringing with them my seven nieces and nephews! I must say that these precious children are some of the biggest joys in my life. My whole family got to spend a beautiful Easter together and few days of great fun. Much to my own surprise and due to God's grace in our lives, I have to say it was one of if not the best family vacation that I've had yet.
Easter 2012. My family together.And now that I am back in Honduras, I am simply thankful. I am happier now and than ever to be here and and am forever grateful to be here for such a time as this.
I will leave you with a precious picture that I took two days ago of one of our clubfoot patients, Angel Jose. He lights up with smiles when he sees the camera- I just love him!
I will leave you with a precious picture that I took two days ago of one of our clubfoot patients, Angel Jose. He lights up with smiles when he sees the camera- I just love him!
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