ITS MARCH!

Holy cow, its MARCH! This is pure craziness how fast time has flown by. Only three months until Texas with my baby sisters, best friends, driving myself where I need to go, and eating some really wonderful food that I’ve missed. But at the same time only three months here in Honduras, a country that I love very much with people I love more than I can even try to put into words. Only three more months with my girls and their laughter, their good food, and our dance parties. Three months, that blows my mind. Seriously. I read an email from a friend a few days ago challenging me to stay focused on where I am and to live in the moment that I am in instead of the moments to come regardless of how exciting they may be. I pray that God would focus my mind and my heart on Honduras and my girls here and that He would continue to give me the strength, love, and patience to live in the moment, truly savoring and cherishing my life here.

A quick update about my last two weeks:

Two weeks ago there was a group in town from Pennsylvania (some of whom were here in October). I had the opportunity to spend quite a bit of time with them and their translators this time at Casitas and the CTC. It was beautiful to see the way they love this country and the way they love the people here. On Saturday, I got to go to Nueva Esperanza (the orphanage with younger kids) with the Pennsylvania group. I hadn’t been there since my first visit to San Pedro Sula in June 2011. I was so happy to be able to spend a few hours playing with a few of the 2, 3, and 4 year olds. They were precious (of course!) and I recognized a few of them from my last visit. It was also really wonderful to be with this group and to feel a sense of community with people I could call my friends.

This past week has been equally wonderful but very normal. Lots of time spent with my girls at Casitas teaching science, teaching what it means to serve people and why, and making friendship bracelets. And, even more time spent with my girls at the transition house – cooking, celebrating my birthday, doing Pilates, learning about nutrition, playing UNO, and taking hundreds of silly pictures. A couple of things stand out to me from this past week.

1.     Anyone, anywhere can help and serve other people. It’s what we as Christians are called to do. So serve, regardless of who or where you are.

2.     I have a new friend. Her name is Maurgarita. She is special needs and absolutely precious. Normally it’s my little sister Lydia and best friend Katie that love kids with special needs and I sit back and watch them and admire them and their big hearts. I don’t have the patience; I don’t know what to do or say when I’m with kids that have special needs. And I know that sounds awful, but it’s true. But Maurgarita, this sweet girl has captured my heart.

3.     It is really hard to watch my girls at Casitas leave. Believe me I know we do not want them to stay here forever. Casitas is not a place that anyone would ever want to live or a place anyone should have to live. When the girls leave some of them go back to their families if it is a good situation for them or they go to another center where there is a school for them to attend. Alejandra, Susan, Claudia, Chelsy, and several others that I have gotten to know since November have left Casitas. And at least 4 or 5 more will leave soon to go to another center. How wonderful it is to see them leave but how sad at the same time, I want to be able to hug them and talk to them and just be with them each day. But God continues to remind me that his ways and thoughts and plans are infinitely better than mine. How comforting and challenging is that? God knows exactly where each of us is each moment of every day and He knows exactly where each of my girls are when I obviously don’t. I feel privileged just to have the opportunity to get to know these girls and pour into them and love them each day while I’m with them at Casitas.

Pray for us! Continue to pray that God would keep me focused here and that I would treasure this time here with my girls. Pray that God would give me the words to say in the correct moments. Pray for my girls at Casitas as many of them are going through difficult situations. Pray also for my girls at the house as they continue to learn and prepare themselves for adulthood and work hard at school, which just started a few weeks ago. Pray that God would fill us with the Holy Spirit and guide each of us each day as we walk through our days together desiring to share God’s love with this city.

Kellie