Project Manuelito

Hanging out with one of the Pacheco twins. He also has two more siblings currently in the transition house in Teguc.

When I was first interested in coming to Honduras, one of the ministries that caught my attention was Project Manueltio. If you know me, you know that I am passionate about kids. I just love their innocence and their boldness to say whatever is on their mind. After learning that this ministry was dedicated to helping street kids, I knew that I wanted to be involved. What I didn't know however, was how much my heart would be broken during my time there. The kids who are a part of Project Manuelito have been through more pain and suffering than any kid should ever have to endure. They lived on the streets, spending their days begging for money and food and their nights sleeping on sidewalks. Many of them developed an addiction to sniffing glue, a habit which can severely damage brain cells.
Jorge Pinto, pastor of Amor y Vida church in Tegucigalpa saw the desperate situation of the kids on the streets and decided to begin to meet that need. He started by giving the street kids food, slowly building their trust, and then inviting them to stay at the church for the night. As the program developed, the church became the transition home for the kids who came directly from the streets. After the kids would spend an adequate amount of time in the home, adapting to a scheduled environment with authority figures in their lives, they would move out to the main location in Telanga. That is where I spent my time last week.
In Telanga, the kids all attend school during the day and come back to the project in the afternoon. There is plenty of room on the property for the kids to run around and play and really just have the freedom to be kids. When we arrived on Monday, the kids were so excited to see us, and many of them immediately ran up and gave us hugs and wanted to know who we were. Since independence day for Honduras was on Tuesday, the kids were all out of school for the week, so we really had an unlimited amount of time to get to know them and spend quality time with them. That day I started interviewing some of the kids, asking them to share their stories with me. The first girl I spoke with told me about her life on the street as a four year old who would spend her day begging for money. Although I knew that these kids came from rough situations, it was a complete shock to hear the stories coming directly from them. It made my previous knowledge of their hardship a harsh reality in my mind. I could feel my heart getting heavier with each story that unfolded before me. Finally, I just had to stop my interviews for a while so I could process the information. In spite of the obvious hardships these kids have endured, there current situation is so much better. The kids told me that they like being at Manuelito because they don't have to sleep on the streets anymore. One of the young boys told me that he liked being in the project because he could take a shower. When I asked him if he was ever able to take a shower when he lived on the streets he looked at me like I was crazy and simply said, "no."
It's hard to imagine any little boy or girl living on the streets, desperate to find food, money, anything to help them survive. It's even harder to know their story and have a connection with them, knowing all that they have been through. It hurts my heart to think about their situations, but at the same time it's comforting to know that they are now in a safe place where their needs are met and they are able to get an education. A majority of their parents never visit, but many of the kids are in the program with their siblings, so they have some of their family around. When I think about those kids, my heart is heavy because I want to go back there and spend time with them, to be able to laugh with them and just pour some love into their lives. As you read this post today, please take the time to pray for the kids involved in the program and also for the kids who are still on the streets. Also, pray for the ministry, that funding will continue to come in so that more hurting children can have their lives changed.

Tegucigalpa

This past week I spent time in Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras. I was able to travel around the city, visiting different museums and observing the culture. I visited two different private schools and met several of the missionaries who work in the city. It was really interesting to be in the middle of the city in light of the current political situation. The walls and buildings downtown were all covered with graffiti in protest of the government. The feel of the city was drastically different than my time in Roatan. It was clear from the moment our taxi arrived at the guest house that the city was not a "safe" place. The house is protected by a giant metal gate that is double locked at night, so although our surroundings might be dangerous, the house itself serves as a fortress. It was good to feel safe inside the house, but it was hard to adjust to the different environment.
When I was walking around the city with our group, I noticed the obvious distinction between the affluent and the extremely poor. There were people begging on the streets who clearly had next to nothing. At the same time there was a huge mall with high end stores and American restaurants. It was nicer than most of the malls I've been to in the U.S. and was filled with wealthy people. It was almost harder for me to see the wealthy people than the poor, mostly because I wasn't expecting to see this side of Honduras. When I think of this country, my first thoughts are of poverty and suffering, not of affluence. It's hard to understand why there are so many people here who have no choice but to beg for food every day, yet there are those who have more than they would ever need. I think the reason that it was so hard to see the wealth that existed in that mall is because I myself identify with those people. I have more than I could ever want or need, yet the mentality of consumerism has influenced my mind. At times I feel that I need more things, that my life will be better if I have more. The reality is that the cycle never stops and I will always be left wanting more.

moving on

After experiencing a place with as much beauty as Roatan, the goodbye is somewhat bittersweet. Tomorrow is my last day on the island and I'm sure that as I board the plane and head for Tegucigalpa on Tuesday morning, I'll feel a little sad about what I'm leaving behind. The people of Punta Gorda have readily accepted me into their community. There are so many relationships that I began to form that will never get the chance to fully develop. My only hope is that my presence here, if only for a short while, made somewhat of a difference in the lives of the people here. I know that I will never forget my time here on the island or the loving Garifuna people who I had the chance to interact with. I'll miss making small talk with the old man who sits outside his house every day and I'll miss the friendly, "Hola Erica," that I would often hear as I walked through town. I truly do love the sense of community that exists in this simple place.
As I lived out my last week on the island, I had several interesting experiences. On Wednesday I decided to be brave and try out the Honduran public transportation system so I could explore more of the island. After waiting at the end of the dirt road for a bus, I hopped on and headed to French Harbor, a town about 30 minutes from Punta Gorda. The plan was to go to a private beach owned by a resort--the only problem was I wasn't sure how to make the bus stop. After passing by my destination, I stood up and stuttered in Spanish that I needed to get off the bus. Luckily the bus driver noticed me, and after giving me a strange and somewhat annoyed look, he let me off. I tracked back up the road for a few minutes and eventually made it to the beach. It was well worth the trip. I spent a relaxing day snorkeling and laying by the water. I know, I'm supposed to be on a mission trip, but give me a break, I'm on a tropical island. If it makes you feel any better, I came very close to being lunch for a barracuda, so I wouldn't describe the day as 'perfect'.
The rest of the week was spent helping out with different activities with the church. I went to kids club on Thursday afternoon and helped pass out snacks and tried to keep the kids somewhat under control--not an easy task. I got reeled into a game of air hockey with a rather competitive little boy. The only problem was there was no air coming out of the table, making the game especially difficult, not to mention the fact that it was blazing hot in the room. Needless to say I came away from the game a little more than sweaty, but the air hockey champ nonetheless. Friday night was youth group and I had the chance to sing a special. It was somewhat awkward singing in front of a group without a microphone, just using my iPod and a couple of speakers to play the song. It was a good opportunity though, and I really think the youth enjoyed the song. Afterwards, we all broke up into groups to discuss different Bible stories about doubt. I had the chance to read a few verses out loud for my group--in Spanish of course. It was a good chance to practice, and I know that I need to keep speaking when I have the chance so I can get better at the language.
Saturday was my greatly anticipated 22nd birthday. I wasn't sure how I would feel about being away from family and friends on that day, but it ended up being a pretty memorable birthday. Sarah, Laurie and I spent the day at Camp Bay, an undeveloped beach on the island. The setting was breathtaking with sea green water that faded into a deep blue and countless coconut trees lining the sand. After spending some time in the water and exploring the beach, we settled in for a picnic lunch. Laurie set up hammocks under the shade of the trees and after lunch I was lulled to sleep by the serenity of the ocean waves. That night we went out to dinner at an amazing restaurant that was set right on the water. We ate outside and there was a perfect breeze coming off the water during our meal. The food was delicious--I had the Surf and Turf combo of steak and shrimp, and best of all our waiter spoke English. It was perfect. We went back to the house for delicious Oreo chocolate cheesecake that Laurie made for me. It was a really fun day, and a birthday that I know I'll never forget. Although I did miss the familiarity of family and friends being around, I was still really glad that I was able to spend the day on this beautiful island.