Soccer Balls and Sky Lights

As I sit here writing this latest installment of the Honduras Blog, thoughts of joy fall like drops of rain, and at this moment, I know the sound of rain well. This week has been an amazing opportunity to see people take moments to be bigger than I thought possible. Moments to speak bigger things then they knew, and moments to experience the bigger things than they dreamed possible. One thing that has amazed me has been the people who take the small amounts of spanish they know, and turned it into conversation with kids. Most of us come vastly under knowledge(d) in the realm of this language, and learning a few simple words has gotten us far. We connect with the kids, and that is wonderful. One of our team members, Anna Barberio, had this to say about her time with the kiddos.

   
          "I clearly did not pay enough attention in the Spanish classes that I took Freshman year because all I've been able to say confidently this whole trip is, 'Ven conmigo', or 'Come with me' to one three year old girl who was already following me. Before coming on this trip, the only thing that made me nervous was the possibility that I would not have a way to connect with the kids. Luckily, God has a way of making me feel silly for worrying at all. On Monday we began painting one of the walls of the school that the sponsored children attend. About fifteen minutes in, I noticed that the most adorable little girl was following me from pillar to pillar as I painted them red. I turned around to see her in her little froggy-like squat watching intently. I smiled at her and offered her the brush. Her face instantly brightened and she became my little helper for the rest of the day. The longer we painted together, the less shy she became and she even started to sing me a song. It was precious. Every time I have seen her since she comes up to me and smiles or shows me her new accessories for the day. Today, on the drive back from viewing the bordos (the shack house village near the river), I sat next to one of the girls who lives there. She could tell I did not understand anything she was talking about so she just started to name things she thought were American. We finally bonded when she said, 'Justin Beiber?'. Immediately the connection was made. We both broke out singing 'Baby' while simultaneously giggling our heads off. It was definitely the most girly moment of the trip for me (and secretly one of my favorites)."

Without sounding melodramatic, I couldn't have asked for anything more than to see the students here at Grace Point become best friends and confidants with the little ones here in Honduras. To see the faces light up the moment that we pull the bus into the school every morning is ineffable. I have chosen to spend these years of my life getting to know these teenagers, and seeing them on this trip has expanded and confirmed what I knew was true, there is greatness in them. Tonight I want to say thank you to the people that have made this trip possible. Both by coming, or by being part of sending them. Thank you for giving your money. Thank you for giving your time. Thank you for raising your kids in a way that made helping others sound like a valuable use of a week of their summer. Thank you buying  shirts and paying way too much for sodas. Thank you for praying for us. Thank you for being willing to shuffle through my grammer atrocities to hear our heart. Thank you for being willing to hear about this for way to long when we get back. Thank you for teaching us the little Spanish we know. Thank you for being the people that make this week possible.

It rained, it thundered, and there was some beautiful lightening. But now the sky is clear, and I am ready for bed. Tomorrow night I hope to include a lot more in this, and I can't wait to get some pics and videos posted. Good night ya'll.


Kyle Colin Kerchner