Honduras 2010

I'm home and almost at a complete loss for words about how amazing my week in Honduras was. It was truly one of the best weeks of my life, filled with smiling children, clean water, new friends, speaking spanish, seeing God work and feeling like I was exactly where I belonged.

Since it is hard for me to sum up the week in adequate words, I will let parts of my journal take the lead...

9.10.10

"Today has been one of those days that I will remember for quite sometime. The all illusive "go" and "yes, this is where I want you" has arrived and I could not be happier. I feel like Im getting a new chance with life. I get to go, serve, love people, experience a new culture and finally feel normal. I am going to cherish every moment of this. Every bead of sweat, every smiling face, every drop of water that comes out of that well, and every second from here on out. It's a blessing and not something to be taken for granted. This is it."

9.11.10

"Blessed is the word that keeps coming to mind. Blessed to be here, to meet my team and to feel ok. Just blessed. It's so extremely beautiful here with so many beautiful people, but at the same time poverty is the norm and not the exception to the rule. I've been thinking a lot about what people really need. They look so happy, and most the time are. No luxuries, just what they need. I guess that's why I love this work so much, it's bringing a necessity."

9.13.10

"I am in love. With this work, this country, theses people, the kids, the language. The actual well is going to be completely life changing. I didn't see the kids drink one sip of water all day long. It's just not an option. Now, they can go out to the well and get a drink of clean water whenever they please. We taught hand washing and about germs, drew happy clean faces and sad dirty faces and shared the gospel with these sweet beautiful children... Today I ran, I didn't pass out from the heat, I sang, smiled, and spoke Spanish-all by the Lord's strength. He is truly sustaining me."

9.14.10

"Today was even better. I love it here. I started my day with "hola amigos" followed by fifity kids screaming and laughing. It's amazing....By far, my favorite part of the day was walking out those gates and seeing all those kids playing in the clean water. There was so much joy-I was just overtaken by it. That's what I will remember from this week... While I was playing with the kids they kept asking for water. I was trying to find some for them and somehow they got ahold of my water bottle. They all fought over it as if it was the last couple ounces of water on earth. I was shocked and horrified. I hope these kids never have to fight for water ever again. It broke my heart...Tomorrow I get to teach nutrition to the classes. I feel like every class I've taken, every meal I've made has lead up to this moment."

9.15.10

"A group of us walked down to the river today, which up until now has been the main water source for the village. Someone was washing their car-in the river. At first glance it was comical, but then I thought about how that is that same water that people drink. It just hurt me to see, but makes the need for the well that much more apparent."

9.16.10

"Well- the week is almost over and I must say-it's more bitter than it is sweet. This trip has reaffirmed to me the desires of my heart, taught me that He will sustain me, and give me a hope for the future. To share the Lord's love, kids, nutrition, food, water, people, new cultures.

9.17.10

"In 24 hours I will be on a plane, headed back to life in Seattle. Im not quite ready. It's been a wonderful time, with an awesome team. I honestly wish I could take them back with me. Life is so weird like that-you meet people, experience amazing things with them then just like that they go back to their lives and that's it. I guess you just never know how God will use people in your life. I absolutely loved this week.