December 30, 2016
Today was so many things. I just can not put into words what today was like. I have no words. My heart broke. It is continuing to break. God is breaking my heart. Everywhere I look I see a beautiful mountain, Plant, or sky filled with color and then I look down. I see trash everywhere. I see children crying and children with out shoes. I see people with torn and tattered clothing, houses that are falling apart. Places that people live that are far from livable by any standard, yet they live there. Children who wander the streets with out parents in sight. Streets that are dirty and not drivable. Paths that were once nive with stairs are now cracked and delopodated. People who need help, but refuse it. I met a lady today who has 16 children. 16. She is 50 and has 16 children and 7 grandchildren and they all live in the same small sod house with a broken up tin roof. That's 23 people in a house made for probably 5, at the absolute max, yet she refuses help.
It's hard to go anywhere with out seeing a stray dog. They are everywhere. Many families have 3-5 dogs, even if they can not provide for them, they keep them for security. Any that are found roaming around are so skinny you can tell they have not eaten an adequate meal in who knows how long. Job has warned me to stay away, becuase they will bite. Not all of them, but better safe than sorry. I want to pick them up and snuggle them, but here, dogs are not pets.It is sad to see, but that is how their culture works. If it's not a dog you see running around, there's a pretty safe bet that you'll see a chicken or multiple. They run and barefoot, hungry, children chase them to play or to steal eggs.
God broke my heart today. He is continuing to do so. I think He is breaking my heart so that there are no barriers between the love He has placed in my heart and the people of Honduras, so that the love can flow freely to all I meet. I pray that His light is shining to everyone meet.
I just can not wrap my mind around everything. These people have little to nothing, yet the kids smile, laugh, and make the most with what they have. Something that is so simple to us is so incredibly to them. There are some beautiful people here. It is so hard to accept the fact that part of the reason everything is happening is because of the government and how corrupt the police are. There is no justice. The drug lords run the place and money is everyones god. It is hard to drive by an see military men dressed and armed, ready for someone to make a scene. Same with security gaurds. This has all been a huge cultural shock and I am sure it will continue to be.
In case I have not already given you enough info, here is what my day looked like:
I recieved a full tour of the farm and met many of the workers and of course all the animals (How much trouble would I be in if I brought back a baby sheep?). After a lunch of tortillas and beans, we went to Puran, another small village in Singuatepeque, and checked in on people who Job and Adria have helped start gardens Many are tire gardens, meaning the seeds and soil are planted in a tire. After visiting the gardens, meeting new people, and taking a hike, we headed to get some more coffee (which is SO amazing here!), at HOPE Coffee, where I was able to connect to wifi and catch up with life in the United States( fun fact: People are ofended in you refer to the U.S. as America, because technically they are Americans too). Next we made a quick stop at a store and then stopped by Job's parents house, where I met some of his family and sang hymns with his mom. Such a lovely family! Then we headed to dinner where we had fried banana slices in some weird sauce. It ended up tasting so much better than I thought it would. I also tried a number of freshly picked, wild fruits including: Apple-bananas, Mandarins, papaya, and pure sugar cane. Day one was jam packed and I am ready to celebrate New Year's Eve here!
Prayer Requests:
Wisdom to teach little ones next week.
Adjusting to the culture and farm lifestyle
Health- I have developed and icky cold and my allergies are not diggin everything I'm encountering.
Safety- I am in very good hands, but there are things that can not be controlled. (Don't worry, I am fine, but it is just a precaution!)
Love,
Rebekah
Saturday, December 31, 2016
Friday, December 30, 2016
I Arrived and I'm Alive!- My Journey in Honduras
Thursday December 29th:
I left that morning for the Kansas City airport at around 9 a.m. I had a lot of mixed emotions as I sat there waiting for my plane. So excited for this journey and adventure, but so terrified of being the adult and making it there safely. It was hard to leave, because my grandma had just been admitted to the hospital the day before and it felt like I should stay, but I couldn't. There is a strange feeling of being filled with people, yet feeling totally alone and not knowing a single person. I think there was about a dozen times I wanted to burst out singing, "A Whole New World" from Ariel, but I refrained.
My first flight was delayed by an hour which threw things bit off schedule. I had no idea how traveling for 15 hours could be so exhausting, but I did get a few naps on the plane! ;) I made it to Orlando, where I stayed on the plane and then went to Ft. Lauderdale, where I had a little over and hour layover and then my departure to San Pedro Sula began. I stood in line as people rushed by and asked me questions in Spanish that I could barely comprehend. I listened and used what little I remembered from my two years of Spanish Freshman and Sophomore year, and if I was clueless I managed to say, "Lo Siento, un poco espanol. No intiendo" or something in that variation. within another hour I was on the plane and ready to go!
December 30, 2016:
I have arrived! My flight got in early this morning, I made it through immigration, and met Adria and Job! We made it back to the village at around 4 a.m. We prayed and then I went to my mini apartment next to there house, to "sleep", though not much sleeping happened. Remember when you were a little kid and you were afraid of the dark, because you didn't know what was out there? I had that same feeling last night as I laid in bed and tried to sleep. I eventually fell asleep only to be woken up at about 6:30 by a loud squaking the scared me awake. I'm still not exactly sure what that was. I also awoke freezing, which supervised me, because I was in Honduras and I was wearing sweat pants and a long sleeve shirt and I was wrapped in a quilt. After falling asleep and waking up multiple times I decided to just get up, get ready, and organize my things a little bit better. I usually listen to music when I get ready, but this morning I was serenaded by some lovely sheep. :) Today is my first official day in Honduras! Part of me is ready for the adventure and part of me is very afraid, but God is good and He is already teaching me many lessons. One being that I should have payed more attention in Spanish class.
On the Plane ride from Ft. lauderdale I met this sweet elder lady who was traveling back home to Honduras. She spoke no English and I spoke very little Spanish, but we communicated and understood each other. I sat preparing for take off and looked over to see her head bowed and hands folded. I assumed she praying in Spanish, because I heard Dios multiple times and I know that means God. There was something amazing about that, because I had just finished praying while she was praying. It was amazing, because there we both sat, totally different, different languages, and yet praying to the same God and He heard and understood us both at the same time! It is so crazy to see God work in mysterious ways and I can not wait to continue to see how He works and what He teaches me over the next month. There's a special beauty about knowing absolutely nothing and relying totally on God to carry you through.
Thank you to everyone for all your prayers! I will keep you posted as often as I can and will try to post pictures!
Love,
Rebekah
I left that morning for the Kansas City airport at around 9 a.m. I had a lot of mixed emotions as I sat there waiting for my plane. So excited for this journey and adventure, but so terrified of being the adult and making it there safely. It was hard to leave, because my grandma had just been admitted to the hospital the day before and it felt like I should stay, but I couldn't. There is a strange feeling of being filled with people, yet feeling totally alone and not knowing a single person. I think there was about a dozen times I wanted to burst out singing, "A Whole New World" from Ariel, but I refrained.
My first flight was delayed by an hour which threw things bit off schedule. I had no idea how traveling for 15 hours could be so exhausting, but I did get a few naps on the plane! ;) I made it to Orlando, where I stayed on the plane and then went to Ft. Lauderdale, where I had a little over and hour layover and then my departure to San Pedro Sula began. I stood in line as people rushed by and asked me questions in Spanish that I could barely comprehend. I listened and used what little I remembered from my two years of Spanish Freshman and Sophomore year, and if I was clueless I managed to say, "Lo Siento, un poco espanol. No intiendo" or something in that variation. within another hour I was on the plane and ready to go!
December 30, 2016:
I have arrived! My flight got in early this morning, I made it through immigration, and met Adria and Job! We made it back to the village at around 4 a.m. We prayed and then I went to my mini apartment next to there house, to "sleep", though not much sleeping happened. Remember when you were a little kid and you were afraid of the dark, because you didn't know what was out there? I had that same feeling last night as I laid in bed and tried to sleep. I eventually fell asleep only to be woken up at about 6:30 by a loud squaking the scared me awake. I'm still not exactly sure what that was. I also awoke freezing, which supervised me, because I was in Honduras and I was wearing sweat pants and a long sleeve shirt and I was wrapped in a quilt. After falling asleep and waking up multiple times I decided to just get up, get ready, and organize my things a little bit better. I usually listen to music when I get ready, but this morning I was serenaded by some lovely sheep. :) Today is my first official day in Honduras! Part of me is ready for the adventure and part of me is very afraid, but God is good and He is already teaching me many lessons. One being that I should have payed more attention in Spanish class.
On the Plane ride from Ft. lauderdale I met this sweet elder lady who was traveling back home to Honduras. She spoke no English and I spoke very little Spanish, but we communicated and understood each other. I sat preparing for take off and looked over to see her head bowed and hands folded. I assumed she praying in Spanish, because I heard Dios multiple times and I know that means God. There was something amazing about that, because I had just finished praying while she was praying. It was amazing, because there we both sat, totally different, different languages, and yet praying to the same God and He heard and understood us both at the same time! It is so crazy to see God work in mysterious ways and I can not wait to continue to see how He works and what He teaches me over the next month. There's a special beauty about knowing absolutely nothing and relying totally on God to carry you through.
Thank you to everyone for all your prayers! I will keep you posted as often as I can and will try to post pictures!
Love,
Rebekah
Friday, December 23, 2016
The Statue- My Journey to Honduras
I walk past this statue everyday on the way to class. It represents Jesus washing the feet of Peter. Jesus- the Prince of Peace, the one who came to die for all of mankind, fully human, yet fully God, washing the feet of a fisherman. Jesus came to seek and save the lost. He humbled himself to become a lowly servant. He came not to be served, but to serve and put others before himself. He came to show the world what true love looks like. He came to defeat the depths of hell. He came not to do the will of His own, but to do the will of the one who sent Him.
Is that not what we as believers are on this earth to do as well? To be servants and helping hands? To do the will of God and put our selfish agenda aside? Not my will be done, but yours Father. What ever it be let it be done and let it be done for your glory and yours alone. Let us break away from our selfish acts, tear down our pride and be your servants. You had every opportunity to leave us and to walk with those deemed important, but instead you talked with the fisherman, the tax collectors, the ill, and lame. You loved all of those that the world just loved to hate. The ones that life was not the most fair to, you loved them and cared for them. Instead of looking down on them you picked them up and lowered your self to be their servant.
If the Holy of Holys can bend down to help the poor, then a mere college girl can do the same. A girl who may be under qualified, a bit timid, a little too sassy, more than a little adventurous, and way to oblivious to what God is doing in her life. This girl whos heart breaks at the tiniest of sadness, who loves kids with all her heart and has a passion to make them feel loved and special. A girl who has a desire to change the world, but yet has an echoing voice that tells her if all the impossibilities. A girl who only wants to live loved and love those she meets.
That girl is me. In 4 days I will depart America and land in Honduras where this crazy adventure will officially begin. Everything I had wanted to do, but never thought able will be happening. My heart leaps with joy at the thought of finally meeting my host family and getting to know them more and experiencing the Honduran culture. My heart is also anxious and timid, because up until about 3 weeks ago, there were little to no obstacles in this plan, until I received notice form one of the head teachers at Destino Del Reino, that I would not longer be able to help at that school. There was some miscommunication and it was just not going to work out, unfortunately. I sat in my dorm confused and heart broken. "Why is this happening? Am I not suppose to go? What am I going to do now?" My faith grew weak, but also grew very strong. God is good. Something we should all remember. With in the the next two days I talked with the couple I'd be staying with and I was in contact with a different school. I turned out to be an answer to their prayers, because one of their teachers will be in America until the 2nd week in January and they were looking for someone to cover for him. So, instead of assisting in teaching I will be teaching a 4th grade class the first week or so while I am in Honduras and then helping with the 1st and 2nd graders once the teacher returns. The wonderful institution I will be teaching at is called La Providencia. La Providencia is an absolutely outstanding organization. They work with widows, orphans, and any who are oppressed- offering them education, medical treatment, and food. Their mission is truly to be the hands and feet of Christ. Check out their website: https://providenceworld.com/la-providencia/who-we-serve/
I am very much looking forward to working with this organization and to love on these kids and give them every bit of hope I can.
Wow. I can not believe how quickly this trip has come! It seems like it was only a couple of weeks ago that I blindly ordered a ticket to Honduras with little to no idea what I was doing, but I sure am glad I have listened to God and I can't wait to see the rest of His plan for this trip unfold. I am so thankful to Job and Adria for opening up their home to me and for all their help, especially over the past two weeks with my endless questions. They are two great people who are doing great work in Honduras and I am excited to get to know them more.
T-4 days y'all. God guide me and keep my path straight and lit on this narrow road.
For updates while in Honduras:
- Continue to check here
- Add me on Facebook: Bekah Henderson
- Add me on Instagram: raielle16 or Rebekah Henderson
- Add me on Snapchat: bek161
- Send me an email and I'll do my best to respond: rrhenderson16
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